Golden Gate Fields: The Grade III, $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at 1 1/8 miles— by Brian Nadeau, Horseplayer Now #1 Craftsman (IRE): Very intriguing Irish-bred most definitely needed his US debut in December when he was a flat fifth going a mile in Santa Anita’s grassy Eddie Logan in his first start for Callaghan.…
Santa Anita: The Grade II, $200,000 Robert Lewis at 1 1/16 miles Analysis by Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now. #1 Candy Boy: Talented up-and-comer made a stunning, albeit premature, move to the lead in the GI CashCall when last seen over the Cushion surface at Hollywood Park before settling for a well-beaten second to 2yo…
Brian Nadeau of Horseplayer Now offers his regular analysis of the 2014 road to the Kentucky Derby with a look at the Grade III, $250,000 Withers on Saturday at Aqueduct at 1 1/6 miles. #1 Uncle Sigh: Romping New York-bred MSW winner sure looked good when stretching to two turns last time in a breakthrough…
Gulfstream Park: The Grade II, $400,000 Holy Bull at 1 1/16 miles Brian Nadeau #1 Coup De Grace: Undefeated Brown runner has made waves in his two starts and gets the proverbial acid test today in this deep GII as he tries to join the Triple Crown trail. Tactical son of Tapit drew perfectly for…
I was remiss in not welcoming back Brian to Brooklyn Backstretch when I posted his Lecomte analysis last week, so here’s a belated but no less hearty welcome to the man who’s been checking out the Derby preps for Brooklyn Backstretch since 2009. Brian handicaps regularly at Horseplayer Now and appears on Capital OTB TV in…
Fair Grounds: The Grade III, $200,000 Lecomte at 1 mile and 70 yards #1 Roman Unbridled: Delta invader ran off with the Big Drama Stakes last time by 8 ½ lengths at 7F’s, but it’s worth noting that is a two-turn race, which gives him a leg up on most in here. Tactical sort wired…
Depending on the outcome of Saturday’s fifth race at Santa Anita Park, Blackhawks’ coach Joel Quenneville might get a chance to dream about adding a Kentucky Derby trophy to his collection of Stanley Cup rings. Midnight Hawk, a three-year-old colt, will make his second start tomorrow in the Grade 3 Sham. He’s owned by Quenneville…
“The road to the Kentucky Derby might be through the Jungle!” cried Betfair Hollywood Park race caller Vic Stauffer on Saturday afternoon, as the undefeated two-year-old gelding Shared Belief romped in the CashCall Futurity, winning by nearly six lengths and making it look easy. An undefeated, stakes-winning two-year-old in a race considered a Derby prep…
Brooklyn Backstretch 