Gulfstream Park: Horse racing pick of the day for Dec. 2

Weekday picks and plays for Thoroughbred racing.

Wednesday, Dec. 2

Gulfstream Park, Race 8: Allowance/optional claiming (6 furlongs, 4 p.m. ET)

#5 Ashaar (2-1 on the morning line) flashed tactical speed on debut at Belmont Park last year, when he cruised home ahead by 2 1/2 lengths, over next-out winners Starting Over, Perjury Trap, and Hemlock.

The $650,000 yearling acquisition subsequently failed to fire in a pair of 1-mile stakes races, but he was facing much tougher company than he’ll encounter Wednesday.

Ashaar was freshened during the summer and transferred to the care of Gulfstream’s perennial leading trainer, Todd Pletcher, who sent the colt out to work a bullet 5 furlongs in 1:00 1/5 Thursday.

Pletcher wins at a 29% rate with horses returning from layoffs of 90 days or more, so the long layoff shouldn’t be an issue. Jockey Luis Saez (a 28% winner when he teams up with Pletcher) has been named to ride.

Let’s play Ashaar on top of a straight exacta, with capable stakes-winning sprinter #6 Ournationonparade (9-5) underneath.

$20 exacta: 5 with 6

Good luck!