Horseracing news week of March 3

Trotman

Wire to wire efforst for Monday, March 3

GP race 1
SA races 5, 6

Pyro set to light it up in Louisiana Derby

New Orleans, LA (Sports Network) - Pyro, winner of the Risen Star Stakes, heads a field of nine for Saturday's $600,000 Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds. The 1 1/16 mile race is a major event on the way to the Kentucky Derby.
Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Pyro has career earnings of $696,718 with two wins in five starts. Trained by Steve Asmussen, the three-year-old is the 7-5 morning-line favorite and will start from post three with Shaun Bridgmohan again in the saddle.

Following a win in his initial lifetime start, Pyro was third in an allowance race and then posted two straight second-place finishes in the Champagne Stakes and Breeders' Cup Juvenile. It was War Pass who got the best of Pyro in those two stakes races.

If all goes according to plan Pyro will race in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday, April 12 prior to the Kentucky Derby.

Asmussen's other starter in the Louisiana Derby will be J Be K, who will break from post four with Kent Desormeaux riding. Owned by Zayat Stables, J Be K is undefeated in two career starts and is 12-1 in the program.

Making his 2008 debut is highly regarded Tale of Ekati, who is 7-2 in the morning-line. The colt will be ridden by Edgar Prado from post six.

Tale of Ekati is trained by Barclay Tagg for Charles Fipke. The three-year-old has won two of four starts, including last year's Futurity at Belmont Park. He was fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and second in the Sanford Stakes at Saratoga, and brings a bankroll of $313,200 into Saturday's race.

California Derby winner Yankee Bravo is the third choice at 4-1. Trained by Paddy Gallagher, the colt will start from post eight with Alex Solis riding for the third straight time.

Yankee Bravo came from last in a 12-horse field to win the California Derby at Golden Gate Fields in late January. He is perfect in three career starts for $142,049. The colt is nominated for the Santa Anita Derby on April 5.

Here is the complete field for the Louisiana Derby, which has a post-time of 5:48 p.m. (et): Stevil, Calvin Borel 15-1; My Pal Charlie, Julien Leparoux 20-1; Pyro, Shaun Bridgmohan 7-5; J Be K, Kent Desormeaux 12-1; Unbridled Vicar, Corie Lanerie 20-1; Tale of Ekati, Edgar Prado 7-2; Blackberry Road, Robby Albarado 10-1; Yankee Bravo, Alex Solis 4-1; and Majestic Warrior, Garrett Gomez 9-2.

Trotman

Congratulations to Discreet Cat for his free play on this forum last Saturday at Santa Anita, horse won and paid 4.40

Congratulations to Flyin Late, he amassed a total of 127.40 in the Bodog contest...there was a very good number of players trying...if you have not submitted before be sure to get in on this weeks action...rules are posted on this forum...basically picking 10 horses from Wednesday through Sunday at the major tracks

Trotman

Wednesday, March 5

Wire to wire efforts

AQ races 4, 5 , 9
GP no races went wire to wire

Track openings this week:

Remington park (Quarterhorse meet), Friday, March 7
Hawthorne Park, Friday, March 7

Carryover Pick 6 pools for today, Thursday, March 6

Bay Meadows 81.2K
TB 24.9K
FG 11.5 K
GP 4.1 K
TurfWay 1.7K

KY Derby Second Pool

Eclipse Award winner War Pass is the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the second of three Kentucky Derby Future Wagers. Pyro, winner of the Risen Star Stakes, is the 6-1 second choice in the field of 24.
War Pass, winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in 2007, is coming off a commanding victory in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park and is set to run in the Tampa Bay Derby on Saturday, March 15. The colt was 6-1 at the close of betting in the first Future Pool.

Pyro is the 7-5 favorite for this Saturday's running of the $600,000 Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds. He was second to War Pass in last Year's Juvenile at Monmouth Park and finished at 5-1 in the first Future Wager.

The mutuel field and Fountain of Youth victor Cool Coal Man are co-third choices at 10-1.

Wagering begins Thursday at 12 p.m. (et) and continues through Sunday at 6 p.m. (et).

Here is the complete field for the Future Wager:

Morning Line

1 Blackberry Road 30-1

2 Bob Black Jack 30-1

3 Colonel John 12-1

4 Cool Coal Man 10-1

5 Court Vision 12-1

6 Denis of Cork 15-1

7 El Gato Malo 15-1

8 Elysium Fields 15-1

9 Fierce Wind 20-1

10 Gayego 20-1

11 Georgie Boy 20-1

12 Giant Moon 20-1

13 J Be K 30-1

14 Majestic Warrior 20-1

15 Monba 30-1

16 Nikkisgoldensteed 50-1

17 Pyro 6-1

18 Smooth Air 50-1

19 Tale of Ekati 30-1

20 Visionaire 30-1

21 War Pass 5-1

22 Yankee Bravo 30-1

23 Z Fortune 20-1

24 Mutuel Field (All Others) 10-1

The third and the final pool is scheduled for April 3-6.

Trotman

Thursday March 6, wire to wire efforts

AQ races, 1, 4
GP races 1,3 6, 9
SA no races
TB races, 2,9

Today's Pick 6 carryovers

SA 88.2K
TB 37K
FG 12.9K
GP 8.6K
TW 2.4K

Harness racing feature races this evening

03/07/08 MEADOWLANDS FFA MARE PACE OVERBID 50,000
03/07/08 MEADOWLANDS 3YO C&G PACE MATTS SCOOTER 16,000
03/07/08 WOODBINE 3YO C&G PACE APACHES FAME 17,000
03/07/08 YONKERS 3&4YO F&M PACE PETTICOAT 12,500

Current odds on KY Oaks
Pool Total: $4,677.07

Number Name Trainer Morning Line Current Odds
1 A to the Croft Kenneth McPeek 30 42
2 Absolutely Cindy Ronald Kinmon 30 18
3 Backseat Rhythm Patrick Reynolds 20 99
4 Bsharpsonata Timothy Salzman 15 7
5 Country Star Robert Frankel 6 9
6 Eight Belles J. Jones 15 11
7 Final Fling Jeff Mullins 20 99
8 Game Face Todd Pletcher 20 49
9 Golden Doc A Barry Abrams 10 22
10 Grace and Power Steve Klesaris 30 19
11 Highest Class Neil Howard 20 94
12 Indian Blessing Bob Baffert 4 3
13 Kadira David Vance 50 99
14 Lovely Isle Robert Frankel 15 77
15 My Baby Baby Kenneth McPeek 50 53
16 Proud Spell J. Jones 6 20
17 Pure Clan Robert Holthus 12 12
18 Rated Fiesty Steven Asmussen 15 45
19 Shes All Eltish Martin Wolfson 50 99
20 Sky Mom Steven Asmussen 30 29
21 Tashas Miracle John Sadler 30 23
22 Tizaqueena Michael Stidham 50 99
23 Vaulcluse Thomas Albertrani 50 99
24 All Other Three Ye Bob Baffert 15 9/2

Trotman

Friday March 7 wire to wire results:

AQ races 1, 3, 8
GP races 2, 3, 7, 9, 10
SA race 2
TB races 1, 2, 7, 9

Pick 6 carryovers for today:

Aqueduct Pick 6 $45,139.00
Gulfstream Park Pick 6 $16,751.00
Fair Grounds Pick 6 $16,353.00
Oaklawn Park Classix $3,416.00
Laurel Park Pick 6 $1,047.00

Deep Field Looks To Douse Pyro In Louisiana Derby

While the consensus seems to be that the Louisiana Derby is Pyro's race to win or lose, the resumes of a number of the contenders in the nine horse field draw a different conclusion. Certainly his performance in winning the recent Grade III Risen Star Stakes, the local prep for the Grade II Louisiana Derby, left little doubt as to the physical talent and determination of the Grade I Champagne and Grade I BC Juvenile runner-up. But in that race the Steve Asmussen trainee faced a much less formidable cast than he will face on Saturday when no fewer than six rivals with Graded Stakes experience face the starter.

In fact, not only will the Louisiana Derby gives us an idea as to the status of legitimate contenders such as J Be K, Unbridled Vicar, Tale Of Ekati, Blackberry Road, Yankee Bravo and Majestic Warrior as well as Pyro, but the cast will also give us the opportunity to cash decent payoffs regardless of the order of finish. So let's take a look at the field from the rail out.

Stevil - Although the son of Maria's Mon has faced some pretty good competition and been on the board twice in recent attempts to hurdle the first allowance level, the colt has yet to impact any of those races. Trainer Nick Zito has always been a tough one to get a handle on when it comes to his training methods and where he runs his horses, but there is no arguing with success. My working assumption is that Zito will make few demands of a colt like War Pass, who is undefeated and untested and who ran in an allowance race in his 2008 debut, because the conditioner knows what that one can do and is confident the colt doesn't need to sharpen himself banging heads with tough comp. On the other hand, a colt like Stevil has not proven himself, so Zito tries to elevate the game by forcing him to learn how to compete with the best. Unfortunately, that doesn't help in a race such as Saturday's when even marked improvement might not bring him more than a mid-pack finish. He's lost ground in the stretch going a mile in his last two and steps into graded company for the first time while facing six opponents who have run in stakes races, with five of those either stakes or graded stakes winners or placed.

My Pal Charlie - Steps up following back-to-back wins over the surface. However, his two-back triumph came in his fourth try against winless foes and he had to drop to 50K maiden claimers to get it accomplished. He did improve when he repeated in his first try in the allowance ranks, but given the soft fractions early in that mile event, one has to wonder if he'll be in striking distance against these. The Albert Stall trained son of Indian Charlie has had a couple of maintenance breezes since the February 14 allowance win and is familiar with the surface, but on paper it looks as though he'll have a difficult time being there at the finish if he's asked to press the pace that figures to come from J Be K, and Tale Of Ekati, each of whom appears a bit faster and classier.

Pyro - Speaking of the recent Grade III Risen Star winner and Grade I Champagne and Grade I BC Juvenile runner-up, trainer Steve Asmussen was quoted as saying, "We have an extremely talented individual in Pyro without the maturity of horses like Curlin or Zanjero have exhibited through their experiences." He means he doesn't know how Pyro is as good as he is given how erratic and unconventional he is on the race track, but at this point he's going to keep tightening the cinch. Nonetheless, getting back to Pyro...the son of Pulpit appeared well beaten in the Risen Star. As the field straightened for home the Winchell Thoroughbreds homebred was well back and in between horses. The fractions had been slow and the colt hadn't shown any inkling that he was going to get involved. But seemingly before the cameras could find him Sean Bridgmohan steered the colt outside the pack and he ran by them as though they were left over stick figures from "Blazing Saddles." What was most impressive about this guy as a two-year old was that despite his penchant for falling behind early, he did so in what both BRIS and Beyer numbers reveal as the quickest 2007 baby preps. So as erratic as the Risen Star might have appeared there are two things not to be concerned about. First, the layoff in no way took the edge off his desire to win and second, the colt has the kind of speed that allows him to run even fractions and conserve energy...something that should serve him well the longer the distances become. As for Saturday, Asmussen, who at this point plans on taking the colt to Kentucky to train over the artificial dirt surface at Keeneland and run in the Bluegrass Stakes as the final prep, just wants to see increased maturity and additional fitness. The only downside is that he will probably be close to his 7-5 ML if not less, so value will have to come from the exotics if you put him on top.

J Be K - And the well-to-do get "weller-to-do" as Asmussen also sends out this promising speedster from Zayat Stables. Although he has only had two career starts, and has yet to go two turns, the son of Silver Deputy has made it clear he has a terrific upside. He broke his maiden in track record time at Saratoga (1:03 for 5 ½ furlongs) and after being sidelined for five and a half months beat entry level allowance foes when ridden out in hand to win a 6 furlong dash (1:10 flat) on February 15. Although his breeding suggests he'll have to prove it beyond the middle distance, he has shown in his morning drills both on the west coast and here at Fair Grounds that he should be able to carry good speed over a mile and a sixteenth. Three of his last four works have been at 6 furlongs, including a pair of bullets and after breezing 1:13 3/5 here on February 24 he returned to breeze 5 furlongs in 1:01 on Sunday and was back on the track for a short "air-cleaner" on Wednesday. Regardless of how much intention Asmussen might have in attempting to find out of this guy can get a distance by asking jockey Kent Desormeaux to rate him, he would have to be considered the speed of the speed. So in a way he becomes either a serious wire-to-wire candidate or a rabbit for his stable mate, or both. Even with Pyro and most likely Tale Of Ekati taking the lion's share of the public lucre it is doubtful we'll get 12-1 (the ML) on this guy. In any case he has to be on the list.

Unbridled Vicar - He's from a low percentage trainer and is 20-1 on the morning line. In addition he was 47-1 when he checked in fourth behind Pyro in the Risen Star. But that was the only time in his seven race career he has failed to hit the board and though still eligible for non-winners of one other than, the son of Vicar has made up ground in every one of starts and was only beaten a length and a quarter total by Z Fortune and Visionaire (running in Saturday's Gotham at Aqueduct - see preview below) in that Grade III battle. Would it be that much of a stretch to include him on the back end of the trifecta or superfecta? Just go back two races and he dropped a head decision here to Southwest Stakes winner Denis Of Cork despite being three wide on both turns. More argument for the gelding is the fact that he has improved his BRIS speed number from one race to the other in all seven tries. If he improves yet again and there is enough of a pace upfront he could be the one that tips the scales in the exotics. Not easy to toss.

Tale Of Ekati - Set to make his 2008 debut, the well-regarded Barclay Tagg trainee was making strides when like so many others that day ran into those horrible conditions at Monmouth on Breeders' Cup day. Tagg backed off following that late October failure and the son of Tale Of The Cat returned to training in early January. His last four trials have all been bullets so there is little question as to his fitness. Given the work pattern it is likely we will see the strong move he unleashed in last year's Grade II Futurity rather than the wide trip in the BC Juvenile which yielded nothing but lost ground over the sloppy oval. It should also be pointed out that Tagg has worked this guy twice at five furlongs in preparation, and although both were bullets, in neither case was Tale Of Ekati allowed to get away in the type of :45 1/5 escape that might have compromised his BC Juvenile chances when that happened shortly before the race. Jockey Edgar Prado takes over for Eibar Coa, and if the late ship date from Florida (he will not have worked over the surface) doesn't compromise him, he could be a serious threat to the favorite.

Blackberry Road - Another late closer from the Risen Star, the son of Gone West ran into traffic in the stretch and checked in right behind Unbridled Vicar. The David Carroll trainee has shown flashes of ability during a six race graded stakes run. Prior to the Risen Star he rallied from seventh to secure the place spot behind Z Fortune in the one mile Grade III Lecomte Stakes here and he closed out his juvenile campaign by making up 10 lengths from second call home to finish second in the Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club at CD. About the only thing the colt hasn't done to this point is shown an ability to win. He is still eligible for entry level allowance rewards. On a positive note, if owners Dogwood Stables and Carroll do have fanciful aspirations that the colt will move forward they can at least comfort themselves in the knowledge that their charge is bred beautifully for 10 furlongs...sire Gone West is by Mr. Prospector and the dam, Strawberry Reason is by Strawberry Road. The colt is also very fond of conventional dirt. He has raced well all four times he has traveled over the Churchill Downs surface and in fact his two slowest races came on artificial tracks...at Arlington and Turfway. With a good trip he also has the credentials to grab a piece, thereby adding to the deepness and contention of the field even should the favorite prevail.

Yankee Bravo - Undefeated in three lifetime starts, his maiden breaker in Great Britain and two this year on the west coast, the son of Yankee Gentleman will look to once again carry his off-the-pace kick to the winner's circle. Trainer Patrick Gallagher successfully transferred the colt from the turf, where he ran his first two, to the artificial dirt surface at Golden Gate in his most recent where he copped the 150K California Derby at a mile and a sixteenth on January 27. Yankee Bravo has continued to work well at Hollywood Park since that race with the last three drills going at 6 furlongs, including a 1:13 flat last Saturday. However, the colt has to overcome two significant obstacles in this race. First, he will have to improve his speed numbers considerably to move into the upper half of the field and will also have to prove he can handle the surface as he has never raced or worked on anything but turf and artificial dirt. If he can hurdle the two he is another with an outside chance. Jockey Alex Solis, who has been aboard for the two California races makes the trip.

Majestic Warrior - Even more intrigue and depth as Bill Mott saddles the Grade I Hopeful winner for his 2008 debut. The son of A. p. Indy won his debut in smart fashion at Saratoga when he stalked the pace at 6 ½ furlongs and easily drew clear when asked. A month later he kicked in with a :35 4/5 final three panels to blow by a pair of well-regarded rivals, Ready's Image (who had already won a stakes race) and auction buster Maimonides, in the Hopeful. Five weeks later it all fell apart in the Grade I Champagne at Belmont as now consensus pre-Derby favorite War Pass took over right from the start and this guy never fired, retreating to finish sixth, beaten 14 lengths. He ran like a horse with something wrong and indeed he only worked once more for Mott following that early October test and didn't return to training until he began his comeback on January 19th with the first of seven works at Payson Park. He has been well in hand during the preparation, working every seven or eight days and running on the sixth. Another with the need of a race, but Mott is as good as they come with this sort of layoff and he will be ridden by Garrett Gomez who was aboard for both tries before the layoff. He probably is best used in a supporting role in the exotics as Mott gets him ready for the Derby. One thing is for sure, he has the bloodlines that point towards classic distances (out of the Seeking The Gold mare Dream Supreme, herself a stakes winner) and if he is over his ailments could be a serious player down the road.