Derby Trail Probables/Possibles
 

6/5 (BEL): Belmont Stakes

1. Rombauer (McCarthy/J. Velazquez)
2. Hot Rod Charlie (O'Neill/Prat)
3. Rock Your World (Sadler/Rosario)
4. Known Agenda (Pletcher/I. Ortiz)
5. Bourbonic (Pletcher/Carmouche)
6. Overtook (Pletcher/Franco)
7. Essential Quality (Cox/Saez)
8. France Go de Ina (Mori/Santana)

This horse Weyburn interests me. A 1/2 brother to a multiple graded stakes winning sprinter in Yorkton (but sired by Pioneerof the Nile rather than Speightstown).

I imagine he will be about the 6th choice in this race but has the looks of a horse that could really improve with time, although I admittedly thought the same thing about Green Light Go last year. This field may be too tough for him to win...but maybe he can bust into the exacta/trifecta at a solid price.

I'll have to take a closer look once the entries are official.

Thank you for doing this Derby prep thread again. It's a handy reference.

Couple of hopeful reveals on ATR Monday with Casse noting 2 for 2 at 2 Helium goes in the Tampa Bay Derby Saturday and 2 for 2 at 3 Soup and Sandwich in the March 27 Florida Derby..

Has the Jeff Ruby always been a 100-point prep?

No.. Raised with CD purchase of Turfway and big purse boost.

I didn’t think so. Interested to see what kind of horses target that race and whether it dilutes the Bluegrass or not.

Would you believe I didn’t bet this horse?

Ouch

I’ve been trying to be much more selective with my bets lately. So far it’s not paying off.

I always say if you like a bomb always take that one. You don’t need to hit many of those to be happy.

Interested in where Prevalence goes next. I liked his race yesterday at Gulfstream.

Believe Steve was reporting the initial thoughts are the Arkansas Derby or Wood Memorial. The Arkansas Derby makes zero sense to me as he would likely be outclassed by several horses in it.

Someone had to.

Hopefully he runs in the Lexington, and if he runs well, the Preakness.

Maybe the Woody Stephens would be a smarter goal....not that this is a time when people are particularly smart.

Fact that the rider smacked him hard while clear (right as the announcer mentioned how easily he was winning) in order to make him gallop out strongly for another furlong past the wire tells you where the connections' heads are at.

Wonder why the Santa Anita Derby isn't on the list of possible next starts...

Why not the UAE Derby?

The myth of him winning easily is laughable. I saw a Tweet after the race talking about how confidently he was handled. Such BS.

Did that killer that finished second catch him in the gallop out?

Godolphin currently has top Derby points earners based in Europe and Japan and also have a couple slated to run in the UAE Derby.

I'm not sure how it works, but if the European and Japanese "roads" to the Derby still have reserved post position spots in the Kentucky Derby if the connections choose to run, it will be interesting to see if Godolphin tries to load the starting gate with no-hopers in order to make things as easy as possible for Essential Quality.

I believe those spots are still reserved.

As opposed to the usual no-hopers that are entered each year by others?

No, you don't understand.

It is not "as opposed to"...it would be "in addition to".