This should be a tremendous day of racing with compelling slates at Aqueduct, Gulfstream and Santa Anita. With an interesting January in the books, Derby/Oaks stakes begin to take precedent and Withers, Holy Bull, Lewis troika should help put some focus on the road to the Wood, Florida and Santa Anita Derbys. Forward Gal at Gulfstream and Sunday’s return of Unique Bella and Champagne Room in the Las Virgenes at SA get the girls going..

Am the tab-maker in XB’s ‘Beat the Host’ today and utilized 6 stakes among the 8 races while blending some price tries in with the more obvious. Register and play to qualify for the $25k BTH Championship: http://www.xpressbet.com/beatthehost

GULFSTREAM…

Good morning from Vegas.. Terrific Day 1 of NHC..

Live coverage continues at 3:15p ET at ATR. LINK: http://stevebyk.com/listen-live-siriusxm/

LEADERBOARD: https://www.ntra.com/

GULFSTREAM

POST-SCRATCHES

7th: Ladies’ Turf Sprint, F&M-4+, 5f-T/0′ (P6, P3, DD, Hi-5)

Best Value: #10 Triple Chelsea 6-1 3rd
Next Best: #12 Everything Lovely 4-1 2nd
Exotics Use: #11 Nite Delite 9-2 4th
Super Add: #4 Blue Bahia 10-1 7th
Hi-5 Play: #9 Spectacular Me 5-1 8th

8th: MSW, 3yo, 7f (P5, P3, DD)

Most Likely: #8 Lookin for Eight 4-1 WON ($9.00)
Best Value: #5 Eastport 15-1 3rd
Next Best: #11 Commandeering 5-1 5th
Exotics Use: #4 Conquest Bandit 8-1 12th
Super/Hi-5: #7 Lunaire …

AQUEDUCT

POST-SCRATCHES

4th: MSW, 3yo, 1m-70y (P6, P3, DD)

This is a very nice group and it may require using half of them for safe P6 passage..

Most Likely: #1 Apartfromthecrowd 4-1 WON ($7.20)
Next Best: #7 Opportunity Cost 7-2 9th
Best Value: #8 Robbins 10-1 3rd
Exotics Use: #10 Into the Breach 5-2 2nd
Super Add: #2 Morocco 10-1 4th

5th: Jazil, 4+, 1m-70y (G/S, P3, DD)

As discussed with Nick Tammaro on Weekemnd Preview, playing against Royal Posse (6/0-3-0 on Inner Track) seems prudent. Sunny Ridge won Withers here last year and can set up shop behind the speeds..

Most Likely: #2 Sunny Ridge 6-1 WON ($7.00)
Next Best: #3 …

GULFSTREAM

POST-SCRATCHES

4th: 12th Dania Beach (G3), 3yo, 7.5f-T/24′ (P3, DD, Hi-5)

Most Likely: #1 Kitten’s Cat 3-1 4th
Best Value: #2 Shiraz 10-1 3rd
Next Best: #7 Made You Look 9-5 WON ($4.40)
Exotics Use: #5 Squadron 9-2 6th

7th: OC/N1X, 4+, 7f (P5, P3, DD, Hi-5)

High quality ALW group.. Isn’t favored Tale of S’avail supposed to overwhelm these?

Most Likely: #6 Tale of S’avail 3-1 WON ($5.00)
Best Value: #7 Something Awesome 10-1 3rd
Next Best: #3 Scarly Charly 4-1 2nd
Exotics Use: #4 Nauset Beach 15-1 5th

8th: MSW, 3yo-F, 8.5f-T/96′ (P4, P3, DD, Hi-5)

Nice looking set of lawn dollies with Taperge & Bogulator having …

GULFSTREAM PARK

POST-SCRATCHES

6th: MSW, 3yo, 9f-T/84′ (P3, DD)

Most Likely: #10 Berliner 9-2 5th
Next Best: #5 Remembering Mickey 6-1 WON ($16.40)
Best Value: #1 Derby Champagne 15-1 9th
Exotics Use: #8 Silver Beach 4-1 8th
Super/Hi-5: #6 Ballivor 10-1 2nd

7th: 50th Gulfstream Oaks (G2), 3yo-F, 8.5f (P4, P3, DD)

Off the Tracks is trying significant quarter mile stretchout from 6.5 and there is no shortage of front-end interested missees here. A gal that can sit off the pace may ambush the (potentially) tiring favorite late. I say that while recognizing that these types in the Pletcher barn at Gulfstream seem able to find a hidden gear..

Most Likely: #7 …