Notes on the Saturday Program
March 29th, 2008By Jude T. Feld
Lots of great stakes action awaits players this afternoon. As usual, check the weather and the track conditions before heading to the windows.
AQUEDUCT’s 8TH RACE is the Next Move (G3). It shapes up as a reprise of the Rare Treat – a matchup of RUNAWAY ROSIE and WILD HOOTS. WOW ME FREE is the new face, who will be flying at the top pair late.
The Shirley Jones (G2), GULFSTREAM PARK’s 5TH RACE was supposed to be run last Saturday, but was cancelled due to rain. SUGAR SWIRL, who has won three in-a-row will be a short price and looks tough to beat once again.
SPORTING ART ran a corker in his U.S. debut for excellent turf trainer Christophe Clement. With plenty of time to recover from that effort, the son of Doneraile Court looks tough to deny in the Bulleit Bourbon Palm Beach (G3), GULFSTREAM PARK’s 7TH RACE.
The Bonnie Miss (G2) goes as GULFSTREAM PARK’s 9TH RACE. With a closing third-place effort behind champion Indian Blessing and Kentucky Oaks (G1) ante-post favorite Proud Spell in the Silverbulletday (G3), HIGHEST CLASS looks like the probable favorite. Her closing style, in a speed-laden field, makes her look like the winner as well.
With this year’s Derby picture very much up in the air, the Florida Derby (G1), GULFSTREAM PARK’s 10TH RACE, should have a major impact on Kentucky Derby (G1) wagering. BIG BROWN has a freakish turn of foot and excellent speed numbers. Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux will need to call upon all his talents to win from the dreaded 13 post position however. Talented and handsome MAJESTIC WARRIOR was five-wide on both turns under Garrett Gomez in the Louisiana Derby (G2), yet he was still in contention at the eighth pole. If new rider Rene Douglas is more patient with him, there could be an upset in the making. ELYSIUM FIELDS was game in defeat when edged by Cool Coal Man in the Fountain of Youth (G2). He should have a say in the outcome.
SANTA ANITA’s 9TH RACE is the Tokyo City Cup (G3). ZAPPA was gaining ground late in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) and gets an extra quarter of a mile to run them down today. ROCKET LEGS likes the artificial surface and can get the mile and one-half distance. He looks like he could put Alex Campbell in the winners’ circle.
