Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now offers his analysis of Sunday’s Louisiana Derby. Fair Grounds: The Grade II, $1 million Louisiana Derby at 1 1/8 miles #2 Fire Arm: Steps up off a slow optional claiming win over the track and will try graded stakes foes for the first time in what represents a monumental class jump.…
Gulfstream Park: The GI, $1 million Florida Derby at 1 1/8 miles Don’t forget to check out Brian’s analysis at his regular gig at Horseplayer Now. #1 Fort Loudon: Ran a decent fourth in the local GIII Holy Bull in his 3yo bow but came back to earth over the track in the GII Fountain…
When I planned my spring break trip this year, I decided to split the vacation into two distinct parts. Week one would be spent in southwest Florida, visiting relatives, reading, and hanging out on the beach. Week two would be spent on the east coast of Florida, researching stories, interviewing, and enjoying Florida Derby week.…
Sunland Park: The Grade III, $800,000 Sunland Derby at 1 1/8 miles #1 Castaway: The first of two from Baffert won the slower division of Oaklawn Park’s GIII Southwest in his last and figures to be a major pace player from this cozy rail draw. Son of Derby winner Street Sense really came to hand…
Turfway Park: The Grade III, $500,000 Spiral at 1 1/18 miles #1 Russian Greek: Hollendorfer charge disappointed in a highly rated renewal of the GIII El Camino Real at Golden Gate in his last start and now adds blinkers as he ships out of town looking for some graded money. The hood should put some…
An atmosphere of edgy grimness pervaded Aqueduct last Saturday. The weight of the week’s bad news lay heavy; nearly every conversation included references to the cancellation of Luck in the aftermath of a third horse death or to the growing list of equine mortality at the track over the last few months. Races were watched…
Oaklawn Park: The Grade II, $500,000 Southwest at 1 1/16 miles #2 Unbridled’s Note: Looked good winning his debut at Churchill Downs last October and entered the first division of the local GIII Southwest as a hot horse in his seasonal debut, but had a rough trip and finished a well-beaten 9th. Asmussen forges on,…
The bad news is that I haven’t posted here in over a week. The good news is that that’s because I’ve been working on a number of stories for Thoroughbred Times, New York Breeder, and Forbes.com – recent articles are always posted at the top of the column to the right, so check them out…
Tampa Bay Downs: The Grade II, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby at 1 1/16 miles #1 Prospective: Runner-up in the track and distance GIII Sam Davis to fellow entrant Battle Hardened adds blinkers today to gain a little more speed early on, as he’s been dropping a bit too far out of it during the first…
Santa Anita: The Grade II, $300,000 San Felipe at 1 1/16 miles #1 Blingo: Stretch runner closed from the clouds to finish a non-threatening sixth to fellow entrant Liaison in his last start, the GI CashCall at Hollywood Park, to end his 2yo campaign and now tries conventional dirt for the first time. With just two…
Brooklyn Backstretch 