Saturday, February 22, 2014
Fountain of Youth 2/22/14
Fountain of Youth
GP R11 Sat. 2/22/14
There are some very nicely bred colts in this race and lots of speed. A few of these with really nice classic pedigrees haven't shown enough speed yet but they still have room to improve. If I were to go simply on speed figures the horses on top would probably be horses that have been very good against lesser rivals but that doesn't mean that would be that good when meeting classier colts.
Almost Famous has a pedigree I really like. I think his last race ws a lot better than his finish shows because he really hung in pretty good after a long battle for the lead. I just feel he can put away the speed in here and will be tough to catch.
Commissioner has the kind of breeding, although fairly common, that has produced a lot of classic type horses. He's shown a liking for a distance and should get a good stalking trip from the rail.
General a Rod has looked good in all his races and ran a good second to Conquest Titan. Doesn't seem to need the lead but will not be far off the pace and should make it interesting.
Medal Count is another with a pedigree I like but he just hasn't shown the speed needed as yet. He has those Ribot mares in his pedigree that tells me that if he can garner enough points to get in he will be my under the radar horse for the Derby or else he will have a shot at the Belmont. Right now he's got to step up to the plate in this or his next and get some points. He probably should have gone to the Risen Star rather than here with this speed favoring track.
Top Billing, like Orb, has one of those pedigrees that are hard to decipher but Shug always seems to get them to outrun their pedigree. He may close to get a piece but I'm not using him because of short odds and he may have too much to make up in this race.
I'm shooting in here for a price because I haven't seen anyone yet that looks unstoppable.
1- Almost Famous
2- Commissioner
3- General a Rod
4- Medal Count
Long Shots- C. Zee, Wildcat Red, We Miss Artie
PS- Just didn't have time to get to the Risen Star...
Saturday, February 15, 2014
The EL Camino Real Derby 2/15/14
El Camino Real G3
GG R8 2/15/14
This is only a G3 race and I don't think this race usually gets very much attention but this year I think it should. As far as pedigrees go, this is a really good field.
With Craftsman we finally see a nice horse that had been trained by O'Brien that's not put on a plane and brought over here and dropped into the Derby without at least one work over the track. This guy made his first start in Dec. and that was on the grass where he was favored but didn't run much at all. The question is: Will he take to the synthetic track? He's had a chance to really get acclimated and has steady works on the dirt at SA. He has a really nice pedigree except for one factor, the Mr P mares in the influential spots. He can probably get 9f but I doubt he can go 10f. He gets blinkers today and may be a lot closer to this race that is lacking in early speed.
Tamarando I think will relish the extra distance because his breeding tells me he can run all day. He's at a disadvantage today with the lack of speed in here. The pace may be slow but it's possible that Baze may put him a little closer to a slow pace. At this point in time he may have a little edge in experience and class. After all, he did run third to Shared Belief and Candy Boy in the Cash Call and Candy Boy came out of that and took the RB Lewis last week.
Enterprising is probably the speed in this and Stevens may just gun him to the front. He has a nice pedigree With the sire and dam sire being of the Northern Dancer line. He stretched out last time and ran well in the CA Derby and was slowly getting to the winner.
Infosec, I'll Wrap it Up and Dance With Fate may run close to the pace but I think all three have some distance limitations even though they are nicely bred. Of course, when I say that I'm referring to the Derby distance.
Puppy Manners being sired by Kitten's Joy and inbred to Northern Dancer probably wants more distance. He's had 8 races already and he wasn't tried around 2 turns till his last. I look for a big improvement from him but he may have the same problem as his stablemate with the lack of speed in this.
1- Craftsman
2- Tamarando
3- Enterprising
4- Puppy Manners
Backstretch
GG R8 2/15/14
This is only a G3 race and I don't think this race usually gets very much attention but this year I think it should. As far as pedigrees go, this is a really good field.
With Craftsman we finally see a nice horse that had been trained by O'Brien that's not put on a plane and brought over here and dropped into the Derby without at least one work over the track. This guy made his first start in Dec. and that was on the grass where he was favored but didn't run much at all. The question is: Will he take to the synthetic track? He's had a chance to really get acclimated and has steady works on the dirt at SA. He has a really nice pedigree except for one factor, the Mr P mares in the influential spots. He can probably get 9f but I doubt he can go 10f. He gets blinkers today and may be a lot closer to this race that is lacking in early speed.
Tamarando I think will relish the extra distance because his breeding tells me he can run all day. He's at a disadvantage today with the lack of speed in here. The pace may be slow but it's possible that Baze may put him a little closer to a slow pace. At this point in time he may have a little edge in experience and class. After all, he did run third to Shared Belief and Candy Boy in the Cash Call and Candy Boy came out of that and took the RB Lewis last week.
Enterprising is probably the speed in this and Stevens may just gun him to the front. He has a nice pedigree With the sire and dam sire being of the Northern Dancer line. He stretched out last time and ran well in the CA Derby and was slowly getting to the winner.
Infosec, I'll Wrap it Up and Dance With Fate may run close to the pace but I think all three have some distance limitations even though they are nicely bred. Of course, when I say that I'm referring to the Derby distance.
Puppy Manners being sired by Kitten's Joy and inbred to Northern Dancer probably wants more distance. He's had 8 races already and he wasn't tried around 2 turns till his last. I look for a big improvement from him but he may have the same problem as his stablemate with the lack of speed in this.
1- Craftsman
2- Tamarando
3- Enterprising
4- Puppy Manners
Backstretch
Saturday, February 8, 2014
The RB Lewis 2/8/14
The RB Lewis
SA R8 2/8/14
Not a big field but a few very nice ones in here. Baffert has a couple of good looking prospects in this and they could run 1-2. I believe he had planned on running Chitu somewhere else but changed his mind.
Midnight Hawk has had 2 races and looked very impressive in both, especially when taking the Sham in his last. I'm a little undecided about his pedigree but he can't be faulted so far and will probably be odds on today.
I really like the breeding of Chitu better than his stable mate but he hasn't met stakes company yet. I heard that he may be in here to be a rabbit for Midnight Hawk but I don't think so. In fact, I think, off his pedigree, he has a good chance to take home all the marbles.
Candy Boy is another with a lovely pedigree with a couple of Nasrullah mares in the key positions. He had to stretch out to break his maiden but did it in fine style. He ran a bang up race last time in the Cash Call and had the lead coming into the stretch but couldn't hold off Shared Belief who is the favorite in the Derby futures right now. He could be very tough in here.
Cool Samurai is a really inbred colt and I like the Northern Dancer mares in the important spots in his pedigree. He looks like he wants some distance but hasn't shown the speed of the top 3 yet. But, you never can tell because these young horses can show so much improvement race to race.
El Nino Terrible doesn't have the figures yet but his type are usually very fast at this distance. With those Mr P mares in his pedigree I just don't think he can get the derby distance but may be a factor along the way.
1- Midnight Hawk
2- Candy Boy
3- Chitu
Long Shot- Cool Samurai
Backstretch
SA R8 2/8/14
Not a big field but a few very nice ones in here. Baffert has a couple of good looking prospects in this and they could run 1-2. I believe he had planned on running Chitu somewhere else but changed his mind.
Midnight Hawk has had 2 races and looked very impressive in both, especially when taking the Sham in his last. I'm a little undecided about his pedigree but he can't be faulted so far and will probably be odds on today.
I really like the breeding of Chitu better than his stable mate but he hasn't met stakes company yet. I heard that he may be in here to be a rabbit for Midnight Hawk but I don't think so. In fact, I think, off his pedigree, he has a good chance to take home all the marbles.
Candy Boy is another with a lovely pedigree with a couple of Nasrullah mares in the key positions. He had to stretch out to break his maiden but did it in fine style. He ran a bang up race last time in the Cash Call and had the lead coming into the stretch but couldn't hold off Shared Belief who is the favorite in the Derby futures right now. He could be very tough in here.
Cool Samurai is a really inbred colt and I like the Northern Dancer mares in the important spots in his pedigree. He looks like he wants some distance but hasn't shown the speed of the top 3 yet. But, you never can tell because these young horses can show so much improvement race to race.
El Nino Terrible doesn't have the figures yet but his type are usually very fast at this distance. With those Mr P mares in his pedigree I just don't think he can get the derby distance but may be a factor along the way.
1- Midnight Hawk
2- Candy Boy
3- Chitu
Long Shot- Cool Samurai
Backstretch
Saturday, February 1, 2014
The Withers
The Withers
AQU R9 2/1/14
Another race with a big 6 entries and the 2 favorites are NY breds with this being their first start in open company. They both have speed and have also won around 2 turns already.
I don't think this race is going to have much of an impact although I do like the pedigrees of a couple of them. Since I'm not too interested in this race I won't bother with a lot of comment.
1- Street Gent...a very nice pedigree and can get the distance but may need a race or two.
2- Scotland...another with very nice breeding.
3- Samraat...a mixed up pedigree but it's working because he's 3 for 3 against state breds.
4- Classic Giacnroll...not too fond of his breeding but looks to be somewhat of a runner and is sitting on a big race.
Backstretch
AQU R9 2/1/14
Another race with a big 6 entries and the 2 favorites are NY breds with this being their first start in open company. They both have speed and have also won around 2 turns already.
I don't think this race is going to have much of an impact although I do like the pedigrees of a couple of them. Since I'm not too interested in this race I won't bother with a lot of comment.
1- Street Gent...a very nice pedigree and can get the distance but may need a race or two.
2- Scotland...another with very nice breeding.
3- Samraat...a mixed up pedigree but it's working because he's 3 for 3 against state breds.
4- Classic Giacnroll...not too fond of his breeding but looks to be somewhat of a runner and is sitting on a big race.
Backstretch
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