The two main elements in predicting the ‘09 Belmont Stakes outcome are pedigree and pace handicapping.
Pace makes the race, and Charitable Man looms the one to catch. He is 3-3 on conventional dirt and 2-2 at Belmont. He pulled off a wire job in 6.5f career bow and is capable of rating should another rival get aggressive.
Miner’s Escape does not appear as swift as Charitable Man, but the improving sort exits a pair of prominent throughout nine furlong tallies. Remember that Nick Zito trainee Da’ Tara pulled off a wire job upset in this race last …read more

Charitable Man has been confirmed as a definite starter for the Belmont Stakes. The Kiaran McLaughlin runner is 3-3 on conventional dirt and 2-2 at Big Sandy. His sire Lemon Drop Kid won the Test of Champions in 1999, and he owns the right early/pressing style to succeed in the final leg of the Triple Crown.
Mine That Bird is currently training at Churchill for his upcoming Belmont engagement. Mike Smith has a prior riding commitment in SoCal, and Borel will stick with Rachel Alexandra if she goes, so Chip Woolley still needs a pilot for his Derby winner. Expect …read more

Saturday’s $300k Tampa Bay Derby has drawn an interesting field of 11, and note that there have only been two wire jobs in 61 races conducted at 8.5f. Stalk and pounce types perform best, and I will look for value contenders with the right running style.
Musket Man won his 1st three sprint starts and was hardly disgraced in Sam Davis show finish (post 9) at this distance here last time. He projects a ground saving stalking trip at playable odds. He sports a pair of local bullets for this, and note that he defeated Sam Davis winner General Quarters …read more

There are no less than four Saturday Derby preps on tap, and each day this week I will preview one, starting with the Louisiana Derby.

I liked Patena in the Lecomte, and he ran on nicely to land the place in his initial try over conventional dirt. My Derby future (pool 1) play was subsequently purchased by IEAH and is now trained by Rick Dutrow, the same connections that brought us Big Brown last year. Well bred $250k Keeneland sales grad drilled a bullet at the Gulf on March 9th and figures to fire a big shot off the layoff under …read more

Friday (2-6-09) Fair Grounds recap
Main track favored speed as the day wore on. Both turf sprints were nabbed by early/pressing types, and the flat mile turf feature was nabbed by a longshot stalker.
James Graham, Miguel Mena and Jamie Theriot each booted home a pair. Bret Calhoun and Eric Guillot both saddled two winners on the day.

Saturday (2-7-09) Fair Grounds recap
Both surfaces seemed to play fair.
Hat trick for Gabriel Saez included a pair of stakes wins for Larry Jones. John Jacinto booted home a pair, and Briggy/Asmussen teamed up two wins on the day.
Pan Zareta …read more

A field of 13 is set to tackle Saturday’s Grade 3 Risen Star at Fair Grounds, the final local prep for the Louisiana Derby (G2).

Indygo Mountain (A. P. Indy) rates a shot to rebound at a price. Bret Calhoun trainee was sensational in his Nov. ‘08 Churchill maiden breaker, then the wheels fell off the cart. Foot issues caused him to be scratched at the gate before a local allowance race in December, and he experienced a troubled beginning when resurfacing in the Lecomte. $600k Keeneland sales grad shows a strong 5f work for this and can right the …read more

A field of seven three-year-olds are set to contest Friday’s seven furlong Hutcheson (G2), and Hello Broadway is the 5-2 morning line favorite.
The Barclay Tagg trainee kicked off his career with a neck victory at Saratoga last August, then finished an okay 5th when thrown to the wolves in the Champagne (G1).
He bounced back with a game place finish behind today’s rival Break Water Edison when last seen in Aqueduct’s Nashua (G3), and this is a perfect starting point for his Derby march.

Break Water Edison had a busy juvenile campaign with four stakes appearances, and he finally …read more

The promising Lieutenant Ron landed the outside post and has been installed as the 6-5 morning line favorite for Saturday’s nine furlong $100k Grade 3 Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct Race Track in New York.
The Kiaran McLaughlin three-year-old has won three of his four sprint starts by a combined 20+ lengths, with his lone loss a show finish at six furlongs following a troubled start off a layoff. The West Point Thoroughbreds ridgling son of Graeme Hall makes his graded stakes bow while trying a route of ground for the first time. He is 2-2 at the Big A and …read more

Sunday’s Grade 2 Jerome Handicap from Belmont Park features a small but select field of seven, including the Nick Zito entry of Da’ Tara and Cool Coal Man, but Todd Pletcher may have the one to beat with 2-1 favorite Harlem Rocker.
The Stronach Stables colt won the first three starts of his career, all around one-turn, including a razor sharp Withers (G3) tally at this distance with a 106 BSF.
The Ontario-bred was immediately prepared for the Queen’s Plate, but he failed to handle synthetic ground in his Woodbine prep, so those plans were scrapped. He ended up winning …read more

Friday night’s Grade 2 Meadowlands Cup Handicap is a $350k race for three-year-olds and up traveling nine furlongs on the main track, and it serves as one of the final prep races for the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Classic. The 8-horse field is lead by Past the Point.
Past the Point (Indian Charlie-AP Indy) is a vastly improved Darley Stable 4yo, and his trainer Eoin Harty is already loaded for bear in the BC Classic with Goodwood winner Well Armed and Travers hero Colonel John, both owned by WinStar Farm.
Past the Point showed promise as a three-year-old with a solid show finish …read more