Sunland Park: The Grade III, $800,000 Sunland Derby at 1 1/8 miles Major Kentucky Derby points are on the line as the pricey Sunland Derby drew a field of nine 3yo’s that are all trying to prove they belong with the big boys on the Triple Crown trail. With a wide open race full of…
Turfway Park: The Grade III, $550,000 Spiral at 1 1/8 miles A wide-open renewal of the Spiral will certainly give handicappers trouble as several promising, albeit unproven, runners meet the starter. On paper there’s enough pace to think it sets up well for a stalker/closer, so let’s see if #8 GENERAL ELECTION can build on…
Oaklawn Park: The Grade II, $600,000 Rebel at 1 1/16 miles #2 Carve: Lightly raced gelding looked like a new horse last time off the Asmussen claim, when he exploded in deep stretch with the addition of Lasix in an optional claimer to run his career mark to 2-for-2, with both wins coming over the…
Santa Anita: The Grade II, $300,000 San Felipe at 1 1/16 miles #1 Carving: The first of two from Baffert gets back to conventional dirt after a three-race synthetic campaign that started with a win in Hollywood Park’s Real Quiet in November and ended last month with a meek fourth in the GIII El Camino…
Tampa Bay Downs: The GII, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby at 1 1/16 miles #1 Eton Blue: Lightly raced colt chased Saturday’s heavy favorite Verrazano around one turn in an optional claimer at Gulfstream Park last month, but as a son of Giant’s Causeway out of Kentucky Oaks winner Bird Town, he should move forward in…
Aqueduct: The Grade III, $400,000 Gotham at 1 1/16 miles #2 Champion Boy: Maiden actually didn’t run poorly to be fifth in his two-turn debut behind a few of these in the local GIII Withers last month but steps way up again and is up against it. There’s a lot of talent here and he…
Gulfstream Park: The Grade II, $400,000 Fountain of Youth at 1 1/16 miles #1 Orb: Homebred has looked good winning his last two for Shug and added blinkers Lasix for his last, a snazzy two-turn optional claimer over the local strip, although runner-up Duke Of The City bombed last week in a similar spot. Improving colt…
Fair Grounds: The Grade II, $400,000 Risen Star at 1 1/16 miles #1 Proud Strike: Up-and-coming son of Smart Strike sure looked good blasting a pair of repeat winners in his MSW romp over the track and distance last month and seems like a real comer in the division for Asmussen. Tactical sort should be…
Oaklawn Park: The Grade III, $300,000 Southwest at 1 1/16 miles #1 Officer Alex: Son of Officer failed miserably in his acid test when a well-beaten sixth behind several of these in the local Smarty Jones, his two-turn and open company stakes debut. Tactical sort drew well and could improve off that trial run, but…
Horseplayer Now’s Brian Nadeau checks in witha look at today’s Derby prep; he’ll be back later this weekend with analysis of Monday’s Southwest Stakes. Golden Gate Fields: The Grade III, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at 1 1/8 miles #1 Wildcat Moon: Speedster enters off a fine second last month to fellow rival Zeewat in…
Brooklyn Backstretch 