4/9-10 (AQU): Wood, Carter (G1's), Gazelle (G2), more; Top Flight (G3)

[Kasept]

3rd (1:22) Excelsior S. (G3)

1 1/4 Miles | Open | 4 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $200,000

1 Turco Bravo (CHI) Davis D 119 L
2 Kid Cruz Ortiz J L 117 L
3 Norumbega Franco M 115 L
4 Madefromlucky Velazquez J R 123 L
5 Good Luck Gus Ortiz I Jr 123 L



8th (4:16) Gazelle S. (G2)

1 1/8 Miles | Fillies | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $300,000

1 Clair de Lune Ortiz J L 116 L
2 Lewis Bay Ortiz I Jr 122 L
3 Mo d'Amour Velazquez J R 120 L
4 Dreams to Reality Carmouche K 114 L
5 Royal Obsession Franco M 116 L
6 Behrnik's Bank Gonzalez E 116 L
7 Flora Dora Alvarado J 120 L



9th (4:52) Bay Shore S. (G3)

7 Furlongs | Open | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $300,000

1 Sallisaw Alvarado J 116 L
2 Awesome Speed Velazquez J R 120 L
3 Never Gone South Lynch F 118 L
4 Awesome Gent Franco M 120 L
5 Unified Ortiz J L 114 L
6 Cocked and Loaded Ortiz I Jr 123 L
7 King Kranz Carmouche K 120 L
8 Richie the Bull Cancel E 118 L



10th (5:30) Wood Memorial S. (G1)

1 1/8 Miles | Open | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $1,000,000

1 Shagaf Ortiz I Jr 123 L
2 Adventist Carmouche K 123 L
3 Trojan Nation Gryder A T 123 L
4 Tale of S'avall Velasquez C 123 L
5 Flexibility Franco M 123 L
6 Matt King Coal Ortiz J L 123 L
7 Dalmore Alvarado J 123 L
8 Outwork Velazquez J R 123 L



11th (6:08) Carter H. (G1)

7 Furlongs | Open | 4 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $400,000

1 Sassicaia Bisono J 116 L
2 Majestic Affair Carmouche K 116 L
3 Dads Caps Ortiz I Jr 118 L
4 Green Gratto Ortiz J L 117 L
5 Salutos Amigos Velasquez C 123 L
6 Anchor Down Velazquez J R 114 L
7 Calculator Alvarado J 117 L
8 Stallwalkin' Dude Franco M 117 L

[Kasept]

SUN 3rd (2:26) Top Flight Invitational H. (G3)

1 1/8 Miles | Fillies and Mares | 4 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $200,000

1 1 Noble and a Beauty Gryder A T Violette, Jr. R A 114 L 15-1
2 2 America Ortiz I Jr Mott William I 118 L 4-1
3 3 Mei Ling Velazquez J R Pletcher Todd A 118 L 2-1
4 4 Saythreehailmary's Franco M Morrison John 117 L 6-1
5 5 Carrumba Ortiz J L McGaughey III C R 116 L 6-5

Exacta, Trifecta (.50), Super (.10), Pick 3 Races (3-5), Double Wagers

[cakes44]

Pretty awesome that Calculator is coming out East.

[cakes44]

But I like the 6 in the Carter. Seems like it should set up for him from just off the pace.

[RHT2004]

Originally Posted by cakes44

But I like the 6 in the Carter. Seems like it should set up for him from just off the pace.

I like none of them. Not the best renewal IMO

[herkhorse]

great call in the wood

[RHT2004]

I think Outwork is a legit Derby horse. He was on top of a hot pace and still won in career start number 4. I expect another big step forward in the Derby.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by RHT2004

I think Outwork is a legit Derby horse. He was on top of a hot pace and still won in career start number 4. I expect another big step forward in the Derby.

Iowa or West Virginia?

[RHT2004]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Iowa or West Virginia?

Early pace is irrelevant?
You're better then that.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by RHT2004

Early pace is irrelevant?
You're better then that.

The pace was very strong, but that was an absolutely atrocious horse race. They crawled home and Matt King Coal was beaten just over 2 lengths contesting that pace. The likelihood of Outwork contesting what shapes up as a strong Derby pace and holding off a good group of closers in minuscule.

[RHT2004]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

The pace was very strong, but that was an absolutely atrocious horse race. They crawled home and Matt King Coal was beaten just over 2 lengths contesting that pace. The likelihood of Outwork contesting what shapes up as a strong Derby pace and holding off a good group of closers in minuscule.

I would normally agree, but his Tampa race was fast enough... So there is something to get back to. Today was 4th career race, first going 9, first time in slop. I'm sold on him.

[RHT2004]

Plus I need a new Derby horse. I'm breaking up w/ Mor Spirit.

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by herkhorse

great call in the wood

An awkward moment, for sure! It's tough for the same horse to finish 2nd and 6th.

[herkhorse]

It's really no big deal. I just don't get why the same announcers get all the gigs.

[rgustafson]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

The pace was very strong, but that was an absolutely atrocious horse race. They crawled home and Matt King Coal was beaten just over 2 lengths contesting that pace. The likelihood of Outwork contesting what shapes up as a strong Derby pace and holding off a good group of closers in minuscule.

Thank you for posting this. I was thinking of how to reply to the same post. Life and death to defeat an 80-1 shot who is still a maiden is not exactly a ringing endorsement Kentucky Derby contender.

[Rudeboyelvis]

Originally Posted by RHT2004

I would normally agree, but his Tampa race was fast enough... So there is something to get back to. Today was 4th career race, first going 9, first time in slop. I'm sold on him.

The Tampa Bay Derby is looking like a key prep at least for the east coast horses. Considering that both the Wood winner and the Bluegrass winner were losers in the Tampa Bay Derby, wouldn't that move Destin way up?

[Alabama Stakes]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

The Tampa Bay Derby is looking like a key prep at least for the east coast horses. Considering that both the Wood winner and the Bluegrass winner were losers in the Tampa Bay Derby, wouldn't that move Destin way up?

Not necessarily . They didn't run bad cause Destin ran well

[RHT2004]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

The Tampa Bay Derby is looking like a key prep at least for the east coast horses. Considering that both the Wood winner and the Bluegrass winner were losers in the Tampa Bay Derby, wouldn't that move Destin way up?

Destin would be in my top 5 right now. Only concern is he just loved Tampa. His 1st start this year at Gulf was bad. FG race wasn't much better.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

The Tampa Bay Derby is looking like a key prep at least for the east coast horses. Considering that both the Wood winner and the Bluegrass winner were losers in the Tampa Bay Derby, wouldn't that move Destin way up?

Nah. Outwork won a terrible Wood by attrition and Brody's Cause ran a conspicuously bad race at Tampa. Either he was short for it or hated the track or both. Destin might be nice, but neither of yesterday's results says much of anything about him.

[Dunbar]

Originally Posted by RHT2004

Destin would be in my top 5 right now. Only concern is he just loved Tampa. His 1st start this year at Gulf was bad. FG race wasn't much better.

I want to love Destin because I made a big bet on All Others in Pool 2. But I hate the 8-week gap they are taking with him. And especially with a horse that's run just 5 times and never more than a mile-and-a-sixteenth. How is that horse going to be ready for the 20-horse stampede at the start of the Derby? 8 weeks without a race. That's a sizable chunk of a 3-yr-old's life.