by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Santa Anita: The GII, $400,000 San Felipe at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 50-20-10-5) #1 Uncle Lino: Improving runner really answered the bell last time when he was a good second behind fellow heavyweight Mor Spirit in the local GIII Robert Lewis, in what was his…
by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Aqueduct: The GIII, $400,000 Gotham at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 50-20-10-5) #1 Laoban (15-1): The most well-traveled maiden in the country was scratched out of the GII Risen Star at Fair Grounds a few weeks back and now ends up in South Ozone Park in…
by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now and Capital OTB TV. Gulfstream Park: The GII, $400,000 Fountain of Youth at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 50-20-10-5) #1 Fellowship (20-1): Intriguing longshot was a good third, albeit six lengths behind today’s heavy favorite Mohaymen, in the local GII Holy Bull last month and seems to be coming into…
Fair Grounds: The GII, $400,000 Risen Star at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 50-20-10-5) #1 In Equality (30-1): NY invader will be one of the longer shots in the field, but if nothing else, it’s nice to see Gyarmati ship many a mile with a closer who should appreciate the long stretch here.…
Oaklawn Park: The GIII, $500,000 Southwest at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 10-4-2-1) #3 Collected (5-2): Son of City Zip represents another Santa Anita invader for Baffert, who has won about 15 of these OP 3yo prep over the past decade or so, including a pair last year with Triple Crown hero American…
Golden Gate Field: The GIII, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at 1 1/8 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 10-4-2-1) With synthetic racing going out of flavor in recent years, there’s little doubt that Golden Gate’s signature Kentucky Derby prep has followed suit, but if nothing else, this year’s renewal offers a deep, competitive and robust…
Santa Anita: The GIII, $150,000 Robert B. Lewis at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 10-4-2-1) #1 Let’s Meet in Rio (6-1): The first of two from Baffert may get ignored a bit with his more heralded stablemate Mor Spirit taking all the money, but he was a solid second in the local GIII…
Gulfstream Park: The GII, $350,000 Holy Bull at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 10-4-2-1) #1 Perfect Saint (20-1): Romans charge was 5-1 in a local optional claimer 21 days ago but didn’t run an inch behind his impressive stablemate Cherry Wine, who passed on this to await the GII Fountain of Youth here…
Aqueduct: The GIII, $250,000 Withers at 1 1/16 miles (Kentucky Derby qualifying points: 10-4-2-1) #1 Donegal Moon (15-1): It’s rare you get a longshot from Pletcher in a 3yo graded stakes, but this son of Malibu Moon certainly fits the bill, as he was well-beaten by today’s favorite Flexibility in the GII Remsen to end…
Belmont Park: The Grade I, $1.5 million Belmont at 1 ½ miles #1 Mubtaahij (IRE) (10-1): De Kock runner gives some international flavor to the proceedings as he made a name for himself in Dubai this winter, culminating in a visually impressive score in Meydan’s GII UAE Derby. And while that form didn’t translate to…
Brooklyn Backstretch 