Here’s how I see the 8 races on Saturday going. Aside from the fact that I clearly have employed a European bias, the quality of the horses coming from outside the US and Canada is extraordinary.
Saturday:
Juvenile Turf for Colts:
1) Pounced – 7 furlongs in 1:19.4 – are you kidding me!
2) Buzzword – I’m picking Europe 1-2 here
3) Bridgetown – even with a third, Robert Landry would earn $12,500 Turf Sprint:
1) Lord Shanakill – set up perfectly to score here
2) Desert Call – great at the distance
3) Gotta Have Her – loves this track; loves this distance Sprint:
1) Fatal Bullet – Da Silva wishes everybody “Good Luck!”
2) Fleeting Spirit – is she as good on the synthetic as she’s been on the lawn?
3) Crown of Thorns – the surprise in a surprisingly small field Juvenile Dirt for Colts:
1) Beethoven – headline writers will conduct a masterpiece
2) Alfred Nobel – Europe will run 1-2 here as well
3) D’Funnybone – getting better every race Mile Turf:
1) Zacinto – last in the alphabet, first in the Mile
2) Goldikova – because it’s fun to bet against the heavy favourite
3) Delegator – North American horses won’t hit the board Dirt Mile:
1) Bullsbay – got within 2 lengths of Rachel Alexandra last time
2) Mastercraftsman – successfully tested Polytrack
3) Pyro – should cash something in a weak field
Turf Mile and a Half:
1) Conduit – last year’s champ here 2 GR 1 wins and $3 Million at the distance
2) Presious Passion – his 42nd race – 13 wins on the turf
3) Red Rocks – is he as good as he was when he won this in 2006? Classic:
1) Rip Van Winkle – huge figures in England
2) Summer Bird – can he handle the Pro Ride?
3) Mine That Bird – will win an Eclipse if he wins this
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