6/8 (BEL) 145th Belmont Stakes: Field at 14 as 'Tiz' passes
 

6/8: BELMONT STAKES

1. Orb (McGaughey/Rosario)
2. Oxbow (Lukas/Stevens)
3. Will Take Charge (Lukas/Court)
4. Revolutionary (Pletcher/Castellano)
5. Overanalyze (Pletcher/Velazquez)
6. Palace Malice (Pletcher/Smith)
7. Giant Finish (Dutrow/Prado)
8. Unlimited Budget (Pletcher/Napravnik)
9. Freedom Child (Albertrani/Saez)
10. Golden Soul (Stewart/Albarado)
11. Incognito (McLaughlin/I. Ortiz)
12. Vyjack (R. Rodriguez/Leparoux)
13. Midnight Taboo (Pletcher/G. Gomez)
14. Frac Daddy (McPeek/A. Garcia)

I think we're all on pins and needles waiting for the UAE Derby probables. That is such an important race, they really should have given it like 500 Derby points.

It's been said before, but of all the complaints about the new points system, the ridiculous joke that is the UAE Derby being made a 100 pt race while the IL Derby was excluded is just disgraceful. CDI has no regard for who's left in their path of destruction.

i think the 20 points available for the winner of the derby trial might rival the 100 for the uae. i understand the trial is their own product and has both "derby" and "trial" in it's name but they may as well make points available in a race the following friday.

when was the last time this was actually used as a derby prep and not a stepping stone to the preakness or a later race?

Don't Get Mad won it in 2005 and then was 4th to Giacomo, Closing Argument and Afleet Alex in the Derby.

Shanghai Bobby next race looks like Fla Derby on 3/30. He has 24 points. If he gets some bad luck or doesn't fire that day he doesn't get in the derby. Then we may get some sanity as they restructure the point value of these races to not penalize horses running Nov through Feb. Any system that assigns the Sunland derby as much as the Fountain of Youth is suspect. I am sure everyone will say it is a work in progress but for fuk sake how much thought does it take to see making the Sunland Derby and Spiral stakes worth 5 Times the Breeders Cup Juvy is just wrong. I really like the concept of points over dollars but they didn't give the implementation much thought IMO.

I don't love the system by any means and already posted in this thread some issues I have with it.

However, would it be too much to ask for Shanghai Bobby to run 3x before the Derby? He is playing with fire with Violence and Shanghai Bobby both, who will each probably put forth Quality Road-esque performances given their need for enough points to make the field. No one should feel bad for Pletcher since he will have at least one horse in nearly every final prep (save UAE Derby).

No Argument here. Maybe this will be a good thing as owners will get really pissed if they missed their Derby opportunity because Pletcher decided to only run once.

2/16: GULFSTREAM 9th (4:35)

1 1/16 Miles | Open | 3 Year Olds Allowance Optional Claiming ($75,000) | Purse: $54,500

1 Offlee Fast Santana J Z 122 L
2 Duke of the City Lopez P 118 L
3 Edge of Reality Castellano J J 118 L
4 Sky Commander Lezcano J 118 L
5 Capo Bastone Velazquez J R 118 L
6 Taken by the Storm Rosario J 118 L
7 Finn's Quest Lanerie C J 118 L
8 Irsaal Saez L 118 Blk-On

Titletown Five is targeting the Rebel, if anyone cares.

Just wait until everyone comes to grips with the fact that Capo Bastone is a one-run sprinter.

Probably won't be until after he ships out of Todd's playground Gulfstream Park.

Being rushed back for sure. Cant believe he is going to ruin this horse.
Baffert wanted this horse, tryed getting him from the owner.

Not much in here though.

I dont feel bad for Pletcher but the horse does have 6 races with 5 wins including 2 grade 1's and 1 should be grade 1 and has made in excess of 1.7 million dollars. Any system where this horses hasn't qualified for entry already s a poor one.

All this system is going to do is create more 2 race campaigns since the last 2 "rounds" are the only ones of real value. Basically what Chad Brown is doing with Normandy Invasion.

People wonder why horses dont have longer racing careers yet our best horses are now going to be going into the biggest race of their relatively young careers even less prepared simply because the system encourages that.

One thing that is particularly annoying is that CDI is trying to suggest that they have created a "championship season" in the manner of the NCAA tournament. Not only shouldn't the Kentucky Derby need to copy any other sporting event, the analogy is beyond stupid.

If I had a few hundred grand to blow I'd claim a couple of polytrack 2 yo's, run them in the UAE Derby, hope to run 1st or 2nd and ask permission to cross enter in the Derby and a 50k claimer at AP opening weekend

Yeah because he doesn't already have enough good horses.

You're such an insider. Everyone is so impressed.

FTFY...and all of us.

Keep this up and you'll be getting some pm's from him like I currently am.

I don't want to spoil it for you, but he's going to tell a lot of lies in the pm's.

Great Post. We also know our "friend" Joe Drape will point out how CDI's new Derby entry policy was directly related to the breakdown of one of those horses if it ever happened in the Derby.

Additions to FOY..

Falling Sky and Speak Logistics there instead of Tampa Bay Derby.. Cerro (Palm Beach S.) will enter and run if post not daunting..

What is a "yute"?

Maybe the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup can be the next win and you're in race.

Ridiculous. I had no idea how many points that one was worth. Who is the genius behind this?

Really like this thread. Easy place to at least get a picture of who is going where!

Brisnet 'Road to Derby' Weekend PP's package: http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promo...hipSeries1.pdf

Ive Struck a Nerve hurt, off Kentucky Derby trail
By Marty McGee

http://www.drf.com/news/ive-struck-n...ky-derby-trail

NEW ORLEANS – Ive Struck a Nerve, the 135-1 winner of the Risen Star Stakes last month at Fair Grounds, suffered an ankle injury in a Saturday morning workout and will miss the Triple Crown series, trainer Keith Desormeaux said.

“It’s very disappointing,” said Desormeaux. “We’re still trying to pinpoint the exact nature of the injury. The vets still have to take more X-rays. It doesn’t look like it’s career-threatening and he’s not in peril. It’s the kind of injury that happens quite a bit in this game. The good news is we know we still have a nice horse.”

1. Verrazano, 50
Orb, 50
Vyjack, 50
Hear The Ghost, 50
5. Flashback, 30
6. Goldencents, 29
7. Shanghai Bobby, 24
8. Java's War, 22
9. Falling Sky, 20
West Hills Giant, 20
Code West, 20
12. Oxbow, 16
13. Dynamic Sky, 13
14. Speak Logistics 11
15. Itsmyluckyday, 10
Overanalyze, 10
Uncaptured, 10
Den's Legacy, 10
Power Broker, 10
Super Ninety Nine, 10
Will Take Charge, 10
Revolutionary, 10
Elnaawi, 10
Palace Malice, 10
Tiz A Minister, 10

Jay Privman ‏@DRFPrivman: Pletcher said this morning it is "90-percent certain" Verrazano would use Wood Memorial as final Ky. Derby prep. Others: Overanalyze being considered for SUN Derby 3-24. Capo Bastone to Spiral 3-23 instead of Sunland..

In past years, Overanalyze would have probably gone to the now disgraced and neglected Illinois Derby.

Mary Rampellini ‏@DRFRampellini Gary Stevens is to ride Titletown Five in his next race, which will be the Sunland Derby, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Tuesday.

Jay Privman @Jay Privman: Garrett Gomez replacing Julien Leparoux aboard Flashback when he runs in SA Derby (4-6) per Bob Baffert..

That's tough luck for Julien. Baffert must have got some pressure from Gary West to make the change.

A blinker-less Merit Man will run in the Florida Derby.

Why would a horse in need of points run in the Illinois Derby?

Super jock switch....now i hope Flashback is good enough.

Being utilized as a Preakness prep.

Gomez, IMO, is at his best when he's driving at a target or two in the stretch. Not sure he'll have that with Flashback's early foot.

Any word if Casse will give Dynamic Sky another opportunity to earn his way in to Derby?