$500k Ilinois Derby (G2) – Hawthorne race 7 (4-4-09)
Perfect Song (6-1) is a head away from a 3-3 record, and that loss occurred on synthetic ground. Trombetta is 23% with shippers, and the son of BC Classic hero Pleasantly Perfect is bred to handle added ground. He sports best overall pace figs and might get brave if able to shake loose early.
Musket Man (7-2) fits the winning track profile as a stalker breaking from an outer post. Win type continues to work well and is an obvious threat.
Nowhere To Hide (5-1) has more tactical …read more

A field of 8 has been assembled for the $750k Wood Memorial (G1), to be run at nine furlongs on April 4th at the Big A in New York.
Handy Gotham (G3) winner I Want Revenge will break from the rail and has been installed as the morning line choice. The David Lanzman/IEAH colt will be ridden once again by Joe Talamo, and a repeat of his last would be more than enough.
Gotham runner-up Imperial Council is on the improve for Shug McGaughey, and he desperately needs graded earnings. Prado has booted him home twice, …read more

I Want Revenge uncorked a 113 BSF en route to a romping Gotham Stakes (G3) tally (replay below) while trying conventional dirt for the first time. He showed quality on synthetic, and his connections (Mullins/Talamo) were spot-on in saying he would move up on dirt. He will ship back to his Hollywood Park base before returning to the Big A for the Wood Memorial on April 4th.
Imperial Council ran a quality race to grab the place in his first start around two turns. If you like Shug’s well bred colt, don’t give up on him because the …read more

Aqueduct’s $250k Gotham Stakes is an important two turn graded test for Derby hopefuls, and the final local prep for the $750k Wood Memorial (G1) at nine furlongs on April 4th.

Masala was clearly 2nd best behind stablemate Take the Points at the Gulf last time, and that one came back to finish a fine 2nd behind The Pamplemousse in the Sham Stakes (G3) last weekend. Todd Pletcher is 23% 2nd off a layoff, and his strong late pace fig last time bodes well for his route chances.
Imperial Council is a $130k Keeneland sales grad with the best pedigree …read more

Fountain of Youth
Early/pressing type Quality Road (Elusive Quality) was easily best over clear runner-up Theregoesjojo (Brahms) in the one-turn mile (113 BSF). The aforementioned duo are expected to go next in the Florida Derby, which will be their initial foray around two turns. Without route foundation, they could be in deep water on the 1st Saturday in May, but they are serious players over the Gulfstream speedway, especially the winner. Don’t be shocked in either or both ship out of town (Wood Memorial?) for the next engagements.
Graded route hero Beethoven (Sky Mesa) ran on well to land the …read more

Weekend recap (Feb 14th & 15th)
How’s Your Halo pulled off a $96.20 shocker in Saturday’s 31st running of the Richter Scale (G2). 2nd choice Ikegai set the pace and clearly held the place. 6-5 fav Tale of Ekati finished a disappointing 4th for the struggling Barclay Tagg.
Also on Saturday, Imperial Council returned in the pink for Shug (replay below), and the lightly raced, talented Empire Maker colt is a 3yo to watch. He should get better with distance/experience.

Any Limit went straight to the front and withstood a stretch challenge from heavy Pletcher fav Game Face to post a 1-1/4 …read more