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…
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…
Brooklyn Backstretch 