Brian will be back later in the weekend with looks at the San Vicente and the Southwest.  For his thoughts on racing beyond 3-year-olds, check him out Horseplayer Now.

Golden Gate Fields: The Grade III, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at 1 1/8 miles 

#1 Daddy Nose Best: Asmussen charge did some decent work on the turf last year to suggest he can handle the Tapeta today, though this is a sizeable step up in class as he makes his 3yo debut. Drew well and owns a closing style that could work well in a race where the pace seems sharp, but up until now he’s blinked when meeting stakes foes. With Leparoux coming in for the call, he’s likely to get bet off the board and that makes him a big underlay in a deep race; willing to make him prove he can play against a group like this.

#2 Senor Rain: Decent third in the local Cal Derby behind a few of these to open his 3yo campaign, and he’s shown in the past he can run with some solid stakes foes. Tactical runner can run on or just off the pace,  and that versatility should come in handy in this speedy field, though he’s yet to break through against this kind and meets a tougher field than he encountered last month; siding against.

#3 Cahill Chrome: Enters off a big second in the Cal Derby and may loom the inside speed, though there are a few others who want to be on or near the lead, so how much stretch stamina he’ll have is a concern. No doubt he’s going in the right direction and he does own two wins over the track, but again, this is a much tougher assignment than last time; minor award may be his ceiling.

#4 Russian Greek: Rolled home late to take the Cal Derby, much like he did two starts back in the local Gold Rush, and there’s little doubt that he’s got the stretch punch to handle a group like this. Lightly raced son of Giant’s Causeway is in expert hands with Hollendorfer calling the shots, and this 9F trip should be right within his wheelhouse, so with the expected hot pace, he looks like the one they’ll all have to deny; formidable.

#5 Unveiled Heat: Parlayed a sharp local turf MSW win into a modest fifth in the Cal Derby when he made a strong middle move before tiring in the lane. That was his first start against winners, so he can build off of it, but he’s got the three who finished in front of him and some dangerous new shooters to get by as well, so this just might be too much for him at this stage of his career; playing against.

#6 Lucky Chappy: Motion runner ships West to see where he stands in the 3yo pecking order while trying to gain some important graded stakes earnings in the process. Son of High Chaparral used a strong closing kick to run well in some big turf stakes last fall and did the same when a fast closing second in the Kitten’s Joy at Gulfstream to open his 3yo season, so you know he’ll be rolling late today. In expert hands and figures right there on the line; call to mow them all down in the lane.

#7 Handsome Mike: O’Neill speedster adds blinkers after an even run on the main track at Santa Anita in the GIII Sham and he may like the return to the synthetic, as his close 7^th in the GI CashCall at Hollywood Park was a big run. While the blinks may add some focus, they also figure to sharpen his speed and put him right in the fire early, and that’s not the best style in a race that should be heated up front. Looms as the class of the race and can certainly win this, but at underlaid odds with a bad race flow, he’s worth trying to beat on top; keying underneath, if at all.

#8 Rockinarz Recruit: Lightly raced runner threw down a beauty when breaking his maiden sprinting over the track two back, and he’ll try two turns for the first time today after pressing a suicidal pace on the main at SA last time. There’s some stamina on the bottom of his pedigree, as his dam is by Deputy Commander, but this is a tough spot to make your two-turn debut; stop and pop seems likely.

#9 All Squared Away: Wired a weak group of maidens going long over the track last time, but he coasted in 49 4/5 that day and that half-mile split won’t have him anywhere near the front today. Takes a huge step up in class and takes all the worst of it, in terms of the draw and race flow, so he’s an easy toss; longshot.

#10 Lady Of Fifty: The lone filly is an interesting entrant as she’s trained by Hollendorfer and has a ton of speed, which means she’ll be mixing it up early and potentially setting things up for her uncoupled stablemate late. Owns a gaudy 4-for-5 lifetime mark (and a 3-for-4 local one), so it’s not like she can’t compete here, but with this wide draw and all the other speed signed on, she’s certainly going to have to earn it; respect her talent, but a win seems a bit out of reach.

Selections:

#6 Lucky Chappy

#4 Russian Greek

#7 Handsome Mike