Kentucky Derby 'Win and You're In' races set for Kentucky, Louisiana
· UPIMarch 20 (UPI) -- A stakes-packed Louisiana Derby day at Fair Grounds and a Kentucky Cup program that harkens back to Turfway Park's glory days take the spotlight in weekend horse racing.
On the global scene, Australia's big autumn day stars the Golden Slipper, billed as the world's richest race for 2-year-olds, and Sunday's Hong Kong Derby hands out the trophy that venue's connections covet the most.
Read on ...
The Road to the Roses
Saturday's $1 million Grade II TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds is another one of those races -- a bunch of really promising 3-year-olds quickly running out of time to make good on those promises.
None of the nine colts has been able to put together a consistent and compelling resume, and four of them enter off maiden wins.
The best case probably is for Chip Honcho. The Connect colt, trained by Steve Asmussen, won the local Gun Runner Stakes on Dec. 20, but then finished fourth in the Grade III Lecomte and a fading second in the Grade II Risen Star.
Golden Tempo, from Cherie DeVaux's barn, closed from way back to win the Lecomte. But those tactics didn't get the job done in the Risen Star and the son of Curlin finished third, six lengths adrift of Paladin, the current Kentucky Derby favorite, who is not in this field.
Pavlovian, based in Southern California, won the Sunland Park Derby in New Mexico in his last start, but earlier hadn't been able to handle fellow Cal-breds.
Those past performance lines are enough to set handicappers searching through those recent maiden winners for a potential gold nugget. The oddsmaker has Chip Honcho as the 3-1 favorite, followed by Golden Tempo at 7-2. Blacksmith, Easterly and Emerging Market are all 6-1 to beat winners for the first time.
Saturday's $777,000 Jeff Ruby Steaks is Turfway Park's final stop on the Derby trail and drew a full field of 12 for the all-weather test. Whether it's a Derby test remains to be seen.
The favorite, Stark Contrast, a Caravaggio colt, made his last four starts on California turf, including a second-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 1 at Del Mar and a win in the Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita in his 3-year-old debut.
The second favorite, Fulleffort, won two stakes on the Turfway artificial surface, but before that also was a turfer.
Don't write the race off because of surface concerns, though. Animal Kingdom, also previously a turf runner, won in 2011 when the race was called the Spiral Stakes and went on to win the Kentucky Derby and the following year's Dubai World Cup.
The Turfway set piece also has been the Jim Beam Stakes and the Gallery Furniture.com stakes. The Jeff Ruby "Steaks" monicker harks to the chain of high-end steakhouses run under the Jeff Ruby banner.
Any way you look at it, each race awards 100 points to the winner -- a sure ticket to Louisville.
Saturday's $250,000 Rushaway on the Turfway Park all-weather and $100,000 Private Terms at Laurel Park are unlikely spots for Derby prospects, but can be watched for Preakness "new shooters."
The path to the Oaks
Bella Ballerina enters Saturday's $400,000 Grade II Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks undefeated after three starts. The Godolphin homebred filly by Street Sense won the Grade II Golden Rod at Churchill Downs in November and trainer Brendan Walsh brought her back at Fair Grounds last month to win the Grade II Rachel Alexandra.
Luv Your Neighbor is the main threat after four straight runner-up finishes, including in the Rachel Alexandra.
Brad Cox ships Surfer Girl in from Florida for Saturday's $300,000 Bourbonette Oaks on the Turfway Park all-weather -- a shrewd move if she can handle the shift from turf to artificial.
Saturday's $100,000 Beyond the Wire at Laurel Park has candidates, if not for the Oaks, then for the Black-Eyed Susan on the Preakness undercard.
Classic
Louisiana's superstar, aptly named Touchuponastar, takes on open company in Saturday's $500,000 Grade II New Orleans Classic at Fair Grounds.
The 7-year-old Star Guitar gelding has dominated state-bred rivals en route to a record of 20 wins from 27 starts. But he's also held his own in open company and won this race last year by 2 1/2 lengths. Nothing says he won't repeat.
Accelerize, winner of the Grade III Louisiana Stakes and second in the Grade III Mineshaft, might have a dissenting opinion.
Skippylongstocking is back in action in Saturday's $500,000 Grade III Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park. The 7-year-old is the 4-5 favorite on the morning line after back-to-back wins in the Grade III Harlan's Holiday and Grade I Pegasus World Cup. Accelerize is cross-entered here.
Saturday's $300,000 Twin Spires Kentucky Cup Classic on the Turfway Park all-weather harkens back to the glory days of the northern Kentucky track around the turn of the century with a truly nice and competitive field of nine.
Distaff
Saturday's $250,000 Latonia on the Turfway Park all-weather has a field of seven, most with local credentials.
Sprint
Outfielder couldn't go the distance in the Breeder's Cup Mile, but the Wesley Ward trainee looks like a rebound candidate in Saturday's $250,000 Animal Kingdom for 3-year-olds on the Turfway Park all-weather. The Speightstown colt was a good fourth last August in the Group 1 Prix Morny in Deauville.
Turf
Lagynos has missed a top-three finish only once in his last 12 starts and looks tough to handle in Saturday's $300,000 Grade II Muniz Memorial Classic at Fair Grounds. The 5-year-old exits a win in the Grade III Fair Grounds Stakes. Four-year-old Tom's Magic has been training in New Orleans since December and is a threat.
Gold Phoenix and Truly Quality are the oddsmakers' top picks in Saturday's $100,000 Grade III San Luis Rey at Santa Anita.
Turf sprint
The action's at Gulfstream Park: Saturday's $125,000 Texas Glitter for 3-year-olds and Sunday's $125,000 Leinster Melody of Colors for 3-year-old fillies.
Around the world, around the clock
Australia
The big day on Aussie fans' fall calendar arrives Saturday with five Group 1 races at Rosehill Gardens. The card is headed by the Golden Slipper, touted as the world's richest race for 2-year-olds.
Also on the program: The 1,000-meters Galaxy Stakes, the 1,500-meter George Ryder Stakes, the 2,000-meter Ranvet and the 2,000-meter Rosehill Guineas for, of course, 3-year-olds.
Into the bargain, Caulfield on Saturday has the Group 1 William Reid Stakes.
Hong Kong
Sunday's BMW Hong Kong Derby pits the winners of the first two races in the 4-year-old Classic Series,
Little Paradise and Stormy Grove, against rivals who hope neither of them will be good enough to last the 2,000 meters of the finale. It is, to say the least, an interesting proposition and well worth watching, as the Derby has generated some of Hong Kong's brightest recent superstars.
Stormy Grove gained some followers as he used an electric stretch run to win the 1,800-meter Hong Kong Classic Cup in his last start, tipping that he might be happy with the 2,000 meters of the Derby.