Someone here close to the connections says Wood the likely place for him to try for a Derby passport.

I think that's a mistake. Why rush?

Because this crop is very weak and he fits with the better ones?

He fits off one race? Bernardini had a similar race, they took their time and won the Preakness and went on to have a huge year.

So did Big Brown. They didn't take their time and won the Kentucky Derby.

And 2 races later BB was a cripple. Or likely before.

Bernardini's race was a MSW and he was soundly beat sprinting in his first start.

This horse won an alw.

You really think Bernardini's campaign would have turned out differently if he had gone Derby Prep/Derby start instead of Withers/Preakness start?

I sure don't.

Not exactly true.

Bernardini broke his maiden in his second start and then ran in the Withers for his second win. This horse already won two races.

I don't totally disagree with you about Tiz the One, though he's pretty good, it's just different than Bernardini.

Yes, but a Kentucky Derby winning cripple who average people actually remember and he started his stud career standing for $65000(I know that's not a real #, but they are all relative).

We'll never know, will we.

You think Big Brown was managed wrong?

His closing odds to win the Belmont and sweep the triple crown were 1/5.

Should they have given him time after the Preakness and pointed for the Jim Dandy instead?

Of course not, he won didn't he. I have no problem striking while the iron is hot, especially when you can vet yourself to the moon....until you can't.

:tro: :D :tro:

Fla. Derby
 

Tom Albertrani just said on ATR that another option for Odysseus is the Street Sense approach to Derby via the Blue Grass. He said while he isn't a fan of racing on synthetics, the benefit is a single ship to Kentucky rather than one to NY for Wood and then a second one to KY for Derby. They are also seriously considering traing Odysseus up to the Derby without another start.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/111464.html

Huh, apparently for Matz it's not 'do we try Lentenor in a G1 Derby prep?' but 'which one?' Here I was thinking they just decided not to go and it turns out they're still thinking. The interview was before we learned Eskendereya wasn't going in the FL Derby, so I wonder if it's more likely that he'll do that now, but it could be the Wood where of course Esky IS going.

Apparently he will run Lentenor in the FL Derby..

After Esken dropped out you had to figure that.

FLORIDA DERBY DRAW

1 Soaring Empire (Castro/Gambolati)
2 Lentenor (Garcia/Matz)
3 Pulsion (Nakatani/Biancone)
4 Pleasant Prince (Leparoux/W. Ward)
5 Game On Dude (Rose/Mareina)
6 First Dude (Dominguez/Romans)
7 Rule (Velazquez/Pletcher)
8 Ice Box (Lezcano/Zito)
9 Miner's Reserve (Desormeaux/Zito)
10 Best Actor (Castellano/Catalano)
11 Radiohead (Prado/R. Dutrow)

I knew this would happen.
Added Fast Alex in one of my R2R stables today (earlier than I need to) and then see he's out of the LA Derby an hour later.

Typical.