It’s hard to believe a year has passed since last years Forego Stakes. Last years running seems like yesterday and is still fresh in my mind. My top selection, First Defence, won the race easily. He paid somewhere around $17 to win, but I can’t remember the exact price. He never really did much after that, and I haven’t heard much about him this year. This years field is much stronger. Let’s take a look.
Everyone remembers Pyro, right? The former Kentucky Derby contender won the Louisiana Derby and looked like he would keep powering home to the winners circle until things started to fall apart in the Bluegrass Stakes. He has won just one time since losing in that prep. He looked really sharp in his first race of the year after breaking poorly. I’ve always believed Pyro was a late running sprinter. Changing jockeys from Shaun Bridgmahon to John Velazquez will help him. I like the son of Pulpit’s chances to win this race.
Kodiak Kowboy is the favorite at odds of 5/2. He finished third behind Fabulous Strike last out in the Vanderbilt Handicap. That race was loaded with talented sprinters so running third wasn’t too bad. The Larry Jones trainee does his best work at seven furlongs and is a Grade 1 winner at this distance. I think it will take his best race, but it will come as no surprise to find this warrior in the winners circle.
After entering the meet on a very big hot streak, Calvin Borel has won just a single time from thirty seven mounts. Could Ready’s Echo be the second win? His perfect two for two record at the seven furlongs distance tells me he could be. Todd Pletcher will throw on blinkers for the first time after this guy finished third in the Grade 3 Seagram Cup at Woodbine. The son of More Than Ready would benefit from a quick early pace.
Cornelio Velsquez is having one of the worst years of his career and is winning races at a mere 7% clip. It’s not all bad for the seasoned vet though. Gold Trippi won a minor stakes last out over Pyro. It looks like he is getting better and he can hang with the best in this race. His odds are very juicy at 20-1, considering the horse that he just beat is much lower at 4-1. I would definitely throw Gold Trippi in on exacta, trifecta, superfecta, pick 3 and pick 4 wagers.
My Pal Charlie looks tough at odds of 6-1. He finished second in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Handicap at this distance earlier in the year. He ran fourth in the second running of the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile last year. The son of Indian Charlie has struggled a bit lately, but will do better turning back in distance. Robby Albarado always rides well for trainer Albert Stall. I wouldn’t count this one out.
Who would’ve thought that we would get odds of 15-1 on a horse that beat Fabulous Strike three races ago? Certainly not I. True Quality is a speedster that is going to gun for the lead. Javier Castellano will be riding for the first time. His last race was a seventh place finish in a minor stakes over the turf at Penn National. That race didn’t play to his strengths and he will do better here. Could he go from flag fall to that’s all? It’s worth a shot at 15-1. Keep him on all exacta, trifecta, and superfecta tickets.
Can I hit this race two years in a row? Probably not, but I’ll try. I like Pyro as my top pick even though I’ve been burned by him several times in the past. It looks like he is on the improve and I think he will do well at this distance. Who do you like? Leave a comment and let your voice be heard!
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