In
recent years the Florida Derby (G1) seems to attract a lot of press well in
advance of its running. With about two weeks and three key Kentucky Derby point
races before the Gulfstream Park signature race, Florida Derby related articles
dominated headlines Monday. Merit Man joined the probable list, Orb breezed a
strong four furlongs at Payson Park, and Brian Zipse thinks the race will
“rock”. In addition to Orb and Merit Man, the other three probables in the
likely short field include 2-year-old Champion Shanghai Bobby, Holy Bull (G3)
winner Itsmyluckyday, and Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) runner-up Frac Daddy. While
Merit Man’s trainer Bob Hess Jr. admitted the colt is probably best at sprint
distances, he divulged the strategy in the Florida Derby will be to take
advantage of the speed bias at Gulfstream and steal the race on the front end.
If that wasn’t obvious to the competition before, now they definitely know//
While the Florida Derby may be the darling of the press, the Spiral (G3) at
Turfway is the popular choice for horsemen who hold Derby dreams. As many as 16
contenders are pointing for the race, although 12 is the maximum capacity allowed.
Kentucky Derby winning trainer Graham Motion has two of the four colts that
could be shut out due to insufficient earnings. A full list of probables can be
found in the article linked below// Dice Flavor, upset winner of the El Camino
Real (G3) at Golden Gate will ship to Dubai for the UAE Derby (G2). That’s
usually the wrong way to go when trying to get to Louisville, but trainer Paddy
Gallagher’s thinking is to keep the son of Scat Daddy on the Tapeta racing
surface// Bob Baffert announced Super Ninety Nine, who failed as the favorite
in Saturday’s Rebel (G2), will race next in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) against
stablemate Flashback. It’s an interesting choice seeing as both prefer to stay
up front in the early going. Garret Gomez was aboard Flashback for the first
time Monday morning when the colt worked four furlongs at Santa Anita. Baffert
also mentioned Friday allowance winner War Academy will try the Arkansas Derby
(G1) or Blue Grass (G1) April 13, Power Broker could return to racing as soon
as early April in the Santa Anita Derby or Wood Memorial (G1), and Code West is
Louisiana Derby (G2) bound. The trainer will also send out Govenor Charlie and
Shakin It Up to Sunland Park for the Sunland Derby (G3) this Sunday// Updated
future odds from Wynn Las Vegas and William Hill linked below and as always on
the sidebar// I updated the CTD Top 5 by dropping Super Ninety Nine (who I’m
not giving up on completely) and adding War Academy into the mix. Yes, it’s a
flavor of the week type pick, but I’m not real impressed with any horse outside
the top three and I feel War Academy has a lot of upside// more…
Articles:
Orb
heads full slate of Derby works (Bloodhorse)
The
Florida Derby is going to rock (Zipse at the Track)
Trip
notes: Rebel (DRF)
Kentucky Derby
Daily: March 18 (In The Money)
Bullet
train Derby platform: the 3:18 to Turfway (TwinSpires Blog)
Future Odds:
Wynn Las
Vegas 3/18 (View From Vegas)
William
Hill 3/18 (View From Vegas)
Workouts:
Cerro (IRE)- PMM- 5F-
1.02:80- B- 12/15
Crop Report- PMM- 5F-
1.02:80- B- 12/15
Overanalyze- PMM- 4F- 48:33-
B- 4/35
Orb- PAY- 4F- 48:00- B-
2/12
Code West- SA- 6F- 1.12:40- H- 3/16
Code West- SA- 6F- 1.12:40- H- 3/16
Power Broker- SA- 6F-
1.12:60- H- 4/16
Shakin It Up- SA- 5F-
1:00.20- H- 6/60
Govenor Charlie- SA- 5F-
1:00.40- H- 7/60
Tiz the Truth- SA- 4F-
47:80- H- 5/55
Belvin- SA- 4F- 48:20- H-
12/55
Flashback- SA- 4F- 48:40-
H- 19/55
Carving- SA- 4F- 50:00- H-
38/55
Rankings:
CTD Top 5 (CTD)
Haskin’s Derby Dozen [with video] (Bloodhorse Blog)
Peter Denk’s Top 20 (Bloodhorse Blog)
Quotes and Tweets:
"Overanalyze now headed
to Ark. Derby 4-13, Pletcher says. Abraham represents Pletcher barn in SUN
Derby this Sunday"- Jay Privman via Twitter
"Ellis said Treasury
Bill, 8th in Rebel, didn't care for surface. Said Talamo told him Treasury Bill
"felt like he was running in quicksand"- Jay Privman via Twitter
