Back again for another big day of racing at Gulfstream Park on Donn Handicap day. The Donn has shaped up to be a very good race full of legitimate contenders. I will give you my selections in the Donn later, but the race I want to talk about is the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap.
Ok, I can hear you now,"Oh Jeez Chalk Eating Weasel! Why do you want to talk about this race with a paltry 6 horse field which will be dominated by Animal Kingdom and Point of Entry?" I get it but hear me out.
Yes, it is true that Animal Kingdom and Point of Entry are the ones everyone has talked about since this race was filled, for good reason as both of these are on their game and the proven class of this field. The form and class are confirmed by the 8-5 and 9-5 morning lines on these two. But I think there is a chance to beat these two and here's how.
Point of Entry has been a monster since he finished 4th in an optional claimer at Gulfstream Park last February. That race was 9 furlongs. He won the his previous at GP, an Allowance for n1x. That race was at 11 furlongs. Every race after the February race was at a distance of 10 furlongs or more. Point of Entry seems to be one of those that just needs to race over more ground. Now I'm not saying that Point of Entry can't win this race, simply that it is not his best distance. Do we really want to take a short price on this?
Well, what about Animal Kingdom. Animal Kingdom is a lightly raced but highly accomplished 5 year old. The Kentucky Derby winner two years ago, but most think he does his best running on grass as confirmed by his brilliant, in defeat to Wise Dan, BC Turf mile effort last out. Yet it is no secret that Animal Kingdom is going to Dubai for the big prize. So, you have to ask yourself if he is going to be all out to $180,000 here when there is so much more to shoot for just ahead. Maybe, maybe not. The truth is that Animal Kingdom may not need to be fully cranked to win this race. But I'm not interested in 6-5 to find out.
There are two others of particular interest to me here. Todd Pletcher puts out Salto who will be ridden by Joe Bravo. Look for Salto to try to wire this formidable opposition as he is the one who seems most likely to inherit the lead from a bunch that generally doesn't care to do much running early. There is none better than Joe at rating a horse on the lead. I swear he has a clock in his head. But Salto has never proven himself at this level. A capable horse, but is he good enough?
There is one in here who has earned his salt lick as a G1 winner which is Unbridled Command. Unbridled Command overcame a slow start and tight quarters to win the G1 Hollywood Derby last out. Winner of 5 in a row, he also sports a G3 victory from Saratoga last Summer. He is versatile with regard to running style, meaning he'll have the tactical speed to keep up with Salto. And he has top turf jockey Javier Castellano on his back. The 15-1 Morning line looks very tasty. I don't think he'll be let go at that, but anything around 10-1 makes him a go.
GP Turf Hdcp
4. Unbridled Command
6. Animal Kingdom
2. Point of Entry
The www.publichandicapper.com races
Donn Hdcp
1. Bourbon Courage
2. Flat Out
7. Csaba
Suwannee River
4. Hard Not To Like
5. Channel Lady
8. Abaco
GP Sprint Championship
6. Bahamian Squall
2. Travelin Man
5. Fort Loudon
San Marcos @ Santa Anita
1. Interaction
11. Fun with Fire
13. Slim Shadey
Follow me @cobb42 on Twitter for comments during the racing day
Audentes Fortuna Juvat
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Holy Bull--oops I mean Hutcheson
Wow, has it really been a whole month since I last visited these pages. Well with the advent of the real Gulfstream Park racing season and my recent attendance at the Breakfast at Gulfstream affairs on behalf of Thorofan that makes sense.
Speaking of Thorofan, had a wonderful time at...
Well, the above is where I left it when I had to go back to Breakfast at Gulfstream last week. It is just as well as my sudden departure prevented me from making a fool of myself.
Regarding the Holy Bull, I would've have written that I thought Shanghai Bobby was beatable in this race. I was correct, because he was beaten, yet I was incorrect because it took a track record and a dead rail trip to do it. I would have also steered you towards Frac Daddy who turned out to be a non-factor as he grabbed a quarter during the race and away from Itsmyluckyday who I mistakenly felt might bounce off his big effort in the GP Derby on New Year's Day. Clearly, he did not bounce. I went on last weekend to not cash a single ticket either day. I am going to blame my new Samsung Tablet the buying of which I justified by saying how it would pay for itself in printer ink and paper.
This week I will not be attending Breakfast at Gulfstream because I have to address a group of Cub Scouts about the scientific method. I will be using the Hutcheson Stakes as an analogy for the explaining the scientific method and corrupting young minds at the same time..Bwah ha ha ha!
Actually I will use the Super Bowl as my analogy. Boys still care about the Super Bowl, don't they?
On to the Hutcheson! The morning line favorite is Merit Man at 3-1. Clearly I have other ideas or I wouldn't be writing about the race. The Spectacular Bid comes back as Merit Man's slowest effort both in terms of Beyer's Figures and Thoro-Graph figures. Granted, the early fractions were torrid, but Merit Man crawled home barely holding off an average runner in City of Weston who had every opportunity to pass Merit Man down the stretch.
Last week trainer Ron Pellegrini and jockey Jozbin Santana teemed up for a shocker in the 9th race at GP with longshot winner Offlee Wild. The race was all the more notable as a mandatory race for the NTRA NHC 13 taking place in Las Vegas in which eventual winner Jim Benes had made the lucky selection. Actually, Offlee Wild made a lot of sense on the Thoro-Graph Sheets and I flogged myself afterward for having ignored him.
I will not make that mistake again. Pellegrini and Santana reunite in the Hutcheson with another runner which could be a contender here. Not as solid on the sheets as Offlee Wild. We will need to see some progress here for this one to be a winner; however the stars may be aligned for this one.
The number 6-Singanothersong started his career with a pair of 6 and 3/4 on the TG sheets winning on his 2nd attempt. After that they tried stretching him out in the Seacliff stakes at CRC and his performance declined noticeably. After another try at stakes level competition, Singanothersong was placed back in his normal Allowance conditions where he managed to throw in 2 places and a show before finally breaking through last time out in an OC75kN1X. In the process, Singanothersong returned to the 6 3/4 he ran early in his 2 year old debuts. This last race suggest he is now ready to make a quantum leap forward. It could be this race, maybe the next. At 8-1 in the morning line and with connections that tend to be ignored among flashier names, I think we will get a square price for a live contender.
Another horse with a big shot in here, and certainly one to use with Singanothersong is the 1 Forty Tales. You get Todd and Johnny V and probably a short price, but this one has been too good to ignore in his two outings. Both of his races have given back figures which could be good enough to win here. The only question you will have to ask is how short of a price are you willing to withstand. I will use him in the exotics with the 6 Singanothersong and 8 Honorable Dillon, another who looks to be sitting on a big effort.
Bottom line. I will take a shot at high priced glory with Singanothersong in the win pool and fool around with him, Forty Tales, Honorable Dillon, and maybe Merit Man in the exotics.
The Hutcheson is one of the www.publichandicapper.com contest races this week. My other selections for the contest are:
Sam F. Davis: Falling Sky, My Name Is Michael, Northern Lion
Strub: Stephanoatsee, Tritap, Guilt Trip
Arcadia: Willy Conker, Silentio, Suggestive Boy
Good luck and remember..
Audentes Fortuna Juvat!
Speaking of Thorofan, had a wonderful time at...
Well, the above is where I left it when I had to go back to Breakfast at Gulfstream last week. It is just as well as my sudden departure prevented me from making a fool of myself.
Regarding the Holy Bull, I would've have written that I thought Shanghai Bobby was beatable in this race. I was correct, because he was beaten, yet I was incorrect because it took a track record and a dead rail trip to do it. I would have also steered you towards Frac Daddy who turned out to be a non-factor as he grabbed a quarter during the race and away from Itsmyluckyday who I mistakenly felt might bounce off his big effort in the GP Derby on New Year's Day. Clearly, he did not bounce. I went on last weekend to not cash a single ticket either day. I am going to blame my new Samsung Tablet the buying of which I justified by saying how it would pay for itself in printer ink and paper.
This week I will not be attending Breakfast at Gulfstream because I have to address a group of Cub Scouts about the scientific method. I will be using the Hutcheson Stakes as an analogy for the explaining the scientific method and corrupting young minds at the same time..Bwah ha ha ha!
Actually I will use the Super Bowl as my analogy. Boys still care about the Super Bowl, don't they?
On to the Hutcheson! The morning line favorite is Merit Man at 3-1. Clearly I have other ideas or I wouldn't be writing about the race. The Spectacular Bid comes back as Merit Man's slowest effort both in terms of Beyer's Figures and Thoro-Graph figures. Granted, the early fractions were torrid, but Merit Man crawled home barely holding off an average runner in City of Weston who had every opportunity to pass Merit Man down the stretch.
Last week trainer Ron Pellegrini and jockey Jozbin Santana teemed up for a shocker in the 9th race at GP with longshot winner Offlee Wild. The race was all the more notable as a mandatory race for the NTRA NHC 13 taking place in Las Vegas in which eventual winner Jim Benes had made the lucky selection. Actually, Offlee Wild made a lot of sense on the Thoro-Graph Sheets and I flogged myself afterward for having ignored him.
I will not make that mistake again. Pellegrini and Santana reunite in the Hutcheson with another runner which could be a contender here. Not as solid on the sheets as Offlee Wild. We will need to see some progress here for this one to be a winner; however the stars may be aligned for this one.
The number 6-Singanothersong started his career with a pair of 6 and 3/4 on the TG sheets winning on his 2nd attempt. After that they tried stretching him out in the Seacliff stakes at CRC and his performance declined noticeably. After another try at stakes level competition, Singanothersong was placed back in his normal Allowance conditions where he managed to throw in 2 places and a show before finally breaking through last time out in an OC75kN1X. In the process, Singanothersong returned to the 6 3/4 he ran early in his 2 year old debuts. This last race suggest he is now ready to make a quantum leap forward. It could be this race, maybe the next. At 8-1 in the morning line and with connections that tend to be ignored among flashier names, I think we will get a square price for a live contender.
Another horse with a big shot in here, and certainly one to use with Singanothersong is the 1 Forty Tales. You get Todd and Johnny V and probably a short price, but this one has been too good to ignore in his two outings. Both of his races have given back figures which could be good enough to win here. The only question you will have to ask is how short of a price are you willing to withstand. I will use him in the exotics with the 6 Singanothersong and 8 Honorable Dillon, another who looks to be sitting on a big effort.
Bottom line. I will take a shot at high priced glory with Singanothersong in the win pool and fool around with him, Forty Tales, Honorable Dillon, and maybe Merit Man in the exotics.
The Hutcheson is one of the www.publichandicapper.com contest races this week. My other selections for the contest are:
Sam F. Davis: Falling Sky, My Name Is Michael, Northern Lion
Strub: Stephanoatsee, Tritap, Guilt Trip
Arcadia: Willy Conker, Silentio, Suggestive Boy
Good luck and remember..
Audentes Fortuna Juvat!
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