TDN's Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato will make $50 Win/Place bets on each Kentucky Derby prep and Triple Crown race. The handicapper with the highest bankroll after the Belmont Stakes wins. Scratches will result in the post time favorite.
Last Week – Knew I was in major trouble when Economic Model was already under a ride before hitting the half-mile marker in the Tampa Bay Derby en route to a last-place finish… Exaggerator, meanwhile, received a pretty questionable trip in the San Felipe–was way too far behind early and turned in a very powerful middle-move–and just got tagged late for second. Can certainly see myself landing on him again in the future. Total: $337.50.
GII Rebel S. – I can't imagine him going off at his morning-line quote–half that number would be fine–but Cherry Wine (Paddy O'Prado) should still offer more than enough value in this big field. The gray couldn't have been any more visually impressive in a pair of breakout wins–9 1/4-length maiden tally in CD slop Nov. 28 and a 'TDN Rising Star' performance while clearing his N1X condition at GP Jan. 9 over a next-out winner. Being forced to sit out last month's FOY with a slight fever and a puzzling performance by his stablemate Brody's Cause at Tampa are obvious concerns, but not enough for me to stay away. Selection: #11 Cherry Wine (12-1).
Last Week – Making just his third lifetime start and first around two turns, Outwork ran a bang-up second behind stablemate Destin. His connections told me at OBS that they hadn't decided what they'll do with him next, but I'm curious to see what they decide… Smokey Image's step up into the big leagues didn't go so well. He was hung wide throughout, but never made any kind of run. Total: $732.50.
GII Rebel S. – I almost took Cupid (Tapit) in last week's GII San Felipe S., and like him even better in this spot. For whatever reason, Bob Baffert is just borderline unbeatable when he ships to Oaklawn for a 3-year-old graded stake. He's won five of the last six runnings of this race, and two of the last four Arkansas Derbies. American Pharoah won both last year. Cupid, a $900,000 KEESEP pick-up and half to two graded winners and another listed stakes winner, really seemed to relish more ground when breaking his maiden by 5 1/4 lengths on the stretch out at Santa Anita last time Feb. 7. He covered his final five sixteenths in more than a second faster than the runner-up according to Trakus data, and figures to get even more pace this time. He won't be a giant price, but he seems to have the most upside in this spot. Selection: #4 Cupid (7-2)
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
