Gulfstream Park H.

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Saturday’s $300,000 Gulfstream Park H. (G2) marks the stakes debut of
FORMIDABLE (Sky Mesa), a superb two-time winner this meet for trainer Allen
Jerkens. The four-year-old colt broke his maiden by 4 1/2 lengths in early
January, registering a 111 BRIS Speed and 103 Late Pace rating in the
six-furlong test, and he exits a sensational 5 1/2-length tally over allowance
rivals going seven furlongs. Formidable will remain at a one-turn distance in
this mile contest, and we’ll look for him to keep winning. Javier Castellano
will pick up the mount.

COOL COAL MAN (Mineshaft) likes Gulfstream. Two-for-two last year, including
a score in the Fountain of Youth (G2), the Nick Zito-trained colt remained
perfect with a facile 2 1/4-length score over allowance rivals in his
four-year-old debut last out, earning a career-best 106 BRIS Speed rating in the
process. The bay colt will be stalking the pace from the rail with Jose Lezcano,
and Cool Coal Man should be in position to challenge turning for home.

BRIBON (Fr) (Mark of Esteem [Ire]) rolled to a six-length tally in a one-mile
allowance/optional claiming event last out, posting a 107 BRIS Speed figure, and
recorded an excellent third, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the Cigar
Mile H. (G1) three starts back in late November. The six-year-old gelding is a
logical win threat in this spot for trainer Robert Ribaudo, but he’s not the
most consistent performer. We won’t be surprised to see him beat us, but we’ll
look for at least a little regression off his monstrous performance last time.

SMOOTH AIR (Smooth Jazz) is another logical contender, winning a pair of
Grade 2 dirt events, including the Hutcheson S. (G2) at Gulfstream, last season,
and he exits a solid runner-up showing on the turf for conditioner Bennie Stutts
Jr. The four-year-old colt has been all over the place in recent starts
— turf, synthetic and dirt routes — but he’s never been a mile on the main
track. He’s cutting back to a one-turn, elongated sprint on Saturday, and we’re
inclined to just watch and see how he performs.

FINALLYMADEIT (Concerto) will take his rivals as far as he can on Saturday,
but this will be his fifth start of the meet and we don’t like his chances.
HOW’S YOUR HALO (Halo’s Image) upset his rivals at 47-1 in the Richter Scale
Sprint S.
(G2) last time out, but he’s unlikely to duplicate that performance against
tougher rivals on Saturday.