February 5, 2012

Posts Comments

You are here: Home / Archives for rule

2011 Delta Jackpot Stakes has Kentucky Derby implications

November 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Sabercat wins the Garden State Stakes

The $1,000,000 Delta Jackpot at Delta Downs will almost assuredly impact the 2012 Kentucky Derby. The winner  is guaranteed a spot in the starting gate of the Run for the Roses because of the massive amount of graded stakes earnings accumulated by winning the Jackpot. Even the second place finisher will do well in that respect.

The last three winners of the Delta Jackpot have experienced mild success, but that success hasn’t come in the month of May at Churchill Downs. In fact, none of the three even made it to the race.

Big Drama, winner of the Jackpot in 2008, didn’t have a great three-year-old campaign, but he won the Breeders Cup Sprint as a four-year-old. The 2009 winner, Rule, looked to be kicking away in the Florida Derby, but faded to third. He hasn’t been much since. Gourmet Dinner who won the race last year, finished second in the Fountain of Youth in his last start.

Bob Baffert’s Drill (Lawyer Ron x Cat Dancer by Storm Cat) will be favored in the 2011 Jackpot. He was last seen finishing up the track in the Breeders Cup Juvenile, but before that he was second in the Grade 1 Norfolk and a winner in the Del Mar Futurity. Removing blinkers could have had something to do with his bad effort last out. They will go back on this time. Martin Garcia retains the mount.

Obviously Drill is a wonderful colt, but the price is going to be unacceptable. I like Sabercat (Bluegrass Cat x Miner’s Blessing by Forty Niner) just as much and I’m going to get a much better price on him. The Asmussen trainee was last seen exploding to a big victory in the Garden State Stakes at Monmouth. He sat right off the pace and annihilated the field when Angel Serpa asked him for run. I’m hoping for a similar trip in this race under Gerard Melancon.

Going to bet the Delta Jackpot? Considering doing so at Twinspires.com where new players get a $100 sign up bonus.

Filed Under: Triple Crown Tagged With: , , , , , ,

2011 Breeders Cup Dirt Mile early preview

October 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

By Paul Mazur
The Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile is one of the newer, perhaps less glamorous events on the Breeders’ Cup program. This year’s renewal received a huge boost when Preakness winner Shacklefordjoined the list of possible starters. He was the runner-up in the G1 Florida Derby before annexing the middle Jewel of the Triple Crown. After the Preakness win, he was runner-up twice more in the G1 Haskell and G2 Indiana Derby most recently. The Dale Romans trainee goes here after a dismal effort in the G1 Travers three races back. Sensing the horse better under ten furlongs, Romans elected this single-turn eight-furlong event rather than the ten-furlong Breeders’ Cup Classic later on the Saturday program. Romans cited the presence of other front runners and a tough Classic field when choosing this race for his front-running sophomore.

The other horses pointing for this event won’t make this race a walk in the park, however. Versatile Caleb’s Posse has a two-turn win in the G3 Ohio Derby to go with two wins around one turn at Saratoga, winning the G2 Amsterdam and G1 Kings’ Bishop this past summer. Last time he was third behind Wilburn in the Indiana Derby, and he’ll turning back to one turn.

Other three-year-olds going here and testing elders include Wilburn, who won the Smarty Jones at Parx and beat both Caleb’s Posse and Shackleford in the Indiana Derby; Tapizar, winner of the G3 Sham earlier in the year and winner of an allowance/optional claiming event at Belmont after recovering from injury; and I’m Steppin It Up; victor of two listed stakes—the off-the-turf Kent Stakes two back at Delaware and the Chief Tamanco Stakes at Belmont on October 15th, a mere three Saturdays before the event.Veteran Tres Borrachos is the only horse to win a “Win and You’re In Race”, having won the G2 San Diego in the summer at Del Mar. Rather than the front speed he showed earlier in his career, he rallied from off the pace to take that polytrack test. He’ll be looking to rebound off disappointing efforts in his last two starts at longer distances. He was sixth in the G1 Pacific Classic and fifth in the G1 Goodwood. Another veteran, Awesome Gem, has his sights on this race. Two starts ago he won the G3 Longacres Mile and last time ran second in the G1 Goodwood. Awesome Gem also won the G3 Lone Star Park Handicap (over Breeders’ Cup classic contender Flat Out) and was second in the G3 Cornhusker.Other older runners with their sights set on the Dirt Mile include Jackson Bend, winner of the James Marvin and G1 Forego at Saratoga and second most recently in the G2 Kelso at a mile; Soaring Empire, runner up of the G3 Salvator Mile and not seen since winning the Majestic Light at Monmouth; Spurrier, winless in seven starts this year but with five in-the-money finishes in five California graded stakes (G2 San Diego, G2 Mervyn LeRoy, G3 Tokyo City, G2 San Antonio, G2 San Pasqual); and Rule, who cuts back in distance after a disappointing seventh in the ten-furlong G2 Hawthorne Gold Cup last time and winner of the Birdstone at Saratoga.

The Dirt Mile could also see Irrefutable, who stretches out to a mile after two seconds in two six-furlong heats—the G1 Ancient Title and G2 Smile Sprint; Jersey Town, who finished behind the aforementioned Jackson Bend twice and was third in the G2 Kelso and second in the G1 Forego; Finally, Convocation, who will emerge from a hiatus after an eighth in the G1 Woodward and was a runner up in the G3 Westchester in April.This year’s intersectional field should feature a little of everything: three year olds trying elders (Wilburn), gritty veterans (Awesome Gem and Tres Borrachos), turn-backs from longer distances (Rule), route-to sprint types (Caleb’s Posse), stretch-outs from shorter sprints (Irrefutable), runners coming off long layoffs (Convocation, Redding Colliery), and runners making quick turnarounds (I’m Steppin It Up). And with the potential addition of the Preakness victor and its associated hype, there’s something for everyone in this year’s rendition of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.**Plan to bet the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile? Check out our Horse Betting guide as well our our Facebook and Twitter pages for the latest information!**

Filed Under: Breeders Cup Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

$1 Million Charles Town Classic Preview

April 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Charles Town is really making moves to get top horses to their track. What better way to do that then to card a $1 million handicap race for older horses? The Charles Town Classic at the distance of 9 furlongs over the bull ring track is worth a whopping $1 million. A field of ten of the best older horses will try and take down the lions share of that $1 million. Let’s take a look at the field and try and pick a winner. Before we do that I would like to note that two time defending winner Researcher is on the AE list. This is absolutely unfair and I hope the track reconsiders their drawing methods into the future.

#1 No Advantage- Don’t let that Grade 2 win at Laurel two races back fool you. It was a very weak field. He is very unlikely to get the distance and I will not use him.

#2 Tackleberry- He just doesn’t seem to lose. His latest wins in the Sunshine Millions Classic, Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship and Gulfstream Park Handicap proved that he is a very serious graded stakes contender. I’m a bit concerned about how he will do away from Gulfstream though. I’ll give him a big shot anyway. Look for him to be on the lead until he can’t hold them off any longer or hits the wire first.

#3 Tizway-  His ideal distance is a mile, but I don’t see any reason why he cant go an extra furlong here. Last year he won the Kelso Handicap by 5 and was only a neck behind Tackleberry in third last out in the Gulfstream Park Handicap. Look for him just off the pace. The son of Tiznow has as good a shot as anyone in this race to win.

#4 Acclamation- I wonder if he can take to the dirt surface because all of his best races have  been on turf. He won two graded races last year including the Grade 1 Charlie Whittingham Memorial. Look for him to be near the front under hot shot young jockey Christian Santiago-Reyes.

#5 Rule- He isn’t at his best going long. Not only that, but I think he is headed the wrong direction. On the bright side he had success over the bull ring track at Delta Downs where he won the Delta Jackpot in 2009.

#6 Inherit The Gold- The NY bred has won 5 in a row including the Grade 3 Excelsior last out. Switching to two turn races has really done the trick for him. The son of Gold Token is back on two weeks rest, but that shouldn’t bother him. Word has it he is kicking the barn down and is ready to roll. Expect him to be mid pack under jockey Eddie Castro. I’m making him my top pick to win.

#7 Gone Astray- Nice colt, but he is a cut below the best in here in terms of class. Not only that, but he hasn’t raced since November. I can’t endorse him.

#8 Duke of Mischief- This colt could really be any kind. On his best day he can win this without a problem, but he only runs huge races once in a while. I would be a little afraid to leave him off my tickets.

#9 Awesome Gem- Was second in this race last year and ended up winning the Hollywood Gold Cup two starts later. Since then he has regressed and I have to think the eight-year-old gelding might finally be showing some wear. He would have to do a complete 180 from his last race where he was third in allowance company.

#10 Game On Dude- He is favored here and for good reason. The son of Awesome Again was last seen winning the Santa Anita Handicap in which he survived a lengthy inquiry by the stewards. Bull ring champion rider David Flores gets the mount and that will really help him out. Will be no shock if he runs strong here.

So there you have it. My top selection to win the Charles Town Classic is Inherit The Gold. After him I like Tizway, Game On Dude and Tackleberry in that order. Who do you like?

Filed Under: Horse Handicapping Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

2011 Donn Handicap Preview

February 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Good horse betting races have been sparse this year, but it looks like we have a great one lined up for Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the form of the Grade 1 Donn Handicap. Last years edition of the 39 year old race was taken by Quality Road. The then four-year-old colt smashed the competition by over 10 lengths! Notable winners of the Donn include Forego, Foolish Pleasure, Pistols and Roses, Cigar, Skip Away, Medaglia d’Oro, Saint Liam and last but not least, Invasor. Let’s take a look at this years field!

#1 I Want Revenge – It seems like an eternity has passed since this son of Stephen Got Even crushed the field to take the Gotham Stakes and then overcome big time trouble to win the Wood Memorial. After taking the Wood he missed significant time due to injury. His next race came over a year later in the Suburban Handicap where he was third beaten four lengths by the front running Haynesfield. After that he was also third in the Iselin at Monmouth. Ramon Dominguez will ride for the first time. It should be interesting to see how much speed he shows. Ultimately, this is a tough field and he is entering off a long rest so that makes him an outsider. On his best day he is the best horse in this race though!

#2  Hear Ye Hear Ye – He hasn’t got a prayer of winning. Maybe he could run fourth by some fluke, but I doubt it.

#3 Morning Line – Zabeel Racing now co-owns this son of Tiznow with Thoroughbred Legends. The $700k auction purchase (separate from Zabeel) won the Pennsylvania Derby last year before running second by a head in the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile. He was last seen finishing third in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hopes after setting the pace. He will be on the lead, but could catch pressure from Hear Ye Hear Ye, I Want Revenge, Square Eddie and Rule.  I don’t envision that being a problem. However, I do see the distance troubling him. Even though he won the Pennsylvania Derby at this distance, I just don’t think this horse is best when routing. He is a miler and will prove that in the final furlong of the race.

#4 Giant Oak – After watching the Clark Handicap, I had no idea how he ran so well. In retrospect, this is an improving horse. In his last four races he owns a win via DQ in the Clark and a second in two Grade 3 races. Still, I’m very skeptical about him. I’ve never thought he was very good and its hard to shake that thought once its planted. The pace set up will work in his favor as he will be rolling late. I won’t be surprised if the son of Giant’s Causeway checks in third or fourth.

#5 Eldaafer – The ice cold Edgar Prado picks up the mount on this gelded son of AP Indy who was last seen winning the Breeders Cup Marathon three months ago. He hasn’t seen a field this tough in his career despite winning a race that is Breeders Cup in name, but not in competition. Distance won’t be a problem, but when all is said and done this guy is probably the 6th or 7th best horse in the race. Long shot at best in my humble opinion.

#6 Fly Down – He just keeps on coming doesn’t he? The Nick Zito trainee finished third in the Breeders Cup Classic last out after just getting past fourth place finisher Lookin At Lucky. Before that race he was beaten 6 lengths in the Jockey Club Gold Cup by Haynesfield. He put in excellent efforts to be second by a nose in the Travers and second in the Belmont Stakes last year. He knows how to win races as he proved by taking the Dwyer by an emphatic six lengths.  Julien Leparoux will get the mount for the second time. He guided him to his third place finish in the Classic last out. Fly Down must concede at least 3 pounds to every horse in the race. He is working well, but it is advisable to take a shot against him in his first outing of the year.

#7 Square Eddie – WOW, what a run he put together in his first race since 2009 last out when he took an allowance event by 3 1/4 lengths. Study duty can wait a little longer. Trainer Doug O’Neill is excited about his chances as is jockey Corey Nakatani. I’ll take a wait and see approach. The surface he won on at Santa Anita is very hard to gauge right now. Also if he is so good why isn’t Joel Rosario here after winning on him last out? I could see Square Eddie running up the track or winning. Nothing he does will surprise me. Having said that I will pass and go with a more reliable horse.

#8 Rule - Todd Pletcher’s son of Roman Ruler rated nicely in his first try since the Florida Derby last out when jockey JJ Castellano guided him to a second place finish in the Hal’s Hope. He has excellent pedigree as his dam is half to Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide. It will be interesting to see how close to the pace he is in this spot. He is working like a monster and it appears he hasn’t lost any of the talent he showed at the ages of two and three. I’d like to see him sit right behind the speed and pounce in his second try at 9 furlongs.

#9 Ron The Greek – Lezcano will get the call here on a horse who put together a nice runner up effort in optional claiming company last out. In that race he rallied from 14 lengths back to finish just 1 3/4 lengths behind stakes winning Our Dark Knight. If things get really hectic on the front end, which they could, Ron The Greek will be the prime beneficiary. The colt is classy enough to win this, but he will need help from the pace setters.

I’m going to make Rule my top selection to win the Grade 1 Donn Handicap. He showed a new dimension when he rallied from 5th last out and I think that will really work to his benefit here. I expect the jockey to lay right off the pace, go by Morning Line, and hold off the late charges from the closers. Other than Rule, I’m interested to see how I Want Revenge performs. I might take a flyer on him at a price, but he will probably need a race or two to get in gear. He might be able to find a spot in the exacta, trifecta, or superfecta. I’m really hoping he returns to top form.

Who do you like in the 39th renewal of the Donn Handicap from Gulfstream Park? Leave a comment and let your voice be heard!

Filed Under: Horse Handicapping Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Older horse division up for grabs entering 2011

January 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The older male division looks VERY thin in the early stages of 2011. This seems to be a recurring problem in the past few years. Last year we had Blame and Quality Road, but there were really no elite horses in the division outside of those two. The year before that really had no elite older horses. Gio Ponti was the best of the bunch, but he wasn’t what I would call an elite runner.

I am left wondering who will rise to the top of this division. Will it be Gio Ponti? I’m glad that he is still in training, but his dirt form is less than desirable. I’d be shocked if his connections didn’t keep him on the turf anyway.

The new leader of the older horse division is likely to be a four-year-old. Some of the leading candidates are Morning Line, First Dude, Rule, Apart and Fly Down. Let’s take a quick look at each horses resume.

Morning Line won the Pennsylvania Derby in just his sixth career start. He followed that effort up by finishing second in the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile. The son of Tiznow is out of an AP Indy mare. It looks like he improving with age just as his sire did. Nick Zito trains this colt. He is in great hands with the two time Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner. The chances of Morning Line rising to the top are as good as that of any other horse. He clearly has tons of talent and getting the classic distance will be no problem when the time comes around. Look for him to start his 2011 campaign in the Hal’s Hope at Gulfstream.

I’d like to see First Dude get an easy win in minor stakes company, but trainer Dale Romans will start his year out in the Sunshine Millions Classic. The purse is big and he very well may be the best horse when the entries are revealed. Kent Desormeaux worked the son of Stephen Got Even over the turf at Gulfstream yesterday. Romans said he wants to get him on the grass at some point this year. I have always thought the world of First Dude. He is a towering colt and he loves to go to the lead. Maybe he will get a win or two and improve even more. I expect him to race in the Breeders Cup Classic again this year.

Much was said about Rule after winning the Delta Jackpot in 2009. He ended up off the Kentucky Derby trail after running third in the Florida Derby. That was an odd race as he seemed home free only to be reeled in by Ice Box and Pleasant Prince. The son of Roman Ruler hasn’t raced since that effort. He is back in training and if he improves he could be one of the best of the older horses.

Winning the Super Derby was the highlight of Apart‘s 2010 campaign. The Al Stall trainee entered the Clark Handicap as a wise guy pick, but couldn’t deliver. He steadily improved throughout last year. A similar rout could be beneficial this year. Stall did a great job to have Blame peaking in the Breeders Cup Classic. Maybe he can guide this colt to the top as well.

Fly Down probably should have won the Belmont Stakes, but a bad trip meant he could only finish second. He also had back luck in the Travers where he was second by a nose. In the Breeders Cup Classic he finished up to be third behind Blame and Zenyatta. The newly turned four-year-old has lots of upside and potential. His closing style could cost him a win or two this year, but I expect to see him do well. I believe he has the most raw talent of any of the older horses. It’s up to Nick Zito to mold him into the top older horse of 2011.

The only horses above the age of four that I can picture having an impact on the older horse division are Successful Dan and Haynesfield. The latter has steadily improved into a Grade 1 horse and appears to be on top of his game entering the new racing year. Successful Dan has perhaps the best closing move of any of the older horses. The gelded son of Successful Appeal has only raced 8 times and has plenty of room for improvement. He won the Clark Handicap last out, but was DQ’ed for bumping another horse. He took that race over a strong field despite being rank much of the way. Haynesfield and Successful Dan are clearly the best of the horses above the age of 4.

My prediction is that First Dude will be the best older horse in the land this year. After him I like Successful Dan and Morning Line. Who do you like among the older horses? Did I leave someone out? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Filed Under: Horse Racing News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Kentucky Derby Approaching May 1

April 26, 2010 By 3 Comments


The First Saturday in May is rapidly drawing closer. The Kentucky Derby took a hit this weekend when probable favorite Eskendereya was withdrawn from consideration after trainer Todd Pletcher discovered a swollen leg. His defection after winning the Wood Memorial and as the favorite follows I Want Revenge who was  also going to be the favorite after winning the Wood Memorial in 2009. The defection of Eskendereya makes way for the Bob Baffert trained juvenile champion Lookin at Lucky to become the new favorite.

Todd Pletcher’s best hope for ending his 0-24 skid in the Run for the Roses may have been Eskendereya, but he still has plenty of bullets to fire. Among his entrants this year will be Louisiana Derby winner Mission Impazible, Sam Davis Stakes winner Rule, and Arkansas Derby runner up Super Saver. The filly Devil May Care, Discreetly Mine, and Interactif are also potential chances for Todd Pletcher.

I feel sorry for jockey Johnny Velazquez. He lost Florida Derby winner Quality Road last year and now he has lost Eskendereya. It appears that he will get the mount on Devil May Care if Pletcher’s opts for the Kentucky Derby over the Kentucky Oaks. She is a big lanky filly that is blazing fast, but may not be ready for the Kentucky Derby. I’d like to see her in the Oaks.

This Kentucky Derby is wide open just like last year. Many of the top contenders have big question marks. The overall quality of the field seems sub par and could be average at best. I don’t think we have any chance of seeing a Triple Crown winner. The only horse I could see doing it would be Sidney’s Candy. We still have no idea how good he is. His ability is like a well and we still don’t know if he has come close to the bottom. Does that mean he will be my Kentucky Derby pick? Not at all, but if you told me now that one of these horses was going to sweep the TC I think he would be the one. Who do you like?

Filed Under: Horse Racing News Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Kentucky Derby Top 10

April 11, 2010 By 11 Comments

 

Are you counting down the days yet? I know I am. There are 20 days until the Kentucky Derby. All of the major preps except for the Lexington Stakes have been conducted. Some horses will get injured and kept out of the starting gate on the First Saturday in May, but we pretty much know who is who at this point in time. Let’s take a look at my top contenders.

#1 Eskendereya- If this colt were a character from a movie he would be Clubber Lang from Rocky III. He reminds me of this quote from Mickey in that movie: “No, he ain’t just another fighter! This guy is a wrecking machine! And he’s hungry!”. My prediction for the Kentucky Derby? …..Pain! This son of Giant’s Causeway has a gun in a knife fight.

#2 Sidney’s Candy- I’ve said for a while that we don’t know how good this colt really is. Even after winning the Santa Anita Derby I STILL don’t think we have seen the bottom of him. I doubt he is as good as my #1 selection and his running style may compromise his chances. Can Talamo get him to rate? It might not matter if he is “just that good”.

#3 Lookin at Lucky- This colt’s name is quite an oxymoron. He has won 6 of 8 races, and if not for two horrible trips he might be undefeated. I love the way he still rallied to finish third in the Santa Anita Derby despite being pushed into the rail early in the race. He has the pedigree to go 10 furlongs. He is in great hands with Bob Baffert and big money rider Garrett Gomez.

#4 Paddy O’ Prado- I thought he was gone in the stretch of the Bluegrass Stakes until Stately Victor totally freaked and won the race. He is steadily improving and I just have a funny feeling that this colt is for real. Jockey Kent Desormeaux has a great record in the Kentucky Derby.

#5 Rule- The setup of the Florida Derby worked against him. I was nearly 100% sure a closer wouldn’t win that race. I loved his 2010 debut win when he took the Sam Davis Stakes. I’m not sure he is a candidate for top honors, but I can see him running a big race.

#6 Dublin- If he wasn’t in D Wayne Lukas’s barn I probably wouldn’t give him a shot. He had a perfect chance to win Arkansas Derby, but failed to go for the jugular late in the race. Monitor his training in the days leading up to the race.

#7 Awesome Act- He looked poised for a big run in the Wood Memorial turning for home, but when Leparoux unleashed him there wasn’t much there. However, I believe he lost a shoe at the start of the race. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him give a good impression of himself on Kentucky Derby day.

#8 Noble’s Promise- His fifth place finish in the Arkansas Derby sure didn’t help his chances. Ken McPeek is still on the fence in terms of deciding to race him in the Run for the Roses.

#9 Super Saver- Winner of the Grade 2 Jockey Club Stakes at two, this colt always give a good account of himself. His running style will probably hurt his chances on the First Saturday in May.

#10 Ice Box- I’m wary of this colt because he won the Florida Derby closing into a tough pace. How will he do when the track doesn’t play in his favor?

So there you have it, my top ten contenders for the Kentucky Derby. This list is almost  certain to change between now and May 1. Kentucky Derby betting will be very interesting, exciting, and fun this year. Who do you like? Leave a comment and join the conversation!

Filed Under: Horse Racing Information Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ice Box pulls shocker in Florida Derby

March 21, 2010 By 2 Comments

I had a good feeling it was going to be bombs away in the Florida Derby. I told those who purchased my selections that. My top pick, Pleasant Prince, narrowly missed at odds of 29-1. He nearly gave me a heart attack, because I thought I was in the clear during the late stages of the race.

It wasn’t to be. Pleasant Prince was edged out by Nick Zito trainee Ice Box. Both finished behind Eskendereya in the Fountain of Youth last out. The winner was sent off at odds of 20-1. Pleasant Prince returned $26.40 to place and $11.60, so those that played him across on the board on my advisement did very well. I still wish he had won though!

The pace of the race set up well for both horses who closed from well back. It appeared for a brief moment that the favored Rule would kick for home with ease, but he was all out despite having looked otherwise. He ended up third. The Todd Pletcher trainee put in a good race considering the pace scenario. I wouldn’t hesitate to give him a look in the Kentucky Derby. Lentenor, best known for being the full brother of Barbaro, was fourth. He ran well in his first try on dirt, but probably isn’t Kentucky Derby material.

The under card was interesting. Devil May Care validated her win in the Frizette at 2 by running huge to take the Bonnie Miss. She was quite green, but couldn’t have won any easier than she did. Christine Daae and Amen Hallelujah ran clunkers even though they both caught plenty of action. D’ Funnybone posted an easy win the Swale. The connections say he won’t target the Kentucky Derby, but are considering the Preakness.

What did you think of Saturday’s races? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

Filed Under: Horse Racing News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Delta Jackpot winner Rule squares off against Uptowncharlybrown in the Sam F. Davis Stakes

February 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs has been an excellent race in the past few years. Last years winner was General Quarters. He went on to take the Grade 1 Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland. In 2007 Any Given Saturday won the race and later that year took the Haskell Invitational. In 2006 Bluegrass Cat won the race before running second to Barbaro in the Kentucky Derby. The $225,000 purse would go very far in helping a prospective Kentucky Derby horse get the earnings he needs to make the race. Let’s take a look at the field!

Todd Pletcher has a hot Kentucky Derby prospect in Delta Jackpot winner Rule. The son of Roman Ruler broke the track record for one mile  in a minor stakes at Delta Downs prior to that win. He has speed to spare and should make the lead. I have to wonder if he is cranked up for this race. He doesn’t have to win so the connections may or may not be giving it everything in this spot.  John Velasquez will retain the mount and seek to improve this colts win streak to four races. It won’t be easy.

Uptowncharlybrown took the Pasco Stakes by 6 lengths last out under Daniel Centeno after breaking his maiden by 9 lengths. Both of those win came at Tampa Bay Downs. He is a closer and will be rolling late in this race. The connections will need him to perform well if he is going to stay on track for the First Saturday in May. A win here would go a long way towards getting him the earnings he needs to be in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby.

Derek Ryan will send out Schoolyard Dreams after he won an optional claimer last out. He has elected to add blinkers. The son of Stephen Got Even sports a bullet four furlong breeze and has been working very well for the past few weeks. He beat a nice colt in Tempted To Tapit two races back. Cornelio Velasquez will pick up the mount since Daniel Centeno opted to stay with Uptowncharlybrown. This colt doesn’t seem too fast on paper, but I’ve got a good feeling about him.

Middle Of The Nite will attempt to shake things up here for trainer Thomas Albertrani. His last trip to the track resulted in a close third place finish behind the highly thought of Eskendereya at Gulfstream Park. The son of Offlee Wild will be racing for West Point Thoroughbreds. It is likely that he will confront Rule for the lead.

Who do you like in the Sam F. Davis Stakes?

Filed Under: Horse Handicapping Tagged With: , , , ,