Holy Bull Preview

The Holy Bull (G2) at Gulfstream Park is when the Kentucky Derby trail really starts to heat up. Of course other points races have already been run, but by now it is safe to say that the 2014 Derby winner has broken his/her maiden. From here on out only the best three-year-olds will be squaring off against one another. With the limited number of Derby preps these sophomores are forced to run in now, we can slowly begin to weed out the impostures. This weekend is also when the Triple Crown nominations are released, giving us hundreds of colts, geldings and fillies to scour over as we try to decide who we want to target for our fantasy drafts/stables and/or pick out to place a future wager on. Buckle up and enjoy the ride because these next 100 days will be a roller coaster ride full of highs and lows as we approach that infamous first Saturday in May.

Cairo Prince leads a wide-open field of 11 entries that will load the gate in the Holy Bull and it is anyone's guess on which four will walk away with those luxurious Derby points on Saturday. With only two graded stakes winners entered and no two-year-old champion or Gulfstream Park Derby winner running, like last year, it will be interesting to see which three-year-old will take that next step forward and become a household name.

Since the last post was made, New Year's Day has been retired with an injury and Shared Belief was crowned two-year-old champ, despite no races on conventional dirt and skipping the Breeders' Cup.

Holy Bull (G2) 1 1/16m
1/25 Gulfstream Park 5:03 EST

7 Cairo Prince 3-1

Only graded stakes winner (on dirt) in here has been working lights out for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. Tough to gauge how good he might be after the mysterious Remsen last time out, but looks to be the best in this group.

1 Coup De Grace 4-1

Won an allowance race over the track to close out 2013 and tries to stay undefeated in his third career start. Making stakes debut and must overcome starting down along the rail. Son of Tapit should improve off last and is a threat to the top contender.

8 Wicked Strong 8-1
Just missed out in the Remsen and beat recent maiden winner Cool Samurai two starts back. One that could certainly surprise. 

2 Financial Mogul 10-1

Got up for second in the Nashua (G2) after coming from the back of the pack and being forced to come five wide off the far turn. Could catch a piece of the board late. 

$36 Holy Bull Bankroll

$12 W: 7

$2 EX BX: 7,1,8,2 = $24

*Struck out in the CashCall as Tap It Rich was still not ready to run with the big dogs. Only a matter of time before he shows his talent. 

CashCall makes final bow in Hollywood

Hollywood Park

Open since 1938, Hollywood Park will prepare to close its doors for good in the coming days, and this weekend will be the last CashCall Futurity (G1) run at the historic track. One two-year-old will etch his name into history on Saturday and join the likes of Ferdinand, Alysheba, A.P. Indy, Thunder Gulch, Real Quiet and Lookin at Lucky, all previous winners of the race.

It is disappointing that points were taken off the table this year for the CashCall, but it should still be a very competitive race as five of the 13 entered were included in the first KDFW pool. Shared Belief enters into the race undefeated from two starts in which he won by a combined 14 3/4 lengths and will likely be the post-time favorite. Bond Holder and Tap It Rich, who were fourth and fifth, respectively in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile figure to challenge the favorite along with Tamarando, the recent winner of the Real Quiet Stakes.

With the Eclipse awards looming there are many lobbying that a win by Shared Belief will give him the two-year-old crown. He would have to run away with the CashCall like he did in his first two races for me to consider jumping on that bandwagon. New Year's Day, the winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile is currently the top two-year-old and would be tough to deny top billing of this class.

CashCall Futurity (G1) 1 1/16m
(7:35 EST)

5 Tap It Rich 9-2

Had one of the more impressive maiden victories of the two-year-olds this year and is still immature as he showed in his fifth-place finish in the Juvenile. Broke slow from the gate and was hung out wide the entire race, but only lost by 3 1/4 lengths. Racing on a synthetic surface for the first time can always be a concern, but this ridgling looks to have talent and it is just a matter of time before he puts it all together. I'll continue to back him until he gives me reason not to. 

2 Tamarando 4-1

Most experienced of the group has seven starts already. Winner of both the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and Real Quiet has finished no worse than fourth and will be coming late to try to run down the leaders.  Tough to pick against here. 

6 Shared Belief 7-2

Enters undefeated in two starts with a combined winning margin of 14 3/4 lengths and did so in impressive times. Has been working lights out since his victory in the Hollywood Prevue (G3) but is stepping up in class. Going around two turns for the first time will be the question mark here. Like him to be in contention.

3 Bond Holder 8-1

Winner of the FrontRunner (G1) will try to find his way through traffic from the back of the pack. Managed fourth in the Juvenile but didn't have much left in the stretch. Still room for improvement and has been game in just about all six starts. 

$56 CashCall Bankroll

$20 W: 5

$2 EX BX: 5,2,6 = $12

$1 TRI BX: 5,2,6,3 = $24

KDFW - Remsen - KyJC

Turkey day has passed so why not make some future bets this weekend. Thanksgiving 2013 marks the first time that the Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) is open for betting on the two-year-olds. This future wager pool was introduced back in 1999 but had always waited until February to kick off. It's never too early to start throwing around Derby hopefuls and the added pool this year should generate buzz and excitement, months in advance of the actual race. Wagering on the first pool closes before the two historical Derby prep races go off at Aqueduct and Churchill Downs on Saturday.

The  Remsen (G2) is the most anticipated of the two preps and will certainly test the stamina of these guys as they try the 1 1/8-mile distance for the first time in their young careers. Honor Code, the 9-5 morning-line favorite, is making his first start since missing out by a neck to Havana in the Champagn (G1) almost two months ago. He looks to join the likes of Johnstown, Carryback, Northern Dancer, Pleasant Colony, Go for Gin, and Thunder Gulch, all who have taken down this race and then gone on to win the Derby the following year.

The Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) is the other big prep and these two-year-olds would love to be back here in May. On paper this group entered Saturday are not as highly touted as the Remsen field, largely because only one horse in the KyJC is listed in the early KDFW pool. Almost Famous is that horse and is the 6-5 favorite on the morning line. He is entering in here off a six-length victory against allowance company over this track just three weeks ago. Five past winners of this race have also captured the Derby, with Super Saver being the last to do so in 2009.

It is tough enough to attempt and pick the Derby winner on the first Saturday in May but to try and do so before these unpredictable juveniles even celebrate their third birthday is borderline insane. But where there's a chance to make money, why not take a shot in the dark. It will be interesting to see how many of the 23 that are currently on the list will even make it to the starting gate five months from now. I wonder what the over/under is on that bet...

Remsen(G2) 1 1/8m
(3:49 EST)

4 Honor Code 9-5
Son of A.P. Indy should have no problem with the added distance and will be coming from the clouds to run down the leader. Tough not to back this colt out of McGaughey's barn after two impressive starts to begin his career. Won't be shocked if he gets beat but will be there at the end to make it interesting. 

1 Noble Moon 6-1
Wild card in here that will be the third-betting choice and might get overlooked a bit. He broke his maiden in his debut by wiring the field and came from last to finish third in Nashua (G2) over the track earlier this month. Despite a not-so-good trip, he still improved his BRIS Speed figs in his second start and it will be interesting to see where he is placed in this race early on. Could pull off the upset with a decent price over his head. 

9 Cairo Prince 2-1
Looks to remain undefeated after coming off a win here at Aqueduct in the Nashua four weeks ago. Made a nice move to take control of the last race and his pedigree suggests he will like to go longer. One of three in here that has just as good a shot as the other two. 

$30 Remsen Bankroll

$6 WPS: 1 = $18

$2 TRI BX: 4,1,9 = $12

Kentucky Jockey Club(G2) 1 1/16m

(5:35 EST)

$2 EX BX: 1,2,6 = $12

KDFW Pool #1

$50 W: All Others 4-5

Others to consider:
Shared Belief: 31-1
Tamarando: 29-1
Tap It Rich: 20-1

*Cashed $153.30 on the Breeders' Cup thanks to hitting the exacta in the Juvenile and tabbing Mucho Macho Man to win the Classic. 

2013 Breeders' Cup Preview

                                                                   Breeders' Cup

Santa Anita Park is the place to be this upcoming weekend as the top thoroughbreds from around the country/world converge on the Breeders' Cup to square off in 14 races, spread out over two days. With Eclipse awards, huge purses, bragging rights and winning tickets all on the line you couldn't ask for a better weekend of racing.

The three-year-old champion is down to just two colts heading into November. Palace Malice would have to be at the top of the list going into the Classic with wins in both the Belmont and Jim Dandy and also finishing second to Ron the Greek in the Jockey Club Gold Cup just last month. The son of Curlin will attempt to do what his daddy did seven years ago and that is win the Classic as a three-year-old, something that has only been done twice in the last 12 years. A good performance in the Classic should be enough to claim three-year-old honors.

If Palace Malice fails to show up then Will Take Charge, who is also in the field of 12, has a shot to move to the top of the division. Will Take Charge was off the board in all three of the Triple Crown races but has come on as of late to capture the Travers and Pennsylvania Derby his last two times out. Moreno ran second to Will Take Charge in both of those races and is the only other three-year-old entered in here. He did not break his maiden until June and would have to come away with a win to even enter the conversation of top three-year-old. If Will Take Charge hits the board on Saturday he might be hard to deny the Eclipse, but if he were to pull off the upset then that is who would be your three-year-old champion.

The two-year-olds have been running since the summer but a true leader has yet to emerge out of this group. The Juvenile is set with a full field of 14 on Saturday and it could decide the two-year-old champ. Recent maiden winner Tap it Rich is the juvenile to keep an eye on as he makes his stakes debut. Honor Code, the highly touted son of A.P. Indy, who just missed out by a neck in the Champagn, to 5-2 Juvenile favorite Havana, stayed home in New York and did not make the cross country trip.

Fillies Juvenile 1 1/16m
(3:05 EDT)

Sweet Reason (Leah Gyarmati) was made the 5-2 morning-line favorite for good reason and would be entering in here undefeated was it not for an awkward start in the Frizette last out. If she gets a good break this time around, the daughter of Street Sense will be very tough to beat. The Del Mar Debutane winner, She's a Tiger (Jeff Bonde) hopes to break well from the outside post and will try get to the lead or as close as possible. Lost by a head in the Chandelier last time out in a race run over this track and is certainly dangerous. Untapable (Steve Asmussen) captured the Pocahontas at Churchill at the beginning of September in her second career start and tries to remain perfect. Artemis Agrotera (Michael Hushion) put up some solid pace/speed figures in her first two starts and pulled away in the end of the one mile Frizette last out, so the added distance should not be a problem. She is another filly in here that looks to escape this race without a blemish on her record.

9 Sweet Reason 5-2
10 She's a Tiger 6-1
7 Untapable 5-1
1 Artemis Agrotera 3-1

$20 W: 9

$2 EX BX: 9,10,7,1 

$1 TRI: 9 w/ 10,7,1 w/ 10,7,1,4,6

Juvenile 1 1/16m
(5:43 EDT)

Tap It Rich (Baffert) broke his maiden impressively in his racing debut earlier this month here at Santa Anita after hopping at the start and breaking last. Look for him to step forward off his last race and should be one to watch not just on Saturday but on the 2014 Kentucky Derby trail as well. Havana (Todd Pletcher) is the 5-2 morning-line favorite after wiring the Champagn but will have to overcome post 13 to remain undefeated. The winner of the FrontRunner, Bond Holder (O'Neill) will likely be coming late to try and hit the board. New Year's Day (Baffert) exits a nice maiden win in which he beat Bond Holder back in August. Has been working well over the track and if he gets the distance, will be in the mix at the end. 

6 Tap It Rich 6-1
13 Havana 5-2
5 Bond Holder 8-1
4 New Year's Day 8-1

$20 W: 6

$2 EX BX: 6,13,5,4

$1 TRI BX: 6,13,5,4

Classic 1 1/4m
(8:35)

Mucho Macho Man (Katherine Ritvo), the runner-up by just a half-length in last year's running of the Classic may be the one posing in the winner's circle in 2013. Posted a 4 1/4-length win in the Awesome Again over this track last month and looks to be in top form at the right time. The 8-5 morning-line favorite, Game On Dude (Baffert) exits an 8 1/2-length runaway win in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar. He will try to redeem himself after last year's disappointing seventh-place finish, which is his only loss at Santa Anita to date. Has won seven times in eight starts here and is very dangerous. Palace Malice (Pletcher) continues to improve and mature with each race he runs. Obviously he would have to run the race of his young career to win on Saturday, but don't write off this three-year-old because it is not out of the question for him to pull off the upset. Fort Larned (Ian Wilkes) the upset winner of the 2012 Classic is tough to overlook especially with his early speed. 

6 Mucho Macho Man 5-1
9 Game On Dude 8-5
8 Palace Malice 10-1
7 Fort Larned 6-1

$5 WPS: 6

$5 WPS: 8

$2 EX BX: 6,9,8,7

$1 TRI BX; 6,9,8,7

Happy Halloween & Happy Winnings!