Well, I'm so glad to be "back in the saddle" and looking forward to the 2012 racing season with my weekly column. We start out with a look at the Kentucky Derby contenders at this point. The Juvenile, two year old season ended with the "great white hope" Hansen holding off the very talented Union Rags in the Breeder's Cup. The "best" horse that day (in my opinion) was Union Rags with the very wide trip he had under Javier Castellano. Both horse are on this year's Derby Trail and both look like they could possibly be the "two horses to beat" the first Saturday in May.
Union Rags return as a three year old was spectacular in every way. His Fountain of Youth Stakes victory at Gulfstream Park was quite impressive, he looked much bigger than he was last year and the wide, not asked "move" he made on the turn into the stretch really stamped him as the "horse to beat" for the Kentucky Derby at this time. Next up for this son of Dixie Union is the Florida Derby and by all accounts and mine, he is the top three year old horse at this moment.
Hansen, the nearly white son of Tapit made his second start of 2012 in the Gotham Stakes last Saturday at Aqueduct. In his three year debut at Gulfstream in the Holy Bull Stakes, he tired on the slop surface to Algorithms (who since has been injured and off the Derby trail) and was a well beaten second. He shipped up to New York and dominated a suspect field on the Inner-track. He's back in the picture and is second best behind the horse he beat at Churchill Downs last Fall. But, he's STILL got to prove that he can get the Kentucky Derby distance. The Wood Memorial at Aqueduct is his next start.
El Padrino ranks as the 3rd best three year old at this point and comes from the "loaded" Todd Pletcher barn. He has raced at five different tracks in his short career and is the recent winner of the Risen Star Stakes at Fairgrounds. It was a gutsy, grinding effort and may either next start in the Louisiana Derby or Florida Derby .
Here are the remainder of my top three year olds that have made an impact so far on the Kentucky Derby trail, in no particular order;
Alpha, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin - he has been the darling of the Aqueduct Inner-track (until Hansen last weekend) he'll really get the "acid" test in his next start which will be either the Wood Memorial or Florida Derby.
Fed Biz, trained by Bob Baffert is one of the top west coast three year olds. But, he decided to skip this weekend's San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita and race instead at Sunland Park in their Derby at the end of the month. He is one of my favorites on the Derby trail right now.
Another Baffert runner is Secret Circle, who was a recent winner of the Southwest Stakes (2nd division and faster run one) at Oaklawn Park . While there are still questions whether he wants or can get the Kentucky Derby distance, he was a Breeder's Cup winner at two and graded stakes winner at three.
Creative Cause, ran well as a two year old last year and got the perfect prep return last time out in the San Vicente at Santa Anita sprinting seven furlongs. He'll be racing this weekend in the San Felipe Stakes stretching out and looks to continue moving forward toward Kentucky .
Take Charge Indy, is a longshot I like and races in this weekend's Tampa Bay Derby . He was second best behind El Padrino at Gulfstream in January and returns to stakes action today. The oddly named;
Mark Valeski was very game in defeat last time out versus El Padrino in the Risen Star Stakes. That was his first time going a route distance and the question will be whether he wants to go 10 furlongs.
The Bob Baffert recent maiden breaker rounds out the 10 best three year olds; Bodemeister. Named after his son (who was named after downhill skier; Bode Miller) meets the "big time" today in the San Felipe. Something tells me that of ALL the Baffert runners, he'll be the best one at year's end.
Others to keep in mind the next few weeks; Empire Way, I'll Have Another, Liaison, Battle Harded and Street Life, a favorite of mine who was impressive breaking his maiden at Aqueduct and could be a "runner" as the three year old races continue throughout the season.
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