Palm Beach Stakes 2016 at Gulfstream Park

OffTrackBetting.com - Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida will be the scene of the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes on Saturday, February 27. A purse of $150,000 will be on the line for three year olds willing to go 1 1/16 miles on Gulfstream's turf track.

A full field of 14 will give it a go in the Palm Beach Stakes - race 11 on Gulfstream's terrific Saturday card. Post time is 4:58PM. Here is a peek into the past performances of all 14 combatants for this Grade 3 stakes.

2016 Palm Beach Stakes Race Preview

J R's Holiday - has eight starts already for trainer Jose Garoffalo with three wins, a second and a third place finish. He has won three of his last four starts ahead of this weekend since switching to turf- the minor $100,000 Kitten's Joy Stakes last time out January 30, an Allowance Optional Claiming December 13 and a maiden score in September - all results on this track. He makes his graded stakes debut having placed in his last five starts overall - in good form right now. Emisael Jaramillo gets the call from post 13.

Azar - Todd Pletcher trained colt finished seventh in his debut and went on to a second in August. He broke through September 2 with a terrific win in the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga and finished second in the Grade 3 Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park September 26. Azar moved on to race on the biggest stage and stumbled to a thirteenth place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf but bounced back with a respectable second last time out in the minor Kitten's Joy Stakes on this track January 30. Azar has been in with some tough competition and has fared well - he should be one to keep an eye on Saturday from an unfortunate outside post 14. John Velazquez has the mount.

Bet Gulfstream Park Horse Racing with OffTrackBetting.com

Urban Bourbon - has been OK in his six career starts for trainer Eddie Kenneally - a win, two seconds and a third place finish. Last time out was a respectable third in his graded stakes debut - the Grade 3 Dania Beach Stakes on this track January 2 after a maiden score in his fifth career start, also here and consecutive runner-up finishes. Urban Bourbon has placed in four straight ahead of this weekend - in decent form. Corey Lanerie rides from gate 6.

Gimlet - Todd Pletcher trained colt will race for the third time Saturday. He enters off a maiden score on this track January 23 and a fourth in his debut - also on this track. Gimlet steps up with Florent Geroux in the reins from post 9 hoping to make it two wins in a row.

Don't Be So Salty - has three wins and a third place finish in seven career starts for trainer Gary Contessa. He won the minor Display Stakes two starts back at Woodbine November 29 after a seventh in the minor Awad Stakes at Belmont Park in October and an OK fourth in the Grade 3 Dixie Bourbon Stakes in October. Last time out was a fourth after being DQd from second in the minor Kitten's Joy Stakes on this track January 30. Don't Be So Salty is one of the only stakes winners in the field but has placed in just one of his last four starts overall. Emma-Jayne Wilson has been tabbed to ride the tough-to-figure-out gelding from post 7.

Converge - Chad Brown trained colt has placed in both career starts. A runner-up finish last time out in the minor Awad Stakes at Belmont Park October 30 followed a maiden score at first asking - September 19 also at Belmont Park. Converge steps up in decent form and will leave from post 11 with Javier Castellano guiding him.

Kismet's Heels - Todd Pletcher trained colt looks for his first win Saturday after two career starts produced two runner-up finishes - both MSW races on this track the last few months - the last coming behind Gimlet January 23. Kismet's Heels has been knocking on the door but will need a special effort this weekend to post victory. Jockey Luis Saez has been tabbed with getting Kismet's Heels his first win from post 5.

Ousby - has two wins and a second place finish in five career starts for trainer Marcus Vitali. Last time out was an OK second in a Starter Stakes on this track which followed consecutive wins - also here - a Starter Optional Claiming January 23 and a maiden Claiming December 19. Ousby has been trending upward ahead of this race and could be in the mix from post 3 with Nik Juarez guiding him.

Cave Johnson - James Toner trained colt has a win in two career starts - that being a Maiden Claiming score last time out on this track January 6. He finished seventh in his debut November 20 at Aqueduct. Cave Johnson may have found something last time out and will leave from gate 2 with Edgard Zayas in the irons.

Space Mountain - George Arnold trained colt has a win and a runner-up finish in five career starts. He finally broke maiden last time out on this track in his fifth start after failing to place in his previous two. Space Mountain hadn't looked good before a decent effort last time out - not a whole lot is expected from gate 4 with Julien Leparoux in the irons.

Scholar Athlete - Graham Motion trained colt has a win and two third place finishes in five career starts. He enters on the heels of consecutive third place finishes - an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out her February 6 and the minor Coronation Futurity at Woodbine November 8 to go along with an eleventh in the minor Cup and Saucer Stakes also at Woodbine in October. Scholar Athlete looks for his first stakes score and his second career win from gate 8 with Irad Ortiz in the saddle.

American Phantom - has just one win in five career starts for trainer Roderick Rodriguez. His only on-the-board finish came in a Maiden Claiming at Gulfstream Park West November 6 but he hasn't looked great since. Last time out was a fifth in a Claiming race on this track February 4 which followed a seventh in his only stakes action to date - the minor Smooth Air Stakes in November. Not a whole lot is expected in American Phantom's step up in competition when he departs from gate 12 with Tyler Gaffalione aboard.

Frontier Ranger - has six career starts for trainer Ronald Pellegrini with a win, a second and a third place finish. He enters off a fifth in the Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes on this track January 30 after a third and a second respectively in a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races here. Before that was a tenth in the minor Pulpit Stakes November 28 and a sixth in an Allowance Optional Claiming . Frontier Ranger has been just OK - he leaves from the rail with Gerardo Corrales in the saddle.

Giant Run - Thomas Albertrani trained colt has a win and a second place finish in five career starts. He makes his stakes debut having finally broken maiden last time out on this track January 2 after a fifth, a second and another pair of fifths to start his career. Giant Run steps up in so-so from. Joe Bravo has the mount from gate 10.

---

2016 Palm Beach Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 11 on Gulfstream Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:58 PM.