Racetrack Lenny

Two Major Preps This Weekend

Oaklawn Park started the prep weekend with the Southwest Stakes, a Grade 3 race run at one mile on the dirt for a purse of $250K. Favored Turf War (Calvin Borel up) showed nothing racing at the back of the pack and then offering a very mild rally into 7th before flattening out to finish 9th in a field of 11. Perhaps as his name suggests, he may be more at home on turf. The well-earned victory went to Denis of Cork (Robby Albarado up) who was the 9/2 third choice of the betting public. Sitting mid-pack through demanding fractions of 22-3/5ths, 45-1/5th, Denis of Cork commenced a strong rally at the 3/4 pole and was moving like a freight train by the top of the stretch. He scored by 2-1/4 lengths going away. Denis of Cork has stamped himself as a legitimate contender.

Meanwhile today at Gulfstream Park, War Pass (Cornelio Velasquez up) made his 2008 debut in a $60K allowance race, skipping the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth. The allowance race run at a mile on the dirt saw War Pass sent off at 1/20 (yes, a nickel to the dollar) and he toyed with the short field of 5. The second choice was 9/1 and the exacta returned a paltry $2.60! When you win like this against inferior competition, it doesn't prove anything.

The Fountain of Youth, run at a mile and an eighth was a competitive affair with a $350K purse that attracted a full field of 12. Favored Monba (Edgar Prado up) at 7/2 put in a dismal performance finishing last while never a factor. Instead it was Cool Coal Man (Kent Desormeaux up) who got sent off at 7/1 who stalked the pace from 4th and had enough left to win by a hard fought 1/2 length. Another Derby hopeful Elysium Fields (Eibar Coa up) went off 8/1 and finished a strong 2nd. Court Vision (Garrett Gomez up), sent off at 4/1 closed from last to get a non-threatening third. The much touted Z Humor (Cornelio Velasquez up) went off at 14/1 and closed mildly to finish a very non-threatening fourth. Somehow, I don't think the Derby winner is coming out of this race.

That's it for now. May the horse be with you.

Racetrack Lenny

racetrack lenny went to the post at @ 7:24 PM