Alright, let's be honest. Nobody coming out of this one will be taken seriously in the Derby 3 weeks from now. All we are looking for in here are horses that can finish out some nice tickets if any of these hit the board in Louisville.
Even with just 7 horses, it is a pretty tough race.
Divining Rod: The class horse of the race with a 2nd and 3rd in KD Graded Stakes races. An obvious jump in here to get qualified, he draws the rail and does have speed. He also avoided 9 furlongs. Serious contender that could absolutely wire this field.
Comfort: Blitzed his MSW field last out in February, and now Pletcher waits to enter here? And gets Castellano in the irons? Ran a bullet back on March 15th, and not much since. Red flags abound on this one running huge.
Quimet: Thought this one might catch a piece in the Florida Derby.
36 lengths back later and..... Obviously he has room for improvement, but the step up in class has not treated him kind. At least they get Lezcano interested and put on blinkers. Works are uninspiring.
Tiznow R J: He looked like a contender rolling into the Risen Star. He didn't show up, nor did he show up while shipping to Sunland to earn points in a crap field other than Firing Line. Pass.
Henry James: Paco and D.Wayne. Nice entry and connections for a front runner. Beyond that, it is tough to take this one serious after dropping back to a 6F race and rolling into this one. Bullet work recently isn't great, and breeding is basically all this one has. Pass.
Fame and Power: I'm scared of this one because I likely won't have a ticket, if any, to play on this one. Blitzed the field in his last at SA in a very very solid time at 7F, and backs it up with 2 bullets coming into this race. Baffert, Ortiz, Juddmonte Farms..., yeah, tough.
Donworth: Solid first race in which he went off as chalk in a MSW $45K at Gulfstream. Works say he is ready. Is he ready this fast to take on a jump this big? I don't think we'll see the 5/1 ML. May well be the favorite come post time.
In the end: Love the
with the connections in a speed induced field. He should get the perfect set up to roll in late and win the prize.
WP:
EX:
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Tri:
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