Thought the stake pick four would be a bit chalky ($45 for a buck) and opted for the late sequence playing eight horses who were off at average odds of over fifteen to one. Alas, no cash.

Silverbulletday

Looked a good chance to beat Indian Blessing ($3.40) as she would not get the lead in here and was on life support in her comebacker but Gomez opened up at the top of the stretch and our duo could not run her down. Since Baffert shipped here he will probably come back for the Oaks and we will try him again all things considered as the gallop out did not impress many.

Risen Star

Congrats to Pyro and his electrifying late burst but it may be a bit much to give him the roses just yet. Certainly he vaults to the head of the class especially given the enigmatic, proposed schedule of main rival War Pass but the hurdles are many. One, he will pick up tens pounds and two, he will need to get the trip with a family that includes Olympio, Cuvee etc. Nevertheless an explosive performance and whatever speed figure he gets will be clouded by the lack of pace. Pulpit colt is very mature, always shows up and appears push button. The Darp off at a big number showed little, although we would have liked him to have been sent.

We were never sold on Lady Digby who gave up the lead late to be beaten a nostril by Pleasantly Blessed ($16.60) who was winning her third in a row! SXB gets the mount after Gomez turns it down. Luna Dorado showed nothing. Had real trouble finding the pace in this affair and that usually spells doom off the shrubs.

11

Solid cappers evaluate workouts just as weekend players use race results to identify form cycles. When young horses have only a race or two, or a period of inactivity, or both, workouts are the bridge that conveys clues concerning ability, level of fitness and surface preference. We made a convincing case for Indy Victor and he was let go at odds over FIFTY to one! With mild regret, we settled for second best behind the Jones comebacker who we felt may need more ground, but sold well, worked well and ran well getting home in ten and change returning $21 and keying a near tax exacta that helped the home team. Jones has had a terrific meet but horses from Delaware have always been difficult for us to get a handle on, and this meet has seen more shippers from that oval than previous years. The sequence comes back some $700 for a buck. Congrats to the winners. As usual play today.

Hooves: The 1 (Trippi Rythym was entered Feb 1st and scratched. That was a much easier spot. The 5 Penfold was heavily touted but caught a weak field in an off the turf dash ( noted by a circle with an x in it immediately following the distance) in his last, and really did little running. The ten True Crusader stopped badly in his debut and only worked once in the month after, never a good sign with spring sophomores.

Et Al. The Darp certainly was off at a big price and the paper said he had a chance but no luck. An emailer says his dam was struck by lightning and killed, then fell on her foal breaking its leg!

BTW Thanks for your contribution. BBB