Brian’s Derby Preps: The Illinois Derby

Hawthorne: The Grade III, $500,000 Illinois Derby at 1 1/8 miles #1 Romancing The Gold: Son of Medallist got back on the beam last time over Aqueduct’s inner dirt, when he beat a modest optional claiming group to go 2-for-3 since stretching out to two turns for Englehart. Drew well today and is versatile enough…

Brian’s Derby Preps: The Wood Memorial

Aqueduct: The Grade I, $1 million Wood Memorial at 1 1/8 miles Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now checks in with his analysis of New York’s premier Derby prep (its recent history notwithstanding). He’ll be back later today and tomorrow with previews of the Illinois and Santa Anita Derbies; I’ll be back with a look at the…

Brian’s Derby Preps: The Louisiana Derby

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.…

Brian’s Derby Preps: The Florida Derby

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…

Brian’s Derby Preps: The Sunland Derby

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…

Brian’s Derby Preps: The Vinery Spiral

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…

A Hope for Racing to Move “Ever Upward”

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…