Credit due FrankD when earlier this week he made a subtle reference probably pointed toward John Shirreffs, Jerry Moss and the West Coast crop of 3 y/o Kentucky Derby hopefuls.
By most accounts the 2017 Santa Anita Derby was a slow race. Is it then logical to consider the SoCal KD prospects slow? Certainly the fillies aren\'t.
TG is sure not to say much about the race until their seminar. We may have only one West Coaster (Gormley) this year but we know he isn\'t slow. He shouldn\'t have tried to run with Mastery but he\'s won 4 of 6 and two G1\'s. The enigma is the pace of the race and while final time purists may disregard it one can speculate that early speed (even if only for 6F) can shape or disrupt a race.
The other two possibles are not fast or accomplished yet, however, both Soneteer and Battle of Midway seem to be heading in the right direction. Not to mention having trainers that deserve at least a modicum of respect if not much more.
Baffert could be a spectator this year, although he has a few weeks to buy or otherwise obtain a contender but while disregarding the left coast seems reasonable on the surface doesn\'t it also seem somehow naive?
I can\'t help but reflect on many recent West Coast trained horses which looked ordinary on the TG scale and in comparison to: the Saratoga babies, the Florida Flashes and misc. others yet they were the principal contenders on the 1st Sat in May. Yet so few WC options this year. All things change.
Facts Not Checked. Neither did I edit for assertions. Just some more early morning rambling from a fan with the derby virus.