Four Stakes for Saturday

The Kentucky Derby is approximately seven weeks away and some of the finest three year olds will be racing today.  We will look at three Derby prep races and one that has my horse of the year 2009, Zenyatta, in it.

Tampa Bay Race 11 {Tampa Bay Derby~G3~1 1/16~3 year old~Stakes}
A great group assembles for this great race.  Schoolyard Dreams (Rose / Ryan) appears to the have the edge with a triple digit speed number last out and two blazing workouts in preparing for this race.  Odysseus (Maragh / Albertrani) will battle near the front end with a solid last out speed number and three hardy workouts.  Supersaver (Dominguez / Pletcher) will be the speed in this race.  He too has a triple digit last out speed number and four robust workouts going into this race.  Uptowncharlybrown (Centeno / Seewald) will be closing fast. He in the money record at Tampa Bay Downs is 100% and his has posted two splendid. peaking workouts.  Any  one of these fellas can win this one.  The one who does will be the one to watch for that big race on the first of May.  Let's play Tampa Bay.

$2 SHOW:  #5 Schoolyard Dreams
$2 SHOW:  #7 Odysseus
10 CENT Superfecta:  #5 Schoolyard Dreams / #7 Odysseus / #6 Super Saver / #1 Uptowncharlybrown.

Santa Anita Race 7 {Santa Margarita~G1~1 1/8~4 year old Up~fillies/mares~Stakes}
ZENYATTA.  Need I say more?  She is fourteen for fourteen, all wins.  With the right trip, Zenyatta (Smith / Shirreffs) should grab her fifteenth in a row.  The battle will be over the other pieces of the purse.  Striking Dancer (Solis / McPeek) is in tremendous shape to capture this race, if, heaven forbid, Zenyatta stubs her hoove.  Striking Dancer has the second highest last out speed number and has two quality workouts prepping for this.  Two horses will battle of the third spot.  Gripsholm Castle (Espinoza / Cecil) will improve for her second race in America.  She had a decent last out speed number and two healthy workouts.  Floaing Heart (Talamo / Pletcher) has the same last out speed number with virtually the same two healthy workouts.  Let's have fun with this Santa Anita race.

$2 WIN:  #8 Zenyatta
$2 SHOW:  #5 Striking Dancer
10 CENT Superfecta:  #8 Zenyatta / #5 Striking Dancer / #7 Gripsholm Castle, #9 Floating Heart / #7, #9.

Oaklawn Race 10 {Rebel~G2~1 1/16 mile~3 year old~Stakes}
Some of the best Kentucky Derby prospects will go to the gate in this race.  Lookin At Lucky (Gomez / Baffert) appears to have the edge with four robust, peaking workouts.  He has also 100% in the money at the distance.  His chief challenge should come from Noble's Promise (Albarado / McPeek) who is also 100% in the money at this distance.  He has put in a furious four workouts on his training tab.  Dublin (Nakatani / Lukas) will also challenge for the victory.  He has the highest last out speed number and three athletic workouts prepping for this race.  Rounding out this talented group of the four tops, is Uh Oh Bango (Corbett / Owens).  He has the highest overall speed number as well as the highest speed number at the distance.  He has put in a nimble, peaking two workout tab.  Uh Oh Bango could be the surprise purse snatcher.  Let's play Oaklawn.

$2 SHOW:  #2 Lookin at Lucky
$2 SHOW:  #7 Dublin
10 CENT Superfecta:  #2 Lookin At Lucky / #7 Dublin / #6 Noble's Promise / #4 Uh Oh Bango.

Santa Anita Race 9 {San Felipe~G2~1 1/16 mile~3 year old~Stakes}
Another race with future Derby stars.  American Lion (Leparoux / Harty) has a minor edge going into this one.  He has a solid last out speed number and three able-bodied works going in.  Caracortado (Atkinson / Machowsky) will be the chief challenger.  He posts the highest last out speed number and two stout workouts.  Caracortado is also undefeated in his five race career.  He deserves any favoritism heaped upon him.  Interactif (Bejarano / Pletcher) has raced over the turf for all but one of his races.  But as we know from the Breeder's Cup the transition from turf to synthetic is smooth.  Interactif has posted the second highest speed number at this distance, albeit on the turf. Additionally, he has posted three peaking workouts.  Sidney's Candy (Talamo / Sadler) looks ready to stretch out to this route distance with two portion controlled workouts.  He has the highest overall speed number and will display that speed early.  Let's play this sensational Santa Anita race.

$2 SHOW:  #4 American Lion
$2 SHOW:  #2 Interactif
10 CENT Superfecta:  #4 American Lion / #7 Caracortado / #2 Interactif, #5 Sydney's Candy / #2, #5.
















Friday's Results
Gulfstream R9.  Rained washed out most races. Did not take a stab.
Fairgrounds R9.  Our first pick, Shameless, won (1st) for show money of $2.40.  Our second pick, Paradise Bound, finished 5th.  Superfecta went 4-3-2-7.
Bankroll drops to $14.30.  We will supplement with $10.00 for today's contests.