Talk Derby To Us: Week 10

March 17, 2010

Hello Everyone,

What a weekend! Last weekend brought about the return of Champion Lookin at Lucky to the races. He faced some very tough competition in the Grade II Rebel including Grade I winners Dublin and Noble’s Promise. The Champ prevailed getting up to catch Noble’s Promise at the wire in his first start on dirt. Trainer Bob Baffert said his final prep race for the Derby would come in either the Arkansas Derby or the Wood Memorial. In the Grade III Tampa Bay Derby, Odysseus defeated race favorite Super Saver. It wasn’t by much though. Odysseus held on to win by a nose over Schoolyard Dreams with Super Saver a half a length back in third. Trainer Tom Albertrani said he will wait on deciding if his colt will need another prep or just train him up to the Kentucky Derby. Sidney’s Candy wired the field in the Grade II San Felipe, winning by a half length over Interactif. Caracortado was third, and graded stakes winner American Lion was fourth. The Santa Anita Derby will be next for Sidney’s Candy.

Gulfstream Park will host the only two graded stakes for the boys this weekend in the Grade I Florida Derby and the Grade II Swale Stakes. The likely favorite for the Florida Derby will be Sam F. Davis Winner Rule. IEAH will send out European import Radiohead, who won an allowance race at Gulfstream in his 2010 bow. Also in the field is Lentenor, a full brother to Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby Winner Barbaro. Lentenor will be making his dirt debut here after running mostly on the turf. For my selection, I will go with the favorite Rule. The Swale Stakes, run at 7 furlongs, is headlined by the speedy D’Funnybone. He will face only one other graded stakes winner, Dixie Band. The gelded son of Dixie Union will be making his first start of the year in the Swale. I am going to go for D’Funnybone in this one.

For the girls last weekend, Diva Delite won the Grade III Florida Oaks pulling away to win by two lengths. In the Grade III Honeybee, No Such Word upset favorite Beautician, winning by two and a half lengths. Decelerator finished fourth. The Grade III Cicada was rescheduled for this weekend due to weather. The field for the Cicada this weekend will include notable fillies Bickersons, Liam’s Dream and Fuzzy Britches. The Cicada is run at six furlongs, which means it is unlikely that any horse in this race will run in the Kentucky Oaks. The Grade II Bonnie Miss will have a very competitive field. Amen Hallelujah, a graded stakes winner on the east coast and the west coast, will look to show that she can win at over one mile and stamp herself as the top Oaks contender. Grade I Winner Devil May Care is looking to rebound after her fifth place finish in the Grade III Silverbulletday on February 20. Also in the field is the brilliant allowance winner Christine Daae. Christine Daae opted out of the Grade II Davona Dale, which was won by Amen Hallelujah, for an allowance race run around two turns, and she successfully passed that test. Look for her to try to stamp herself as a prominent Oaks contender in this one.

As always thank you for reading my list!

Sincerely,
Seth Kochera

Top Ten Derby Horses
By: Seth Kochera
March 17, 2010 (Week 10)
1. Eskendereya
He will bypass the Florida Derby this weekend and wait for the Wood Memorial on April 3.
2. Conveyance
The Baffert trainee is working at Santa Anita toward his final Derby prep, the Sunland Derby.
3. Odysseus
He stamped himself a legitimate contender for the Derby after winning the Tampa Bay Derby.
4. Lookin At Lucky
The Champ was a winner in his 2010 debut. The Smart Strike colt took the Rebel by a head.
5. D’Funnybone
The speedy son of D’Wildcat will run in the Swale and not the Florida Derby this weekend.
6. Rule
He will run this weekend in the Florida Derby as the favorite after Eskendereya’s defection.
7. Awesome Act
The Wood Memorial and a very tough field await the Awesome Again colt for his next race.
8. Discreetly Mine
He is at Palm Meadow working toward his next start in the Louisiana Derby next weekend.
9. Tempted to Tapit
His connections are looking at the Louisiana Derby next weekend for the speedy Tapit colt.
10. Noble’s Promise
The Cuvee colt ran a great race finishing second to Lookin at Lucky in his sophomore debut.
Keep an eye on: Connemara, Super Saver

Dropped from list: Buddy’s Saint, Caracortado

Upcoming Races
3/20/10 – Florida Derby (G1) (1 1/8 miles, Gulfstream Park) $750,000
3/20/10 – Swale Stakes (G2) (7 furlongs, Gulfstream Park) $150,000
Last Week’s Races
3/13/10 – Rebel Stakes (G2) (1 1/16 miles, Oaklawn Park) Winner: Lookin at Lucky
3/13/10 – San Felipe (G2) (1 1/16 miles, Santa Anita Park) Winner: Sidney’s Candy
3/13/10 – Tampa Bay Derby (G3) (1 1/16 miles, Tampa Bay Downs) Winner: Odysseus

Oaks Top Five
By: Seth Kochera
March 17, 2010 (Week 10)
1. Amen Hallelujah
She will get her chance to show that she can win at over one mile in the Bonnie Miss Saturday.
2. She Be Wild
The Champ was scratched from the Florida Oaks. Next for her will be the Ashland April 3.
3. Sassy Image
Not sure when this Broken Vow filly will resurface next. Trainer Romans hasn’t specified.
4. Blind Luck
She will look for her shot at redemption in the Fantasy Stakes on April 2 at Oaklawn Park.
5. Christine Daae
The super talented Giant’s Causeway filly will make her graded stakes debut this weekend.
Keep an eye on: Diva Delite, Hot Dixie Chick

Dropped from list: Beautician

Upcoming Races
3/20/10 – Bonnie Miss Stakes (G2) (1 1/8 miles, Gulfstream Park) $200,000
3/20/10 – Cicada Stakes (G3) (6 furlongs, Aqueduct) $100,000
Last Week’s Races
3/13/10 – Florida Oaks (G3) (1 1/16 miles, Gulfstream Park) Winner: Diva Delite
3/13/10 – Honeybee Stakes (G3) (1 1/16 miles, Oaklawn Park) Winner: No Such Word
3/13/10 – Cicada Stakes (G3) (6 furlongs, Aqueduct) Rescheduled for 3/20/10