Friday, May 18, 2007

The 132nd Preakness

I see a huge day for Todd Pletcher Saturday. I think either of his runners in the Preakness, Circular Quay and King Of The Roxy, can win the Black-Eyed Susans. I will pick King Of The Roxy just because I think he will be closer to the pace than Circular Quay and might get first run at the pacesetters. The Kentucky Derby winner, Street Sense, will be my second choice. He got a garden run at Churchill Downs and might again with the smaller field here. He might also just be a horse for the Churchill Downs course and could struggle on the Pimlico dirt. Circular Quay will be my third pick. The Derby was actually the prep race he needed before the Derby (8-week layoff, please!!). I think he will be ready for a huge effort today. The Federico Tesio winner, Xchanger, is my fourth selection. He has a win over the Pimlico track and might be a big price in the Preakness.

132nd Preakness Selections- King Of The Roxy, Street Sense, Circular Quay, Xchanger

Thursday, May 03, 2007

The 133rd Kentucky Derby

Nobiz Like Shobiz is my top pick in Saturday's Kentucky Derby. He won the Wood Memorial impressively and the only two races he has NOT won were races in which he encountered trouble. That might happen in a 20-horse race on Saturday, but I still think he is the best one in the field. Any Given Saturday is one of FIVE Todd Pletcher trainees in the field and he could be the best of the bunch. He has never finished out of the top three in any of his six starts. Street Sense won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last year and no winner of that race has ever won the Derby the following spring. He is certainly a candidate to do it, but he has only two preps this year. Of all the longshots, I think the most attractive are Dominican and Sam P. It would not surprise me if either wore the roses on the big day. Here is what I think the complete order of finish will be:

1) Nobiz Like Shobiz; 2) Any Given Saturday; 3) Street Sense; 4) Dominican; 5) Sam P.; 6) Scat Daddy; 7) Hard Spun; 8) Curlin; 9) Circular Quay; 10) Great Hunter; 11) Teufelsberg; 12) Sedgefield; 13) Liquidity; 14) Zanjero; 15) Stormello; 16) Cowtown Cat; 17) Bwana Bull; 18) Tiago; 19) Imawildandcrazyguy; 20) Storm In May