Horse Racing archive

New Lexington Mayor Jim Gray said Kentucky horse farms need revenue from gambling to survive and he will support legislation to allow for expanded gambling in the state.

Gray spoke with The Herald-Leader on Wednesday after he was sworn in on Sunday, saying the issue of gambling to the Bluegrass horse farms was critical.
Gray plans to host legislators at his home next month to urge them to consider the gambling issue again.

Kentucky lawmakers have spent three years debating over gambling and House speaker Greg Stumbo told reporters this week that proposals to legalize slots at horse tracks or to allow casinos won’t get a hearing because they have no chance of passing this year.

But Gray said he doesn’t think it is too late for slots in Kentucky.

With Bodog’s win/win wager, betting on horse racing has never been easier. All you have to do is bet on the Race of the Week; if that wager is a loss Bodog will refund up to $20 in Bodog Casino chips. There are only two weeks left:

January 15th @ Santa Anita Park – San Fernando Stakes
January 22nd @ Santa Anita Park – Palos Verdes Stakes

The San Fernando Stakes is a Grade II race taking place this Saturday at Santa Anita, covering 1 1/16 miles of synthetic dirt track and featuring a $150,000 purse. The following week, you can expect the next round of racing to take place during the Palos Verdes Stakes on January 22nd, covering 6 furlongs with an equal purse of $150,000.

Be sure to head over to the Bodog Racebook on Wednesday to find out the specific race number of each Graded stakes event featured as the Bodog Race of the Week .

Get all your online horse betting at Bodog today.

The great race mare ZENYATTA was formally named 2010 Horse of the Year in Miami Beach Monday night, Jan 17.

The prestigious announcement concluded a suspenseful vote conducted in December amongst credentialed members of the racing press and racetrack officials.

The final tally gave Zenyatta a 128 to 102 margin over 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner BLAME, the only horse who ever beat Zenyatta on the racetrack.

Zenyatta earned substantial approval from members of the National Turf Writers and track officials, while Blame had the most support from Daily Racing Form correspondents and handicappers.

As previously stated, I cast my vote for Zenyatta as commanded by the overwhelming fan poll I conducted here and at my web site, but, I would have voted for Zenyatta without any prescribed push.

The Horse of the Year Award put an exclamation point on one of the greatest careers in American racing history—given Zenyatta’s 19 straight victories and close second place finish in her final career start to Blame in the dramatic BC Classic at Churchill Downs, Nov. 6, 2010.

Zenyatta gained significant support through her impressive rally that came after a terrible start. On one hand, she proved to many that she was not a synthetic track specialist and on the other she was seen by many as an equal to Blame, who was narrowly beating her on his home racetrack.

The performance was more than a moral victory; it solidified Zenyatta’s widespread popularity and affirmed her importance as the most charismatic horse of 2010, if not the decade.

Owners Jerry Moss and his wife Ann; trainer John Shirreffs, and regular jockey Mike Smith were all present at the Fountainbleu Hotel in Miami Beach for the Awards ceremony, and their sentiments were summed up best by the Moss’ combined comments.

Said Jerry Moss: “It’s an overwhelming thrill and a testament to Zenyatta’s great appeal for so many great performances in a fantastic career.”

Said his wife: “We felt blessed to have this horse, blessed that she stayed sound under such good handling (by Shirreffs) and blessed by so many outstanding rides (by Smith, who took over for David Flores after the mare’s first three wins.)”

“We also know that Blame is a very good horse who could have been voted this award,” Mrs. Moss added. “GOLDIKOVA, (the other Horse of the Year finalist and three time BC Mile winner), had great credentials too.”

In addition to her Horse of the Year trophy, Zenyatta was voted top older filly or mare; Blame, the top older male and Goldikova the top female turf horse, which set the tone for most of the other Eclipse Awards:

LOOKIN AT LUCKY, the 2-year-old champ of 2009 and 2010 Preakness winner, was voted top 3-year-old, the first horse since SPECTACULAR BID in 1978-1979 to win those two consecutive awards.

GIO PONTI was voted top male turf horse for the second straight year, just as Goldikova won her second straight female turf horse award.

BC Juvenile winner UNCLE MO was voted top juvenile male; undefeated AWESOME FEATHER, the top 2-year-old filly; BLIND LUCK, top 3-year-old filly.

BIG DRAMA, the BC Sprint winner was voted the nation’s top sprinter; while SLIP AWAY was voted top steeplechase performer.

Todd Pletcher, who won his first Kentucky Derby this year with SUPER SAVER and also won the two BC races for juvenile turf horses, won his fifth Eclipse Award as top trainer, tying the late Bobby Frankel for the most training championships since the Eclipse Awards were born in 1971.

Ramon Dominguez won his first Eclipse as the nation’s top rider and Canadian based Omar Moreno was voted the top apprentice jockey.

Win Star Farm who campaigned Super Saver and Belmont Stakes winner DROSSELMEYER, won the Eclipse as top owner and Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs Farm, the top breeder.

When all is said about all that occurred in 2010; when we look back from future years at this mare’s terrific performances as well as her amazing grip on the general public, there is no doubt that this will be remembered as the “Year of Zenyatta.” That fact alone was reason for her to have earned such support for the most significant trophy in racing.

Added Notes: Here are some of the most significant winners of stakes this past weekend. . . Bob Baffert’s ALWAYS A PRINCESS took advantage of the speed favoring nature of the SA racing surface to defeat BLIND LUCK in the $150,000 El Encino on Sunday; Baffert also had the 1-2 finishers in the $150,000 San Fernando on Saturday, as INDIAN FIREWATER narrowly edged TWEEBSTER, while pre-race favorite SIDNEY’S CANDY was scratched Friday night due to an unspecified physical problem. . .Veteran SQUARE EDDIE returned from a lengthy layoff to set another track record at Santa Anita, winning a 6-1/2 furlong allowance race in 1:13.11 on Friday over the fastest racing strip in the western world.

At Gulfstream, Big Drama also was lightning fast, winning the 6 furlong Mr. Prospector stakes in the track record time of 1:08.12 over CUSTOM FOR CARLOS and at Tampa Bay Downs, the newly turned 3 year old MANICERO won the 7 furlong PASCO for his fifth straight and third consecutive sprint stakes. Next stop the $225,000 Sam F. Davis on Feb. 12 in which Manicero may be pitched against Juvenile Champion UNCLE MO!

Get all your online horse betting at Bodog today.

Without much fanfare, the 2011 Triple Crown chase had its unofficial-official start on Saturday.

The starting gate was located at the Fair Grounds Racetrack in New Orleans as that historic track presented the Grade-3 Lecomte Stakes, a 1-mile and 40-yard race designed to feed contenders to the 1-1/16 mile, $300,000 Risen Star stakes Feb. 19 and the 1-1/8 mile, $1 million Louisiana Derby, March 26.

The Lecomte winner, WILKINSON, a Neil Howard trained son of 1995 Belmont-Travers stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid, put in a game performance coming back for the victory under jockey Garrett Gomez, after second choice PANTS ON FIRE took a narrow lead in mid stretch. Fact is, it appeared that the race at the 1/16 pole when Wilkinson’s superior stamina-breeding and expert conditioning helped him to dig in along the rail for a desperate last bid in the shadow of the wire.

While Wilkinson’s victory is only one small step on the long winding road to Louisville on the first Saturday in May, trainer Howard knows the road map. A solid horseman for more than 30 years, Howard won the 1990 Preakness with Summer Squall two weeks after that talented 3-year-old finished second to Unbridled in the Kentucky Derby.

“(Wilkinson) has got a lot of talent and appears to have turned the corner in his development,” Howard said. “Now, we have a lot of options.”

Howard indicated that Wilkinson may not go with Risen Star, as he has another promising 3-year-old already pointing for that $300,000 race. “I just might take Wilkinson directly to the Louisiana Derby,” he said. Howard also might ship the Lecomte winner to Arkansas for the Rebel stakes at Oaklawn in March followed by the Arkansas Derby in April.

The road to Churchill Downs actually can begin almost anywhere and in the modern era, a well prepared Derby horse rarely is kept close to home for all the prep races.

For instance, next weekend at Gulfstream Park, BOYS AT TOSCANOVA, a Grade-1 winning 2-year-old who was second to 2010 Juvenile Champ UNCLE MO in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, is scheduled to start in the $400,000 G-2 Holy Bull Stakes at the one-mile on Sunday, Jan 30, followed by a possible start in the $1 million, 1-1/8 mile Florida Derby at the same track on Apr. 3.

Trainer Rick Dutrow has also said he may go from the Holy Bull to the $750,000 G-1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on Apr. 9, where Uncle Mo is expected to go to the $750,000 G-1 Blue Grass stakes on April 16 at Keeneland.

“Nothing is cast in stone,” Dutrow said. “All I really know is I have a very good horse who should be pointed to the Kentucky Derby and it’s my job to get him there.”

As previously hinted, trainer Todd Pletcher is planning to go to the Derby via Wood, but first he is likely to run in the $225,000 Grade-3 Sam F. Davis stakes at Tampa Bay Downs next Saturday.

If Pletcher keeps to that publicly announced schedule, Uncle Mo will have only two prep races for the 1-1/4 mile, $2 million Kentucky Derby on May 7, a light regimen but one that has become exceedingly popular in recent seasons.

In California, there are many available options, all of which are intended to produce contenders for the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 9. The first of these important California based Derby preps will be at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 12—the $250,000, Grade-2 Robert B. Lewis stakes.

Then of course, there is the $350,000 Grade-2 Tampa Bay Derby on Feb. 26; the $500,000 Spiral Stakes (now sponsored by Vinery stud) at Turfway Park on Mar. 26; the $800,000 Grade-3 Sunland Derby on Mar. 27; the $500,000 G-3 Illinois Derby at Hawthorne on Apr. 9 and the aforementioned Blue Grass stakes at Keeneland.

If you own a 3-year-old Thoroughbred and want to find out if it really is a legit Derby prospect, you will have many choices during the next 3-1/2 months. Likewise, if you are a horseplayer who wants to make a Derby Future Book Wager, Bodog is going to have that betting option posted for you very soon. My website is also offering a fun Fantasy Contest to pick the potential starters in this year’s Derby, so make sure to check it out.

Right now it is freezing in many parts of America, but don’t be surprised if you suddenly catch Derby Fever. For one thing it means that spring is not that far away.

The Road to the Triple Crown Begins! Get all your online horse betting at Bodog Sportsbook today.

On Sunshine Millions Day on Saturday at Santa Anita and here at Gulfstream, the sky was clear, the tracks were fast and the sun indeed was shining as both tracks put on their annual mixture of six stakes for Florida and California breds. This contrasted sharply against the way most Americans were preparing for more bitter cold and fluffy white stuff.

To be sure, all six Sunshine Millions stakes produced interesting results and a host of good performances, but no horse at either track made a stronger impression than the lightly raced DIALED IN did on Sunday, as he launched an electrifying last to first triumph in Gulfstream’s $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes.

For the first half mile in the one-mile Holy Bull, the Nick Zito-trained DIALED IN looked the part of MINE THAT BIRD and ZENYATTA—nonchalantly racing well back of his eight rivals. Then DIALED IN got dialed in, for real—accelerating smoothly while moving towards the inside to save ground around the far turn into the stretch. Once in his best gear, jockey Julien Leparoux, found a path to the far outside and DIALED IN picked off the opposition one by one, finally surging past longshot SWEET DUCKY, MUCHO MACHO MAN and GOURMET DINNER as if he could give Zito a real chance in this year’s Kentucky Derby.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves because Zito actually took quite a chance running the son of Mineshaft in the Holy Bull. After all, the colt had only raced once—winning a maiden sprint at Churchill Downs on Nov. 12— and had originally been entered in an allowance race at Gulfstream last week. Zito scratched him when heavy rains left the track in sloppy condition.

“I needed to get him started,” Zito said. “And the Holy Bull was a big purse with horses I thought he was ready to compete against.”

True enough. The Holy Bull field was not loaded with high profile Derby types, but every other horse in the field had at least won or run second in a stakes, so this was a clear step up in class, a race that could have exposed DIALED IN as just another young horse forced to mature too quickly while chasing Derby rainbows.

Now, with $240,000 of Graded stakes earnings in the bank, Zito knows that Dialed In does not have to earn another dime to make it into the Derby starting gate. So, Zito will be able to choose the colt’s next prep races from a long list of options, including perhaps the $1 million Florida Derby at nine furlongs around two turns on April 6.

As for the Sunshine Millions races, here is a brief recap of each:

At Gulfstream:

* $200,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint:
AEGEAN rallied strongly from fifth to win by a nose over JESSICA IS BACK, in 1:09.61.

The pre-race 6-5 betting favorite, AMEN HALLELUJAH failed to make an impression finishing fifth in her first race since running second in the G-1 Acorn stakes at Belmont Park eight months ago.

* $300,000 Sunshine Million Filly and Mare Turf at 1-1/8 miles, was run on a grass course listed as firm, but playing a full second slower than normal.

TRIP FOR A J raced close to the leaders through 7 furlongs and got the needed jump on the fast closing ASK BUT I WON’T TELL who could not quite get there. SCOLARA was among many who rallied right behind the top pair for third. The race was clocked in 1:49.49.

* $500,000 Sunshine Millions Classic, 1-1/8 miles.
TACKLEBERRY, a consistent front running type who had never competed against top company, took the lead from the start at 27-1 and never was seriously threatened, defeating DUKE OF MISCHIEF by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:48.52.

DREAM MAESTRO, third at 55-1, was a nose ahead of odds-on favorite FIRST DUDE, who raced in fourth position without much spark the entire trip.

At Santa Anita Park:

* $200,000 Sunshine Millions Sprint:
AMAZOMBIE was within 2-1/2 lengths of the lead through the first half, clocked in an amazing 42.72 and was the strongest to the wire, beating APRIORITY by a head in 1:07.28—barely .30 off the recently set track record over the newly installed, incredibly glib dirt racing strip that is producing absurd clockings every day.

COST OF FREEDOM, a former track record holder at Santa Anita, finished third, only two head bobs away from the winners circle.

* $300,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff:
The accomplished EVENING JEWEL, who went to the post at a fair and square $2.20-1, despite having earned $1 million against the top fillies in America, rallied from deep in the pack to score by 1 /2 lengths over AMAZING in 1:42.25, with ULTRA BLEND a good third.

* $300,000 Sunshine Millions Turf at 1-1/8 miles on a firm course.
CARACORTADO, a familiar and talented Cal bred who competed against Sidney’s Candy and Lookin’ At Lucky last year, out-finished the solid older turf horse, THE USUAL Q. T. in 1:46.75.

Added Note: Later this week, I will preview the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream and the Strub at Santa Anita, both are 1-1/8 mile stakes for older horses.

The Road to the Triple Crown Begins! Get all your online horse betting at Bodog today.

The spotlight will be on 4-year olds and up at Santa Anita and Gulfstream this weekend, as the $500,000 Donn Handicap will be run at Gulfstream on Saturday; while the $200,000 Strub will be at Santa Anita on the same day, along with the $150,000 San Antonio at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Out west, once-beaten TWIRLING CANDY will be the heavy betting favorite to take down the 1-1/8 mile Strub, which is restricted to 4-year-olds. Last time out, in the 7-furlong Malibu on opening day, Dec. 26, Twirling Candy merely broke Spectacular Bid’s 30-year old track record. To date, Twirling Candy’s only poor effort was in the nine-furlong Goodwood when he faced older horses for the first time. This time, with that fast race under his girth, Twirling Candy also will be facing weaker rivals than he met on the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park in the Goodwood.

Back east, trainer Nick Zito will have a pair of high-profile contenders—FLY DOWN and MORNING LINE–in the nine furlong Donn, a Grade-1 race for 4-year-olds and up.

The 4-year-old Fly Down–is the marquee horse and the one to beat, given that he finished close in top level stakes last year at 1 1/4 miles, including a third place finish to Blame and Zenyatta in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. But, it also is true that Fly Down has not won since taking the 1-1/8 mile Dwyer stakes at Belmont nine months ago.

The other half of the Zito stable entry is MORNING LINE, who finished a very close second to DAKOTA PHONE in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile last fall.

Beyond the crowd’s general tendency to overbet Zito-trained horses, his pair of proven Graded stakes performers will have to deal with at least two others in the Donn lineup: SQUARE EDDIE and RULE.

Square Eddie, stabled out west, loved the new dirt racing surface at Santa Anita, setting a new track record for 6-1/2 furlongs on the exceedingly glib track. With that race on dirt as a springboard, trainer Doug O‘Neill shipped him to Florida where he deserves a close look as a potential front-running winner.

The same can be said about Rule, a serious factor in early 2010 prep races for the Kentucky Derby. Returning to competition at Gulfstream in January, Rule made a positive impression with a newly developed stalk-n-go-running style.

Will Fly Down launch a winning rally from far back in the pack? That is the key handicapping question players will have to answer on Saturday.

From what I saw firsthand at Gulfstream on Sunshine Millions Day and Sunday, Jan 30, the track played nicely to horses who could fire a timely wide rally into a realistic or pressured pace. Fly Down will need that kind of pace, but some caution is advised here:

Fly Down will be making his first start back since the BC, a losing prescription for several heavily backed favorites at Gulfstream last weekend. All of them seemed to lack thorough conditioning while failing to reproduce their excellent 2010 form in their first outings of the year.

No real surprise. In fact, recent racing usually is a big edge in tough stakes company, especially at this time of the year.

In the Strub out west, Twirling Candy might face competition for the lead from the Bob Baffert trained Indian Firewater, who scored a narrow wire to wire victory over his stablemate Tweebster in the 1 1/16 mile San Fernando Stakes on Jan 15.

But realistically, Twirling Candy looks to have the Strub field at his mercy at relatively short odds. Not only did he get the benefit of the race over the track, but his 7-furlong workout in 1:25 on Sunday Jan 30, was deemed strong enough by my website’s clocker Bruno DeJulio, to set him up for his best.

As for the 1 1/16 mile San Antonio at Santa Anita on Sunday, the most likely contenders are AGGIE ENGINEER, SPURRIER and QUINDICI MAN, who finished 1-2-3 in a modest renewal of the San Pasqual on Jan. 8. That notwithstanding, GLADDING, a newcomer to stakes racing, deserves a chance to step up a notch in class off a winning allowance race over the track Dec. 29. Gladding also caught the DeJulio’s eye in his latest workouts.

Beyond the three stakes on dirt for older horses, there are stakes on the turf at both tracks and stakes for 3-year-old fillies as well. But all that aside, I like Pittsburgh to win the Super Bowl. They did after all beat my Jets Jets,Jets!. . .(Wait ‘till next year)

The Road to the Triple Crown Begins! Get all your online horse betting at Bodog today.

In an effort to create a “Super Horse”, Rachel Alexandra and Curlin were bred on Monday at the Lane’s End Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. The two stars of the racing world were brought together by their owners, one being Jess Jackson who is the founder of Kenkall-Jackson Wines.

The combination is quite powerful so it will be interesting to see the outcome of the union, with Alexandra being the 2009 Horse of the Year and Curlin being the top-earner in North America accumulating over $10.5 million in winnings throughout his career.

“Rachel Alexandra and Curlin are true champions; both horses embody that intangible equine ideal that separate mere horse from legend. Both Jess and I are so pleased that these powerful bloodlines will pass to future generations,” said fellow owner Barbara Banke from Stonestreet Throroughbred Holdings.

Alexandra, who retired after an undefeated season in 2009, is now leading a more relaxed life and is now being used for charitable events including cancer research and other fundraising events.

According to Jackson, “We have been anticipating this introduction for quite some time now. Imagine what the possibilities those two super horses might produce.”

Curlin, who retired back in 2008 has been a prime mate for many other mares, having fathered 131 of them during 2009.

The Road to the Triple Crown Begins! Get all your online horse betting at Bodog Sportsbook today.

After watching and betting several major stakes this past weekend, I believe I saw at least one very serious Kentucky Derby contender and a few others who moved up a bit in my personal rankings.

The horse who impressed me the most did not even win the race he was in. He did finish second though in his first start of the year and I believe he will benefit a great deal from the effort and improve several lengths when he is given a chance to run in a race around two turns at a distance of ground.

The horse I am talking about is the little known, virtually unheralded SWAY AWAY who last was seen chasing J P’S GUSTO home in the 6-1/2 furlong Best Pal stakes at Del Mar, August 8.

On Sunday afternoon at Santa Anita Park, a track that has played strongly to horses with sharp early speed, Sway Away had very little chance to catch incredibly fast THE FACTOR, as the latter won the 7 furlong San Vicente stakes virtually wire to wire in fast clockings from flag fall to finish.

Yet, Sway Away rallied so strongly during the final furlongs in a most eye-catching manner down the center of the slightly wet, sealed dirt racing strip, he left me believing he is headed for much bigger and better things. After all, Sway Away is a son of Afleet Alex, winner of the 2005 Preakness and Belmont Stakes, while his dam Seattle Shimmer, is a daughter of the great Seattle Slew, one of the best horses of the 20th Century, winner of the 1977 Triple Crown.

While trainer Jeff Bonde has little experience on the Triple Crown chase, I can attest to his inherent ability to train any horse, having watched his work up close while I covered northern California racing for the Oakland Tribune and The Racing Times in the early 1990’s.

As for The Factor, who followed up his Dec. 26 track record breaking performance at 6 furlongs, with another demonstration of his high class speed, it is difficult to imagine him carrying that speed longer than one mile. Moreover, his bloodlines suggest natural born kinship for sprints and one turn races up to a mile. Still, his Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert is likely to give The Factor at least one chance to outperform the limitations of his pedigree.

While the San Vicente took place on Sunday, the key Derby prep race on Saturday was at the Fair Grounds in the Risen Star at 1-1/16 miles. This prelude to the $1 million Louisiana Derby next month, was convincingly won by MUCHO MACHO MAN, who proved once and for all that he much prefers racing beyond a mile around two turns.

Mucho Macho Man came into the $300,000 Risen Star with two seconds and a fourth in three Graded stakes. But a close examination of his past performances suggested that his record would have been a lot better if some of those races were two turn affairs.

Fact is, Mucho Macho Man’s only previous victory was in a two turn, 1 mile-70 yard maiden race at Monmouth Park, Sept. 19, 2010. That came after a pair of fair performances in one-turn sprints at Calder and Saratoga. Moreover, after he lost some ground chasing highly ranked To Honor and Serve in the G 2 Nashua at one mile around one turn at Aqueduct on Nov. 7, ‘Macho Man’ looked much better chasing that same rival home in the Remsen, a two-turn nine-furlong race on the same racing surface, Nov. 27!

Back in the Holy Bull, a one turn mile race at Gulfstream Jan 30, ‘Macho Man’ settled for fourth while losing ground in the homestretch. So, it was upon that background that he confirmed his strong preference for two turn route racing on Saturday in the Risen Star.

Racing without blinkers, Mucho Macho Man relaxed off a solid pace for 6-1/2 furlongs before taking a short lead entering the top of the stretch, edging away to a 1 1/2 length victory over G2 winner SANTIVA. The clocking was good, the finishing split was good and it was Mucho Macho Man’s best race to date.

Santiva’s good effort in his first outing of the year also deserves a positive review, while the lightly raced, highly touted MACHEN finished a flat fourth and may need more time to develop.

Rogue Romance, a distant, non threatening third to undefeated Juvenile Champion Uncle Mo in the BC Juvenile at Churchill last fall, turned in a credible effort while finishing third in the Risen Star. But, realistically his previous best outing was a win in a Graded stakes on turf and it is grass racing where he will flourish as we move along.

On Monday, in the one mile Southwest stakes at Oaklawn Park, J P’s GUSTO did run well while overcoming traffic problems to finish second to longshot ARCHARCHARCH in his first outing of the year. At the bottom line, it was a good starting point for both horses, yet much improvement will be needed by each horse to be taken seriously in longer stakes against stronger competition.

ADDED NOTES: Hall of Fame trainer Billy Mott will unveil TO HONOR AND SERVE in the $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream Park next Saturday. Well traveled Delta Jackpot winner GOURMET DINNER and Soldat are expected to compete as well. Also, trainer Todd Pletcher says he is likely to start 2010 Juvenile Champion UNCLE MO in a newly created $100,000 overnight stakes at one mile at Gulfstream, Mar. 12, or the $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby at 1-1/16 miles around two turns the same day.

The Road to the Triple Crown Begins! Get all your online horse betting at Bodog Sportsbook today.

Some important horses will be in action Saturday at Gulfstream Park, including 24 horses nominated to the 2011 Triple Crown chase.

The marquee horse amongst the two dozen who will be seen in four races on a strong 11 race card at Gulfstream, is of course TO HONOR AND SERVE, the winner of two Grade-2 stakes at Aqueduct last fall, most notably the 1-1/8 mile Remsen, Nov. 27.

Trained and managed patiently by Hall of Famer Billy Mott, To Honor and Serve will be making his 2011 debut in the 1-1/8 mile, Grade-2 $400,000 Fountain of Youth stakes which will go as the 10th race.

While Mott says the son of 2006 Preakness winner BERNADINI “is not fully cranked up,” with only six recorded workouts at Payson Park, he does expect to see a “good performance.”

“Our goal obviously, is the Kentucky Derby,” Mott said. “This is just the first step we’re taking.”

The Fountain of Youth field includes several other promising Derby age-colts, most notably SOLDAT, who finished second in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Churchill Downs last fall and came back running with an 11-length victory in an allowance race on a sloppy track at Gulfstream, Jan 21.

The well-traveled GOURMET DINNER, winner of the $1 million Delta Jackpot on Nov. 20, who also was fourth in the Cash Call Futurity at Hollywood Park Dec. 18 and third in the Holy Bull at Gulfstream Jan 30, is another with respectable credentials. At the very least, he has recent racing in his favor.

The rest of the field includes SHACKLEFORD, CASPAR’S TOUCH and EL GRAYLING, the 1, 2, 3 finishers in a good Gulfstream allowance race at the nine furlong distance 21 days ago; BOWMAN’S CAUSEWAY, who put in a strong winning performance in a maiden race at this distance, 15 days ago and the seemingly overmatched RACING APTITUDE, whose two wins in seven prior starts were on grass. Of these eight sophomores, only Bowman’s Causeway has not yet been nominated to the Triple Crown series. A good performance in this race surely will change that.

Beyond the Fountain of Youth, seven of the 10 entered in ninth race—the 7 furlong, Grade-2, $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes are Triple crown nominees and a few of them seem to be bred well enough to use this race as a potential springboard towards the $1 million Florida Derby, Apr. 3, which also will be run at nine furlongs.

Among those I’ll be watching closely are: CROSSBOW, a son of Bernardini who has won both of his sprints this year and probably will stretch out next time, and LEAVE OF ABSENCE, a son of Harlan’s Holiday, who won the Florida Derby in 2002. Most of the rest have fine credentials for the 7 furlong distance, but might be challenged going longer.

Among the other 10 Triple Crown nominees on the Saturday GP card, five are in the sixth race—a one mile maiden race. These include SAN PABLO, POINT OF ENTRY, SEQUOIA WARRIOR, KING ALPHA and MEISTERSINGER, all of whom have hinted at Graded stakes talent but will need to take major forward leaps to be taken seriously as threats to win the 2011 Kentucky Derby, at Churchill Downs, May 7.

The same is true for the five who are in the third race—a nine furlong allowance race with a $51,000 purse. These include PRIVATE PRIZE, COOL BLUE RED HOT, WASHINGTON’S RULES, NACHO BUSINESS and ARCH TRAVELER.

What makes this race so interesting is that all of the above Triple Crown nominees have worked very well, as noted by my web site’s Florida based clocker.

Should any of these horses run strongly on Saturday, there is little doubt their connections will shoot for bigger game next time out.

The Road to the Triple Crown Begins! Get all your online horse betting at Bodog Sportsbook today.

The relatively unimpressive third place finish by TO HONOR AND SERVE in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream on Saturday, leaves Hall of Fame trainer Billy Mott with two options:

* If Mott plans to keep his original two-race schedule leading up to the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, May 7, he will have to put To Honor and Serve through much stronger workouts than the colt had prior to the Fountain of Youth stakes. That, to get him fit enough to take a major step forward in the $1 million Florida Derby on April 3.

* The alternate course of action would be for Mott to change his plan and figure out a way to insert a third Derby prep race into the schedule. In that scenario Mott’s options might include running To Honor and Serve in the 1-1/16 mile Louisiana Derby on Mar. 26 as a prelude to the $1 million Arkansas Derby on April 16.

As I see it, To Honor and Serve will need to be pushed into fighting shape to have any chance of beating the extremely talented, 2010 Juvenile Champion UNCLE MO, who is likely to make his seasonal debut on March 12 after a series of fast workouts – some of them in company with good horses. The plan for this colt is to then run him in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 9.

Beyond Uncle Mo, the competition for this year’s Derby must at least include two other horses that have burst onto the Derby scene with strong performances in one turn races: DIALED IN and SWAY AWA. Both were eye-catching performers in one turn races last month and are scheduled to have two more Derby preps in races beyond a mile in March and April.

I personally believe that To Honor and Serve demonstrated in two Graded stakes wins over MUCHO MACHO MAN at Aqueduct last fall, that he has genuine Kentucky Derby talent. He certainly is a large bodied colt who also demonstrated in the Fountain of Youth last Saturday that he probably needed a whole lot more than six leisurely workouts to be ready for the Triple Crown chase.

I also personally believe that trainer Billy Mott is one of the most gifted, most dedicated horsemen in America and To Honor and Serve is his first real chance to win a Kentucky Derby. Still, from what I saw on Saturday, it will take Mott’s best career work to get this horse up to speed for the grueling 10-furlong Kentucky Derby with just one more prep race.

As for the winner of the Fountain of Youth, SOLDAT controlled the pace of the nine-furlong race throughout on a racing surface that favored his front running style. He is in the ballgame, but I’m not about ready to rank him very high among my top 15 Derby horses. The same is true for the well-traveled, honest, and yet decidedly mediocre GOURMET DINNER who finished a non- threatening third.

Here is my top 15 Derby prospects as of March 1; with many changes sure to come.

1- UNCLE MO. .Unbeaten and working strongly for Todd Pletcher.
2-DIALED IN. .Was very impressive winning the 1-mile Holy Bull with strong rally.
3-SWAY AWAY. .Solid rally behind front-running freak, The Factor in San Vicente.
4-TO HONOR AND SERVE. . .Very talented, but needs to show much more in next.
5-BRETHREN. .Was a smooth winner of the Sam F. Davis in his seasonal debut.
6- SANTIVA. . .Won stakes last year and was a good second to start the 2011 campaign.
7- MUCHO MACHO MAN. . .Steady sort lost the Holy Bull, but won Risen Star.
8- SOLDAT. . .Won by large margins on speed tracks in only two dirt routes.
9- JAYCITO. . .Talented, but possible nut case being worked on by Bob Baffert.
10-ANTHONY’S CROSS. . .Upset winner of the San Felipe stakes.
11- RIVERTING REASON. . .Sharp second to Anthony’s Cross in same stakes.
12 – ARCHARCHARCH. . .Upset winner of the Southwest Stakes.
13- SILVER MEDALLION. . .Upset winner of the El Camino Real.
14- RUNFLATOUT. . . Very fast winner of only start to date, Sadler trained.
15- JP’S GUSTO. . .Was front running type last year, finished well in Southwest.

The Road to the Triple Crown Begins! Get all your online horse betting at Bodog Sportsbook today.

Last weekend was jam packed with exciting races from Santa Anita Park to Gulgong in Australia where four Bodog Racebook members made their way to the winners circle. Below you’ll find a list of our top weekly bettors who experienced a great weekend at the track with a nice payout to match.

A few highlights of the weekend included Good Acktress, a three-year-old filly who led the first race of the day at Santa Anita (SAX) followed by Toscanova in the one mile on the dirt Maiden Claiming race. Other leaders at Santa Anita included Lost Prophet, Golden Augusto, Van Brit, River Glow, Candy’s Pleasure, Makoma, Quick Enough and Spectacular Sky who rounded out the first place winners of the day.

Sunland Park New Mexico (SUN) races on Sunday found Golden Springs taking the top spot at the one-mile Island Fashion S. followed by Formal Plan who came in second place and Icelain Diva in third. This race fell into the 3-year-old category where all were competing for the $50,000 purse.

These are exciting times for horse racing fans as many are making their way toward the Triple Crown races starting May 7th. Check out our top horse racing winners below.

Here are our top horse racing winners from last weekend:

Mr W. from Littleton, CO won $4248.10 for a $10 pick four at CTN racecourse on Feb 26th.

Mr P. from Republic, MO won $2995.40 for a $1 superfecta at GUL racecourse on Feb 26th.

Mr G. from West Memphis, AR won $1124.89 for a 10 cent superfecta at SUN racecourse on Feb 27th.

Mr B. from Hopkins, MN won $6711.00 for a $3 combination pick four at SAX racecourse on Feb 27th.

Join us for more exciting news and events involving the latest races here at the Bodog Beat as the excitement mounts on the road to the Triple Crown Races.

The Road to the Triple Crown Begins! Get all your online horse betting at Bodog Sportsbook today.

Heavily favored TWIRLING CANDY had a rough go of it in the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday. Not only was he made into a veritable horse-sandwich between GAME ON DUDE on the inside and SETSUKO on the outside during the stretch run, but the Santa Anita stewards blamed him for the bumping and shoving that led to his fifth place finish.

As I saw the race,Twirling Candy may not have been at fault, as all three horses were playing their version of bumper-car pinball with each other in the upper stretch of this 1-1/4 mile race.

Game On Dude, one of four ‘Big Cap’ horses trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, raced wide around the first turn while stalking front running FIRST DUDE and continued wide until jockey Chantal Sutherland found a seam in the two path on the final turn. Fact is, Game On Dude was extremely game coming back for the win after Setsuko took a short lead following their three horse bump-a-thon in mid stretch.,

QUINDICI MAN, a 65-1 shot, finished a good third, while 15-1 shot SOUL CANDY completed a bizarre 1-2-3-4 finish of extreme longshots that was topped off by the winner scoring at 14-1 and the second place finisher clicking at 25-1.

A long stewards’ inquiry was conducted after the race to assess blame for the incident. In their notes, the SA stewards eventually pointed their fingers at Twirling Candy for coming out on Setsuko and coming in on Game on Dude. At the bottom line, they made no change to the official order.

That aside, Twirling Candy was exposed for the second time in his very productive career, as a horse who is not quite as good as his Speed Figures, or his press clippings, or at 10 furlongs, or with mature horses. Fact is, this was only the second time in eight career starts that Twirling Candy lost a race. Last fall he finished fourth to Richard’s Kid and other older rivals in the Goodwood during the Oak Tree meeting at Hollywood Park.

Returning to action on opening day, Dec. 26, Twirling Candy set a new Santa Anita track record for 7 furlongs winning the Malibu against fellow 3-year olds. More recently, he decisively won the Strub Stakes, a G-2 event strictly for newly turned 4-year olds.

Game On Dude, a 4-year-old gelding, most recently prepped for the ‘Big Cap’ with a smooth win in an allowance race on Jan 27—his first start since finishing fourth in last year’s Belmont Stakes.

The victory was a milestone for Sutherland, the first female rider to win a Grade-1 stakes in California. It also was a milestone for Baffert, who won his second straight Santa Anita Handicap. Last year, Baffert won with Misremembered. As a further tribute to Baffert’s training skills, Misremembered, now 5 years of age, returned to the races Sunday at Santa Anita to promptly win a $75,000 stakes in the crackerjack time of 1:35.50, just 10 hundredths of a second off the one mile dirt track record.

In the two other Grade-1 stakes on the Big Cap card, TURBULENT DESCENT turned the tables on ZAZU to win he $250,000 SA Oaks and FLUKE won the $300,000 Kilroe Mile on the turf, reversing a nose loss he suffered in the same race last year.

Elsewhere, Nick Zito’s promising Kentucky Derby prospect DIALED IN finished a respectable second to his older stablemate EQUESTRIO in a nine-furlong allowance race at Gulfstream Park on Sunday. The outing, the first time Dialed In tried two turns or a race beyond one mile, was designed to set up Dialed in for up for the $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream, April 3.

The Road to the Triple Crown Begins! Get all your online horse betting at Bodog Sportsbook today.

Last Saturday was a big day for races at Tampa Bay Downs with lots of action throughout the day in sunny Florida and plenty of action here at the Bodog Racebook as well with one bettor taking the top spot for the weekend.

We’re glad to announce that we’ll be highlighting the week’s racebook winners here at Bodog so if you’ve had a really strong day at the track chances are that you will see your name listed from week to week.

Last Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs we saw a lot of action starting with the early races of the day where Prime Speed took the top spot, winning an $11,000 Purse after tackling the seven-furlong track with precision. Others in the four-year-old category to take the number one spot were Hoho Tow, Deja Vroom Vroom, Kid Carousel, Cherry on Top and Unseen Glory.

The day wrapped up with Colizeo taking the top spot as well as She’s a Ketch winning the one-mile on the turf with 1:36.24 on the clock and an $18,300 purse.

Here is our top horse racing winner from last weekend:

Mr. D. from Mequon WI, won $2694.90 for a $1 combination Superfecta (cost $24) at TAM racecourse on March 5th.

Join us for more exciting news and events involving the latest races here at the Bodog Beat as the excitement mounts on the road to the Triple Crown Races.

Congratulations to Mr. D. for taking the top spot at the track this weekend.

The Road to the Triple Crown Begins! Get all your online horse betting at Bodog Sportsbook today.

UNCLE MO, who had so much momentum going for him when he completed his unbeaten 2-year-old campaign with a dominating victory in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, takes his first meaningful steps today on the road to the 2011 Kentucky Derby.

While it is in Uncle Mo’s favor that the Derby will be run at Churchill Downs–the same track where he crushed his competition in the BC Juvenile last fall—trainer Todd Pletcher has been extremely cautious getting the son of Indian Charlie off and running this year. So cautious, that Pletcher has opted to run Uncle Mo in a made-to-order one-mile race that Gulfstream Park hastily put together to satisfy Pletcher’s desire for a soft opening act to his 3-year-old campaign.

The Gulfstream race in question is the one-mile $100,000 Timely Writer Stakes today and Uncle Mo will be the only Graded stakes winner in the six horse field! Frankly anything short of an easy victory would be a major surprise and a defeat would send up red flags from coast to coast that Uncle Mo may not be the budding superhorse he appeared to be in 2010.

Meanwhile, Pletcher has at least one other unbeaten 3-year-old—BRETHREN– entered in a richer, but only slightly more challenging Kentucky Derby prep race at Tampa Bay Downs.

A half brother to last year’s Kentucky Derby winner, Super Saver, who also was trained by Pletcher, Brethren figures to be a heavy betting favorite in the 1-1/16 mile, $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby. While this race has grown in stature in recent years and is now a Grade-2 event, Brethren is the only horse among the nine likely starters with a prior Graded stakes victory.

Yet, his outside post could be a problem and there is at least one horse in the field, FREE ENTRY, whose allowance win at Gulfstream on Feb. 13, plus recent solid workouts for trainer Chad Brown, (as reported by my web site’s Florida clocker), that could be hinting at an upset.

Meanwhile, at Santa Anita Park, we will have more good 3-year-old Derby prospects in action in the $250,000 San Felipe Stakes, a Grade-2 event at 1-1/16 miles.

This field seems particularly strong, with Grade-1 winners JAYCITO and COMMA TO THE TOP; Grade-3 winner PREMIER PEGASUS, and proven Graded stakes performers JAKESAM, QUAIL HILL, AWESOME PATRIOT, plus the undefeated Cal bred BENCH POINTS, the European based SURREY STAR and two of the fastest, most promising maiden sprint winners of the meet, ALBERGATTI and RUNFLATOUT.

Basically, I am anxious to see if Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has found out how to get the talented Jaycito back on course, after the colt bore out so badly in the BC Juvenile last fall. Baffert took over the colt’s training duties from Mike Mitchell after the BC debacle.

That issue aside, the way the new Santa Anita dirt racing strip has favored early speed since opening day, the stretch running Jaycito will have his work cut out for him coming from well off the pace, while horses with more proven speed—such as Runflatout and Albergatti might benefit from the track’s inherent speed bias.

Added Notes:

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner PLUCK is entered in the $150,000, Grade-3 Palm Beach stakes at one mile on the Gulfstream grass today, while a moderate group of older males will run in the 1-1/8 mile, Grade-2 Gulfstream Park Handicap.

At Santa Anita, multiple Grade-1 winning 4-year-old fillies SWITCH and ALWAYS a PRINCESS are scheduled to meet the hard hitting 6- year- old mare ST TRINIANS in the 1-1/18 mile, Grade-1, $300,000 Santa Margarita Stakes. St Trinians won this race last year.

At Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, there are a pair of $125, 000, Grade-3 stakes today including the Honeybee for 3-year-old fillies and the Razorback for 4-year-olds and up. The Honeybee may be the more intriguing of these events, with two fit shippers, one from Southern California (RIGOLETTA) and one from Florida (SALTY STRIKE), ready to challenge two more who made their bones last year in Kentucky (JOYFUL VICTORY) and New York, (DIXIE CITY).

The Road to the Triple Crown Begins! Get all your online horse betting at Bodog Sportsbook today.

Illinois race tracks have been proposing new laws in the state that would allow the tracks to have slot machines. The tracks have been pushing the measure for several years, since the economic recession, but lawmakers have been slow to act. As another session passes, the tracks are again left waiting.

Legislators were close to passing the gambling expansion law at the beginning of this year, but they feared that the governor would veto the bill. That fear caused the lawmakers to not even vote on the legislation, and it has some in the state puzzled.

"Why they wouldn't even attempt to pass the law is somewhat baffling," said Randy Meyers. "The tracks obviously need the help financially, and it is not like we don't have casino gambling already, so I see no reason why the state wouldn't just give these tracks the relief they need."

Neighboring states have added slot machines at their tracks, and that has made it increasingly difficult for Illinois tracks to compete. In addition, racing has lost some of the popularity it enjoyed several decades ago, leading to more financial struggles even for facilities that do offer slot gambling.

Several gambling bills have been discussed in Illinois in recent years. A law was passed last year that allowed video gambling in bars. Individual jurisdictions had a window to ban video gambling before the law took effect, and many counties decided to enact the ban.

Illinois is competing not only with neighboring states, but also with the entire country when it comes to gambling expansion. The Northeast has become a hotbed for casinos, and states such as Florida, Iowa, and California are moving towards online gambling regulations, raising the bar further.

Before the $300,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, THE FACTOR looked the part of a world class sprinter.

But after Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert greeted him in the winner’s circle, most racing fans are sure to realize that this very fast son of War Front will be in fact be a serious factor in this year’s Triple Crown chase.

All The Factor did on Saturday was cruise to the lead in the 1-1/16 mile Rebel and basically improve his position all the way to the wire, scoring by 6-1/4 lengths over CALEB’S POSSE and a field that had many promising prospects for the Kentucky Derby.

After the race, Baffert confirmed what many saw with their own eyes: “He’s not only a very fast horse, but he proved he can go around two turns today and he looked to me like he could have won if this race was 1-1/8 miles.”

Baffert, who won this same stakes last year with eventual Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky now is firmly committed to running The Factor in the $1 million Arkansas Derby at 1-1/8 miles, April 16, with an eye towards the 1-1/4 mile Kentucky Derby.

“This was a big race for him, a big test,” Baffert added. “He was awesome and we’re now in a very good position (for the Derby.)”

As for the horses who were severely outrun in the Rebel, their respective connections saw the glass as half filled.

Runner-up Caleb’s Posse performance was some consolation to his trainer Donnie Von Hemel, who watched his well regarded ALIENATION flip in the starting gate and be scratched the Oaklawn Park stewards.

On Sunday, Von Hemel confirmed “no serious injury” to Alienation, who had won three straight and might now join his stablemate Caleb’s Posse in the Arkansas Derby, should both train forwardly during the next three weeks.

Two of the three other horses who were supposed to run Saturday defected due to their respective trainer’s dislike for outer post position assignments..

ELITE ALEX’s trainer Tim Ritchey instead has decided to go for the $1 million Louisiana Derby next Saturday, but ironically drew post 12 of 13 for that 1-1/8 mile race when the draw was held at the Fair Grounds on Sunday, Mar. 20.

Likewise, GLINT was scratched for similar reasons and will go instead in the $800,000 Sunland Derby at Sunland New Mexico, Sunday, Mar. 27. A third defection DREAMINOFTHWIN, was made by his connections with the Sunland Derby listed as a possibility.

Third place finisher ARCHARCHARCH, who previously had won the Southwest stakes, also is going to be pointed for the Arkansas Derby, as are fourth place finisher SARATOGA RED and fifth place finisher J W BLUE.

As for highly regarded SWAY AWAY, who lagged far behind the leaders for 7 furlongs, he did close some ground late to finish sixth, but was a disappointment to trainer Jeff Bonde, who is not sure what he will do next.

“We’ll keep him at Oaklawn and see how he acts during the next few weeks,” Bonde said.

In the other major stakes at Oaklawn on Saturday—the $150,000 Azeri— HARVE DE GRACE stalked the pace for six furlongs and took a commanding lead entering the stretch where she easily held off stretch running BLIND LUCK, who did close steadily from back in the pack for a clear second.

For comparison purposes, The Azeri and The Rebel were run at the same 1-1/16 mile distance within a half hour of each other and Harve De Grace actually ran a slightly faster race than The Factor: 1:42.02 to 1:42.19. That said, the mere fact that The Factor was so relaxed while trying a distance of ground around two turns for the first time, was the most encouraging aspect of his performance.

Please Note: I will be hosting a handicapping seminar at Sunland Park next Sunday morning, Mar. 27 the day of the Sunland Derby, the race that propelled longshot MINE THAT BIRD to his mind-numbing upset in the 2009 Kentucky Derby.

The $300,000 Rebel stakes and the $150,000 Azeri stakes at Oaklawn on Saturday are so good, they respectively represent the best races for 3 year olds and older fillies and mares in America so far this year. (AP Images)

The Rebel, a 1-1/16 mile prep for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (Apr. 16), has attracted a pair of high profile California based Kentucky Derby prospects — THE FACTOR and SWAY AWAY—plus 11 other promising 3 year olds seeking credentials for the $2 million Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, May 7.

If you remember, The Factor burst onto the scene with a track record victory in a 6 furlong maiden race at Santa Anita, Dec. 26 and followed that up with a scorching score over fast closing SWAY AWAY in the 7 furlong San Vicente last month.

Both of these promising young horses will be making their first lifetime attempts beyond a sprint distance and around two turns and both need to demonstrate they truly belong on the Triple Crown chase.

The Azeri stakes, also at 1-1/16 miles, is showdown of sorts between the 2010 Champion filly, BLIND LUCK and her arch rival HAVRE DE GRACE. The pair faced each other four times last year in important stakes from coast to coast, with Blind Luck getting slightly the better of the duel on three occasions.

While the two different pairs of rivals, The Factor–Sway Away and Blind Luck-Have de Grace, seem to be the key horses in each of the two Oaklawn stakes, it would be a mistake to take lightly the rest of the horses they will have to deal with on Saturday.

The Factor—a pure front running rocket and Sway Away, a colt bred to love the added distance of the Rebel, will be in an oversized field of 13, that includes several improving 3 year olds with strong performances over the Oaklawn track.

In the Azeri, which drew seven fillies and mares, all of whom have stakes credentials, Blind Luck and Havre De Grace are both stretch runners and could be vulnerable should a slow pace develops. Among the other five in the field, the Lukas trained TIDAL POOL might be sent to the lad from her inside post and could prove tough to catch. A recent winner over the track, Tidal Pool has run performed well at Oaklawn throughout her career.

In the Rebel, the two California shippers hardly can dismiss the locally based competition:

ARCHARCHARCH looked good winning the one mile Southwest stakes at Oaklawn, Feb. 21 and will be joined in the Rebel by four horses he beat that day: J P’S GUSTO, ELITE ALEX, CALEB’S POSSE and PICO’S PRIDE.

JP’s Gusto– a front running Grade 1 winner last summer at Del Mar— showed a new dimension rallying for second in the Southwest. Now trained by Joe Petalino, who was Jack Van Berg’s assistant when Van Berg won the 1987 Kentucky Derby and Preakness with Alysheba, has trained strongly for this event.

ALTERNATION, a nicely managed and improving horse, has won his last three starts, including two at this meet and a good performance in the Rebel will catapult him high on the list of Kentucky Derby contenders.

The Rebel field also includes J W BLUE and BLUEGRASS JAM, who finished 1-2 in an Oaklawn allowance race on Jan. 29; DREAMINOFTHEWIN, second to Alienation on Feb. 21; GLINT, third in the 6-furlong Mountain Valley Mar. 5 and the D. Wayne Lukas trained maiden winner SARATOGA RED. From top to bottom this adds up to the strongest Derby prep of the season.

The Bodog Racebook has all your online horse betting. Get your odds today before the Derby season kicks in.

Among the key results, VICTOIRE PISA and TRANSCEND completed a 1-2 finish for Japan in the $10 million World Cup and the ultra consistent ROCKET MAN denied the American team its chance to get a win by taking the 6 furlong, $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen. Trainer Bob Baffert’s California-based EUROEARS set the pace for much of the race, but could not hold off Rocket Man, in a race usually dominated by American sprinters.

Rocket Man, probably the best sprinter in the world, is based in Australia and now has an enviable lifetime record of 15 wins and three seconds from 18 career starts on various racing surfaces on several continents. Last year he finished an unlucky second in the Golden Shaheen to KINSALE KING, who was scheduled to start in this year’s race, but was scratched as a precaution Saturday morning due to minor physical issues.

Back here in the states, PANTS ON FIRE, ANIMAL KINGDOM, TWICE THE APPEAL and possibly ASTROLOGY earned tickets to the Kentucky Derby via their performances in the three richest Kentucky Derby preps on Saturday and Sunday.

PANTS ON FIRE, trained by Kelly Breen, scored a narrow victory over NEHRO in the Grade-2, $1 million Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds on Saturday. MUCHO MACHO MAN–the betting favorite— ran well for third, especially considering that he threw a front horse shoe leaving the starting gate.

ANIMAL KINGDOM, trained by Graham Motion, uncorked a very wide move on the final turn to win the Grade-3, $500,000 Vinery Spiral stakes on the Polytrack at Turfway Park in Covington, Kentucky and definitely will be sent to the Kentucky Derby. The same may eventually be true for his stablemate CRIMSON CHINA, who was a fast closing second in the ungraded $100,000 Rushaway stakes on the same Turfway card.

Highly regarded by owner Team Valor, Crimson China will need to earn more Graded stakes money in the $750,000 Blue Grass stakes at Keeneland next month if he is going to fit among the top 20 Graded stakes earning horses who will be permitted into the Derby starting gate.

On Sunday at Sunland Park in New Mexico, highly regarded ASTROLOGY ran well from his outside post to finish second in the Grade-3, $800,000 Sunland Derby, but was overshadowed and defeated by stretch running 25-1 shot, TWICE THE APPEAL.

In his most recent start, Twice the Appeal launched as similar late move in the ungraded Turf Paradise Derby, but after finishing second to BEER MEISTER in that 1-1/16 mile race, was disqualified by the Turf Paradise stewards to fourth for interference. The win on Sunday in the Grade-3 Sunland Derby however, put $400,000 on the board for Twice the Appeal, whose connections immediately announced they will be at Churchill Downs for the $2 million Kentucky Derby on Saturday May 7.

Astrology, making his first start since finishing second in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill last fall, added more than $180,000 to his Graded stakes bankroll. But, with only one start this year, is an uncertain starter in America’s most famous race.

Next Saturday, the intense round of Derby prep races will continue with the $1 million Florida Derby, a race that promises to feature five highly ranked Kentucky Derby candidates: DIALED IN, winner of the one mile Holy Bull stakes; SOLDAT, winner of the 1-1/8 mile Fountain of Youth; FLASHPOINT, speedy winner of the 7 furlong Hutcheson; STAY THIRSTY, winner of the 1 mile-70 yard Gotham at Aqueduct and TO HONOR AND SERVE, a double Graded stakes winner in New York last fall, whose seasonal debut was a lackluster third in Soldat’s Fountain of Youth. Tickets to Louisville for the Run for the Roses will be on the line. Get all your online horse racing odds in the Bodog Racebook.

It also should help answer a wide range of questions about several prominent Kentucky Derby contenders.

For instance, the way this important race is run should give us definitively clues about TO HONOR AND SERVE’s present condition as well as his realistic chances to win the Kentucky Derby. After all, this two-time Graded stakes winner as a 2 year old in in 2010, was a disappointing, tiring third behind Soldat in the aforementioned F of Y Stakes.

By any reading of past performances, Soldat is not likely to get the same easy lead he had in his win last month—not with Flashpoint expected to use his vaunted speed in a manner that may resemble the way THE FACTOR dominated the 1 1/16 mile Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park, Mar. 19.

While it is not impossible for either or both of these very fast horses to outrun the rest of the Florida Derby field, handicapping 101 says we should expect the preliminary fractions to be faster than normal, which should sap some energy from both of them. Moreover, this pace scenario could give “Honor” the perfect set up to make the same turn move he made in the Fountain of Youth, while completing it with a much stronger finish.

Given all this, if To Honor and Serve fails his Florida Derby test—if he does not fire a much stronger race under such ideal conditions—he well might be out of the Kentucky Derby picture. That aside, ‘Honor’ is not the only horse who figures to be helped by a red hot pace duel.

The likely pace battle also should prove to be just what trainer Nick Zito wants for stretch running DIALED IN, whose explosive rally in the one mile Holy Bull Stakes on Jan 30 suggests that he will be a formidable contender in any route race, especially when the pace is hot.

On the other hand, we have to consider one more possible outcome—the one that finds one or both of the front runners outlasting them all on Sunday.

Should that occur, should either Soldat, or Flashpoint survive their private duel to control the Florida Derby pace, we just might be seeing the likely horse or horses who can challenge The Factor when all the top 3 year olds meet in the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs, May 7.

The Florida Derby field will include a few longshots, most notably STAY THIRSTY, a decisive winner of the Gotham stakes at Aqueduct, Mar. 5. Even though Stay Thirsty is considered a second stringer to his stablemate UNCLE MO, he has shown promise on more than one occasion and trainer Todd Pletcher will equip him with blinkers in an attempt to “move the horse up a few notches.”

Meanwhile, Pletcher is sending UNCLE MO from Florida to run in the $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in New York on Saturday, Apr. 9, the same day many other top 3 year olds will be running in the $1 million Santa Anita Derby and $500,000 Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Racecourse in the suburbs of Chicago. Want to make some cash off the races? Get all your online horse racing odds in the Bodog Racebook.

The results of the $1 million Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on Sunday proved to be a revelation for horseplayers seeking information about several high profile horses who have been pointing for this year’s Kentucky Derby.


In the first place, DIALED IN’s last to first rally to nip 68-1 longshot SHACKLEFORD at the wire, clearly reaffirmed his status as a dangerous contender for the $2 million Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs, May 7.

Making only his fourth career start, Dialed In made up 10 lengths through the final half mile, getting to the wire in a respectable 1:50.07 for the 1-1/8 mile distance on a dirt racing surface that played almost two seconds slower than normal for the two different two-turn races on the Sunday card. Dialed In’s performance certainly suggests that he will relish the 1-1/4 mile distance of the Kentucky Derby.

That is something that can no longer be said about several other horses who competed in the Florida Derby, including longshots BOWMAN’S CAUSEWAY and ARCH TRAVELER. It also applies to the highly regarded sprinter, FLASHPOINT, who won the 7 furlong Hutcheson stakes at Gulfstream, Feb. 26 in a manner that convinced his connections to give the nine furlong Florida Derby a try. This was not a good decision, as Flashpoint’ flunked the test every way he could.

Before the race, the son of Pomeroy was noticeably nervous and washy and was more than a little reluctant to be loaded into the starting gate. When the race began, Flashpoint broke flatfooted, raced wide around the clubhouse turn and never reached the front. While he eventually did settle into third position in the middle of the track through the first six furlongs, he never challenged front running Shackleford and weakened gradually through the final half mile to finish a distant fourth.

STAY THIRSTY, a convincing winner of the Gotham Stakes over weak rivals at Aqueduct Mar. 5, also served notice that he does not belong on the long winding road to Louisville, finishing a lackluster seventh in the eight horse field.

TO HONOR AND SERVE, highly regarded before the start of 2011, demonstrated in the Florida Derby that he has not progressed more than an inch or two over his weak third place finish to SOLDAT in the 1-1/8 mile Fountain of Youth Stakes over the GP track Feb. 26. While the F of Y was the first race of the year for ‘Honor; all he did on Sunday was turn in similar third place performance. This left Hall of Fame trainer Billy Mott wondering if he should drop out of the Derby picture to give the colt more training and point instead for the 1-3/16 miles Preakness at Pimlico, May 21, or the 1-1/2 mile Belmont Stakes, June 11.

SOLDAT, the 3-2 betting favorite by virtue of his wire to wire victory in the Fountain of Youth, was equally disappointing, failing to be a factor while saving ground throughout, finishing fifth, more than 10 lengths behind the winner.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said after the race, the weak performance will lead to a “complete reassessment” of Soldat’s program and his potential starting status in the Kentucky Derby. “He’s a better horse than that, McLaughlin said. “But, he did not run like it and I don’t think he appreciated being inside horses the whole way.”

Shackelford, who improved dramatically from a poor performance in the Fountain of Youth to his strong second place effort in the Florida Derby, now has emerged from total obscurity to a horse with slightly more than $200,000 in Graded Stakes earnings, a sum that gives him a fighting chance to make it into the Derby starting field. As most know by now, the Derby field is limited to the top 20 Graded Stakes earning horses who pass the entry box on Wednesday, May 4.

As for Dialed In, he has more than $600,000 in Graded stakes earnings and is assured a Kentucky Derby starting berth and will give trainer Nick Zito a chance to win his third Kentucky Derby in his Hall of Fame career. After the race, Zito was ecstatic about his colt’s chances in America’s most famous race.

Get all your online horse racing odds in the Bodog Racebook.

“For a horse to do what he did today in his fourth career race, you know he is special,” Zito said. “If we can keep him sound and happy from now to the Derby, I think he will be a very serious contender”

I do too.