Juvenile Fillies: Get your day started off right. Her Majesty was hung out hopelessly in post 13 in the Alcibiades at Keeneland. After being wide on the first turn, wide down the backstretch, and wide on the 2nd turn, the tough filly rallied to be third by a nose and beaten a few lengths at the hands of Bel Air Beauty. Her Majesty broke her maiden at Turfway against males going one mile. This is her third lifetime start, she has two turn experience in both previous starts, will receive the services of the next great sensation, Julien Leparoux. By Giant's Causeway, she should relish the long stretch at Churchill as opposed to the short run to the wire at Keeneland.
Expected odds: 20-1 +
Juvenile: 3 horses.
C P West is by Came Home from a Dynaformer mare, suggesting that he will really enjoy 2 turns more than the one turn races he has raced in previously. Zito wisely skipped the Champagne and rested his colt for this spot. With further improvement, he merits a shot at a top three finish, maybe the whole thing.
Odds: 10-1
Street Sense moved prematurely in the Breeders Futurity and could not hold off the late surge of Great Hunter. A well-timed move this time could put him in front at the wire this time around. Another who should relish the thought of two turns and a long stretch. Ian Wilkes, despite what one person posted on another thread, is one of the great young trainers in the game.
Odds: 10-1
Pegasus Wind's trainer Lukas hypes a lot of his horses. Whether this one is for real or not remains to be seen, although his trainer seems to think he is special. He started Pegasus Wind in the Bashford Manor Stakes in his racing debut, so he must think highly of him. If he wins, he will likely do it wire to wire, so be sure to make sure there is a lack of early pace before you take the plunge here.
Odds: 10-1
Sprint: Malibu Mint is a tough customer, especially on the polytrack. This is a filly against the boys, but with all of the expected pace pressure here, a lot of these boys could be backing up down the stretch with several of the stretch runners picking up the pieces. This filly has raced well at Churchill and she is in good form right now, especially coming off that win in the TCA Stakes at Keeneland. I would not recommend her for the win, but a trifecta placing is NOT out of the question for this fleet filly.
Odds: 40-1
Mile:
Silent Name: It had already been mentioned that this one has already stated the reasons why this horse has a shot in the Mile. That last at Keeneland sure did seem like a prep. For a horse that generally stalks the early leaders, he sure was very far back early, 10 wide off the turn, and closing fast in the center of the course. Has prep written all over it. Earlier this year, defeated Chinese Dragon and Milk It Mick at Santa Anita. But, the biggest factor of all is the Sunday Silence blood streaming through his veins. I'll be using him next Saturday.
Odds: 25-1
Distaff:
Spun Sugar. Pletcher and perhaps the longest price of the three that he expects to enter. She was up the track at Keeneland's Spinster while trying to overcome the speed bias. Pletcher thinks enough of her to encourage Frank Stronach to pay the supplemental fee to enter her here. She is better than her last and may be able to stalk an early pace that COULD consist of Summerly, Fleet Indian, Bushfire, and Healthy Addiction. If those four meltdown, she has more than enough right to come flying at the end to win.
Odds: 8-1
Turf:
Red Rocks comes from Europe for Paul Reddam. Raced 14 furlongs in the St. Leger last time. Not necessarily the right type of race to get you ready for this race, but in a race where your best American is questionable against top class company going 12 furlongs and your best European (Hurricane Run) could be over the top, it's feasible to ride a longshot. This could be the one.
Odds: 15-1
Classic:
Lawyer Ron sports some of the best angles known to handciappers nationwide...
Holthus to Pletcher, McKee to either Velasquez or Gomez, third off the layoff, Super Derby angle (see Alysheba, Sunday Silence, Tiznow, etc). I'm not crazy about the horse with Holthus, however the switch leads me to believe that Pletcher could really tighten this dude up.
They may have used the alt finish for the Alcibiadies though, just wanted to point out that in general the Keeneland stretch is now longer then the CD stretch.
