Horse Racing: I. Ortiz/B. Cox/Godolphin/Into Mischief top 2023; J. Rodriguez/B. Russell win Laurel titles on final day; L. Rice sets NYRA record for wins in a year

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The three tracks hosting Ky. Derby preps this weekend are likely to release cards on Wednesday (tomorrow). Until then, this is the TV schedule for what is arguably the biggest Saturday for Derby preps.

TV and Livestream Schedule

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Date	Program	Time	Network/Social Media
THURSDAY April 6	"America's Day at the Races"	1 p.m.-5:30 p.m.	FS2
April 6	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	FanDuel TV
April 6	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network
April 6	"La Trifecta"	9 p.m.	Instagram
FRIDAY April 7	"America's Day at the Races"	1 p.m.-6:30 p.m.	FS2
April 7	Live coverage of horse racing including opening day of Keeneland's spring meet	post time varies	FanDuel TV
April 7	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network
April 7	"Expert Betting Preview: Santa Anita Derby"	8 p.m.	Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
SATURDAY April 8	"America's Day at the Races"	12 p.m.-2 p.m. on FS1, 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m. on FS2	FS1 and FS2
April 8	"Santa Anita Derby LIVE!"	1 p.m.	Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
April 8	Broadcast of the Blue Grass Stakes and the Santa Anita Derby	4 p.m.-6 p.m.	NBC and Peacock
April 8	Broadcast of the Wood Memorial Stakes	6 p.m.-6:30 p.m.	FOX
April 8	Live coverage of horse racing including broadcasts of the Blue Grass Stakes, Santa Anita Derby, and Wood Memorial Stakes	post time varies	FanDuel TV
April 8	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network
SUNDAY April 9	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	FanDuel TV
April 9	Live coverage of horse racing	post time varies	Racetrack Television Network

 

[Marco 85]

Looking forward to Keeneland.
One of my favorite meets of the year.
Good horses and big fields.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Junior Alvarado was third in graded stakes wins.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Looking forward to Keeneland.
One of my favorite meets of the year.
Good horses and big fields.

High purses, too. The Ashland is a Ky. Oaks prep.

 

[Marco 85]

Junior Alvarado was third in graded stakes wins.

View attachment 681717

Great, deep jockey colony.
Time for Rosario to heat up.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Great, deep jockey colony.
Time for Rosario to heat up.

He has been in a funk this year or so it seems.

 

[Marco 85]

He has been in a funk this year or so it seems.

Never does well at Gulf.
I don’t know why.
Wasn’t at Gulf full time the last 2 years.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Never does well at Gulf.
I don’t know why.
Wasn’t at Gulf full time the last 2 years.

Yup. Echoed by a few Gulf stalwarts.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday's three major race cards that have Ky. Derby preps which will be shown on the networks below in addition to all-day coverage of racing on FanDuel TV (formerly TVG).

Ky Oaks preps will be held at Santa Anita (Oaks) and Aqueduct (Gazelle).

KEENELAND

Broadcast of the Blue Grass Stakes and the Santa Anita Derby -- 4:00-6:00 pm ET on NBC​

Race #	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
Race 1	$47,000	Claiming	6 Furlongs	Dirt	14	12:30 PM ET
Race 2	$100,000	Maiden Special Weight	7 Furlongs	Dirt	10	1:05 PM ET
Race 3	$120,000	Allowance	5 1/2 Furlongs	Turf	16	1:40 PM ET
Race 4	$130,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	6 1/2 Furlongs	Dirt	8	2:15 PM ET
Race 5	$300,000	Commonwealth S.	7 Furlongs	Dirt	10	2:50 PM ET
Race 6	$400,000	Appalachian S. Presented by Japan Racing Association	1 Mile	Turf	9	3:25 PM ET
Race 7	$600,000	Madison S.	7 Furlongs	Dirt	5	4:00 PM ET
Race 8	$350,000	Shakertown S.	5 1/2 Furlongs	Turf	13	4:35 PM ET
Race 9	$1,000,000	Toyota Blue Grass S.	1 1/8 Miles	Dirt	11	5:15 PM ET
Race 10	$110,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	6 Furlongs	Dirt	8	5:50 PM ET
Race 11	$100,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 1/8 Miles	Turf	16	6:25 PM ET

AQUEDUCT

Broadcast of the Wood Memorial Stakes -- 6:00 - 6:30 pm ET on FOX​

Also: 12 p.m.-2 p.m. on FS1, 2 p.m.- 4:30 p.m. on FS2​

Race #	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
Race 1	$28,000	Claiming	1 Mile	Dirt	7	12:15 PM ET
Race 2	$70,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 Furlongs	Turf	11	12:50 PM ET
Race 3	$250,000	Gazelle S.	1 1/8 Miles	Dirt	6	1:27 PM ET
Race 4	$80,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 Mile	Dirt	7	2:00 PM ET
Race 5	$80,000	Maiden Special Weight	1 Mile	Turf	10	2:34 PM ET
Race 6	$200,000	Bay Shore S.	7 Furlongs	Dirt	7	3:09 PM ET
Race 7	$72,000	Allowance	1 1/16 Miles	Turf	10	3:44 PM ET
Race 8	$300,000	Carter H. Presented by NYRA Bets	7 Furlongs	Dirt	7	4:19 PM ET
Race 9	$82,000	Allowance	1 Mile	Turf	8	4:59 PM ET
Race 10	$70,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 Furlongs	Turf	12	5:38 PM ET
Race 11	$750,000	Wood Memorial S. Presented by Resorts World Casino	1 1/8 Miles	Dirt	13	6:16 PM ET

SANTA ANITA

Broadcast of the Blue Grass Stakes and the Santa Anita Derby -- 4:00-6:00 pm ET on NBC​

Race #	Purse	Race Type	Distance	Surface	Starters	Est. Post
Race 1	$72,000	Allowance	About 6 1/2 Furlongs	Downhill turf	11	12:00 PM PT
Race 2	$150,000	Evening Jewel S.	6 1/2 Furlongs	Dirt	5	12:30 PM PT
Race 3	$75,000	Allowance Optional Claiming	1 Mile	Turf	8	1:00 PM PT
Race 4	$67,000	Maiden Special Weight	6 1/2 Furlongs	Dirt	6	1:30 PM PT
Race 5	$200,000	Charles Whittingham S. Presented by FanDuel TV	1 1/4 Miles	Downhill turf	7	2:00 PM PT
Race 6	$750,000	RUNHAPPY Santa Anita Derby	1 1/8 Miles	Dirt	9	2:30 PM PT
Race 7	$150,000	Echo Eddie S.	6 1/2 Furlongs	Dirt	8	3:00 PM PT
Race 8	$72,000	Allowance	1 1/8 Miles	Turf	11	3:30 PM PT
Race 9	$40,000	Starter Allowance	6 1/2 Furlongs	Dirt	9	4:00 PM PT
Race 10	$200,000	Monrovia S.	About 6 1/2 Furlongs	Downhill turf	11	4:30 PM PT
Race 11	$400,000	Santa Anita Oaks	1 1/16 Miles	Dirt	9	5:00 PM PT
Race 12	$72,000	Allowance	1 Mile	Turf	13	5:30 PM PT

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Numbers for March 2023 have been revealed.

$2.7 billion bet so far on U.S. racing in 2023 but that number is down almost 3.5%. IIRC, last year's total set a record.

The purse money continues to be impressive as it rises seemingly with every one of these reports.

March 2023 vs. March 2022
Indicator	March 2023	March 2022	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$962,703,949	$942,491,814	+2.14%
U.S. Purses	$94,783,996	$86,833,249	+9.16%
U.S. Race Days	294	291	+1.03%
U.S. Races	2,469	2,423	+1.90%
U.S. Starts	18,466	17,833	+3.55%
Average Field Size	7.48	7.36	+1.62%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,274,503	$3,238,803	+1.10%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$322,395	$298,396	+8.04%

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

SANTA ANITA DERBY AND BLUE GRASS STAKES LIVE THIS SATURDAY AT 4 P.M. ET ON NBC AND PEACOCK - NBC Sports Pressbox

Saturday Marks Four Weeks to the “Run for the Roses” on Saturday, May 6 Hall of Fame Jockey Jerry Bailey, Randy Moss, Steve Kornacki, Britney Eurton and Kenny Rice to Join Host Ahmed Fareed During Two-Hour Program STAMFORD, Conn. – April 6, 2023 – NBC Sports presents live coverage of the...

nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com

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SANTA ANITA DERBY AND BLUE GRASS STAKES LIVE THIS SATURDAY AT 4 P.M. ET ON NBC AND PEACOCK​

Saturday Marks Four Weeks to the “Run for the Roses” on Saturday, May 6

Hall of Fame Jockey Jerry Bailey, Randy Moss, Steve Kornacki, Britney Eurton and Kenny Rice to Join Host Ahmed Fareed During Two-Hour Program

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 6, 2023 – NBC Sports presents live coverage of the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) and the $1 million Blue Grass Stakes (G1) this Saturday, April 8, live at 4 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock from 1/ST’s Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., and Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. The Santa Anita Derby, which is part of the 1/ST RACING TOUR, and Blue Grass Stakes are both key prep races leading into the 149th Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 6.

National Treasure, who finished third in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), and 2023 San Felipe Stakes (G2) winner Practical Move are expected to be contenders in the 1 ⅛-mile Santa Anita Derby. 2023 Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Tapit Trice and 2023 Gotham Stakes (G3) winner Raise Cain are expected to lead the 11-horse field in the 1 ⅛-mile Blue Grass Stakes.

The Santa Anita Derby and Blue Grass Stakes will both award a total of 200 Kentucky Derby qualification points, with 100 going to the winners of each race.

The Shakertown (G2) from Keeneland Race Course will also be presented live Saturday on NBC and Peacock.

Ahmed Fareed hosts Saturday’s coverage alongside analysts Jerry Bailey, the Hall of Fame jockey who won each Triple Crown race twice, and Randy Moss, and insights analyst Steve Kornacki, who will be at his Big Board to analyze the Kentucky Derby points standings as qualifying for the “Run for the Roses” enters its final month. Reporters Britney Eurton and Kenny Rice will be on-site at Santa Anita and Keeneland, respectively.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream live coverage to desktops, mobile, tablets, and connected TVs via authentication, giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Opening day at Keeneland.

 

[Marco 85]

Opening day at Keeneland.

Very good card today at Keeneland.
4 turf races but no bombs.

Turf racing at Keeneland, Gulf, Tampa and the Big A.
Great time of the year.

Gulf’s turf course is chewed up.
Supposed to rain Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
It would be nice to see them shut down the turf
Course for a couple of weeks.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Friday, April 7, 2023

• Irad Ortiz, Jr. has 41 more wins already this year than his closest competition among all jockeys riding in North America. He has been the winningest rider in North America every year beginning with 2017.
• HAPPY EASTER SUNDAY: Three Stronach tracks operate (GG, SA and Gulf) along with smaller tracks Hawthorne (IL) and Sunray (NM) as the racing options will be minimal.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Manny Franco won his first three rides and finished 6 3-2-0.
• Race 5: Listentoyourheart (Katie Davis/Ray Handal) won at 5-to-1. Sire Alfeet Alex, who won the Preakness and Belmont Stakes and is now aged 21 and retired from stud duties last year, doesn't seem to have much offspring at NYRA tracks historically or more so currently.

Keeneland (Kentucky):

• Opening Day: One of the most popular meets in the racing calendar, opening day at Keeneland.
• Card: 10 races with each purse $100,000 or more. Three MSW, three stakes including two graded.
• Repeat Winners: Much talent on display. Luis Saez and Wesley Ward won twice apiece.
• Race 1: Bledsoe (Joel Rosario/Wesley Ward) gave the trainer another win with a first-timer. Just a brilliant number winning 42% of the time with horses out for the first time in 2023: 19 8-1-5. Iqbaal, an obscure sire by Medaglia d'Oro, never ran outside New Jersey in three starts then suffered a career-ending injury but now produces privately and mostly for Ward. Ward will ship debut winner Bledsoe to England to race at Ascot before plans at Royal Ascot. He knows 2-year-olds.

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• Race 7: Corona Bolt (Florent Geroux/Brad Cox) won the $400,000 Lafayette Stakes. The Florida-bred is 5 4-0-0 lifetime with wins at four different tracks. The winner became the third offspring to hot young sire Bolt d'Oro to have amassed over $300,000 in earnings.

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• Race 8: Mo Stash (Luis Saez/Vicky Oliver) won the $400,000 Grade 3 Transylvania Stakes.

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• Race 9: Defining Purpose (Brian Hernandez. Jr./Kenny McPeek) was the upset winning at 20-to-1 of the Grade 1 $600,000 Ashland Stakes and received a lofty 100 points towards entry into the Kentucky Oaks as this was a prep for fillies. Among the defeated was Eclipse Award Winning 2-year-old filly for 2022 Wonder Wheel (Tyler Gaffalione/Mark Casse) who seemed to be awkward from the get-go.

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• Race 10: Hay Stack (Tyler Gaffalione/Chad Brown) edged Lil Miss Moonlight (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Timothy Hamm) in a splendid battle.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Very good card today at Keeneland.
4 turf races but no bombs.

Turf racing at Keeneland, Gulf, Tampa and the Big A.
Great time of the year.

Gulf’s turf course is chewed up.
Supposed to rain Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
It would be nice to see them shut down the turf
Course for a couple of weeks.

Bolt d'Oro is turning out some fine offspring.

Gulf's turf course looked mangled for the track's signature card last Saturday. That is the problem running year-round. Even the rest during the few weeks Calder/GPW operated recently gave a break. I would imagine Gulf shuts down its turf course for the summer and races exclusively on dirt and Tapeta.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Laurel canceled due to poor track conditions. I don't like the sound of that especially considering the recent issues three. Hopefully all are safe.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Brittany!!!!

Grade 1 winner at Aqueduct at 17-to-1.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Saturday, April 8, 2023

• Handles: The three major tracks today with Ky. Derby preps (SA, Keeneland and Aqueduct) took roughly $65 million.
• Steve Asmussen unloaded his barn, as massive an undertaking as exists, and finished 27 4-4-5 across Sam Houston, Oaklawn and Keeneland.
• Brad Cox was 9 2-2-1 and was on the nullified side of objections in two of the three Ky. Derby preps -- the Wood and Blue Grass in which he placed in both.

Aqueduct (New York):

• Handle: About $19.8 million.
• Race 2: Jose Lezcano was hospitalized following a spill in which there appeared to be no significant damage to equine athletes or other rides. He was reported to have at least a wrist injury following transport.
• Race 3: Promiseher America (Jorge Vargas, Jr./Ray Handal) was the longest shot on the board at 26-to-1 and won the Grade 3 $250,000 Gazelle Stakes.
• Race 5: The $.50 Pick 5 paid over $45,000.
• Race 6: Joey Freshwater (Kendrick Carmouche/Linda Rice) won the Grade 3 $200,000 Bay Shore
• Race 8: Doppelganger (Jevian Toledo/Brittany Russell) won the Grade 1 $200,000 Carter Handicap as the longest shot on the board at 17-to-1 and gave the trainer her first graded stakes. The colt, once under the care of Bob Baffert, came out of two wins at Laurel under the direction of Mrs. Russell and is now 3-for-3 under her care. "I watched it here from home. We were going crazy. It's huge. The fact that we were able to run him (in the allowance races), this horse thinks he's on top of the world. He doesn't know what races he won. He just had a lot of confidence and trained well." The only trainer in America in which going from Baffert is an upgrade.

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• Race 11: Lord Miles (Paco Lopez/Saffie Joseph) pulled a massive upset at 59-to-1 to win the Grade 2 $750,000 Wood Memorial in what was a very physical race nearly throughout and ended with a terrific finish in which there were multiple objections/inquiries posted. Shades of the John Velazquez-Junior Alvarado Wood controversy of 2018 but this one was something stunning. Today was a staggering result, the second largest (72-to-1 in 2021) since results can be traced to 1974. The winning connections receive 100 points towards entry into the Kentucky Derby. The Curlin colt was his debut but did little since. The $.50 Pick5 paid over $60,000.

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Laurel (Maryland):

• Canceled: Track conditions were deemed insufficient. Here we go again!

Tampa Bay (Florida):

• Favorites: Lost every race. Bombs prevailed often. Among the most significant payouts was the $1 double that paid $643 in race 5. Pick 4 winners paid to those who won three legs and Pick 5 winners to those who won four parts.

Keeneland (Kentucky):

• Handle: Average handle to date is $21.8 million after what was reported as a $26 million+ day today (not listed on Equibase). This time last year, the figure was roughly $14 million per day..
• Race 5: Here Mi Song (Alex Achard/William Stinson, Jr.) won a big race for the "little guys" as he topped the $300,000 Grade 3 Commonwealth Stakes. His prior three starts came at Turfway on synth. The jockey had just one prior graded stakes win while the trainer reached that level for the first time.

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• Race 6: Papilio (Javier Castellano/Mark Casse) won the $400,000 Grade 2 Appalachian Stakes as the Irish-bred tested U.S. soil for the first time in seven career starts. He was bought in France for the U.S. equal of $70,000.

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• Race 7: Goodnight Olive (Irad Ortiz, Jr./Chad Brown) won the $600,000 Grade I Madison Stakes. The 5-year-old Eclipse Award winner of the 2022 Female Sprinter division is now 8 7-1-0 lifetime. She has earned over $1.3 million.

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• Race 8: Caravel (Tyler Gaffalione/Brad Cox) won the $350,000 Grade 2 Shakertown. The PA-bred won for the 13th time in 21 starts. Caravel sold for $500,000 last year and has earned 3x that to date.

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• Race 9: Tapit Trice (Luis Saez/Todd Pletcher) won the $1,000,000 Blue Grass and with it earned 100 points towards entry into the Kentucky Derby. The $1,300,000 son to Tapit is a legit contender for this year' Kentucky Derby. Today, he withstood an objection that appeared to be minimal by the connections of Verifying (Tyler Gaffalione/Brad Cox).

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Santa Anita (California):

• Handle: Surpassed $20 million.
• Tim Yakteen, former assistant to Bob Baffert, is 5 4-0-1 (80%/100%) this month at Santa Anita.
• Race 2: Ceiling Crusher (Juan Hernandez/Doug O'Neill) won by 15 1/2 lengths. The 3-year-old California-bred filly was bought for the paltry sum of $22,000 in 2021. She has earned $173,000 through three starts each of which was a win.

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• Race 5: Offlee Naughty (John Velazquez/Michael McCarthy) won the $200,000 Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes.

• Race 6: Practical Move (Ramon Vazquez/Tim Yakteen) won the $750,000 Grade I Santa Anita Derby by a nose in a thriller. The son to Practical Joke is 7 4-1-2 lifetime. He earned 100 points towards entry into the Kentucky Derby. Runner up Mandarin Hero (Kazushi Kimura/Terunobu Fujita) shipped in from Japan, where he raced all five previous starts, and narrowly missed a victory.

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• Race 10: Elm Drive (Ramon Vazquez/Phil D'Amato) won the $200,000 Grade 3 Monrovia Stakes.
• Race 11: Faiza (Flavien Prat/Bob Baffert) won the $400,000 Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks. The Girvin filly is perfect in five starts. Bcause Baffert is ineligible to partake in the Kentucky Oaks or Derby, the filly received no points in what otherwide would have been a 100-point accumulation towards entry into the Oaks. Her next race could be at the Black-Eyed Susan in Maryland.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Just to follow along about Tapit Trice who gained my interest late last year and comments at those points in time...

Dec. 17

• Race 6: Tapit Trice (Kendrick Carmouche/Todd Pletcher) battled gamely on an off-track in a second-lifetime start. I like what I saw here.

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Mar 11

• Race 11: Tapit Trice (Luis Saez/Todd Pletcher) rallied strongly to win the Grade 3 $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby and with it accumulated 50 points towards entry into the Kentucky Derby. As mentioned a few weeks ago, I like this horse. He is spunky.

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[MiamiScreamingEagles]

The latest Ky. Derby leaderboard with just one prep remaining.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

Sunday, April 9, 2023

• Happy Easter: Few tracks operating but those that did were Hawthorne, Golden Gate, Santa Anita and Gulfstream.

Gulfstream (Florida):

• Emisael Jaramillo won three times. He recently switched agents to that of fellow rider Luca Panici,
• Race 5: Bella Romanza (Emisael Jaramillo/Todd Pletcher), a $350,000 daughter to stud Bernardini, won her debut at 14-to-1.

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Santa Anita (California):

• Closing Day: The meet, which began in December, ended today. Juan Hernandez (jockey) and Phil D'Amato (trianer) won their respective titles. Santa Anita continues racing into June.
• Tim Yakteen, former assistant to Bob Baffert, is 6 5-0-1 (83%/100%) this month at Santa Anita.

 

[Marco 85]

Just to follow along about Tapit Trice who gained my interest late last year and comments at those points in time...

Dec. 17

• Race 6: Tapit Trice (Kendrick Carmouche/Todd Pletcher) battled gamely on an off-track in a second-lifetime start. I like what I saw here.

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Mar 11

• Race 11: Tapit Trice (Luis Saez/Todd Pletcher) rallied strongly to win the Grade 3 $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby and with it accumulated 50 points towards entry into the Kentucky Derby. As mentioned a few weeks ago, I like this horse. He is spunky.

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In both races he did grind it out.
Lack of speed could be a problem in a full field in the Derby.
Could we have a new “Forego”?

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

In both races he did grind it out.
Lack of speed could be a problem in a full field in the Derby.
Could we have a new “Forego”?

He needed to break better in at least one race prior to the Derby and he did. One of those oddities about racing: Tapit has never sired a Ky. Derby winner. Everything we knew or know about the Derby seems to have been erased in recent years: 'cept maybe the 1 hole being a detriment (so are precious others but 1 is the loneliest number as has been written in life). I will wait for the PPs/draw to former a sturdier decision but when a "this could be a Derby horse" crosses my eye in December and he develops, it feels good. It doesn't happen often. I had a few, some that made it some not: War Pass, Street Sense, Afleer Alex among those.

I am not giving up on Hit Show or Verifying just yet but I prefer my Derby pick to enter the race as a winner.

I wasn't sold on Practical Move at Santa Anita. He won but not in a style that will elevate him in my picks. I have been wrong, however,

 

[Marco 85]

He needed to break better in at least one race prior to the Derby and he did. One of those oddities about racing: Tapit has never sired a Ky. Derby winner. Everything we knew or know about the Derby seems to have been erased in recent years: 'cept maybe the 1 hole being a detriment (so are precious others but 1 is the loneliest number as has been written in life). I will wait for the PPs/draw to former a sturdier decision but when a "this could be a Derby horse" crosses my eye in December and he develops, it feels good. It doesn't happen often. I had a few, some that made it some not: War Pass, Street Sense, Afleer Alex among those.

I am not giving up on Hit Show or Verifying just yet but I prefer my Derby pick to enter the race as a winner.

I wasn't sold on Practical Move at Santa Anita. He won but nit in a style that will elevate him in my picks. I have been wrong, however,

Super tough race to handicap.
Need a trip with the right fractions unless
you are a super horse.

So many years with no Triple Crown winners and then
a few in a short period of time. Crazy.