2020 KENTUCKY DERBY DAY

 Finally, it is here, the 2020 Kentucky Derby. A tremendous day is sure to unfold.

Churchill Downs Race 14 {Kentucky Derby 146~1 1/4 mile~3 year-old~Grade One Stakes}

A fantastic field of sixteen will enter the brand new 20 post gate. During this Derby week there have been two scratches. Most of the top entrants are to the outside with top flight speed figs. Most are all improving horses with a chance to run a big one on this most sacred day for horse men and women. Speed is also configured to the outside with a couple of forwardly placed types littered through out the rest of the field. With the defection of King Guillermo, the pace might not be as fast. It should be a fine Kentucky Derby in an unusual year.

#17 Tiz the Law (M. Franco / Tagg) should pull off the victory if he runs his race and gets a good trip. This guy holds the highest last out speed number and two superb workouts. He has already won at this distance. This colt will be seeking his fifth win in a row. He should get out close to the early pace-setters and begin his run for the roses coming into the turn. A son of Constitution, he is 100% in the money from seven career starts.

$2 WIN  /  $3 PLACE  /  $5 SHOW.

#16 Honor A.P. (M. Smith / Shirreffs) will be the chief challenger to the favorite. He holds a couple of very good last out speed numbers and four exceptional workouts. This guy has hit the board in his last three races. He comes in from California to meet these Derby contenders. This ridgling has the tactical speed to go with the outside speedsters. A son of Honor Code, he is 100% in the money from five career starts.

$2 PLACE  /  $3 SHOW.

#2 Max Player (Santana / Asmussen) will need some pace to unleash his kick. He holds the second highest (3-way tie) last out speed number and two sound workouts. This colt is another that has hit the board at this distance. He comes in from the New York circuit. a ground saving trip will be to his benefit when the real racing begins. Another son of Honor Code, is also 100% in the money from five career starts.

$2 SHOW.

#5 Major Fed (Graham / Foley) looks geared up to run the race of his life with some improving speed numbers and three high octane workouts. He comes in from Indiana Grande and has already hit the board at Churchill. This colt has already run over this distance earning a decent speed fig. A son of  Ghostzapper, this lad is 66% in the money from six career starts.

Other Wagering Interests within our NOTABLE NINE

This solid group of horses should be used in the exotics for good effect. #18 Authentic (J. Velazquez / Baffert) will be the speed of the race seeking to wire the field or hold on for a piece of the purse. He shares that second highest last out speed number. #3 Enforceable (Beschizza / M. Casse) will be closing gallantly in the stretch as a veteran of the Churchill track. Should the pace heat up, this colt will be in the mix. #14 Winning Impression (Rocco / D. Stewart) should improve on the stretch out. This gelding should be included in your tickets as his trainer gets all of his charges ready for the big races. #4 Storm the Court (Leparoux / Eurton) is last year's two year old champion and coming back into good form. He should take up a nice tracking position ready to fire. With the scratch of King Guillermo, we fill out our Notable Nine with #7 Money Moves (Castellano / Pletcher). This colt is on a nice speed number improvement in all three of his career starts. Look for him in mid-pack plotting his move.

$1 Exacta Wheel ($8)

#17 Tiz the Law  //  #16 Honor A. P.,  #2 Max Player,  #5 Major Fed,  #18 Authentic,  #3 Enforceable,  #14 Winning Impression,  #4 Storm the Court,  #7 Money Moves.

50 CENT Trifecta ($1.00)

#17 Tiz the Law  /  #16 Honor A.P.  /  #2 Max Player,  #5 Major Fed.

10 CENT Superfecta Box ($2.40)

#17 Tiz the Law  +  #16 Honor A.P.  +  #2 Max Player  +  #5 Major Fed.

$1 Super High Five [Pentafecta ($5.00)

#17 Tiz the Law  /  #16 Honor A.P.  /  #2 Max Player  /  #5 Major Fed  /  #18 Authentic,  #3 Enforceable,  #14 Winning Impression,  #4 Storm the Court,  #7 Money Moves.

Friday Race Results

Churchill Downs R12.  KENTUCKY OAKS--G1.  Our first pick, Swiss Skydiver, finished 2nd for show money of $3.90.  Our second pick, Shedaresthedevil, won for show money of $3.80.

We hit our 10 CENT Superfecta Box play cashing for $27.93. Superfecta went 7-1-5-4.

Bankroll gets back across the "c-note line" settling at $101.02.  

2020 Kentucky Derby Notable Nine

 

Kentucky Derby 146 Notable Nine

These unusual times we are in make for interesting conversation when thoughts turn to the Kentucky Derby. This year it will be held on the first Saturday in September, only nine days away. There is a talented crop of three-years well prepared for their “run for the roses”. The stand-out is of course, Tiz the Law, who should be on everyone’s ticket. It is his race to win. We present this year’s Notable Nine for your consideration when laying out your Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, and Pentafecta tickets.

#1        Tiz the Law.  Trained by Barclay Tagg and to ridden by Manny Franco, this son of Constitution has already won at the Derby distance in the Travers in impressive fashion. He has also won the Belmont Stakes. He will be the overwhelming favorite. Ranked number one in KD 146 points (372), an experienced handicapper will want to key him in all the exotics.

#2        Art Collector. He will be one of the main competitors having won his last five races including the Ellis Park Derby and the Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland. Trained by Thomas Drury, Jr. and set to be ridden by Brian Hernandez, he should be among the first pack heading for home. A son of Bernardini, this guy is ranked number three in KD 146 points (150).

#3        Authentic.  Is another that will challenge the favorite. Trained by Hall of Fame trainer, Bob Baffert and scheduled to be ridden by John Velazquez, he will be a force to be reckoned with in this year’s KD 146. He continues to improve with a last out win in the Haskell at Monmouth Park and a 2^nd place finish in the Santa Anita Derby. This son of Into Mischief, ranks second in Derby points with 200.

#4        Caracaro. Is coming into his own with a 2^nd place finish in the Travers at Saratoga and a 2^nd place finish in the Peter Pan at Saratoga. Trained by Gustavo Delgado and with Javier Castellano on top, this guy is sure to be in the hunt. He ranks number ten in the Derby points scheme with 60. A son of Uncle Mo, expect him to secure good position and hit the board.

#5        Honor AP. This guy will be running for top connections under the tutelage of trainer, John Shirreffs, and world renowned jockey, Mike Smith. He come in 2^nd in the Shared Belief at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and won (1^st) in the Santa Anita Derby. A son of Honor Code, he will be in good company coming into the stretch. He ranks number four in KD 146 points (140).

#6        Enforceable. Despite his 4^th place finish in the Bluegrass and his 5^th place finish in the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds, this son of Tapit has the ability to make some hay in KD 146. Solid connections of trainer Mark Casse and up and coming Jockey Adam Beschizza will make it so. This guy has a stellar chance to make it into the exotics. This lad holds the number eleven ranking in KD 146 points (43)

#7        Winning Impression. Don’t let his 7^th place finish in the Ellis Park Derby and 7^th place finish in the Indiana Derby fool you. Trainer, Dallas Stewart, has the steadfast ability to bring his charges to peak performance for the big events. Jockey Joe Rocco is expected to get the call. A son of Paynter, he comes in at number eighteen (20 pts.) on the KD 146 points scale. This gelding is being entered by well experienced ownership and could make a splash.

#8        Max Player. This guy took 3^rd in the Travers and 3^rd in the Belmont and will be a player in KD 146. Ranking number nine on the KD 146 scale, having accumulated 60 points, he should be a chief challenger to the placing’s underneath the winner. Trained by Steve Asmussen with Ricardo Santana up this guy should give a good accord of himself. Another son of Honor Code, he should relish the distance.

#9        Storm the Court. This lad is just beginning to get it going in his three year-old season. He was the winner of the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile last season. In his last he hit the board in 3^rd in the Ohio Derby at Thistledown. He ranks fourteenth (36 pts.) on the KD 146 points chart. Trained by Peter Eurton, he is scheduled to be ridden by Julien Leparoux. A son of Court Vision, he has the opportunity to show his talent.

 

Without fans in the stands this year’s Kentucky Derby may not be the adrenaline producing event of past years, but it will be just as exciting. And our Notable Nine will all be in contention.

    

A Western Kentucky Superfecta Sunday

 On this Superfecta Sunday additional Kentucky Derby points are on the line as we take a look at fine stakes race in Western Kentucky.

Ellis Park Race 10 {Ellis Park Derby~1 1/8 mile~3 year-old~Stakes}

A great group of twelve will enter the gate for KD 146 points. The winner here is assured of a gate on the first Saturday in September. There is enough speed to make the pace swift enough to give the closers a good chance to catch the leader at the wire. The speed numbers are fairly close as these lads continue to improve their racing acumen. Only two have raced over the Ellis Park track.Our task is to stitch together a winning 10 CENT Superfecta box ticket.

Derby Points on the Line

This race offers up 50-20-10-5 for runners hitting first, second, third, and fourth respectively. With only one more Derby prep race left, next weekends Pegasus at Monmouth Park, the pressure is on to earn enough points to grab a gate position, As of this writing, 25 points is the cutoff for position twenty. Finnick the Fierce holds position twenty. With this in mind #4 Art Collector (100 pts) and #2 Arneau d' Or (32 pts) might have secured enough points to secure entry in the KD 146 gate. Notwithstanding any unusual outcome in this race. Others in battling for points in this race are #9 Dean Martini, #11 Winning Impression, and #12 Shared Sense all currently with 20 points. Additionally, #10 Attachment Rate (15 pts), #5 Necker Island (4 pts), and #8 Rowdy Yates (2 pts). All of which adds a bit of intrigue to an excellent race.

#12 Shared Sense (Geroux / B. Cox) continues to show improvement with every race. He holds the fourth highest last out speed number and two fine workouts. This guy already secured a victory at the distance earning the fourth highest speed number at same, He is a closer and will have maximum benefit if the race begins to sizzle. A son of Street Sense, he is 62% in the money from eight career starts. He is our Bronze Horseshoe selection.

$2 SHOW.

#9 Dean Martini (Graham / Amoss) should compete well with the second highest last out speed number and two sound workouts. This guy could be part of the forwardly placed pack seeking an enviable position. He is one of the two runners that have competed over the Ellis Park track. This gelding has hit the board in both of his starts at this distance. A son of Cairo Prince, he is 90% in the money from ten career starts.

#4 Art Collector (B. Hernandez / Drury) will go off as the overwhelming favorite with the highest last out speed number and two fluid workouts. This guy already has secured enough points to have a KD 146 gate. He should be one of the key challengers to Traver's winner, Tiz the Law come Kentucky Derby time as he has two triple digit Beyer's in his last three. He also holds the highest speed number at the distance. A son of Bernardini, he will be trying for his fifth win in a row, dashing near the pace, with a 62% in the money record from eight career starts.

#2 Arneau d'Or (T. Baze / Wright) would like to secure a few more KD 146 points to maintain his gate entry. He holds the third highest last out speed number and three strong peaking workouts. This guy should take up a comfortable tracking position ready to strike in the stretch run. A son of  Medaglia d' Oro, he is 50% in the money from six career starts.

10 CENT Superfecta Box ($2.40)

#12 Shared Sense  +  #9 Dean Martini  +  #4 Art Collector  +  #2 Arneau d' Or.

Stakes Saturday Results

Saratoga R11.  TRAVERS--G1. Our first pick, Tiz the Law, won (1st) for win money of $1.50, place money of $2.40, and show money of $3.15.  Our second pick, Country Grammer, finished 5th.  Our third pick, Max Player, finished 3rd for show money of $1.85. We missed on the $1 Saturday Exacta Wheel effort. Superfecta went 6-7-4-8.

Bankroll gets shaved to $109.93.