I have no problem with an aggressive campaign, obviously, but this horse seems perfectly suited for the Strub series and I think it would be a mistake to deviate from that course. It just feels like they should be thinking grass after those races don't work out for him.

The whole thing makes me feel like they have no real game plan with the horse which would be a shame. I think he's pretty good. Not as good as many thought going into the TC perhaps but better than he showed in the Derby and Preakness.

At this point, if the Malibu was his next start, I would consider him the horse to beat. Latent Heat is a nice horse, but he has something to prove before one would put him ahead of Too Much Bling and/or Brother Derek. He might well prove better but so far he's a lot of hype with a little bit of delivery.

Same case though, the Malibu is 12/26 and the Sunshine Millions are at the end of January. Nothing to stop him from running in both.

I can't believe I am already at the point where I'm longing for the old days of like two years ago when coming into a race off an 8 week layoff was a concern rather than an advantage.

Racing in an inconsequential race like the Sunshine Millions is what you do to earn dollars if your horse has no real stud value. A horse like Brother Derek has MUCH more to gain running in races like the Malibu/Strub series in terms of breeding dollars.

He won't be in the Sunshine Millions.

See, I am actually of the opinion that he will be better at 7-8 furlongs and racing around one turn......I haven't liked his twoturn efforts to date...he was quitting in all of them....

It's a long year and the bigger races are mostly later in the year. No reason to be overly aggressive early in the season.

The Santa Anita schedule is setup though so that this is a big time of the year. I'd think Hollywood Derby, Malibu, Strub or Sunshine Millions, Big Cap would be a reasonable campaign and at that point you could give him a freshening for a couple months to get him ready for the bigger races later in the year. Wasn't part of the reason they skipped the big 3yo races with him over the summer so that he'd be fresh after the Classic for the Strub series?

I thought he had some issues but not sure.

Brother Derek feels like a good Met Mile horse if things go well. That's certainly a very big race to win.

I'm of the belief that Brother Derek would get crushed in the Malibu. He's got front running speed but it's route speed. I don't think he'd stand up to sprinters going 7f. I think the Hollywood Derby is a good option. It's worth a lot of money and the distance will be perfect for him. He'll be the one to catch and I could see him pulling Lava Man or Hawkster type of race out there. If he loses, he could always come back in the San Fernando. I'd be looking at San Fernando, Sunshine Millions, Big Cap.

Met Mile is a race that I would point for with him. That race seems perfect.

Is there early odds available for the Malibu? Cause if so, after this post, I'm tapping out!

If Brother Derek's connections come to this board it's " Malibu or bust Baby! "

Let me ammend this a little. Unless he shows a new side to him, being able to win without having control of the pace, I don't think he'd be competitive in the Malibu. I think there is no shot at him winning it using his usual style and until I see him win with another style, I wouldn't pick him to be able to do it in a race like the Malibu.

Yeah, but that would be a tall task and I think a horrible idea.....you can't take a horse who has had a bad comeback after a bad experience in the Triple Crown, and then decide to turn him back to sprinting from 1 1/4 miles in a tough race and expect him to be as fast as Too Much Bling, etc. and then decide to ship him across the country again a month later to go 1 1/8 miles for $1 million and expect him to be at his best through that kind of campaign......that is a classic way on how to SOUR a horse...

Do whats right....he's had a hard campaign and just ran a very hard race in the BC Classic....give him a little freshening and point for a prime effort for $1 million against restricted company at GP in January.....the hjorse is already a Grade 1 winner so the grade f the Malibu is not so relevent to me as is running for a $1 million purse where you'll be about 5-2 or so in the betting...

Hell, the horse is a Benchmark out of some obscure California female family...believe me, his value as a stallion will NOT be improved by him winning the Malibu.....they need to race for purse money to maximize this horse at this point......

While he has won sitting just off the pace in the past, his true ability to rate is probably a reasonable question, but the turnback to the Malibu would be perfect. Granted he was facing a weaker bunch than Brother Derek rates to face but Rock Hard Ten was able to win the Malibu off a layoff and turnback.

See, I have to diagree here....He is like Gentleman, Siphon and all other of those watered-down pedigrees that could really run over there...they don't make stallions....

I get that feeling too....two words - Cat Thief

Not only was Rock Hard Ten a better horse, that group of horses he beat was disgustingly slow...maybe the worst group I've vere seen out there...they were horribly SLLOOOOOWWWW

I actually liked the Rock in that race due to how bad of a group he was up against - and thas saying alot for me because that is everything I believe against betting true routers in a sprint graded stakes race....

Well, you always have to keep an eye out for the horse to see what he's telling you so he doesn't sour and know when to back off. I still think you can be ambitious when you draw up the campaign and then back off if necessary. Part of the reason they are considering the Hollywood Derby might be that the horse is itching for a race and ready to tear down his stall if they don't get him out there for a race. I believe that they are considering bringing Premium Tap back for the Clark for that very reason after initially announcing that he'd be skipping it.

Whatever happened to Brother Derek's full brother Don'tsellmeshort?

He's probably running in claiming races like his other brother Swizzle Stick....believe me, this pedigree will not make a stallion...not in Kentucky anyway - and if so, not for long....he'll end up back in California standing for a nickle with Flying Continental and High Brite when its all said and done - not that there is anything wrong with that....they all have their places in the market