WOOD MEMORIAL (Current)

Enticed (Kiaran McLaughlin)
Evaluator (Michael Dilger)
Firenze Fire (Jason Servis)
King Zachary (Dale Romans)
Marconi (Todd Pletcher)
Old Time Revival (Kenneth Decker)
Solomini (Bob Baffert)
Vino Rosso (Pletcher)

Possible:

American Lincoln (Linda Rice)
California Night (Mike Maker)
Kanthaka (Jerry Hollendorfer

Would be a smart move for Hollendorfer IMO.

To ship and be the 5th most likely winner?

I got no feeling whatsoever with these horses so far. Really feeling a long shot in the K.D. this year.;)

McKinzie defection opens up door(s) in SA Derby..


Bolt d'Oro (Ruis)
Justify (Baffert) ~ Possible pending Monday work..
Instilled Regard (Hollendorfer)
Shivermetimbers (Hollendorfer)
Ayacara (Desormeaux)
Pepe Tono (Garcia)

Wonder if McKinzie will be in the derby now???

No killers in that group.

I agree. He feels like a sprinter to me though. I think he would be 5th or 6th most likely winner based on the probables.

Possibly 5th or 6th most likely to win, but maybe most likely clunk up for 3rd, which would probably get him in the derby. Better than trying Justify and BDO, where you ain’t finishing 1st or 2nd, so you’re dealing with a bunch of other horses just trying to suck up for 3rd as well. Just my opinion.

And I agree that he’s a 7f-1M horse, and maybe a very good one.

4/7/18 ~ Blue Grass (1 1/8M) Keeneland (100-40-20-10)

1.) Zing Zang (Bridgmohan/Asmussen) 30-1
2.) Sporting Chance (Saez/Lukas) 10-1
3.) California Night (Gaffalione/Maker) 30-1
4.) Kanthaka (Leparoux/Hollendorfer) 10-1
-- Quip SCR
6.) Marconi (R. Moore/Pletcher) 15-1
7.) Blended Citizen (Frey/O'Neill) 15-1
8.) Gotta Go (Landeros/Wilkes) 30-1
9.) Tiz Mischief (Lanerie/Romans) 30-1
10.) Free Drop Billy (I. Ortiz/Romans) 5-1
11.) Good Magic (J. Ortiz/Brown) 2-1
12.) Flameaway (Lezcano/Casse) 6-1
13.) Machismo (Radosevich/Quartarolo) 20-1
14.) Arawak (Cruz/O'Neill) 30-1
15.) Determinant

Was able to snap a close-up of Mendelssohn in the parade ring. Beautiful animal.

WOOD MEMORIAL

Current field.. Machismo NOT coming now..

Enticed (Junior Alvarado)
Evaluator (Kendrick Carmouche)
Firenze Fire (Manny Franco)
Heartfullofstars (Dylan Davis)
King Zachary (Robby Albarado)
Old Time Revival (Jeremy Rose)
Restoring Hope (Flavien Prat)
Vino Rosso (John Velazquez)

Possible..

American Lincoln (Rice)
National Flag (Pletcher)

Quip is going to Arkansas Derby instead. Determinant draws into Blue Grass. (Bloodhorse)

I think Baffert sending Restoring Hope to the Wood probably says enough about the race.

The fact that he’ll be under 5-1...

I think Restoring Hope is a good play Saturday.
He looked outstanding in his work the other day.
He's getting good in a hurry.....


https://www.xbtv.com/video/solomini-...pril-2nd-2018/

1. Good Magic 134 (e Five Racing & Stonestreet Stables) Chad Brown/$1,838,400
2. Audible 110 (China Horse Club, Head of Plains, Starlight Racing & WinStar Farm) Todd Pletcher/$803,520
3. Noble Indy 110 (WinStar Farm & Repole Stable) Todd Pletcher/$640,000
4. Vino Rosso 107 (Repole Stable & St. Elias Stable) Todd Pletcher/$572,500
5. Bolt d’Oro 104 (Ruis Racing) Mick Ruis/$980,000
6. Enticed 103 (Godolphin Racing) Kiaran McLaughlin/$545,880
7. Mendelssohn 100 (Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier & Michael Tabor) Aidan O’Brien/$1,947,299
8. Justify 100 (China Horse Club, Head of Plains, Starlight Racing & WinStar Farm) Bob Baffert/$600,000
9. $-Flameaway 70 (John C. Oxley) Mark Casse/$672,260
10. Bravazo 54 (Calumet Farm) D. Wayne Lukas/$359,913
11. Promises Fulfilled 52 (Robert J. Baron) Dale Romans/$266,480
12. Magnum Moon 50 (Lawana L. & Robert E. Low) Todd Pletcher/$540,000 ~ AR Derby
13. $-Runaway Ghost 50 (Joe Peacock) Todd Fincher/$520,310
14. Quip 50 (WinStar Farm, China Horse Club & SF Racing) Rodolphe Brisset/$212,000 ~ AR Derby
15. Free Drop Billy 44 (Albaugh Family Stables) Dale Romans/$597,200
16. Lone Sailor 42 (G M B Racing) Tom Amoss/$273,347
— f-Rayya 40 (Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi) Bob Baffert/$600,000
17. Hofburg 40 (Juddmonte Farms) Bill Mott/$192,000
18. Firenze Fire 39 (Mr. Amore Stable) Jason Servis/$647,500
19. Solomini 34 (Zayat Stables, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor & Derrick Smith) Bob Baffert/$616,000 ~ AR Derby
< 20. Gronkowski (Phoenix Thoroughbred) Jeremy Noseda/$79,496
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
21. My Boy Jack 32 (Don’t Tell My Wife Stables & Monomoy Stables) Keith Desormeaux/$502,000 ~ AR Derby/Lexington
22. Instilled Regard 29 (Oxo Equine) Jerry Hollendorfer/$246,000
23. Snapper Sinclair 22 (Bloom Racing Stable) Steve Asmussen/$321,810
24. Combatant 22 (Winchell Thoroughbreds & Willis Horton Racing) Steve Asmussen/$300,000 ~ AR Derby
25. $-Blended Citizen 22 (Greg Hall & SAYJAY Racing) Doug O’Neill/$159,644
26. Reride 20 (Winchell Thoroughbreds) Steve Asmussen/$298,000
27. Dream Baby Dream 20 (Dream Baby Dream Racing Stable) Steve Asmussen/$176,000 ~ AR Derby
27. Restoring Hope 20 (Gary & Mary West) Bob Baffert /$100,000
28. Old Time Revival 20 (Fred Brei) Kenneth Decker /$100,000
29. Sporting Chance 12 (Robert C. Baker & William L. Mack) D. Wayne Lukas /$337,000
30. Givemeaminit 12 (Valene Farms) Dallas Stewart / $196,000
31. Greyvitos 10 (Triple B Farms) Adam Kitchingman /$300,000 ~ Lexington
32. Pony Up 8 (Calumet Farm) Todd Pletcher/ $81,580
33. Title Ready 5 (Charles E. Fipke) Steve Asmussen /$45,000 ~ AR Derby
34. City Plan 4 (Godolphin Racing ) Eoin Harty /$67,345

I like My Boy Jack a bit, but unless they have given up on the Derby he has to go to Oaklawn. His running style is not often favored at KEE, and on the reduced points in the Lexington he would have to win to be in. In the AD a second would do.

I am looking for quality closers at a price in this Derby.

Arkansas Derby (As of Sunday): Beautiful Shot, Combatant, Dream Baby Dream, Magnum Moon, Quip, Solomini, Tenfold.

Tenfold's another Curlin? And Combatant's another Scat Daddy? It's been quite a year for both on the Derby trail, and it's only April. Just makes you all the more disgusted that we lost Scat Daddy so young. Thrilled for Curlin to have all this success. He really earned his way and they believed in and supported him. Quite an accomplishment. I realize these two colts are unlikely to get in the KD field, it's just that it's a testament to the embarrassment of riches we've got going on with both stallions' offspring so far.

Appears that you can add Seven Trunpets (Romans) to Arkansas Derby. Gary Stevens rides.

6 Starts...2 Wins....both at Churchill.

Not in the draw for the Arkansas Derby. In pps for Lexington. Guess he's going there?

Goes Lexington instead..

Yes. So much easier than trying to get to Arkansas on short notice.

Rooting for My Boy Jack. Pace dependent, but looking like he will get the pace that he needs.

1. Magnum Moon 150 (Lawana L. & Robert E. Low) Todd Pletcher/$1,140,000
2. Good Magic 134 (e Five & Stonestreet) Chad Brown/$1,838,400
3. Audible 110 (China Horse Club, Head of Plains, Starlight & WinStar) Todd Pletcher/$803,520
4. Noble Indy 110 (WinStar & Repole) Todd Pletcher/$640,000
5. Vino Rosso 107 (Repole & St. Elias) Todd Pletcher/$572,500
6. Bolt d’Oro 104 (Ruis Racing) Mick Ruis/$980,000
7. Enticed 103 (Godolphin) Kiaran McLaughlin/$545,880
8. Mendelssohn 100 (Coolmore) Aidan O’Brien/$1,947,299
9. Justify 100 (China Horse Club, Head of Plains, Starlight & WinStar) Bob Baffert/$600,000
10. Quip 90 (WinStar, China Horse Club & SF Racing) Rodolphe Brisset/$412,000
11. $-Flameaway 70 (John C. Oxley) Mark Casse/$672,260
12. Solomini 54 (Zayat Stables & Coolmore) Bob Baffert/$716,000
13. Bravazo 54 (Calumet Farm) D. Wayne Lukas/$359,913
14. My Boy Jack 52 (Don’t Tell My Wife Stables & Monomoy Stables) Keith Desormeaux/$622,000
15. Promises Fulfilled 52 (Robert J. Baron) Dale Romans/$266,480
16. Free Drop Billy 44 (Albaugh Family Stables) Dale Romans/$597,200
17. Lone Sailor 42 (G M B Racing) Tom Amoss/$273,347
18. Hofburg 40 (Juddmonte Farms) Bill Mott/$192,000
19. Firenze Fire 39 (Mr. Amore Stable) Jason Servis/$647,500
20. Gronkowski (Phoenix Thoroughbred) Jeremy Noseda/$79,496
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
21. Combatant 22 (Winchell & Willis Horton) Steve Asmussen/$350,000
22. Snapper Sinclair 22 (Bloom Racing) Steve Asmussen/$321,810
23. Reride 20 (Winchell) Steve Asmussen/$298,000
24. Dream Baby Dream 20 (Dream Baby Dream Racing) Steve Asmussen/$181,000
25. Restoring Hope 20 (Gary & Mary West) Bob Baffert/$100,000
26. Sporting Chance 12 (Robert C. Baker & William L. Mack) D. Wayne Lukas /$337,000
27. Greyvitos 12 (Triple B Farms) Adam Kitchingman /$310,000
28. Givemeaminit 12 (Valene Farms) Dallas Stewart / $196,000
29. Pony Up 12 (Calumet Farm) Todd Pletcher/$101,580
30. Machismo 5 (Loooch Racing) Anthony Quararolo/$25,422

Runaway Ghost shin injury gets Firenze Fire back in..

Talk about being on the bubble.
Steve Asmussen has runners 21-24.

Sneaky good prep race: Tampa Bay Derby.
Kind of forgotten horse: Noble Indy.
Could be a solid jockey move: Victor on the Bolt.
Flying under the radar,but shouldn't be: Good Magic.
Jockey most likely to pickup a live mount: Drayden Van Dyke/Tyler Gafflione.
Run through a brick wall for you: Falameaway/My Boy Jack.
Clunk up for a minor award: Free Drop Billy.
He only cost how much ?: My Boy Jack......20k(Keith Desormeaux gets more out of less time and time again).
The power of Kentucky: Seventeen bred in the Bluegrass. :eek:

Quip may pass on the Derby, according to Elliott Walden, CEO and racing manager for WinStar Farm, as quoted in Bloodhorse:

"I don't know," Walden said when asked if Quip would be pointed for the Kentucky Derby. "He was second-best today. He ran hard. Good effort, and we'll see what happens."

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-rac...arkansas-derby

interesting facts that probably most players know but I don't....btw, this is not a jab at Justify.

https://www.usracing.com/news/analys...kentucky-derby

Interesting stuff that makes you think twice about what I think are probably at least half of everyone's top ten and maybe even top five. On the other hand like the odds board, horses can't read this stuff and it's hard to throw out anything trained by Pletcher and Baffert. This article didn't address it, but a person should probably throw out Mendelssohn too, since no UAE
winner has ever won the KD.

I'm sticking with :


Only horse that ran 1-3/16 and crushed em'. He is going to break that UA Derby curse!............................unless he gets a bad post.

Speaking of my new favorite horse, where is he?....Is he back in the States? I would prefer he was in Kentucky breathing their air.


Look at him! He is a very fit animal. Muscles on his muscles....Looks like Hagler in His prime.

Runaway Ghost


I liked that horse...hope he gets better.

Back in Ireland, will ship very late like O'Brien runners normally do.

not my preference,.......... boy this horse has a lot of frequent flier miles.

He might end up being very good but I think Justify just needs more races and definitely don't like that he has never left Ca. and S.A.

The field size question was the big one in my mind before reading the article and was not surprised to see it mentioned. With this year's Derby, if Justify wins I lose.

If Mendelssohn wins (late shipper angle), I lose.

Those are just two trends that I play against typically.

I have loved Firenze Fire since last year, but think the distance and two turns is really not his game after watching him this year (one turn miler).

That leaves me with 17 others right now.