Saturday afternoon, Chicago time, the Derby trail and the Oaks trail return stateside, to Gulfstream Park. Their three-year-old preps — and their winter Championship meet — draw to a close with the Florida Derby (G1) and the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).
The Florida Derby, particularly, has long been a top-flight Kentucky Derby prep. Its importance has been as strong as ever in recent years. In the five editions of the Kentucky Derby since the points system started, three Florida Derby winners have earned the roses a month later, and several of this year’s top contenders will take their final tune-up in Hallandale Beach.
The Risen Star and El Camino Real were tough (too bad Big Race Showdown didn’t do the Southwest, ’cause I was all over My Boy Jack!). Let’s see if I can get back on track with the Fountain of Youth, with a horse I’ve been keen on since last June: the one, the only, Free Drop Billy. See who all I like, and see who we all like, over at ABR!
Last weekend, the three-year-old prep season took a one-week break. Focus instead shifted to the older horses, as Gun Runner showed in the Pegasus World Cup why allowing a sound horse to stay in training through age five can be downright magical. We’re back to reality this week: Gun Runner has taken up residence at stud, and it’s time to turn our eyes back to the ones dreaming of roses and lilies come may.
This weekend, the sophomore trail continues full steam ahead, and Picks and Ponderings takes you to all the points races. This piece will focus on Gulfstream’s pair, the Forward Gal (G4) for fillies and the Holy Bull (G2) for open company.
We’ll be sharing our top picks in the biggest races all year long — and fittingly, we start by looking at the race with the biggest purse of all, the $16 million Pegasus World Cup. Head over to ABR, and see who we like for the Pegasus!
This weekend, Gulfstream reprises the richest horse race in history: the Pegasus World Cup. Though Picks and Ponderings focuses mainly on three-year-old preps until the Chicago racing season resumes, this $16 million race for older horses has the attention of the racing world, and it has ours. Our preview features horse-by-horse commentary, as well as our customary selections and longshot.
Curlin babies have made eleven Breeders’ Cup starts so far. All eleven of those starts have come in two-turn races: the Classic, Distaff, Turf, Juvenile, and Juvenile Fillies.
But, Saturday at Gulfstream Park, Curlin’s Approval (Withmom’sapproval, by With Approval) secured her ticket to the end-of-year championships — specifically, the Filly and Mare Sprint — with a resounding score in the Grade 2 Princess Rooney Stakes.
Though squeezed tightly in a line of horses soon after the break, rider Luis Saez got Curlin’s Approval into gear, and quickly settled her in the second flight — behind leader Kinsley Kisses, and just to the outside of Dearest. She chased comfortably down the backstretch.
Approaching the half-mile pole, Curlin’s Approval began inching up on the leader’s outside. Through the far turn the lead became three quarters of a length, half a length, a neck…until they were head-and-head. Kinsley Kisses tried for several strides, but she had run against a better horse. At the quarter pole, Curlin’s Approval led by a head. Dearest and Distinta rallied to her outside, looming a threat. Turning for home, Saez told Curlin’s Approval it was time for business — and she responded by clearing off. Distinta kept chasing…but Curlin’s Approval was gone. She crossed the wire four and a half lengths clear of that foe, leaving no doubt about who was punching their ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.
Of course…a bid is one thing. Making it to Del Mar this November will require her to stay healthy and fit over the next four months. Doing well, much less winning, will require a combination of shrewd management and good racing luck
It will also require Curlin’s Approval to answer the biggest question that remains about her form: can she replicate her best form outside of Hallandale Beach? So far she has run eleven times…all six of her wins have come at Gulfstream, and she finished off the board in tries at Keeneland and Churchill.
But, if she can take her form outside of Florida? She has repeatedly proven her love for the extended one-turn trip, so the specialist distance of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (seven furlongs) should suit Curlin’s Approval better than most. It will be interesting to see how she prepares…though if she stays healthy, she has her chance to become Curlin’s first one-turn Breeders’ Cup starter.
And, if she takes to Del Mar? She could become Curlin’s first ever Breeders’ Cup winner, in an unexpected division for such a stamina merchant of a sire.
The Smile Sprint Stakes (G3), a six-furlong sprint on the dirt, welcomes open company and offers its winner a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1). The fillies’ and mares’ complement, the Princess Rooney Stakes (G2), covers seven furlongs on the dirt. That race’s winner punches her ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.
The Florida Derby features Gunnevera, who by sheer consistency has emerged among the top of his class. Always Dreaming has been getting most of the chatter, among the rest of the field…can he break out here?
The Gulfstream Park Oaks features Tequilita, winner of the Forward Gal — plus several intriguing newer runners ready to try stakes company and make their marks.
The roads to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks continue this weekend. Over at Picks and Ponderings, I take a look at a pair of Grade 2 sophomore preps in Florida, the Fountain of Youth and the Davona Dale.
The Fountain of Youth features Irish War Cry, a promising son of Curlin (and currently at the top of my Derby Top Ten), against ten foes. As often happens in Florida this time of year, the road won’t be easy. His foes include Practical Joke, Gunnevera, and Made You Look (going first-time dirt).
In the Davona Dale, a full field of fourteen will compete for Kentucky Oaks points. That field includes proven graded stakes winners including Pretty City Dancer and Miss Sky Warrior, as well as many others who are trying to carve out a place on the Oaks trail.
Irish War Cry (Irish Sovereign, by Polish Numbers) had two wins in two starts going into today’s Holy Bull (G2).
Even though he had done everything asked of him, the question loomed: which Irish War Cry would show up to face more proven horses like champion Classic Empire and multiple graded stakes winner Gunnevera in his graded stakes debut?
After older horses took the spotlight last weekend, the Derby Trail and Oaks Trail resume this Saturday. I turn my eyes to Gulfstream Park for a pair of competitive three-year-old points races: the Holy Bull (G2) and the Forward Gal (G2).
In the Holy Bull, Classic Empire attempts to keep his championship form, while eight foes try to knock him off the top of the heap. In the Forward Gal, nine fillies attempt to take another step toward the Oaks. Pretty City Dancer may be the class…but she has been off the screen since Saratoga, and there’s an interesting mid-Atlantic invader.
This weekend features the richest race in horse racing history: the Pegasus World Cup (G1). Keen Ice, California Chrome, Arrogate, and nine other horses will go a mile and an eighth for a purse of $12,000,000.
And, as we so often do for the biggest races of the year, Picks and Ponderings takes it on, point/counterpoint. Paul Mazur and I go horse-by-horse to separate the contenders, the exotic plays, and the pretenders. We pull no punches, and we let the snark flow.
Breeding horses isn’t an exact science. After all, the adage involves breeding the best to the best and hoping for the best, not knowing you’ll get the best. But, if one stallion keeps providing solid horses when bred to a mare or her family, why not stick with what works?
Curlin’s Image (Image of Mom, by Halo’s Image) already has a few close relatives by Curlin.
Blinkers Off 