Bluegrass or Florida Derby
 

These two races are shaping up to be two of the best Derby Preps (field wise) in many years.

Florida Derby Possibles - Adore The Gold, Notional, Scat Daddy and Stormello
Bluegrass Possible - Hard Spun, Street Sense, Any Given Saturday and Great Hunter

Going to be a wonderful month and 1 week.

With that probables list for the Bluegrass looks more Ky Derby Jr vs Fl Derby which has one legit Derby/non-sprinter horse in Scat Daddy and possibly Stormello

Id expect Hard Spun, and Street Sense to run in the Arkansas Derby

Really, why do you say that? Carl has always been committed to the Blue Grass since the winter. Why would be change now?

Hard Spun is obviously not going to the Arkansas Derby after his loss in the Southwest where his trainer clearly said that he did not like the Oaklawn track. I have heard he is going to the Bluegrass, not sure if that has changed, but pretty sure he is not going to Oaklawn.

They said after the Lane's End that Hard Spun was going to the Bluegrass. After his performance on the poly at Turfway, they have a good shot at that one.

I think Hard Spun will be onto the Bluegrass, where we will really be able to see what he is all about. On another note, Scat Daddy will win the Florida Derby. Stormello jumps out to the lead (like Sharp Humor last year) and Scat Daddy manages to get to him down the stretch in a battle (like Barbaro did last year). This is how I'd like it to set up atleast.

I was thinking with a horse like Any Given Saturday that desperately needs graded earnings they'd try the Coolmore Lexington.

I think Hard Spun will be in the Bluegrass. I think it is unfortunate he will run on polytrack again since it is hard to tell at this point whether the Lanes End was a performance that can come on dirt or if Hard Spun really liked the poly. Don't know that question can be answered in the Bluegrass even though it is a different type of polytrack.

Does anyone know if anyone decent is going to the Arkansas Derby? I am really surprised that Pletcher would not send Any Given Saturday to Arkansas instead of putting him in the Bluegrass.

Very good point. I would also agree with you as well.

Pletcher already knows that AGS loves the poly at Keeneland. Watch the move he makes on the turn in his allowance win there.

Some Arkansas Derby horses: Teuflesburg, Zanjero, Officer Rocket, Curlin, Deadly Dealer I believe, probably Ketchikan ... any others?

The Wood is free money for any of these that can really run. There isn't anybody top flight pointing for it.

Nobiz?

yeah plus doesnt Shug have a derby hopeful

Only the derby winner will be there.

Scat Daddy is running in the Florida Derby, not the Wood. :p

I thought Circular Quay was goin to Ark???

Lexington should been a good race when all is said and done due to the fact of graded earnings. You should have a full field trying to get some more cash so they dont have to sweat getting in.


Also Sedgefield should be headed to the Bluegrass and if he runs high-- KY Derby for a Turf horse

Hard to say that NoBiz is not top flight. The Arkansas Derby is for $1M and it seems to me that out of the FD, BG, Wood and AD the AD presents the least competition. I can understand Hard Spun not going that route, but not sure why AGS would want to face SS again when there is an easier race on the same day. Maybe it is that he is a known on that surface. I thought that CQ was going to the Wood, but I have not checked lately. If that is the case, that explains why Pletcher would not take AGS to the AD.