Harlan’s Holiday Stakes Handicapping Picks
Horse racing gamblers are you looking for 2020 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping Odds…plus some predictions? Need some advice on who to take? The 2020 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes is set for December 12 at Gulfstream Park Race Course in Hallendale Beach, Florida. Here’s a preview of our top contenders.
Harlan’s Holiday Stakes Preview and Prediction
- Race: Harlan’s Holiday Stakes
- Purse: $100,000
- Track: Gulfstream Park
- Date: December 12
- Post Time: 4:09 PM (ET)
- Live: Harlan’s Holiday Odds: Click Here
2020 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes Handicapping
With cold weather settling in up north, racing in the southern US is starting to heat up and Saturday afternoon Florida’s Gulfstream Park plays host to four graded-stakes races including the (G3) Harlan’s Holiday.
Named for the 2002 Florida Derby and Blue Grass Stakes winner, the Harlan’s Holiday is open to horses aged three and older and is run at 1 1/16 miles on the Gulfstream dirt track.
Odds listed here are provided by the Gulfstream Park track handicapper.
2020 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Tax Race Odds: 2-1
Still looking for his first win in 2020 after two previous starts, Tax was a two-time graded-stakes winner in 2019, having captured the (G2) Jim Dandy and the (G3) Withers in his three-year-old season. He was also a 2019 Kentucky Derby contender, finishing 14th.
He’s been away from the races since May, after he ran fifth in the (G2) Oaklawn Handicap. Prior to that he made his Gulfstream Park debut, running ninth in the (G1) Pegasus World Cup after stumbling at the start.
He’s trained by Danny Gargan, jockey Luis Saez won the Harlan’s Holiday last year as well as in 2012.
2020 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Phat Man Race Odds: 5-2
While most of his wins have come in lower level-stakes and allowance races, Phat Man does have a graded-stakes win on his resume this year, having taken the (G3) Fred Hooper Stakes going one mile on the Gulfstream dirt in January. He also finished second in this race last year.
In his last start at Keeneland he was a non-factor when running sixth in the Lafayette Stakes, but he is something of a horse-for-the-course, with a win and two runner-up finishes in three starts on the Gulfstream dirt track.
He’s trained by Kent Sweezy, Irad Ortiz Jr. is tapped to ride.
2020 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Math Wizard Race Odds: 9-2
It has been more than a year since Math Wizard last visited the winner’s circle after taking the (G1) Pennsylvania Derby in September 2019, a string of six starts.
In that time he has been taking on some fairly tough competition, running fifth in the 2019 (G1) Breeders’ Cup Classic, and also finishing fifth in the (G1) Woodward Stakes three months ago. His best result of 2020 was a second-place effort in the (G3) Monmouth Cup Stakes, where he rallied late from off the pace.
The trainer is Saffie Joseph Jr., Tyler Gaffalione will be in the irons.
2020 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes Free Pick & Handicapping: Tatweej Race Odds: 4-1
A four-year-old colt that only started racing this year, Tatweej has a slim four starts to his name but has won the last three of those, all when racing a flat mile on the Gulfstream Park dirt track.
After breaking his maiden second time out, he’s won twice at the allownce level and so makes his stakes debut Saturday. He has been remarkably consistent in his races, hitting the wire in a time of 1:36 and change in every one of his one-mile wins.
Two-time race winner Todd Pletcher is the trainer, Edgar Zayas has the riding assignment.
Here’s My 2020 Harlan Holiday Stakes Free Pick.
While I’m never one to knock graded-stakes winning and placed horses, when I look at the field for the Harlan Holiday I can’t help but think the top contenders like Tax and Math Wizard have been under-achievers in their careers, not quite living up to the promise they showed early.
For that reason I’m reluctant to play either of them. Instead I’ll take Phat Man for the win. What stands out for me is his runner-up finish two back in the (G2) Gulfstream Park Mile where he finished well ahead of a horse named True Timber. Last week that one came back to win the (G1) Cigar Mile in decisive fashion.
Full Field: Harlan’s Holiday Stakes Betting Odds
- Tax 2-1
- Phat Man 5-2
- Math Wizard 9-2
- Tatweej 4-1
- Eye Of A Jedi 8-1
- Royal Urn 12-1
- Identifier 15-1
What do you think of our 2020 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes Race Odds & Predictions? Weigh in below with a comment. We welcome your feedback.
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