4/5-6 (OP): Oaklawn H. (Gr. II); Apple Blsm (Gr. I); Fantasy (Gr. II)
 

Saturday 8th (4:57) -- Apple Blossom Handicap (Gr. I)

Fillies & Mares 4 & Up, 1 1/16 Miles, Purse: $500,000

1. Ginger Punch (FL), 122, Ramon A. Dominguez
2. Brownie Points (KY), 114, Luis S. Quinonez
3. Lemon Drop Mom (KY), 112, Clinton L. Potts
4. Kettleoneup (KY), 116, Calvin H. Borel
5. Clever Strike (KY), 110, Shaun Bridgmohan
6. Zenyatta (KY), 116, Mike E. Smith



Saturday 10th (6:02) -- Oaklawn H. (G2)

1 1/8 Miles | Open | 4 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $500,000

1 Buzzards Bay Valdivia J Jr 116 L
2 Tiago Smith M E 117 L
3 Fairbanks Dominguez R A 115 L
4 Heatseeker (IRE) Bejarano R 119 L
5 Circular Quay Velazquez J R 117 L
6 Reporting for Duty Bridgmohan S X 113 L
7 Silver Lord Borel C H 113 L



Sunday 10th (5:33) Fantasy S. (G2)

1 1/16 Miles | Fillies | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $250,000

1 French Kiss Johnson J M 117 L
2 Pure Clan Leparoux J R 121 L
3 Eight Belles Dominguez R A 121 L
4 Alina Quinonez L S 121 L

Tiago Finally ?

Who the hell is advising William Deburgh ? :mad:

very unwise

Silver Lord probably likes the outside draw this time around.

Call me crazy, which I know most of you cynical wonderful people will, but my pick for the Arkansas Derby last year would have been Circular Quay. This race sets up perfect for him. Of course that's kind of stupid considering that Curlin won the race, but I think that it still applies. Johnny V with a horse that really fits to this scenario. I'm just sayin'. Give me some love. Why else would he have shipped here?:rolleyes:

Where else is that horse going to run?

maybe on the turf somewhere...or wait for something at Hollywood or Keeneland

This is Tiago's first dirt race on a fast track in a long, long time (the last time he raced on a fast dirt track was Belmont Stakes). I think he has a good chance here.

Here you have a fairly classy turf to synth convert. Just won the BIG CAP. You figure in that situation it's time to kiss the earth. Your foreign turf import got right and you managed to luck into a beautiful surface situation with the synthetic sham. However when you have this years Breeders Cup at Santa Anita(and not even dare looking to NEXT YEARS AS WELL!) you would have to wonder how your stars could have aligned. The rest of this season is a prep for the BC with a few big stops. You may even go turf or lay off to avoid the heavy Del Mar surface.

So what do you do? Ship him to Oaklawn and run him 1st on the dirt? Right... :o



also worth noting that he is the morning line favorite:eek: and looks to be a nice bet against.

What is the reasoning for Howard not running Grasshopper here? Hardly a scary field. I guess the Pimlico Special and Stephen Foster are likely to be no better though.

I do, too. Tiago over Circular Quay

Apple Blossom drawn...
 

Sunday 8th (4:57) -- Apple Blossom Handicap (Gr. I)

Fillies & Mares 4 & Up, 1 1/16 Miles, Purse: $500,000

1. Ginger Punch (FL), 122, Ramon A. Dominguez
2. Brownie Points (KY), 114, Luis S. Quinonez
3. Lemon Drop Mom (KY), 112, Clinton L. Potts
4. Kettleoneup (KY), 116, Calvin H. Borel
5. Clever Strike (KY), 110, Shaun Bridgmohan
6. Zenyatta (KY), 116, Mike E. Smith

I hope Zenyatta is as good as I think she is.

agreed.

however, he's aiming for some lame duck g3 at aqu at the end of the month. i think it's named the westchester? its during the week, not on a weekend.

how does Ginger Punch not simply run these off their feet?

You talking about the Apple Blossom field or the Oaklawn Handicap field cause I think that could apply to either.

:D well i wouldn't go quite that far.

you guys are crazy... the oaklawn group is not that bad
as for ginger, she will have her hands full with Zenyatta

it's going to be a slow pace. i say ginger punch will win.

she could, but why easily ?
zenyatta could be special

i expect Zenyatta will be a non factor, third maybe.

I like Fairbanks and heres why...
Heatseeker is a polytrack/turf horse who will be an underlay here coming into this in sensational form. Although he is the morning line favorite, I dont think he'll take more money than Circular Quay, but he'll still be a short price. Hes going to be very far back and I dont think the pace will be as hot as people think.
Circular Quay is coming off a monster race besting a terrific effort by Grasshopper and that was his first good race in a long time. Obviously the conventional dirt agrees with him and he alread showed an affinity for Fairgrounds. He stayed closer to the pace than normal and I wouls suspect those tactics will be employed again today. Sure, he can win and is the horse they will have to hold off in here. I think he gets bet down to favortism over Heatseeker and I didnt have him last time at 6/1, so why would I ever bet him today at a shorter price againts better horses?
Tiago might be a better horse on the dirt, but based on one win in the Santa Anita Derby? No thanks. The horse likes to hang with perfect trips and I dont want him at any price.

Faribanks is very interesting in that he should be able to control the pace of the race if Ramon does what he should be told to do. Last time Johhny V was a dummy for wrangling him back off a slow pace. This horse is best on the lead and I think Pletcher's word to ramon is send! Of course Silver Lord is also quick if he breaks with his jockey today and could screw things up for Fairbanks. But as the suspected 3rd or 4th choice, I'll take a shot that he makes the lead and proves uncatchable.

She does just that. WIN.

If she stays on the synthetics. Shes too big to stay sound on dirt.

I remember that Balance never won a race outside of CA.

Ginger Punch
Circular Quay
Pure Clan

I think Fairbanks disappoints too much, and I'll take the more lightly raced frontrunner, Silver Lord.

great call on this one. she won like a champ.

Shows what we know, shes a monster.

Zenyatta just made my weekend. Not sure GP brought her A-game but Zenyatta is indeed a monster.

i bet her but not make my weekend money, my weekend was crushed by the late pick 3 at keenland

Tiago noses Heatseeker for the win. Reporting For Duty third beaten a pole. That combined with Zenyattas romp and I guess we can bury the absurd idea that synthetic to dirt is an automatic bad play.

Nice gritty win by Tiago today in the Oaklawn Handicap.. Interesting ride tho by Bridgmohan on Reporting for Duty who finished 3rd...:rolleyes:

When did synthetic to dirt become an instant toss? I had real reasons why I didn't like Zenyatta on dirt and I bet Heatseeker to win. Anybody using your toss is a fool.

I don't think you can use Tiago as an example here, as he's had plenty of experience on the dirt tracks while on the Triple Crown trail.

CAN we stop making fun of my picks now, i touted zenyatta and tiago this week, see im not bad luck

Zenyatta could have run another half furlong in almost 8 seconds and still beat that group of slowpokes in the Oaklawn Handicap.

is she the best filly in the country ?

I'd still like to see her take on Hystericalady on the dirt. On the cushion crap, who knows who is the best.

agree