Oh, Those Allowance Races
Derby hopefuls continue to workout and actually race in preparation for the roses on the first Saturday in May.Sun King ran his 1st race of the season at Gulfstream Park. In the 10th race one mile allowance event, Sun King (Edgar Prado up) was sent off as the 4/5 favorite. 2 other Derby potentials also raced in the same event. Survivalist (Jerry Bailey up) and Monarch Lane (John Velasquez up) who both went off at 5/2. Everything else in the race was a double digit longshot. Sun King, out of Charismatic, was much the best pulling away impressively after circling the top runners on the turn. Sun King won by nearly 6 widening lengths. Survivalist and Monarch Lane ran 2, 3 and completed a trifecta that paid a whopping $9.40. The good news out of this race was that Sun King, one of my early picks for the Derby, showed some versatility. Last year, Sun King always rode the rail and waited for a seam to open up. Today, he got off the rail, circled horses and pulled away. Being out of Charismatic, he should have the stamina to last a long distance. He could be the sleeper horse of the Derby.
A good number of workouts this week. Afleet Alex worked 6 furlongs in 1:13-3/5; not earth-shattering but a good tightener as he readies himself for the upcoming Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park. Rockport Harbor also had his first workout in over a month, and after suffering a bruised hoof. He went 7 furlongs in 1:27-2/5; not too shabby. It's good to see John Servis trying Rockport Harbor for stamina. Could he be this year's Smarty Jones?
Nick Zito's High Limit ran a 7 furlong workout in a sensational 1:25-2/5. It was faster than Zito wanted; but, the exercise boy said High Limit just wanted to go.
New York's local horse- Naughty New Yorker ran a 5 furlong work at Belmont Park in 1:05 flat. He must have been pulling a stagecoach. A very pedestrian time. I don't see him as a Derby contender; although, his connections very much have Derby fever.
Out on the West Coast, 2 nice works for Consolidator and Going Wild at Santa Anita. Consolidator ran a 5 furlong work in 58 flat- very fast. Going Wild ran 6 furlongs in 1:12-1/5, not great but not bad either.
Tuesday will be March 1st and March begins the series of stakes races leading up to the big day.
Bet with your head, not over it!
Racetrack Lenny
racetrack lenny went to the post at @ 7:37 PM
1 Comments:
I'm still waiting for one horse's name to jump out at me for my Derby pick.
The results of this approach would explain my tendency toward $2 bets.
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