8th (4:42) Team Valor Rushaway S.

1 1/16 Miles (All Weather Track) | Open | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $75,000

1 Red Wings Court J K 118 L
2 Divine Ambition Lanerie C J 118 L
3 Takin the Sloroad Pompell T L 118 L
4 Honorable Guest Arroyo N Jr 122 L
5 J. J. Got Even Napravnik R 120 L
6 Star Contender Mena M 124 L
7 Stormin Monarcho Martinez S B 118 Blk-On L
8 Bet a Bundle Tamburello A T 118 L
9 Crop Report Rosario J 118 Blk-On L



9th (5:14) Fathead Bourbonette Oaks (G3)

1 Mile (All Weather Track) | Fillies | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $100,000

1 Street of Gold Creed B 120 L
2 Marathon Lady Albarado R J 120 L
3 Miss Squeal Garcia Alan 120 L
4 Le Fascinator Rosario J 120 L
5 Pure Fun Gomez G K 124
6 Always Kitten Napravnik R 124 L
7 Anahauc Mena M 120 L
8 Corporate Culture Leparoux J R 118 L
9 Martha's Moon Bravo J 124 L
10 Broken Spell Court J K 118 L
11 Silsita Velazquez J R 118 L
12 Awesome Mama Arroyo N Jr 118 L



10th (5:50) Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Racing Spiral S. (G3)

1 1/8 Miles (All Weather Track) | Open | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $550,000

1 Balance the Books Leparoux J R 123 L
2 Channel Isle Court J K 123 L
3 Uncaptured Mena M 123 L
4 Fear the Kitten Napravnik R 123 L
5 My Name Is Michael Rosario J 123 L
6 For Greater Glory Albarado R J 123 L
7 Mac the Man Arroyo N Jr 123 L
8 General Election Jimenez A 123 L
9 Black Onyx Bravo J 123 L
10 Giant Finish Espinoza J L 123 L
11 Taken by the Storm Garcia Alan 123 L
12 Capo Bastone Velazquez J R 123 L

Literally every horse in there could finish in the top 2.

Another week, another upset.

I think there have been 7 of these "50 point" Derby preps so far, and as many 100+/1 longshots have won as have post-time favorites.

Two years ago, virtually every prep race was won by a mid-range price or double digit longshot.

Form can be fickle with 3-year-olds this time of year, and that has only been greatly accelerated by the way so many horses are lightly raced and very much babied along.

Brilliant post.

doug, what are your thoughts on black onyx? he's certainly versatile, his win in the spiral is his third different surface victory. i like the breeding as well...

One of those three was not like the others. His dirt win was an off the turf affair. He ran credibly but not spectacularly. I loved this guy in his last two since first he was getting on the surface he was supposed to be on and second because he clearly was on the upswing and was sharp. Having the jock skip a Saturday card at GP for this race was a good sign as well. The only Derby I would love him for though is run in Virginia. I may put a token bet on him for the Kentucky Derby since he has treated me well (and dumber things have happened) and the distance will likely not be a problem but I can't see him liking the dirt that much. He's a grinder that is not afraid to pass horses and I think he can make a top half finish, but I don't look for him to be in the money.

yeah, i agree about the virginia race being one he might be better suited for. but with animal kingdom winning the ky derby, i don't know that i can completely toss black onyx. thanks.

Watchmaker's column about the races this weekend explores the Black Onyx-Animal Kingdom comparisons. You might find it interesting reading.

You mean the article that, while comparing the two horses, fails to mention that while Animal Kingdom had never raced on dirt prior to the Derby, Black Onyx has already run a few times on dirt, and he immediately improved significantly on turf, and then synthetic. Seems to me that is a pretty important fact to just completely ignore.

Yep. The only comperable things that I could see were that they both won the Spiral and their BSFs increased in similar ways, which usually happens when 3yos win a stakes race....Of course we should hardly find it surprising that a horse does better on the surface he was meant to run on in the first place, but I guess enough people did that he keyed off a $159 and then a $220 exacta. This is a trend I hope to see continue, but as to the horse himself, I expect to see him passing a bunch of fried front enders in the lane, but a 5th or 6th place finish would be about the best I see happening barring tons of defections

it is important, which is why i asked for input on the horse. thanks.

The last time Black Onyx ran on dirt, he finished 17 lengths behind Gunderman... and Gunderman came back and finished 17 lengths behind Verrazano in his very next start.

I'm obviously not suggesting Verrazano is 34 lengths the better dirt horse, but using the honest Gunderman as a measuring stick makes it look that way.

I think Black Onyx probably is a turf/synthetic horse. His dirt form isn't impressive at all.

Well, maybe you want to tell Watchmaker, since he was the one who wrote the article.