This is one tough Kentucky Derby to figure out, sort of like 2009. And there’s a good chance of rain on Saturday for the 137th edition. Remember over the past three decades only four favorites have won — all in the 21st Century. Big Brown was the last in ’08; Street Sense,’07; Smarty Jones, ’04; […]
Scores of upsets in major preps and injuries have muddled my Top 10 Kentucky Derby contenders. But here’s my final list from the bottom to the top: Stay Thirsty: Although the son of Bernardini ran poorly in the Florida Derby, he did defeat Wood Memorial victor Toby’s Corner in the Gotham. On April 24, he […]
Upsets galore in the major preps have played havoc with my Top 10 Kentucky Derby contenders. You can count the number of favorites that scored in key preps on one hand. How the 3-year-olds work at Churchill Downs before the first Saturday in May will determine my final standings from the bottom to the top: […]
For the fans of Uncle Mo, please do not make any reservations for the Golden Gate Bridge just yet. For the many loyal fans, don’t sell your stock just yet. Sometimes in racing, just like the song says, “you can’t always get you want; you get what you need.” I admit, I lost my pick-4 tickets. I […]
Injuries and upsets in major preps have muddled my list of Top 10 Kentucky Derby contenders. Here’s the revised lineup from the bottom to the new No. 1: Stay Thirsty: The Gotham winner flopped in the Florida Derby, but the son of Bernardini wasn’t the only stakes winner to stub his hoof this spring. He […]
There are several talented 3-year-olds going in the 98th Louisiana Derby that must prove themselves worthy of continuing on the Road to the Roses. The uncoupled trainees of Neil Howard figure to give morning line 9-5 favorite Mucho Macho Man the most trouble. Wilkinson has been freshened since his head victory over Pants on Fire […]
Last year’s initial rankings of my Top 10 Kentucky Derby contenders included all three winners of Triple Crown races from Derby winning Super Saver at No. 10 to Preakness champ Lookin’ at Lucky at No. 2. It also rated Belmont victor Drosselmeyer at No. 9. So here we go again from the bottom to the […]
Ten sophomores square off in Saturday’s $300,000 Risen Star Stakes, led by Rogue Romance, the morning line 3-1 favorite. The colt, who raced exclusively on turf before finishing third in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs, has been training at Gulfstream Park since the first of the year. Rogue Romance, who breaks from […]
The 3-year-olds are coming to a track near you. Many of the top contenders on the Road to the Roses are training in South Florida. The East Coast contingent is headed by Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champ Uncle Mo, the 2-year-old male Eclipse Award winner that arrived last month at the Palm Meadows Training Center in […]
Several promising 3-year-olds have targeted the $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes on Sunday at Gulfstream Park as their first race on the Road to the Roses. Boys at Tosconova, runner-up to Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Uncle Mo last fall at Churchill Downs, has been training well at the South Florida track. The son of Officer worked […]