Players Edge Newsletter – March 19, 2010

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Gulfstream Park’s Florida Derby
Rule in Charge?

Saturday’s Florida Derby lost the services of, winner of the Fountain of Youth Stakes winner , Eskendereya and runner-up Jackson Bend, both of whom will race in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and then third place finisher Aikenite, who is aimed for the Toyota Bluegrass Stakes. But fear not trainer Todd Pletcher has a firebrand in his stable by the name of Rule, to tackle the Florida Derby field of eleven for the 1 1/8-mile event.

Rule was the winner of the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on February 13th and will probably be the morning line favorite of the Florida Derby.

The 59th edition of the Florida Derby will top an all-star 12-race program that includes renewals of the $200,000 Bonnie Miss Stakes, $150,000 Swale Stakes, $150,000 Rampart Stakes and $100,000 Appleton Stakes.

Rule, who won the Delta Downs Jackpot as a 2-year-old, goes for his fifth consecutive victory in the Florida Derby. John Velazquez will be aboard the colt. He won the Sam F. Davis by using his front-running style by three lengths.

Another contender that will attract betting support is the English-bred Radiohead with Edgar Prado in the saddle. The owner-trainer team won the 2008 Florida Derby with Big Brown who went on to race undefeated through the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

Radiohead won two of six starts with two seconds in England. He finished seventh in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita in his American debut. The son of Johannesburg kicked off his 2010 campaign with a strong performance at Gulfstream, winning a seven-furlong allowance race by 3 1/4 lengths.

Lentenor, the highly-publicized full-brother to Barbaro, has Jockey Alan Garcia in the irons and will be tested on dirt for the first time after making his career debut on Polytrack at Keeneland in late October and three starts since on turf. He broke his maiden over the Gulfstream course on January 20th. He came back with a runner-up effort as the favorite in an allowance race on Fountain of Youth Day on February 17th.

Soaring Empire get the services of Eddie Castro, tuned up for the Florida Derby with a victory over a first-level allowance field at seven furlongs. It was his first start since finishing third in the one-mile Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs in November after a winning debut at Monmouth Park in late September. Soaring Empire is making his fourth career start and first around two turns.

Coming out of the February 20th Fountain of Youth are Pleasant Prince (fourth), Ice Box (fifth), and Pulsion (sixth). Completing the field are First Dude, Game On Dude, Miner’s Reserve, and Best Actor.

The Derby Trail
A Trio from Three Biggies Move Forward

This past Saturday, Derby hopefuls were racing across the country, each trying to make the trip to Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May. Leading the way was Lookin At Lucky and his exciting victory in the Rebel Stakes. Odysseus made it look hard in his victory in the Tampa Bay Derby and Sidney’s Candy stretched out for the first time in the San Felipe to win. Lookin At Lucky got a 97 Beyer Speed Figure, Sidney’s Candy a 95, and Odysseus a 93 for their respective wins.

The highlight of the weekend was Lookin At Lucky, who was trying dirt and blinkers for the first time. Garrett Gomez was in the irons, and drove him home while Corey Nakatani, on Dublin, came charging up on his outside. Gomez clipped the heels of Dublin and broke stride while trying to split Dublin and Noble’s Promise. The result was both jockey and horse didn’t falter and went on to win.

The trio of horses ran very well, giving an exciting performance for the Rebel crowd. All three got a lot out of the race and should continue to progress toward the Derby.

The same can be said for the first three finishers of the Tampa Bay Derby, which was an oddly run race to say the least. Super Saver was sent to the front by Ramon Dominguez, tracked by Odysseus early. Local favorite, Uptowncharlybrown, also was in the mix early.

As Super Saver passed the three-eighths pole, Odysseus tried to make a move by was out maneuvered by Schoolyard Dreams who passed Odysseus and Uptowncharlybrown, and took the lead from Super Saver.

At that point, it looked as if Schoolyard Dreams had the others beaten. Super Saver tried to battle back, but Schoolyard Dreams seemed to be best. Odysseus tried to get back into the mix, but couldn’t make up any ground on the leader. Then he changed to his right lead, made a move through a narrow opening between Super Saver and Schoolyard Dreams and Rajiv Maragh drove Odysseus to the photo finish over Schoolyard Dreams. Super Saver hung tough to be third.

In the San Felipe, Sidney’s Candy added his name to the growing list of top-class speed horses on this year’s Derby Trail. Interactif, making the disadvantageous cross-country trip West and trying synthetics for the first time, was a bit aggressive early on under Rafael Bejarano and kept coming at Sidney’s Candy, cutting his 2 1/2-length lead at the eighth pole to a half-length at the wire. American Lion and Dave in Dixie were the big disappointments.

Caracortado ran well, and had every chance, but couldn’t make a dent on Sidney’s Candy’s lead, as Interactif drew clear of him late. His performance, while not up to the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis race was good enough to keep him moving forward. He could very well bounce back and improve stretching out another sixteenth.

So, all in all, it was an exciting afternoon of racing on the 3-year-old front, with the champ continuing his winning ways on dirt and several new stars emerging on the scene.

Santa Anita’s San Luis Rey
Bring on the Bourbon

This Saturday, Santa Anita puts on another turf marathon race with the Grade 2 $150,000 San Luis Rey at the 1 1/2-mile distance. Bourbon Bay, who won the San Luis Obispo Handicap back in February, looks to be the horse to beat in the ten horse field.

Bourbon Bay brings a two-race win streak at the meet into the 1 1/2-mile San Luis Rey. Both of those wins came at the 12-furlong distance for trainer Neil Drysdale and snapped a seven-race losing drought for the 4-year-old. The field includes Unusual Suspect and Sudden War, who ran second and third, respectively, in the San Luis Obispo on February 21st.

Rafael Bejarano, aboard Bourbon Bay in the San Luis Obispo, rated off the pacesetter Sudden War in second before kicking into another gear in the stretch and won handily, for his first stakes triumph. Bejarano will ride Bourbon Bay again.

Bourbon Bay is 3-2-2 lifetime record in 11 starts with earnings of $209,424. Bourbon Bay is the 120-pound high weight and adds six pounds following his San Luis Obispo effort. His trainer Neil Drysdale bids for his fourth win in the San Luis Rey and his first since 2007.

Jockey Alex Solis expects improvement from the 5-year-old Argentina-bred Sudden War, who finished 5 1/2 lengths behind the top choice in his first start in two months for trainer Ken McPeek. Sudden War has won three of six starts in his career, all on turf.

The 6-year-old Unusual Suspect, a veteran of 43 races with eight wins and earnings of $769,850, came with his usual late run for trainer Barry Abrams in the San Luis Obispo. Alonso Quinonez retains the mount. Unusual Suspect is on a five-race losing streak. Also coming out of the San Luis Obispo is the Argentina-bred Romp (fourth), Obrigado (fifth) and Dynamic Range (seventh).

High Court Drama returns to action after nearly two months away. The 5-year-old Irish-bred was second to Loup Breton by a half-length in the 10-furlong San Marcos Stakes. It was High Court Drama’s third start in the United States since transferring from his native country.

High Court Drama won an optional claiming allowance on the turf at Hollywood Park and also finished second in the Native Diver Handicap on Hollywood’s Cushion Track. Lease of Life and Unusual Smoke, who finished in a dead-heat for the win in a one-mile optional claimer Feb. 21, and Quasicobra complete the field. See below:

PP	Horse	A/S	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer
1	Dynamic Range (KY)	4/G	D R Flores	119	J C Canani
2	High Court Drama (IRE)	5/H	M C Baze	118	D F O’Neill
3	Bourbon Bay (KY)	4/G	R Bejarano	120	N D Drysdale
4	Obrigado (FR)	7/G	G K Gomez	117	N D Drysdale
5	Sudden War (ARG)	5/G	A O Solis	118	K G McPeek
6	Lease of Life (KY)	5/H	J Rosario	116	M R Mitchell
7	Unusual Suspect (CA)	6/H	A Quinonez	117	B Abrams
8	Romp (ARG)	6/G	C Sutherland	115	K Mulhall
9	Quasicobra (KY)	6/G	J Talamo	116	P L Biancone
10	Unusual Smoke (CA)	5/H	M Garcia	117	A C Avila

Dubai World Cup
Full Field of Fourteen Expected

The world’s richest race will be run on March 27 at Meydan Racecourse in the Unite Arab Emirates. Fourteen runners from around the globe will contest the $10 million Dubai World Cup and BetAmerica.com will cover the action.

Though entries will not be drawn until next week, the maximum number of starters is expected for the 10-furlong race over the Tapeta surface. The field will be led by Gio Ponti, a dual Eclipse Award champion in 2009, and Twice Over, a multiple group stakes winner in Europe. Those two finished second and third, respectively, in the Breeders’ Cup Classic last year.

Also expected to be among the favorites is Cathay Hong Kong Cup winner and four-time group I winner Vision d’Etat, who makes his 2010 debut.

Besides Gio Ponti, the other American-based horses expected to compete are Pacific Classic winner Richard’s Kid, Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile longshot winner Furthest Land, and turf star Take the Points from the barn of Todd Pletcher.

Also expected to take part in a well-matched field are Brazilian-bred Gloria de Campeao, last year’s World Cup runner-up, and English-bred Gitano Hernando, who won the Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita in 2009 and enters the race off a convincing prep victory in England last month.

Top European trainer Mike de Kock will saddle a pair, Lizard’s Desire and Mr Brock. Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor, a five-time World Cup winner, will go with Allybar, who is twice proven at Meydan, and Mastery.

Around the Track
Info for the Race Handicapper

Monmouth Park

Monmouth will run a total of 71 days this year, while Meadowlands, which has held a Thoroughbred meet since 1977, will not race. Last year, Monmouth and Meadowlands held 141 days of Thoroughbred racing. Monmouth will disperse $12.1 million in purses for its 90 stakes, up from the $10.54 million paid out in 2009 at Monmouth and Meadowlands. Monmouth Park will distribute $1 million a day in purses this year during a 50-day May-to-September meet. Monmouth will race primarily Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Labor Day, Sept. 6. The meet will then continue through Nov. 21 on Saturdays and Sundays.

Oaklawn Park

Oaklawn Park’s desire to have the top two horses of 2009 run in the $5 million dollar Apple Blossom Invitational is now a bust. Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta were to meet on April 9^th. Zenyatta’s prep race was smooth sailing, rallying from last as always to defeat her rivals while Rachel Alexandra lost by a half a length to one of her four rivals. Rachel’s connections said she would not make the Apple Blossom. Without Rachel Alexandra the purse for Apple Blossom will return to its original level of $500,000.

Pimlico Race Course

Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course once again will not run the Grade 1 Pimlico Special this year to reductions in purses. The Special has not run in four out of the last nine years due to a purse shortage. The six-week spring meet that begins April 17 will have 18 stakes worth $2.4 million, compared with 21 stakes worth $2.6 million a year ago.

Thoroughbred Racing Action
Weekend Stakes Action

Gulfstream Park’s Florida Derby takes center stage this weekend. Watch and wager on these stakes races…all on BetAmerica.com.

Saturday – March 20

Fair Grounds: Costa Rising Stakes, $60,000, 4&up, Louisiana-bred, 8.5f.
Golden Gate Fields: Work the Crowd Stakes, $50,000, 3&up, f/m, 8.5f.
Gulfstream Park: Florida Derby – G1, $750,000, 3yo, 9f.
Gulfstream Park: Bonnie Miss Stakes – G2, $200,000, 3yo f, 9f.
Gulfstream Park: Rampart Stakes – G3, $150,000, 4&up, f/m, 9f.
Gulfstream Park: Swale Stakes – G2, $150,000, 3yo, 7f.
Gulfstream Park: Appleton Stakes – G3, $100,000, 4&up, 7.5f (turf).
Laurel Park: Private Terms Stakes, $50,000, 3yo, 8f.
Oaklawn Park: Hot Springs Stakes, $60,000, 4&up, 6f.
Oaklawn Park: Prima Donna Stakes, $60,000, 3yo f, 6f.
Santa Anita: San Luis Rey Handicap –G2, $150,000, 4&up, 12f (turf).
Santa Anita: Irish O’Brien Stakes, $100,000, 4&up, f/m, 6.5f (turf).
Sunland Park: Mt. Cristo Rey Handicap, $100,000, 3&up, 4.5f.

Sunday – March 21

Santa Anita: Santa Ana Handicap – G2, $150,000, 4&up, f/m, 9f (turf).
Sunland Park: New Mexico State University Stakes, $125,000, 4&up, 8f.

Harness Stakes Action
This Weekend’s Stakes Action

BetAmerica.com still has great harness action from the East Coast to the West Coast, from Canada and the U.S. Watch and Wager on these Harness stakes races this week:

Friday – March 19

Meadows: Quarter Mile , $15,000, 3&4 yo, F&M Pace
Meadowlands: Overbid, $123,000, FFA Mare, Pace
Yonkers: Petticoat, $12,500, 3&4 yo, F&M Pace

Saturday – March 20

Meadowlands: Four Leaf Clover, $132,000, 5 & Under, Pace
Yonkers: Sagamore Hill, $40,000, 3&4 yo, H&G Pace

Monday – March 22

Meadows: Triple Diamond, $15,000, 3&4 yo, H&G Trot
Yonkers: Silver Reign, $60,000, 3yo, Filly Pace

Tuesday – March 23

Meadows: Wheel of Fortune, $15,000, 3&4 yo, H&G Pace

Wednesday – March 24

Meadows: Double Double, $15,000, Open, Trot

Thursday – March 25

Meadowlands: Horse & Groom, $96,000, Open, Trot
Meadowlands: Night Styles, $72,400, 4&Under, F&M Pace

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