SA Derby review/The Mousse off trail

What exciting racing we had yesterday! Amazing, though the Pamplemousse and two others were scratched from the Santa Anita Derby yesterday morning it still was nice to watch.

Santa Anita Derby

1.Pioneerofthenile

2.Chocolate Candy

3.Mr. Hot Stuff

4.Take the Points

5.Feisty Suances

6.Unbridled Roman

7.Gallant Son

Very impressive race for Pioneerofthenile. Again he had to face a paceless race and Gomez had to press the pace. He definitely won't have trouble with a paceless race at the Derby though, he will have to deal with the dirt for the first time and I just don't think he can handle it.

Wood Memorial Stakes

1.I Want Revenge

2.West Side Bernie

3.Just a Coincidence

4.Atomic Rain

5.Imperial Council

6.Cellar Dweller

7.Lord Justic

8.Lime Rickey

An even more impressive race from I Want Revenge, stumbling at the start and being able to overcome that and win. Impressive ride from Talamo as well being able to sit chilly till the end. He just might make my number one with the Mousse now off the trail. The Pamplemousse was scratched from the Santa Anita Derby yesterday morning and now that they have x-rayed his legs it was found he had a lesion in his tendon. What a shame. I was so looking forward to seeing him win the Santa Anita Derby then go on and run in the Kentucky Derby. Oh well, I'd rather have him safe and sound then breaking down in a race.

In Oaks news, today Rachel Alexandra won the Fantasy at Oaklawn. Nice win for the filly and now it's on to Churchill Downs! Meanwhile Stardom Bound lost yesterday at Keeneland and finished third to Hooh Why, the winner. I'm beginning to get scared about this filly. She seems to have peaked too soon. She definitely won't be going into the Oaks as the favorite now.

Workouts

Flat out , April 4
Oaklawn Park

One mile

1.43:40 Breezing

Fast

Dirt

1/1

Square Eddie , April 5

Hollywood Park

Six furlongs

1.13:00 Breezing

Fast

Sythetics

13/19

Updated Derby top ten

1.Friesan Fire

2.I Want Revenge

3.Pioneerofthenile

4.Old Fashioned

5.Dunkirk

6.Quality Road

7.Musket Man

8.Desert Party

9.Win Willy

10.West Side Bernie

There is my updated top ten. I have to give POTN his props. He will be carrying SoCal's Derby hopes. Though I utterly dislike Baffert I think he has a real shot to win.

Have a nice evening!

Kirsten

Santa anita Derby

Big races this Saturday and I'm so pumped. It's going to be an awesome weekend. Remember to watch the Santa Anita Derby on NBC tomorrow!

Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita
Grade 1
$750,000 1 1/8 miles 122 lbs all

1.Chocolate Candy 6/1
2.Z Day 15/1
3.Unbridled Roman 30/1
4.Pioneerofthenile 2/1
5.Mr. Hot stuff 8/1
6.Feisty Suances 15/1
7.Take the Points 10/1
8.Cape Truth 30/1
9.Gallant Son 15/1
10.The Pamplemousse 9/5

I will be picking The Pamplemousse to win, Take the Points to place and Pioneerofthenile to show. The Pamplemousse is going to romp!

Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct
Grade 1
$750,00 1 1/8 miles 123 lbs all

1.I Want Revenge 4/5
2.Lord Justice 15/1
3.Cellar Dweller 30/1
4.Atomic Rain 6/1
5.West Side Bernie 6/1
6.Imperial Council 2/1
7.Just a Coincidence 12/1
8.Lime Rickey 20/1

I will be picking I Want Revenge to romp again and win, Imperial Council to place and West Side Bernie to show.

Enjoy those preps!
Kirsten

Workouts

Workouts for the last couple days.

Stardom Bound, Mar.30

Keeneland

Six furlongs

1.12:60 Handily

Fast

Sythetics

1/2

Hello Broadway, Mar. 30

Gulfstream Park

Five furlongs

1.00:40 Breezing

Fast

Dirt

1/13

Square Eddie, Mar. 30

Hollywood Park

Four furlongs

50:80 Breezing

Fast

Sythetics

30/30

The Pamplemousse, Mar 31

Santa Anita Park

Three furlongs

34:80 Handily

Fast

Sythetics

1/13

Have a nice afternoon!

Kirsten

Quality Road prevails

Quality Road won over Dunkirk in the Florida Derby. He broke the track record by running the 1 1/8 miles race in 1:47.72. Here are the full results.

The Florida Derby

1.Quality Road

2.Dunkirk

3.Theregoesjojo
4.Stately Character

5.Sincero

6.Casey's on Call

7.Toby the Coalman

I'm not going to be counting Dunkirk out at this point. He was clearly second best today. I still stand that Dunkirk is better than Quality Road. I just don't get that vibe that the Derby winner was in that race. As much as I like Dunkirk, I don't think he's going to get into the Derby and if he does, to be able to win it. Curlin couldn't do it. But I still think Dunkirk has a great future ahead of him if he runs in the Preakness or Belmont or goes onto the Breeder's cup Classic.

The Swale

1.Big Drama-DQ'ed to 2nd

2.This ones for Phil

3.Custom for Carlos

4.Brave Victory

5.Sabi Sabi

6.B Z Warrior

Nice win for This ones for the Phil. I do think he could have passed Big Drama if he hadn't have been bumped for the second time in the stretch and, obviously the stewards thought so too. I'd like to see another matchup with theses too. Too bad I picked the top three finishers but in the wrong order.

The Dubai world cup was great! And I picked the winner Well Armed. Aaron Gryder really deserved this win. My congrats go to Well armed and all his connections.

My current top ten

1.The Pamplemousse

2.Friesan Fire

3.I Want Revenge

4.Old Fashioned

5.Dunkirk

6.Quality Road

7.Pioneerofthenile

8.Desert Party

9.Win Willy

10.Take the Points

The Derby is steadily approaching and next week The Pamplemousse and Pioneerofthenile will face off. Can't wait for that.

Have a great weekend!

Kirsten

Florida Derby Review

Watch the Florida Derby and Swale stakes on ESPN tomorrow. And don't forget to watch the Dubai World cup. Great racing this weekend awaits!

The Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park

Grade 2

$150,00

Seven furlongs

1.This ones for Phil 120 lbs 3/1

2.B Z Warrior 114 lbs 5/1

3.Sabi Sabi 118 lbs 8/1

4.Custom for Carlos 114 lbs 4/1

5.Brave Victory 116 lbs 4/1

6.Big Drama 120 lbs 2/1

I'll be picking Custom for Carlos to win, a close second with Big Drama and This ones for Phil to show. This is a pretty wide open field.

The Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park

Grade 1

$750,000

1 1/8 miles 122 lbs all

1.Toby the Coal Man 10/1

2.Quality Road 2/1

3.Casey's on call 15/1

4.Dunkirk 9/5

5.Sincero 20/1

6.Theregoesjojo 5/1

7.Danger to Society 6/1

8.Europe 20/1

9.Stately Character 20/1

I'll be picking Dunkirk to win, Quality Road to place and I'll throw the rabbit Europe in to show. What does everything think about Pletcher putting a rabbit in? Do you think it will affect Quality Road? Or do you think Pletcher is wasting his time? I'd like to hear what you think.

Well here is a link to the entries for the Dubai World Cup races. http://www.emiratesracing.com/eq/RaceCards.cfm?racefile_id=7568

I won't pick for all the races but I thought I would at least do the Dubai World cup. There really is no clear cut favorite for this race. I like Well Armed and Albertus Maximus. For my picks I'd have to say Well Armed to win with Albertus Maximus coming up for second and Asiatic Boy for show.

Have a great weekend of preps!

Kirsten

Beethoven out of Derby

Beethoven who was pointing for the Florida Derby is now out because of some left foreleg heat that was detected Wednesday. "There was some heat in a tendon in a front leg (Wednesday) morning,” Ward his trainer said. “It seems minor, not extreme, but we decided it’s best to not make a minor situation worse. It’s possible he could be back in the entries in the not-too-distant future." Beethoven might also be counted out of the Kentucky Derby as well. "As conservative as I am, probably not, but we don't know at this time," Ward said.

It's too bad that he can't run in the Florida Derby. He closed nicely in the Fountain of Youth.

Workouts

Hello Broadway, Mar. 24

Gulfstream Park

Four furlongs

47:60 Breezing

Fast

Dirt

1/37

Pioneerofthenile, Mar. 25

Santa Anita Park

Six furlongs

1.11:40 Handily

Fast

Sythetics

1/12

The Pamplemousse, Mar.25

Santa Anita Park

Six furlongs

1.13:00 Handily

Fast

Sythetics

6/12

Have a great afternoon!

Kirsten

Workouts a plenty

Well, most of these I have been saving up until now so I thought I should probably post them.

Square Eddie, March 22

Hollywood Park

Three furlongs

37:40 Breezing

Fast

Sythetics

10/18

Nicanor, March 22

Palm Meadows Training Center

Four furlongs

51:40 Breezing

Fast

Dirt

19/21

Flat out, March 22

Oaklawn Park

Five furlongs

1.03:60 Breezing

Fast

Dirt

11/13

Notonthesamepage, March 23

Gulfstream Park

Four furlongs

48:60 Breezing

Good

Dirt

11/34

Have a great evening!

Kirsten