Cats Gone Bad!

Tweet Well, the Bad Cat, El Gato Malo has reemerged outside of Dallas for the G3 Lone Star Derby on Saturday ($400K at stake). Drawing post 2 for West Point Thoroughbreds, the Bad Cat was shut out of the Kentucky Derby and some thought he would be pointed at the Preakness, but it looks like he's out to prove his fifth place finish as the posttime favorite in the Santa Anita Derby was just a fluke. The Cat draws Rafael Bejarano for his first ride aboard the Craig Dollase trained horse. He'll be running with Blinkers on for the first time over the Lone Star track. Facing El Gato Malo are several horses who we saw during the Derby prep races such as Golden Yank (Arkansas Derby, Rebel), King's Silver Son (Ark Derby, Rebel), Pletcher's Texas Wildcatter (Wood, Gotham), Isabull (Ark Derby, Rebel, Southwest), Baffert's Samba Rooster (Lexington) and My Pal Charlie (Ark and Louisiana Derbies).

Not to mention Fort Apache...whose theme song is shown below:




That's a classic fo' sure....


So an interesting race to handicap indeed. First time on dirt for the Bad Cat. If the Saratoga Resident were playing, Ide Like a Double would definitely be his play, as he has a warm affection for "heavy doubles" but these competitors may be too tough for him here. Samba Rooster will probably be overbet based on the big numbers he posted at Keeneland and the hot pace he set there, but I'm looking for King's Silver Son to rebound from the showing in the Arkansas Derby (there's just something I like about this horse, he made a move on the far turn, then checked) and My Pal Charlie (owned by Orenthal's pal B. Wayne Hughes) to run back to the form he showed in the Louisiana Derby.

The Lone Star Play:


$2 Exacta: My Pal Charlie and King's Silver Son over MPC, KSS, The Bad Cat, Isabull and Ide Like a Double. Total Cost: $16.