Pimlico: The GI, $1 million Preakness at 1 3/16 miles #1 Orb: Kentucky Derby hero made it five in a row in Louisville when he sat off a suicidal pace in the slop, rallied wide and rolled home as tons the best and will look to take the next step towards racing immortality in Baltimore.…
Churchill Downs: The GI, $2 million Kentucky Derby at 1 ¼ miles #1 Black Onyx (50-1 morning line): Streaking runner has won both starts this year, on turf at Gulfstream Park in February and in the GIII Spiral on the Polytrack at Turfway Park in March, and tries the dirt for the first time since…
Churchill Downs: The Grade III, $175,000 Derby Trial at 1 mile #1 Officer Alex: Versatile sprinter kicks off the final race that offers points for next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby and looms an intriguing price player for Whiting, who won the Run for the Roses in 1992 with Lil E. Tee. If you toss his two-turn…
Keeneland: The Grade III, $200,000 Lexington at 1 1/16 miles #1 Winning Cause: Well-bred son of Giant’s Causeway closed like a freight train when winning at seven furlongs earlier in the meet to raise his local mark to 2-for-2, and he rates as a real up and comer in this wide open GIII. Stretch runner…
Keeneland: The GI, $750,000 Blue Grass at 1 1/8 miles #1 Dynamic Sky: The first of two for Casse and Oxley drew a nice ground-saving post in this deep and oversubscribed field of 15 (only 14 will go) and gets back to the scene of his second place run in the GI Breeders’ Futurity last…
Oaklawn Park: The Grade I, $1 million Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles #1 Carve: Local two-time route winner tries again after he was sixth, beaten nine lengths, when breaking from the rail in the local prep, the GII Rebel in March, and will need to hurry to factor today. If you’re looking for positives,…
Santa Anita: The GI, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles #1 Flashback: Highly touted Baffert runner won the battle but lost the war when he dueled through suicidal fractions with fellow rival Goldencents and succumbed late in the local prep, the GII San Felipe in March. and will need to settle a bit…
Aqueduct: The GI, $1 million Wood Memorial at 1 1/8 miles #1 Chrisandthecapper: Late addition to the field is clearly overmatched and is an easy toss, but oddly, he might hold the key to the race, as he could project as the speed of the race and the one to keep heavy favorite Verrazano honest…
Gulfstream Park: The GI, $1 million Florida Derby at 1 1/8 miles #1 Shanghai Bobby: The reigning 2yo champ enters off a two-month break after suffering his first career defeat when second to fellow rival Itsmyluckyday in the local GIII Holy Bull and will try to prove he’s got the stamina to be a top…
Fair Grounds: The GII, $1 million Louisiana Derby at 1 1/8 miles #1 Hip Four Sixtynine: Recent MSW winner going six furlongs over the track looked like a new horse with blinkers removed, but steps way up and seems completely overmatched in this deep GII. Stretch runner was a well-beaten fifth in his lone route…
Brooklyn Backstretch 