A year ago, Kentucky Derby winner Orb was practically pronounced a Triple Crown winner in the two weeks between his win at Churchill Downs and the Preakness Stakes. Whether the rigors of the prep season had their toll or whether he didn’t like the track at Pimlico, the odds-on favorite finished fourth and never won…
We’re less than 48 hours out from the Kentucky Derby, but the final field may still not be set. Trainer Bob Baffert announced this morning that Hoppertunity, considered a contender by many, would be scratched due to a foot injury, making room for Pablo Del Monte to draw in off the also-eligible list. Trainer Wesley…
The road to the Kentucky Derby is nearly at an end, and with it our Kentucky Derby charity league. John Perotti has taken a commanding lead, but remember that the points in our league go to the top 5 Derby finishers (300-120-60-30-15), leaving plenty of participants in striking distance. Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now takes…
Keeneland: The Grade I, $750,000 Blue Grass at 1 1/8 miles #1 Asserting Bear: One of the longer shots in the field has some ground to make up on a few of these who beat him when he was fourth in the GIII Spiral at Turfway Park last month and looks a bit out of…
California Chrome’s win in the Santa Anita Derby last weekend solidified John Perotti’s spot at the top of our Derby charity league standings; Adam Wiener, one of only two players with Wicked Strong in his stable, made a strong late run to move into second place. This weekend offers 340 points to both horses and…
Several of our contestants made a huge move last weekend in the Derby preps, and I’m not even talking about the horses. Sure, Constitution went from zero to 100 in winning the Florida Derby and earning a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate, but some of our charity league players were equally impressive, notably…
Santa Anita: The Grade I, $1 million Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles, by Brian Nadeau #1 Rprettyboyfloyd: One of two maidens in the field has been beaten in photo finishes in each of his last two starts and steps way up in the Great Race Place’s premier event. Son of Bluegrass Cat was third…
Several of our contestants made a huge move last weekend in the Derby preps, and I’m not even talking about the horses. Sure, Constitution went from zero to 100 in winning the Florida Derby and earning a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate, but some of our charity league players were equally impressive, notably…
Fair Grounds: The Grade II, $1 million Louisiana Derby at 1 1/8 miles, by Horseplayer Now’s Brian Nadeau #1 Intense Holiday: The first of two from Pletcher figures to go favored based on his win in the local prep, the GII Risen Star, last month, and with the potential for a hot pace, his closing…
Gulfstream Park: The Grade I, $1 million Florida Derby at 1 1/8 miles, by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now. #1 Wildcat Red: Lightning-quick runner stretched out after his local 7F win in the GIII Hutcheson to blaze to a wire-to-wire win over fellow hard-hitter General a Rod in the local prep, the GII Fountain of…
Brooklyn Backstretch 