Big day in racing across the country with a number of solid cards. And Kentucky Derby prep season is now in full swing with 3 big time preps with almost assured entries in the starting gate to the winners with 50 points given for each.
GOTHAM:
Wow. What a race. 14 will likely go to the gate with an alternate on standby. Doesn't look to be a real standout in the entire field, and with the 1 turn mile, the pace looks to be lively.
Almost assuredly having to send is the
Recruiter off his 4 for 4 start to his career at Monmouth, Laurel, and Parx. Maybe he has surprised the connections a bit, but certainly has earned the right to be here. Stretches out to a mile for the first time and is obviously facing his toughest test to date.
Along with him on the outside, it looks to be contentious with other speed in the
Clubhouse,
Lugan Knight,
Slip Mahoney, and
Eyeing Clover. With so much speed on the outside, it seems to almost guarantee a hot pace. We also have the
Carmel Road,
Transect, and
Fort Warren that would also like to be in the mix early with the
maybe being the speed of the speed.
With all that said, everybody and their dog can read a form and see this almost assured pace duel. Thus tactics of who sits and who sends will be at a premium and 'trip' the likely deciding factor of who wins and loses when all is said and done.
An interesting horse to note is the
Howgreatisnate. The Delaware/Parx shipper is undefeated and has blitzed his competition late in the game with his closing punch. While distance may ultimately be a question for this one, the 1 turn mile could be right in his wheelhouse as he looks to be passing a number of rivals late.
A couple of former 'Bafferts' are in the field with the
and
. Great betting race in which the favorite may well be 9/2 or higher.
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH:
With the likely scratch of the
Gentlemen Jim, this race still looks to be contested between the 3 likely favorites, including the almost assured odds on choice of
Forte. 7/5 ML looks like a gift, and I can see this one getting bet down to possibly even 3/5.
Blazing Sevens and
Mage look to be other serious contenders. Both by
Good Magic, the
has some obvious catch up to do on the favorite as they have faced either other twice before and
Forte has simply dominated him thus far. With the time off and maturity, the
looks to be training as well as he ever has coming into this one, and will be interesting to see how much (if any) ground he has made up.
Mage is off a brilliant 7F Maiden romp in which he put up a big fig while being a nearly 12/1 shot in his debut. Attracts Javy for this one, and will be interesting to see how he progresses. Not much other speed in the field, and he could well be a gate to wire candidate if he is ready to improve off his maiden score.
Not seeing much else in here, but have to respect the two Mott entries in the
Shadow Dragon, and
Rocket Can. Afterall, they did make up the EX in the earlier Holy Bull prep, and Mott has shown his horses have been more than ready on big days this meet at Gulfstream.
SAN FELIPE:
A number of former 'Bafferts' are in this field in the
National Treasure,
Hejazi, and the
Fort Bragg. Interesting to see who will be the favorite in here as the
National Treasure failed in his 3YO debut in the Sham as the 3/5 favorite. The winner of that race,
Reincarnate, then went on to finish a respectable 3rd in last weeks Rebel, but really wasn't ever a threat to win that race.
Practical Move is off a big effort last out in which he turned the tables on
Fort Bragg and won convincingly in the G2 Los Alamitos Futurity. Looks to be kicking the barn door down with some very solid works coming in including back to back :59.1 5F near bullets.
Hejazi is a $3.55M purchase. Yes that is over 3 and a half million. While he has ran well to date, he has certainly ran well below expectations thus far and finally broke his Maiden last out. Beaten already by a couple of rivals in here, he is in off a bullet work and a big fig. Likely won't get a fair price, but an obvious contender.
Geaux Rocket Ride is the interesting entry in here for me. Blitzed the field in his debut winning by nearly 6 over a next out winner. Papa Mandella isn't known for sharp firsters, and the Candy Ride on top and Uncle Mo on the bottom is some very intriguing breeding. Obviously nowhere close to lone speed in here, but will be interesting what kind of action he takes on the tote with some seriously expensive other horse flesh in here with much more experience.
The other of note is the
Skinner. He'd love for a hot pace to unfold, and it very well could. While Santa has never been kind to deep closers on the dirt, he nicely put it all together in his Maiden win last out. Got his brains beaten in by the
and
last October in the G1 American Pharoah, he should be much more prepared to tackle those rivals today.
A very solid trio of Kentucky Derby preps with a number of solid story lines. Should be a great day of wagering.
maybe one of these longshots hits the board but any would be a surprise and you can't bet them all.
