Notes on the Triple Crown Preps

By Jude T. Feld

Georgie Boy makes his two-turn debut at Santa Anita in the San Felipe (G2)
BENOIT PHOTO

Three major Kentucky Derby (G1) preps will be conducted Saturday afternoon. Racing aficionados from around the world will be glued to their televisions hoping to find some important pieces to the Derby puzzle. Keeneland players will want to makes notes for the Toyota Blue Grass (G1) and the Coolmore Lexington (G2) as well.

WAR PASS opens at 2/5 on the morning line in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3), TAMPA BAY DOWNS’ 12TH RACE. He deserves favoritism by virtue of his unblemished record, multiple Grade 1 victories, Eclipse Award for being champion two-year-old and his huge pace and speed figures. The only two horses who look like legitimate threats to him are BIG TRUCK and ATONED. The former ran a solid second in the Sam F. Davis Stakes over the track, equaling his best speed figure as a two-year-old. If he improves five lengths off that number he could be in the hunt. The latter fired every time in his freshman season, capping it off with a solid second to Court Vision in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct. If trainer Todd Pletcher has him ready off the layoff, he could have a major say in the outcome.

The Rebel Stakes (G2) is OAKLAWN PARK’s 10TH RACE. Jockey Garrett Gomez heads to Arkansas to ride Z FORTUNE. Sandwiched between Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Pyro and Gotham (G3) winner Visionaire when second in the Risen Star (G3), it is safe to say that the son of Siphon exits a “key” race. He owns an excellent late run and that should serve him well in this speed-laden line up. GOLDEN YANK was beaten a neck in the Delta Jackpot (G3), which unlike the Risen Star (G3), has been a very unproductive race. The son of Yankee Gentleman owns a good record however and might be the second best horse in a very weak renewal of this major Kentucky Derby (G1) prep. SIERRA SUNSET finished second to well-regarded Denis of Cork in the Southwest (G3) over the track and should get in the trifecta with a similar effort.

The San Felipe (G2) is SANTA ANITA’s 9TH RACE. With sprinters GAYEGO, BOB BLACK JACK and GEORGIE BOY trying to stretch their speed to a mile and one sixteenth, the pace of this race will probably be better than par for the level. Kathy Walsh, the premier American female trainer of this century and last, expects GEORGIE BOY to handle the two-turns, based on the way he finishes his gallops and workouts. With stayer Peterhof on his bottom side, it would make sense that the grandson of Storm Cat could easily get the distance. The most intriguing entrant is SHEDIAK. The Group 1-placed son of Selkirk earned Racing Post ratings of 111 in the Prix La Rochette (G3) and 112 in the Prix Jean-luc Lagardere (G1), his last two starts. He has been training like a bomb for Doug O’Neill, and need only handle the cushion track to be a major factor Saturday afternoon.

This entry was posted on Friday, March 14th, 2008 at 9:21 am and is filed under Featured Articles. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.