What if they gave a Santa Anita Derby and Nobody Entered?

[T Severini]

Citizen Bull is working up a storm, but its Barnes that needs the points. Bull looks quicker, Barnes cost more. (The Silver Vet still gets them to buy his patients.) Barnes to stalk just back and outside. The Shirreffs are Maiden and just broke same, but they look on the proverbial Thoroforge. Also looks like  they are gonna have to continue that forge to get near a Derby Entry Points finish. (Tough row to hoe here.) Then add Journalism to the second tier stalkers. He looks like he\'s got his entry points but The Silver Vet just put two above Journalism in points via the Wood Treatments... so he should give an honest effort to score some \"just in case\" change.

3rd, 4th and 5th position stalkers?  Throw a hat over them!!!!

Is the track slowing slightly from the earlier scalding fractions? They have been coming off pace some.

The Shirreff\'s both look awesome.

What do you do with a race like this?  Stick with principle. Beat Cheatfort!!

Mission accomplished... Baeza could have held on.

[Fairmount1]

Baeza ran a monster effort and may not get in the Derby b/c of the short field Cali problem that only 3 trainers out west could develop Derby prospects.  

I have the Wood with a very big Beyer likely for Rodriguez (but with Saffie scratch early fractions weren\'t crazy allowing him to scamper home in classic Bob fashion after maintaining the 1L lead around the track).  Sorry Bob, no dice in SA. . ..off the board in a 5 horse field b/c maiden Westwood was too fast?? Not buying that lol.  It is very interesting neither Baffert went to the front there. Or wasn\'t able to get to the front I should say?  What does 3.2 million and $675k get you these days?  LOL

Felt like Barnes jock was paying extra close attention to Baeza early and trying to intimidate, cause an extra path wide, etc etc.  Need to watch again.

This is one exciting Derby trail with Kee left to go on Tuesday.

[Molesap]

I have not been paying attention to times today, but the Wood (1:48.15) was historically fast, only about 10% of the editions have gone faster. By contrast, the SA Derby was and UAE Derby were pretty slow. The SA Derby went 1:49.56 - about 4/5 of all SA Derbies run were faster. The UAE Derby was 1:59.13 - they have run this distance 15 times and this is the 12th fastest, so not very fast on the clock at least. Of course, raw times often mean little, but I was surprised how slow the SA derby was relatively thinking.

[T Severini]

Today was anticipating the Keeneland prep most.
Both Santa Anita and Aqueduct had interesting track evolution. The Wood ran faster than the Santa Anita Derby.  Phineas Fogg is an interesting horse, but he did run a 2:01. At 5 he can certainly be improving. But am eager to see TG Red Board Room tomorrow. The two tracks appeared to be living breathing things today from this view

[ajkreider]

Grande will get a very big ground loaded number.

[Fairmount1]

SA Oaks time of 1:46.15 for Tenma an interesting one for 1 1/16 miles.

[Fairmount1]

Journalism 102 Beyer
Tenma 75 Beyer

Rodriguez 101 Beyer
Balerina D\'Oro 79 Beyer

_______________

Not sure I agree with these but there you go if interested.  (I think the Aqu races should be faster than Beyer team\'s decisions).

[johnnym]

Journalism a slight regress I believe?

Wonder what TG shows.

Could he be set up for the 0-2-X?