Gotham Preview

                                                                      Gotham City

This past weekend Intense Holiday (53 pts) and Wildcat Red (50 pts) were the first sophomores to punch their ticket to Louisville by capturing the Risen Star and FOY. On Saturday another three-year-old will join them in the quest for the roses by taking down the Gotham at Aqueduct.

Samraat (10 pts) was made the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the 11-horse field after winning the Withers (G3) by a length over Uncle Sigh (4 pts) at this track in early February. In Trouble, the only other graded winner entered, makes his anticipated return to the races for the first time since capturing the Futurity (G2) at Belmont back in September. The Gotham is an interesting race on paper as there are more questions than answers attached to many of these entries.

Gotham (G3) 1 1/16m
3/1 Aqueduct 4:17 EST

10 Harpoon 10-1

Has finished no worse than second in all five lifetime starts and looks to add some Derby points to his resume on Saturday. Lost out by a nose in his stakes debut in the Sam F. Davis (G3) on February 1 after dropping back to sixth around the turn. It looked like he had no shot in that race, but he angled to the outside turning for home and came flying down the stretch to just miss at the wire. Like him to have a better trip from the outside post since he seemed to have trouble being down on the inside last time out. The gray did break his maiden from post No. 11 in a 14-horse field to close out his two-year-old campaign in December. Tough to pass up or leave off your tickets with the price that will be hanging over his head. 

1A Samraat 5-2

After running against state-breds in his first three starts, he stepped into open company last out and gave one heck of an effort to get his name up on the Derby Leaderboard. Tough to knock a horse that has yet to lose, but the competition will be tougher in here than what he faced in the Withers. The New-York bred is going to have to run the race of his young career on Saturday to secure a spot in the Derby. 

3 Financial Mogul 10-1

Expected him to show more in the Holy Bull (G2) after running second to Cairo Prince in the Nashua (G2) two starts back. A closer that made a nice move in the Holy Bull but flattened out at the top of the stretch. Will definitely need to take a step forward here if his connections want to start talking Derby. Like him to be coming on late to catch a piece of the board on Saturday. 

$24 Gotham Bankroll

$12 W: 10

$2 EX BX: 10, 1, 3 = $12

*Came up empty in the FOY and Risen Star. Played Commissioner and Top Billing on top in the exotic ticket, which didn't pan out. Had Intense Holiday in an exacta box but Hoppertunity and Rise Up failed to hit the board. On to another week of racing...

Championship Series

The stakes go up this weekend in the Fountain of Youth and Risen Star as the "Championship Series" begins on the road to the Kentucky Derby. The points are elevated from 10-4-2-1 to 50-20-10-5 and a win in any points race from here on out guarantees a spot in the 20-horse field.

The FOY at Gulfstream Park kicks off the Championship Series on Saturday and will catapult the promising contenders onto the Florida Derby next month. Orb won this race last year and went on to win the Derby, breaking the 13-year drought of a Derby winner emerging from this race.

The Risen Star drew an even larger field of 14 with two also-eligibles. History has not shined on the star of this race in years past. Not a single horse has gone on to win the Derby after capturing the Risen Star or the Louisiana Derby Trial, as it was previously named, which dates back to 1973.

Full fields in both stakes will certainly give these young sophomores a sample test of what the Derby will be like on that first Saturday in May. Time is running out to start claiming those much needed Derby points and there are some talented colts that need to get on the board this weekend.

The Gulfstream Park card is absolutely loaded on Saturday and Race 6 features a 1 1/16-mile allowance race for three-year-olds. One or more of the 10 entered into this race most likely will be seen in a Derby prep race their next time out.

Fountain of Youth (G2) 1 1/16m
2/22 Gulfstream Park 5:33 EST

1 Commissioner 3-1

Makes stakes debut and has proven distance is certainly not an issue. Has already beat Top Billing once and will try to do so again on Saturday. The son of A. P. Indy has increased his BRIS Speed rating in each of his three races and if he improves off his last effort will certainly be tough to beat. Anyone writing off the Commish due to his post must have forgotten last year's winner of the FOY and what post he broke from.

12 Top Billing 7-2

The son of Curlin will be coming on late and if he can maneuver his way through this deep field, watch out. Got squeezed in the stretch in his race against the Commissioner but took a slight lead and was unable to pull away. It will be interesting to see these two battle it out again in stakes company with points on the line.

2 We Miss Artie 8-1

Was near the front in the stretch of the BC Juvenile before fading to seventh, but only lost by four lengths. Came back against stakes company at this distance over the grass to lose out by a head to promising three-year-old Storming Inti. BRIS Speed figures are gradually increasing with each race and one that could easily hit the board. 

4 Wildcat Red 6-1

Lost out in the GP Derby by a head to General A Rod but came back earlier this month to win the Hutchenson (G3) at seven furlongs in an impressive time. Likely to be on the lead turning for home. How far will his speed carry him?

5 General A Rod 5-1

Winner of the GP Derby on New Year's Day has not raced since. Unlike The Commissioner, it's up in the air if this colt will be up to the task to take on graded company after the layoff. 

$36 FOY Bankroll

$12 W: 1

$1 TRI BX: 1,12/1,2,4,5,12/1,2,4,5,12 = $24

Risen Star (G2) 1 1/16m
2/22 Fair Grounds 6:25 EST

8 Hoppertunity 8-1

Recent maiden winner steps right into stakes competition but his pedigree would indicate that the distance will definitely not be an issue. With no real standout in here, this colt could steal the race for Bob Baffert. 

9 Intense Holiday 8-1

The class of the race will be closing late and has an interesting backstory, which explains his effort late in races. Been running in graded stakes since breaking his maiden, but has finished no better than third (Holy Bull). Should catch a piece of the board but can he step up and capture that first stakes that has eluded him?

2 Rise Up 4-1

Makes his three-year-old debut after winning the Delta Downs Jackpot (G3) by six lengths back in November. Has been training well since his last race but the long layoff is definitely a concern. Another one that will see how far his speed will take him against much tougher competition. 

$12 Risen Star Bankroll

$2 EX BX: 8,9,2 = $12

Race 6 @ GP (3:05):

Mexikoma 5-1

Colt that can supposedly run all day. Broke his maiden by 14 lengths, going one mile back in September and then emerged in the BC Juvenile to finish a closing sixth. Might need to get a race under him after the long layoff but one to definitely keep an eye on. There are a lot of handicappers high on this horse to do promising things in the near future. 

*Cairo Prince paid $37.20 on a $12 ticket to keep me out of the hole in the first three-year-old race posted this year. Good Luck as the Championship Series kicks off Saturday!

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