Luke Kruytbosch

Churchill Downs and Turf Paradise announcer Luke Kruytbosch passed away on Monday. Luke was my mentor as an announcer and, even more importantly, a dear friend of mine. I usually tried to contact him once a month or so and always made sure I stopped in to see him whenever I went home to Phoenix. This spring I had the honor of substituting for him at Turf for three weeks while he made his way to Churchill Downs to call his 10th Kentucky Derby. He was a masterful race caller and there is not one person in horse racing that could speak ill of Luke. His loss will be felt throughout the industry and since I pretty much owe him my entire announcing career, his loss has especially hit me hard. I will miss you, my friend.

The 69th Hollywood Gold Cup

Tiago seems to be a likely winner in this race, now that the best horse on the West Coast, Heatseeker, scratched out. Tiago has a win and a second in his last two graded efforts, the Oaklawn Handicap and the Californian Stakes over this Hollywood oval. Tiago has a win and second in two lifetime starts at Hollywood Park. I really like the chances of Big Booster to be a possible longshot to like here. He is 15-1 on the DRF morning line and has won his last two AND ran 3rd in this race last year behind Lava Man and A.P. Xcellent. Student Council won the Pimlico Special last time out after not liking the turf at my home track, Sam Houston Race Park, in the Grade 3 Connally Turf. Shaun Bridgmohan rode him at Pimlico and gets the call again here. To wrap the top four, I will go with another price pick in Mast Track, who adds blinkers and goes turf-to-dirt. By the way, he is also trained by Bobby Frankel. Even with Heatseeker out, this is a very interesting race, so here's wishing the best of luck to you all.

Hollywood Gold Cup Top 4 Selections- Tiago, Big Booster, Student Council, Mast Track

The 140th Belmont Stakes

Well, Casino Drive has been scratched out of the Belmont Stakes and many feel that this has taken the most logical threat to the Triple Crown-trying Big Brown. Forget that, Big Brown was not going to get beat even if he spotted Casino Drive a sixteenth of a mile. We are going to be witnesses to history today as Big Brown will become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978 and Affirmed. Who can be close to him? Possibly, Denis Of Cork, who ran 3rd in the Kentucky Derby and might like having an extra quarter-mile to get to the leader. Icabad Crane ran 3rd in the Preakness at Pimlico and might improve enough to be a part of the mix here. Finally, I expect Tale Of Ekati to be part of the pace battle here and hold on for a piece of the Superfecta in the Belmont Stakes today. Here's wishing the best of luck to you all.

Belmont Stakes Selections: Big Brown, Denis Of Cork, Icabad Crane, Tale Of Ekati

The 134th Kentucky Derby

First off, I need to apologize to anyone who has been waiting for updates on this page, but I have been in Arizona calling the races at Turf Paradise for the last three weeks and have not had a chance to update the site. Now, on to the business at hand, the Run For The Roses. For me, there are two horses that stand head and shoulders above the rest after handicapping the race. Those two are Court Vision and Gayego. It should be easy enough to just bet an exacta with those two and be done with it, but we have to pick a winner, don't we? I will go with Court Vision for several reasons. First, Court Vision has post #4 and Gayego has post #19. No horse has ever won the Derby from post #19. Second, Court Vision is adding blinkers and I always like to see an equipment change that can help the horse's performance like that. Finally, Court Vision is trained by Bill Mott and he seems overdue to win the Derby, doesn't he? For third, I will put Cowboy Cal. I think he is the most versatile horse in the race, having shown an appreciation for turf, dirt, and synthetic so far. I think he can race on green cheese and make a go of it. To round out the Superfecta, I will go with Cool Coal Man. He threw in a clunker last out, but he held on gamely to win the Fountain Of Youth in a performance that seems to be forgotten already. Where you may ask are the favorites? Well, Big Brown is out in the parking lot and Colonel John might be a one-trick pony (pardon the pun) having only raced on synthetic. Pyro is the only one I can even think of using, but his two races in Louisiana came after massive trouble during both trips and the Blue Grass was a total disaster. So, put Pyro underneath and this way, you might have a reasonable favorite in your box wagers. Here's wishing the best of luck to you all.

134th Kentucky Derby Picks- Court Vision, Gayego, Cowboy Cal, Cool Coal Man, Pyro

The $50,000 Jersey Village Stakes

It is been John Locke in front this meeting at Sam Houston Race Park and he has a tough entry in the Saturday Stakes race with Festive Rain and Hollye Lynne. Festive Rain has won two of her last three on the grass and Hollye Lynne was a winner on the dirt on Texas Champions Day. The best turf Tomlinson figure in the field belongs to Wild Encounter. All seven of her wins have come on the turf. Boundus is coming back from a bit of a layoff tonight. She has been off since December 1 and has Mr. Prospector on the Sire side of the lineage. How about a longshot to like in Party Of One? She is 10-1 on the morning line, posted a bullet workout on February 2, and has 1992 BC Classic winner, A.P. Indy, on the Sire side. By the way, Pyro comes back to the Derby Trail on Saturday at the Fair Grounds and will be tough to top.

The MAXXAM Gold Cup

There are two big Stakes races on Saturday night at Sam Houston Race Park. The $100,000 MAXXAM Gold Cup has a field of six (five betting interests) and my top pick in the feature is Tap Dancing Mauk. The Dale Romans trainee has been off since winning the Zia Park Distance Challenge at the MAXXAM distance of 1 1/8 Miles. The Sire is 1996 Preakness winner, Louis Quatorze. The Asmussen entry of Reporting For Duty and Red Rock Creek will be next. Reporting For Duty faced some of the top three-year-olds in the land last year and acquitted himself quite well. Red Rock Creek has a shot, but is 0 for 7 over the Houston main track. The most intriguing horse in the field is Honest Man, who has won three straight and posted a 99 Beyer figure in his last score at Fair Grounds.
The other Stakes race on the program is the $50,000 Sam Houston Distaff. I will side with the entry of Miss Peachtree and Buy The Barrel. Miss Peachtree gets Martin Escobar aboard and Buy The Barrel is trained by Hard Spun's conditioner, Larry Jones. Dallas Keen will send Lemony Cricket to the post in the Distaff after she hit the board in her last five efforts. Bob McNair's Stonerside Stable is represented by Bold Angel, who has two lifetime wins, both coming at Sam Houston Race Park. Here's wishing the best of luck to you all.

Saturday the 19th

Sam Houston tonight might present a couple of nice opportunites featuring former Stakes winners at the Houston track. Banquo is a former Asmussen trainee that scored a win last time out as part of the New Year's Eve card here. He runs in the 6th race. Later on the card in the 8th race is Snuck By. It is hard to believe (for me) that he has not won yet this meeting. I think tonight might be the night for it, though. Might be worth a look at the 7th to see if you can hook a Pick Three with these races tonight. I myself selected Chivas Royal in the 7th, but maybe you can ferret out a better price for that leg of the action. Also tonight, we have guest announcer James Witherite-Rieg calling two races (and three on Sunday) tonight. He does a fine job as the voice of Harrah's Chester Downs in Pennsylvania and handled a tough night last night with hard rain falling with aplomb. Check it out tonight at Sam Houston Race Park.

Sam Houston Saturday Night

Tonight at SHRP features an interesting turf race for the eighth race on the menu. A winner from Texas Champions Day returns to action (Jenz Benz, winner of the San Jacinto) and she faces a tough bunch of runners in this spot. Quincy Hamilton rides Baby Doll Blues, who won over the Houston turf last time out. A longshot to like could be the Danny Pish trainee, Senora Tormenta, who is a nice 8-1 on the morning line. Exclusive Hopper comes to Houston from South Florida, where she was running at Calder Race Course. The pick here will be Jenz Benz, who is coupled in a betting entry with Wild Encounter, also a former Stakes winner at SHRP. Her turn of foot on TCD was an impressive one and if she duplicates that, she should score again.

Happy Holidays

Wanted to be sure to tell everyone to have a happy holiday season this week and also pass along a possible price horse to like at Sam Houston Race Park to maybe spice up the gift funds for you last-minute shoppers. In the 8th race on Saturday night, keep an eye out for #6 Indybuster at 8-1. His last two workouts have been bullet efforts.

Texas Champions Day

Tonight is one of this biggest days on the Sam Houston Race Park calendar, Texas Champions Day. This is a highlight day for Texas-bred Thoroughbreds and many of the year-end state championships will be decided tonight. Here are a few spot plays to look for tonight: Race 3 #5 Ms Classic Seneca 8-1, undefeated after 2 tries; Race 8 #2 Sandburr 3-1, defending champion in the Star Of Texas; Race 9 #7 Boundus 6-1, coming off a win in San Antonio on November 15. It promises to be a fun and exciting night of horse racing in the Bayou City. Here's wishing the best of luck to you all.

They Are Off

A new season begins tonight at Sam Houston Race Park with a ten-race program and a concert following live racing from Miranda Lambert. The card does not seem to be offering to many longshot options for you price players, but there is one I like in the finale. Strawberry Season might be able to score in a competitive field at a morning-line of 10-1. Certainly, one to look for tonight at a value.

I will, of course, be returning during the course of the season with other spot plays and notes from Sam Houston Race Park. Here's wishing the best of luck to you all.

Hollywood Gold Cup

The 68th running of the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup will take place on Saturday and I think that Lava Man is in line for a third straight win in this race to tie the old mark of Native Diver. It still remains to be seen, however, how he is shape-wise after the ill-fated trip to Dubai. A.P. Arrow won the Grade 3 Skip Away at Gulfstream two back and ran 3rd on Belmont Day. He is regally bred and gets David Flores aboard today. Molengao is a Brazilian-bred that won as the betting choice last time out in the Grade 2 Mervyn Leroy over the Hollywood oval on May 5. Russell Baze rides the Northern California invader My Creed and he has won two of the last three. It might not be the best edition of the Hollywood Gold Cup ever, but if Lava Man comes through, it could be a history-making one.

Hollywood Gold Cup Selections- Lava Man, A.P. Arrow, Molengao, My Creed

The 139th Belmont Stakes

Preakness winner Curlin will be odds-on to follow in the footsteps of Point Given and Afleet Alex and win the Preakness and the Belmont after failing in the Kentucky Derby. I believe the support is well-warranted. The Steve Asmussen trainee is my pick to wrap up the Triple Crown season with his second win in the series and fifth lifetime win in six career starts. Tiago was a dismissed horse in this blog during the Kentucky Derby, but I think he could be the best of the rest in this field of seven and might actually be a decent value play. Hard Spun has done much better than I thought he would in the first two Triple Crown races and he (along with Slew's Tizzy) should be setting the pace in the Belmont. I'll slot him third. The Nick Zito-trained CP West ran 4th in the Preakness and I'll put him in the same spot in the Belmont. One note about the filly in the field, Rags To Riches. She is a splendid filly that convincingly won the Kentucky Oaks five weeks ago. However, no filly has won the Belmont since 1905 and her price will be way too short for me to consider betting her bucking 102 years of history.

Selections for the 139th Belmont Stakes- Curlin, Tiago, Hard Spun, CP West

The Californian Stakes

Hollywood Park is putting up a $300,000 guaranteed Pick 4 on their last four races on Saturday afternoon and the keynote race of the sequence is the Grade 2 $250,000 Californian Stakes. There are some famous names in this race, but I will go with the slightly unheralded Boboman as my winner. He adds blinkers today and posted a recent bullet workout over the Hollywood surface on May 30. Alex Solis gets the ride for trainer Richard Mandella. A.P. Xcellent is my second choice. The A.P. Indy offspring scored a win at Hollywood on April 28 and, in fact, all three of his wins have come at Hollywood Park. I may be going off the beaten path with my third choice, but I will consider Saint Stephen in this spot. Trainer Christophe Clement is more adept with turf runners, but this horse deserves a look with some decent speed figures on the record. I will finally put in a famous name in this field with Buzzards Bay in fourth. He won the 2005 Santa Anita Derby and the 2006 Oaklawn Handicap, so he has some healthy experience. He ran 3rd at Hollywood in the Grade 2 Mervyn Leroy last time out.

Californian Stakes Selections- Boboman, A.P. Xcellent, Saint Stephen, Buzzards Bay

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

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

Connally Breeders' Cup Turf

The highlight event of the Sam Houston Race Park (my home track) meeting is Saturday night with the Grade 3 $200,000 John Connally Breeders' Cup Turf. It is a field high on quality over quantity with only seven horses in the field, but the pick here for the win is the Bill Mott-trained Silver Tree, who won the Grade 3 Appleton at Gulfstream Park last time out on March 4. Steve Asmussen, of course, has to have a contender in a big Stakes at Sam Houston and his candidate is Storm Treasure. This colt ran 3rd in his last two efforts, including a Grade 3 at Fair Grounds on February 10. The horse that could steal the race on the front end is Mending Fences, who appears to have speed to spare and gets the excellent Quincy Hamilton in the saddle for this go. The defending champion of the Connally, Fort Prado, will be the fourth pick with a recent bullet workout on March 25. He has been off since February 10.

Connally BC Turf Selections- Silver Tree, Storm Treasure, Mending Fences, Fort Prado

The Florida Derby

The Grade 1 $1,000,000 Florida Derby will be Saturday at Gulfstream Park and it figures to be a contentious race with nine starters. This is the race that Barbaro won last year en route to his victory on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs. I will take the winner of the Fountain Of Youth, Scat Daddy, to get the win here. He barely got up to beat a game Stormello on that day and he is also in this field. I think Stormello has more heart and guts than any other 3-year-old this year, but I am hoping he fires his biggest shot in five weeks. Adore The Gold is worth a look also with some devastating workouts in the days leading up to this try. The winner of the Risen Star at the Fair Grounds, Notional, is the fourth selection coming off a bit of a layoff here.

Florida Derby Selections- Scat Daddy, Stormello, Adore The Gold, Notional

The Louisiana Derby

The 94th edition of the Grade 2 $600,000 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds takes place on Saturday and it is a very contentious group of eight horses in this one. Trainers Todd Pletcher and Doug O'Neill have been hogging all the headlines on the Derby Trail this year and this race is no exception as that pair have three of the eight runners available. My top pick will be Liquidity, an O'Neill trainee that ran 2nd in his last two and was Sired by two-time Breeders' Cup Classic winner, Tiznow. Circular Quay, one of the two Pletcher runners, is going to be the favorite and is almost assured to get a better trip on Saturday than he did in the Risen Star at FG back on February 10. The other Pletcher horse, Soaring By, gets the third spot here after a win and a second in his first two starts and he has Edgar Prado in the irons Saturday. We'll round out the top four with Delta Jackpot winner, Birdbirdistheword. His last two workouts have been bullets and he could provide a price in this race. Here's wishing the best of luck to you all.

Louisiana Derby Selections- Liquidity, Circular Quay, Soaring By, Birdbirdistheword

The Big 'Cap

Lava Man should win the Santa Anita Handicap for fun on Saturday. The Big 'Cap is a Grade 1, $1,000,000 event with a rich and proud history. After all, this is the race that Seabiscuit and Red Pollard came back to win in 1940 and put a cherry on top of that outstanding movie. Back to business, though, Lava Man has won eight of the last nine and the only loss came in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs. Arson Squad is the second choice after winning the Grade 2 Strub Stakes on February 3 and posting a bullet workout on March 1. The third choice is Sunshine Millions Classic winner, McCann's Mojave. He has won three straight entering the 'Cap and is 5 for 10 at Santa Anita. Awesome Gem rounds out the top four. He won the Grade 2 San Fernando Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita on January 13. His Sire is 1998 Breeders' Cup Classic winner, Awesome Again. All three of his wins have come at Santa Anita.

Santa Anita Handicap Selections- Lava Man, Arson Squad, McCann's Mojave, Awesome Gem