February 23-24
A quick reference tool meant to help the newer fan (like me!)
A quick reference tool meant to help the newer fan (like me!)
NOTE:AFTER A RACE HAS BEEN RUN, you can return here, click on the CARD to view the Results and watch a REPLAY.
Rachel's road to recovery as of February 20: Stonestreet Farms
********************************************************************************************
NOTE: For coverage of international racing, see below the Featured Races. Australia has three Group 1 events, which will be run late Friday evening and early Saturday EST.
RACING AT THE FAIR GROUNDS, SATURDAY
On an undercard, I'm really pulling for OPTIMIZER. He seems to like the turf, and hopefully he has found his niche after much trial and error. He's in an undercard feature at the Fair Grounds on Risen Star day in the FAIR GROUNDS HANDICAP. Race 7 goes off at 4:25 EST.
On another undercard race, winning machine DAISY DEVINE will be running in Race 5, the BAYOU HANDICAP.
Then, in the MINESHAFT HANDICAP, several familiar faces will meet up, including GOLDEN TICKET, MARK VALESKI, HERO OF ORDER in Race 8, 4:55 ET.
In a Kentucky Oaks prep, the RACHEL ALEXANDRA STAKES will feature Gary Stevens flying in to ride Tom Proctor's MIDNIGHT BALLET, and Rosie Napravnik will be aboard a Pletcher trainee, UNLIMITED BUDGET.
Stevens is also scheduled to ride PROUD STRIKE for Steve Asmussen in the Risen Star. Some of the Derby hopefuls expected in the RISEN STAR will include NORMANDY INVASION, DEPARTING, OXBOW, & cross-entered in both the Risen Star and the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream, HE'S HAD ENOUGH, with Mario Gutierrez riding. Wherever He's Had Enough winds up, LAVA MAN is expected to be there as his coach!! GO LAVA MAN!! He brings his own star power! Last news report indicated Team O'Neill will opt for the Fountain of Youth over the Risen Star because of a more favorable gate draw in the FOY. Risen Star nominees PPs
In honor of my "hero", here is Mucho Macho Man's Risen Star triumph in 2011: Risen Star stakes - 2011 - Vido replay
GULFSTREAM FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
The Grade 2 FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH is one of three graded stakes on Saturday’s card along with the $250,000 DAVONA DALE for 3-year-old fillies and the $150,000 CANADIAN TURF.
The large field, which includes favored VIOLENCE and late entrant HE'S HAD ENOUGH, even caught racing secretary Dan Bork a bit off guard.
“We were expecting somewhere in the range of six to seven horses for the race, so obviously we had a few late additions, which naturally came as a pleasant surprise,” Bork said. Read more at source
DRF provides free PPs for the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park on Saturday: Click here
Downey Profile - Dick's Picks Fountain of Youth
************
Thoroughbred Racing Roundup - Feb. 19, 2013
A look at weekend Thoroughbred racing - 2-21
TCI Insider - Jon & Joel handicap the Southwest at Oaklawn - Video
COUNTDOWN TO THE CROWN - WEEK 8 - click here
Jeremy Plonk's Horseplayer Now Jeremy Plonk's Derby Prep schedule
Haskin Derby Dozen - Feb. 19
The Downey Profile
Brisnet's Dick Powell gives his Handicapping Insights
Dan Illman gives his take on Gary Stevens along with Derby trail
If you are serious about keeping up with the horses, standings, race outcomes, etc. on the Derby Trail, don't miss the recap by Jeremy Plonk at DRF. Road to the Derby: Prep races, replays, leaderboard Scroll down under the Point Standings to a list of the Derby Prep races. Click on the race, and read Jeremy's re-cap. Very enlightening, because Jeremy sees things I would never see and points them out. We are moving into the next phase of the preps, where the points to be earned will put the winner in the starting gate of the KY Derby, and the secondary points to the next three finishers can earn some important points as well. From Feb. 23 thru March 24 is the first leg of the Championship Series in which the races will be worth 85 points, with 50 pts to the winner, and 20-10-5 to the next 3 finishers. I'm betting that from here on out, the starting gate for each of these races should see full or near-full fields.
For info on the Oaks prep series, go to the Kentucky Derby Oaks site: http://www.kentuckyderby.com/
TRIPLE CROWN: Source guide to lists of Derby qualifying races, standings, handicapping tools
DUBAI: Source Guide for Dubai World Cup Carnival
***********
Races listed below in time ordered format with cards. Come back after the race is run, click on the Card link and watch the replay at BloodHorse's results and video page.
