East Coast West Coast
Saratoga and Del Mar will both be here before we know it. We plan on taking our share of big swings at both meets. We’ll see if we can pad the bank rolls a bit beforehand.
Belmont at Aqueduct which is Aqueduct to me has the grade 3 Manila at one mile on the turf. Let’s hope it stays on the grass and the race is not decimated.
If it stays on the grass, I have a strong opinion.
Mattingly comes out of two grass sprints and should be part of or set the pace. He will only have to go a mile and that will help him, but I think they get to him late.
Drunk on Sake won his only grass start but it was in a maiden claimer, and this would be a big ask. As easy as he won, I can’t see the repeat.
Neat might be the class of this field and has run races good enough to win this when at his best. I like the jockey switch and he is a player, but I like someone for the win.
Move to Gold looks like the one to me. He is just learning what it is all about and has never run a bad race including his debut over the tough Kentucky Downs course. He should improve off his last going second off the bench here and Franco should have him rolling best of all when it counts most.
Please Advise should sit a nice trip here and appears to fit class-wise. He is one for one over the course and that helps but I like a few others more, especially Move to Gold.
Deterministic tries the grass after two disappointing tries on the dirt. He has been a highly regarded and hyped horse but really hasn’t stepped up to the plate as expected. It looks like the turf is a bit of a guess, but he is bred well enough to handle it. That said I don’t think he moves up enough to win this.
Out West in California they will run the mile and an eighth Los Alamitos Derby. They only got a field of five, two from the Bob Baffert barn and I think he has the winner. Cornell ran like a horse who I thought needed his last race and that just happened to come against Parenting. That colt looks like a star and this Into Mischief colt came running late after falling back off the pace in a small field. I think this race is Cornell’s to lose and I don’t think he will.