Steve Sherack & Brian DiDonato will make $100 win/place bets on 20 Kentucky Derby preps. The handicapper with the highest total at the end wins.
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SS: Last Week -Managed to gain a narrow advantage over DiDonato without getting a win last weekend… Golden Barows took way more money than expected in the UAE Derby, and while no match for the impressive Kentucky Derby-bound winner, he just missed second after racing a bit too eager in the early stages. Thankfully, finishing third counts as a place wager in Dubai… It wasn't quite how I drew it up, but Stanford ran a huge one at 7-1 to just miss in the Louisiana Derby after setting the early pace while favored Upstart followed suit with a solid runner-up effort after a thrilling stretch run in the Florida Derby… It's been a formful (and quite chalky) Triple Crown trail thus far, and that trend appears more than likely to continue, at least for the time being…
GI Wood Memorial – Was pretty surprised to see Frosted tabbed as the 5-2 second choice when entries were taken, but after further review, there really aren't a lot of directions to go in here. A horse with some solid form over the track that enters off a disappointing winter at Gulfstream. Sound familiar? While he won't be anything near the 9-1 that Wicked Strong was is in the Wood last year, last term's Remsen runner-up looks primed for a bounce-back effort. Any chance he's closer to 7-2? Selection: #4 Frosted (5-2).
GI Blue Grass S. – Carpe Diem, an impressive winner while making his sophomore debut in the Tampa Bay Derby, seems to have everything that you look for in a Kentucky Derby winner and he should make easy work of this field while punching his ticket to Louisville. Wouldn't be surprised to see last October's Claiborne Breeders' Futurity winner take the initiative if they aren't aggressive with Ocho Ocho Ocho. The even-money morning-line seems a bit generous, no?Selection #5 Carpe Diem (1-1).
GI Santa Anita Derby – The presence of Bad Read Sanchez and One Lucky Dane certainly ensures a different type of pace scenario than what we saw in the San Felipe, but in the end, it shouldn't make much of a difference. Dortmund is the best horse in the race (and West Coast 3yo for that matter) and he's tactical enough to win from just about anywhere they place him. Hate selecting another low-priced runner, but I'm tired of picking against this guy, especially after loving him early in his 2-year-old season. Selection: #1 Dortmund (3-5).
Sherack Wagered: $3,000. Current Total: $3,170.
BD: Last Week – My Johnny Be Good never ran a step in the UAE Derby, and I have no idea what to make of winner Mubtaahij. That was an impressive performance, but Dubai to Kentucky in five weeks is a tough task. Keen Ice's run came too late to be fourth in the Louisiana Derby. That International Star has sure gotten some nice trips, eh? Luckily Materiality got the job done nicely in the Florida Derby to avoid a shutout. He's clearly talented, but I wonder if the Derby will prove to be too much, too soon. Now to claw my lead back from Sherack. . .
GI Wood Memorial – Frosted finished up last season with an extremely impressive runner-up finish in the track-and-trip GII Remsen S. in which he covered all the ground, but he hasn't quite lived up to that promise so far in two 2015 starts at Gulfstream. The Sheikh Mohammed homebred finished a distant second to Upstart in the GII Holy Bull S., but settled for fourth behind that ultimately DQ'd rival and subsequent GI Florida Derby runner-up in the GII Fountain of Youth S. last out. Frosted pressed a quick pace in the Fountain of Youth, and likely moved too soon–he blew the race open on the home bend and seemed to be en route to a convincing victory before growing leg weary late. With a better-timed ride, over a surface in which he's 2-1-1-0, the grey looks poised for a big effort. Selection: #4 Frosted (5-2).
GI Blue Grass S. -There doesn't appear to be a ton of speed signed on in this year's renewal of the Blue Grass, so I'll look for Ocho Ocho Ocho to be hard sent from the inside post and try to steal it. He was quick enough to battle through a :21.48 opening quarter in last November's rained-off Juvenile Turf sprint, and was never far from a very quick pace when he narrowly annexed the GIII Delta Downs Jackpot three weeks thereafter. Sandwiched at the start of the GII San Felipe, the dark bay was headstrong into the first turn, and came up empty when the real running began. It would've been nice to see him show more in the lane, but he figures to step forward second off the bench–especially with an advantageous trip. Selection: #1 Ocho Ocho Ocho (6-1).
GI Santa Anita Derby – I've been a big fan of One Lucky Dane since his maiden breaker, and liked him in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile (click here), where he checked in a distant sixth. The bay went missing for the first part of this year, but reemerged with a 9 3/4-length romp in allowance company Mar. 19. That effort was very reminiscent of his graduation score, and there's no reason he can't build on it here. Selection: #2 One Lucky Dane (5-1).
DiDonato Wagered: $3,000. Current Total: $3,040.
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