Crash and Burn

Tweet Yesterday, similar to Pyro, I crashed and burned at Keeneland in the Blue Grass, leaving me with nothing more than saying "I hate polytrack." I find it difficult to handicap, the pace slowdown changes everything and horses running on it for the first time in a big race rarely perform. I thought Cool Coal Man was rating nicely through the top of the stretch, then nada….nothin….done. Miner's Claim made a nice move after the far turn and then nada…nothin…done. I'm drawing a line through this race. I have more faith in CCM and Pyro that it was the track and nothing more. Pletcher definitely picked his spot after working out the top two finishers together earlier in the week. He'll be back at the Derby, I just don't think we'll see him in the Winner's Circle, even though I'm a fan of his. Both his horses show nice turf form and the turf to synthetics angle appears to be something to always keep in mind.



In the Arkansas Derby, Gayego made a case for the west coast horses and had a nice trip bringing home the 1 1/8 race. This bodes well for the stock of Colonel John and even Bob Black Jack, who will be making their first runs off the poly on dirt at Churchill Downs. Funny note on this race as pointed out by the Saratoga Resident via email after the race, third place finisher Tres Borrachos means Three Drunks in Spanish…classic. An interesting twist here, the late closing Z Fortune seemed to have more left in the tank and could be a factor in Louisville with another 1/8 mile added on for the Run for the Roses.

The handicapping puzzle for the first Saturday in May just got more complicated.