Scully: Pick 3 play at Gulfstream Friday

Prior to three-year-olds taking center stage in Saturday’s Holy Bull (G3), Gulfstream Park will offer a 10-race card Friday, and I am intrigued by a Pick 3 sequence in the middle of the program.

Here is my ticket, along with an analysis of the races.

$5 Pick 3 (races 6-8): 1,2,6 with 8 with 2,3,4 ($45)

Race 6

Will take on the top two choices on the morning line, using speedy #2 Both Sides (3-1) and stalkers/late runners #1 Evanora (12-1) and #6 It’s Only Words (10-1) in this six-furlong sprint for $12,500 claimers.

Both Sides romped at this level off a similar brief freshening last fall, and the six-furlong specialist has registered encouraging numbers in recent starts. There is some speed entered to her outside, and Evanora and It’s Only Words figure to be finishing.

I will fade #3 Party Shaker (7-5), who appears better on synthetics and has never won at six furlongs; and #4 Smart Jenny (9-5), who won’t get the same trip from last time and is winless at six furlongs.

Race 7

#8 Lion Lake (3-1) will be singled in the 7 1/2-furlong turf maiden special weight for three-year-old fillies. The Irish-bred caught a tough field in her debut at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 7, with the winning Infinite Sky coming back to run second in the Jessame (G2) and a decent sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). Lion Lake offered a respectable kick from off the pace to finish fourth.

Inside posts did her no favors in the next two outings against good fields, finishing second in a Keeneland turf sprint and a rallying half-length third in a Dec. 24 maiden at Gulfstream at 1 1/16 miles after troubled trips. I like the move to an outside post for the Brendan Walsh-trained gray, who registered a 105 Brisnet Late Pace rating last time, and will look for Lion Lake to put it all together today for her initial win.

Race 8

Three-deep in the final leg. 

#4 Blast Radius (5-2) is the one to beat on the cutback to a favorable seven-furlong distance; the five-year-old gelding should be prominent from the break with Irad Ortiz Jr. #2 Accelerate Me (9-2) faces a class check at this level, recording a pair of convincing wins over restricted $8,000 claimers in the last two outings, but his numbers are on par with his main rivals and Accelerate Me just broke his maiden four starts back in October. The improving early/presser may fit well at the level. Throw out the last start for #3 Lou the Body (15-1); his previous efforts fit, and the seven-furlong specialist has a shot to make at least a minor impact from off the pace.