Woman On Top

[randallscott35]

It is time. It is time for Kathy Ritvo to silence those who claimed a woman could never train as well as a man. She will right the wrongs of history on Saturday.

1. Archarcharch- No the one hole isn’t ideal but it isn’t the end of the world either. Definitely the buzz horse this year in terms of a 25-1 shot who just won a suspect Arkansas Derby and was down to 10-1 offshore earlier this week. I don’t think there is a lot of value here and I also think he ran his best race in the last one. And as I said, I don’t think much of that race anyway. Pass

2. Brilliant Speed- His few dirt races were completely awful. I don’t see it.

3. Twice The Appeal- Not a fan of a Succesful Appeal horse getting 10 furlongs but if anyone can do it is Borel. He is obviously an underlay b/c of Borel. If Limehouse can finish 4th in this race than this guy could too. And that’s it.

4. Stay Thirsty- His last was awful, his comeback this year ok. Nothing in his pattern says that he is coming towards a peak race. At all.

5. Decisive Moment- I would like this horse more if he didn’t press the pace so much. With a 42 day rest is he going to be geared up and can Clark get him to rate. I say no. I wouldn’t like him to win anyway but I would’ve been able to see something like 3rd.

6. Comma To The Top- Pace factor. The day a Bwana Charlie colt wins the Derby is the day I retire from handicapping.

7. Pants on Fire- Just ran a new top. That’s nice. A Jump Start getting 10 furlongs isn’t happening either. Pass

8. Dialed In- He’s simply not that fast but guess what, neither is anyone else in this group. He is an underlay who I can use sparingly at the bottom of gimmicks and maybe in a Pick 4 with some others. Can you really accept 7-2 on him? Really? Thought so.

9. Derby Kitten- Where all these kittens are coming from I don’t know but I’ve had enough with every Kitten’s Joy progeny becoming a “Kitten”….Sex Kitten cannot be far behind. Oh yeah, he’s awful and doesn’t belong.

10. Twinspired- Polytrack is the worst thing that ever happened to racing. Catch him later this year in an open claimer on the grass at Ellis.

11. Master of Hounds- Which hounds? What says dirt in this pedigree? Better yet, does anything say dirt? No. Ok

12. Santiva- Kind of a fan of this one and Kenneally but the things I hear about his training lately have me a little suspect. Was going to use him a little and now I’m not. So he’ll probably win.

13. Mucho Macho Man- I’ll admit, I have done a 180 on this horse. I didn’t think he was very good coming into this year though I did think To Honor and Serve was so I went back and looked at some of his races and man if this guy hasn’t faced the best competition so far in his career. Caught Gourmet dinner in his debut, then THAS a few times, Dialed In and all the FG horses who were ok. I frankly love his pattern b/c he hasn’t broken through yet and is a June foal. Gets 6 weeks. There is really nothing not to like except Macho Uno’s struggle at 10 furlongs. But guess what. Look at this field. Uncle Mo isn’t Uncle Mo anymore, and after that-----there isn’t much to beat. I’m keying him everywhere. And doesn’t it just feel like we will be signing up for organ donation cards at the Preakness? Yes we Can!

14. Shackleford- Wise guy number 2. I’m glad he is throwing down bullets and looking so great in training. He may give you a thrill for a mile. If a Forestry could get 10 furlongs it would be against a slow group like this. But I think he’ll stop.

15. Midnight Interlude- Baffert is the man in the Derby. His horses, even awful ones like Pioneer run their race. Off 4 career starts with a grass sire I am letting him beat me. He wouldn’t shock me but I would put his fair odds at maybe 20-1 and he will be much less than that.

16. Animal Kingdom- Deep closers like this sometimes are able to suck up into the gimmicks. I’m glad he worked well over the track. I look forward to him at Colonial later this summer. Not today.

17. Soldat- You have to use this horse as well. All I can say is I have no idea what he will do. Isn’t that great? But I can see him getting first run on the speed and seeing if he can hold off MMM down the lane. I like his style for this race with this group. If you can explain away the last. Can you?

18. Uncle Mo- He’ll scratch so it doesn’t matter does it. If he goes, you let him beat you.

19. Nehro- Let’s get this straight. He had no excuse in his last 2. None. Nobody in this world loves Mineshaft more than me but this horse is not giving him his first Derby winner. His training this week sounds like he isn’t coming into this race too great. It isn’t the 19 hole that is the reason not to use him. It is that with a dream slow trip up the rail at FG and a close against nothing in Ark he was made 6-1. On what planet should he be that price in here even though 75% are tin cans?

20. Watch Me Go- He’ll be watching them go in front of him the whole way around. What the hell with so many in this field. I’m thinking of opening up a breeding operation in my back yard in order to get one in the Derby. How does West Acre command 2500 to breed? Fascinating.

So anyway. I’m keying MMM and using Soldat for some multis and a dash of Dialed In b/c I’m a sucker for Mineshaft and Nicky Z.