He has taken us through every Derby prep since February, and at the end of the Triple Crown season, Brian Nadeau is back with his final race preview, as Justify tries to become the 13th Triple Crown winner. Can he do it? Brian takes a look. Belmont Park: The GI, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes at…
In my preview of the Preakness, I noted that that race in general lacks the chaos of the Kentucky Derby. Ha—famous last words, before a race that took place after a week of downpours and on a track so encased in fog we couldn’t see the horses. And as he has every time he’s been on…
Pimlico: The Grade I, $1.5 million Preakness at 1 3/16 miles by Brian Nadeau #1 Quip (12-1): GII Tampa Bay Derby winner gutted it out for a well-beaten second behind the then-undefeated Magnum Moon in the GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, then opted to skip the Kentucky Derby to run here as a fresh…
Churchill Downs: The GI, $2 million Kentucky Derby at 1 1/4 miles #1 Firenze Fire (50-1): Arguably the longest shot in the field danced every dance this winter in New York with the sole purpose of accumulating qualifying points to get into the gate in Louisville, and while the mission was accomplished, it doesn’t mean…
Keeneland: The $200,000 GIII Lexington at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 20-8-4-2 While the Lexington has lost a lot of luster in recent years, it gets a bit back today as it’s been moved to three weeks out from the Kentucky Derby, is now worth 20 points to the winner, and has lured…
Oaklawn Park: The $1 million GI Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100-40-20-10) #1 Beautiful Shot (30-1): Huge longshot enters off a complete no-show in his seasonal debut in a weak renewal of Aqueduct’s GIII Gotham and once again gets thrown in the deep end in what is shaping up as…
Santa Anita: The $1 million GI Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100-40-20-10) by Brian Nadeau You can also check out Brian’s analysis of the Wood Memorial and the Blue Grass. #1 Instilled Regard (5-1): Fair Grounds’ GIII Lecomte winner was exposed a bit in their GII Risen Star when…
Keeneland: The $1 million GII Blue Grass at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 10-40-20-10) by Brian Nadeau You can also check out Brian’s analysis of the Wood Memorial and the Santa Anita Derby. #1 Zing Zang (30-1): Deep, deep closer heads north in a last-chance effort to make the Kentucky Derby after failing…
Aqueduct: The $750,000 GII Wood Memorial at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 100-40-20-10) by Brian Nadeau Also check out Brian’s analysis of the Blue Grass and the Santa Anita Derby. #1 Heartfullofstars (20-1): Santa Anita invader was all-out to win a restricted MSW last time after dueling on the lead through fast fractions…
Meydan: The $2 million GII UAE Derby at about 1 3/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 10-40-20-10) Like it or not, a race some 7,393 miles away from Churchill Downs could very likely send two horses to the Kentucky Derby, and with Coolmore’s #4 MENDELSSOHN and Godolphin’s #5 GOLD TOWN (GB) having designs on the…
Brooklyn Backstretch 