Horse Race of the Week: Mr. Prospector Stakes

SI Gambling insider Frankie Taddeo handicaps this Saturday's Mr. Prospector Stakes from Gulfstream, including the latest odds and his best bets.

It's been an outstanding 2020 season on the track!

The SI Gambling Horse handicapping experts had a great day in the Travers Stakes when Tiz the Law helped our team crush the Exacta (8/1) and the Trifecta (36/1) after Caracaro & Max Player both hit the board!

In July, the team scored in the Blue Grass Stakes hitting the Exacta (12/1), Trifecta (60/1) and Superfecta (443/1).

In October, SI Fantasy PRO members scored when Dayoutoftheoffice ($7.80) crossed the line first in the Frizette Stakes with Vequist in second hitting the Exacta cold ($8.20).

Last month, those of us here at SI Gambling enjoyed another solid score in the Desi Arnaz Stakes when Astute ($12.20) crushed the field by seven lengths with Queengol filling out the exacta at odds of 31/1.

Three weeks ago, the SI Gambling handicapping team stayed red hot when all three of the top projected selections hit the board in the Ontario Derby helping everyone cash their trifecta tickets at odds of 72/1!

For even more horse racing plays and analysis, become an SI PRO member and start getting alerts and updates in real-time!

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Among the 10 races on the card this weekend from Gulfstream Racetrack in Florida, is the $100,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes. This stakes has drawn a field of 12 featuring some of the top horses in the country, as well as plenty of unique wagering opportunities.

The morning-line favorite is Kelly Breen’s Firenze Fire (5/2) who was scratched from the Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct back on December 5 due to a sloppy track. The son of Poseidon's Warrior heads in off a troubled third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on November 7 at Keeneland. Firenze Fire, who has won 12 of 30 career races, will be running at Gulfstream Park for the first time in his career in his prestigious career on Saturday.

Mind Control (15/1), a son of Stay Thirsty for trainer Gregory Sacco, was also scratched from the Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct back on December 5 due to his connections' desire to avoid the sloppy track. After three consecutive stakes victories, Mind Control will need to bounce back after failing to find the winner’s circle in five consecutive races in 2020.

Diamond Oops (3/1), a son of Lookin at Lucky, won the 2019 running of the Mr. Prospector Stakes and heads in as the third overall betting choice in 2020. He heads into Saturday off a sixth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, in which he finished behind eventual winner Whitmore and a length behind Firenze Fire who he will face once again just to his outside.

Terry Pompay’s Cool Arrow (12/1), who has won four of seven starts at Gulfstream, is in solid form and as true “horse for the course” is an intriguing possibility underneath for all exotic tickets. In addition, another horse that rates strong consideration is Michael Maker’s Last Judgment (20/1) is also in great form off his allowance win at Belmont back in October. 

Here are the latest odds:

Odds for Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park this Saturday.

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— BUSR | Bet with Confidence (@PlayBUSR) December 17, 2020

Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3)

Racetrack: Gulfstream, Florida

Date: Saturday, December 19, 2020

Purse: $100,000

Distance: 7F, Dirt

Race: 10

Post Time: 4:43 pm EST / 1:43 pm PST

HORSES OF NOTE: Listed by post number, name, and odds

#7 Diamond Opps (5/2) - Of all three the top choices here, Diamond Opps is the only one the formula lands on worthy of backing. I will be using last year’s winner of this race on top looking for a repeat Champion, but I will also have tickets with my bomb longshot discussed below on top as well. Pick

#6 Last Judgment (20/1) - The formula suggests we can not pass up the excellent value here on the horse who the formula is saying he is sitting on a monster effort for Michael Maker. Off the claim for a top trainer, he is easily a big price who has a big shot on Saturday. Bomb Longshot

#2 Cool Arrow (12/1) - This colt is a “horse for the course” at 4-for-7 in his lifetime at Gulfstream Park. At these double-digit odds, sign me up to really juice up the trifecta tickets. Threat Longshot

#4 Haikal (6/1) - This horse is coming off a long layoff which is always a concern, but you always need to respect Todd Pletcher in these spots. Underneath

Mr. Prospector Stakes Formula Rankings

• #7 Diamond Oops
• #6 Last Judgment
• #2 Cool Arrow
• #4 Haikal
• #8 Sleepy Eyes Todd
• #9 Firenze Fire
• #10 Ebben
• #3 Wind of Change
• #1 Lasting Legacy
• #5 Majestic Dunhill
• #12 Mind Control
• #11 Zenden

Mr. Prospector Stakes Breakdown

Frankie Taddeo, SI Gambling & Fantasy Analyst / Vegas Insider (@Frankie_Fantasy)

This race is truly a two-horse race according to the formula and still offers some great value. My top plays are #7 Diamond Oops (5/2) who I will use with #6 Last Judgement (20/1) and #2 Cool Arrow (12/1). My other plays will include using #4 Haikal (6/1) and #8 Sleepy Eyes Todd (5/1). I am fading #9 Firenze Fire from the top two spots and tossing #12 Mind Control completely. I will be updating all wagers in the SI PRO Community Discord Chat on Saturday (available for members); specifically 'if' we are able to get Last Judgement and Cool Arrow at these double-digit odds at post-time, we will be looking at potentially adding Win Wagers as well!

Exacta BOX: 7-6-2-4-8

$1 wager: $20

LONGSHOT Exacta P/W: 2,6 / 2,4,6,7,8

$1 wager: $10

TOP Trifecta Part-Wheel: 6,7 with 2,4,6,7,8 with 2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10

$1 wager: $48

TOP Trifecta Part-Wheel: 2,6,7 with 2,6,7 with 2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10

$1 wager: $36

All wagers display ticket cost. All bettors should adjust wager amounts based upon bankroll

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Good Luck!