March 2009 Archives

Here's the latest Kentucky Derby rankings I sent in to paulickreport.com this morning:

1. The Pamplemousse -- Will be morning-line favorite for Santa Anita Derby
2. Friesan Fire -- Louisiana Derby winner may be bound for Blue Grass on April 11
3. Pioneerof the Nile -- Santa Anita Derby will provide stiffest test yet
4. Old Fashioned -- Can redeem himself in Arkansas Derby on April 11
5. I Want Revenge -- If he wins Saturday's Wood impressively, could be Derby favorite
6. Quality Road -- Florida Derby win set him up nicely for Louisville
7. Chocolate Candy -- Santa Anita Derby isn't just a two-horse race
8. Dunkirk -- Figures to get only better after runner-up effort in Florida Derby
9. Imperial Council -- Will try to turn tables on 'Revenge in Wood
10. Papa Clem -- Ships from Louisiana to Oaklawn Park for Arkansas Derby

Quality Road, ridden by John Velazquez, won the Florida Derby in stakes record time today, setting himself up as one of the betting favorites in this year's Kentucky Derby on May 2.
Sitting second right behind the pacesetter much of the way in the seven-horse field, Quality Road took the lead around the turn for home and then held off a late charge from even-money favorite Dunkirk to win by 1 3/4 lengths, running the 1 1/8 miles on dirt in 1:47.72. Dunkirk, ridden by Garrett Gomez, was two lengths clear of third-place finisher Theregoesjojo.
It was the second consecutive stakes victory for Quality Road but only his fourth lifetime start. For Dunkirk, it was his stakes debut after the $3.7 million yearling purchase won his first two career starts by a combined 10 1/2 lengths. Dunkirk earned $150,000 for his second-place effort, putting him squarely on the bubble in terms of cracking the Derby field should it draw more than 20 horses.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, who's never won the Derby with 19 starters, said this week that this would probably be the final Derby tuneup for Dunkirk. He ran big despite his inexperience and I think he'll be a serious player if he cracks the Derby lineup.

I have to admit, I had my doubts about Well Armed in today's $6 million Dubai World Cup. The horse just seemed to be tailing off, in my opinion, since his victory in the Goodwood Handicap in September at Oak Tree. He was third at Dubai last year, a race that Curlin powerfully won.
But Well Armed made Curlin's 2008 victory look like a stroll in the park, as the Eoin Harty-trained 6-year-old gelding romped to a record 14-length victory against some of the best older horses in the world.
It was the biggest victory of veteran jockey Aaron Gryder's career. Always a professional, it was a well-deserved victory for the 38-year-old native of West Covina.
I'm sure Well Armed will get a much-needed break now, and he could return in time for the Hollywood Gold Cup and Pacific Classic this summer and then the Breeders' Cup in the fall. If he continues to run like he did in Dubai, you can be sure he'll be running in the $5 million Classic rather than the Dirt Mile like 2008.

If the Del Mar Throoughbred Club has its way, the track will be dark both Mondays and Tuesdays this upcoming summer because of a shortage in the horse population. According to the Daily Racing Form, vice president Craig Fravel said Del Mar will ask the CHRB for a 37-day meet rather than a normal 43-day meet so it can follow the traditional Wednesday-through-Sunday racing schedule rather than its usual Wednesday through Monday.
The only Monday racing day would be Labor Day, Sept. 7, and the track would have nine races on Wednesdays and Fridays and 10 on Sundays. If the horse population is better than expected, the track might card nine races on Thursdays as well.
Del Mar is hoping that less is better, and I think it's a step in the right direction. There is too much horse racing, plain and simple. I just hope they don't start having 11 races on weekends to make up for it. That's too many.

For all trainer Todd Pletcher has accomplished in thoroughbred racing, he's never won a Kentucky Derby. He's 0 for 19 heading into this year's Run for the Roses, scheduled for Saturday, May 2.
This year, he's got a lightly-raced colt named Dunkirk who has won both of his starts impressively but gets his first big test in Saturday's $750,000 Florida Derby, one of the major steppingstones to the big dance in Louisville.

Jockey Rafael Bejarano, second to Eclipse Award-winning jockey Garrett Gomez in the Santa Anita rider standings heading into today's eight-race program, is on five or six live horses today and could have a big afternoon, putting a dent in Gomez's nine-win lead. Joel Rosario is 13 back of Gomez and only four behind Bejarano.
I erred Wednesday when I wrote that Gomez would not be going back to ride fulltime at Keeneland this spring. He will in fact be leaving to ride the Keeneland meet that begins April 3 but will be here the following day to ride Pioneerof the Nile in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby.
So that means Bejarano and Rosario both have shots to win the title with 19 days left in the winter-spring meet. Bejarano has won the past five SoCal riding titles since relocating to the Southland fulltime in 2008.

Rafael Bejarano's bid for his sixth consecutive SoCal riding title looks like it may be derailed by Garrett Gomez, still the best money jockey in the country. Going into Wednesday's nightcap, Gomez held a 78-69 edge over Bejarano after riding two winners on the card. Gomez's agent, Ron Anderson, said earlier this month that Gomez will not be leaving early to ride at Keeneland as he has in past years, so that will make it doubly tough for Bejarano to close the gap. Bejarano was aboard one winner Wednesday.
The closer race might be for second place, where Rosario had pulled within four wins of Bejarano with a riding double Wednesday. Rosario was scheduled to ride General Buffet in Wednesday's eighth race.
What do you think?

Two of the larger issues discussed at Tuesday's regular monthly California Horse Racing Board meeting dealt with Hollywood Park racing and when the track will shut down and the Chapter 11 bankruptcy concerning Santa Anita parent company Magna Entertainment Corp.

The following are exceprts from the CHRB press release:

HOLLYWOOD PARK
Hollywood Park's president informed the Board that the Inglewood racetrack would conduct its scheduled meet this fall, but when asked by racing commissioners for a longer-term commitment, track President Jack Liebau said he was not in a position to commit to racing beyond this calendar year.

When the Board approved the 2009 racing calendar last November, Hollywood Park was awarded fall dates (November 11 through December 21). Even though the track had not committed to racing beyond its spring-summer meet, expectations had been that Hollywood Park would race in the fall. But when Hollywood Park's owner recently unveiled plans to the City of Inglewood for a mixed-use development on the 238-acre property that would include a retail district, office space, and nearly 3,000 residential units, the Board placed the matter on the agenda for the meeting.

"Yes, Hollywood Park will be conducting its fall meet," Liebau confirmed without elaboration. Chairman John Harris and Vice Chairman David Israel both asked Liebau whether he could give any assurances of racing beyond this fall. Liebau said he could not. Harris expressed his hope that Hollywood Park would continue its racing operation, and he encouraged others to voice their support for racing in Inglewood beyond 2009.

MAGNA
A representative of Magna Entertainment Corp. (MEC) provided an update on MEC's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, including motions concerning the sale of Santa Anita, Golden Gate Fields, and other MEC-owned properties, and the status of funds due to various industry programs considered vital to on-going racing operations. Gregg Scoggins, MEC's national director for regulatory affairs, said the funding issues are being reviewed and he might have something to report within a week. Scoggins said the bankruptcy judge already approved $13.4 million in debtor-in-possession financing, and the judge will consider motions to approve another $49 million on March 27. Other issues scheduled to be heard either March 27 or at hearings in April include MEC motions for the setting of procedures for the auctioning of MEC assets. MEC proposes bidding and auctioning timetables that could lead to the sales of racetrack properties in early August. Additional information about the MEC bankruptcy process, including hearing dates, court documents and court orders, can be obtained at this Web site (www.kccllc.net/magna).

After the meeting, Harris stressed that several persons in the racing industry expressed concerns about delays in the distribution of funds that MEC held in trust for various programs and operations that are not believed to be general creditors, including the Stabling and Vanning Fund and satellite location fees. He noted their fear that these programs might be forced to close down - to the detriment of Santa Anita and Golden Gate's continuing operations and the overall industry - if payments are not made soon. Harris said that although all pari-mutuel tickets have been and will be paid, the bankruptcy filing has delayed the distribution of millions of dollars from pari-mutuel wagering due to other beneficiaries, including $1.2 million in license fees due the State of California.

Only four horses lined up to take on Brother Derek in the 2006 Santa Anita Derby, and the field could be as small this year when the race for the West Coast's premier 3-year-olds is run for the 72nd time.
Only three colts -- Chocolate Candy, Feisty Suances and Mr. Hot Stuff -- are scheduled to line up against Pioneerof the Nile and The Pamplemousse in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 4, a race that has drawn an on-track crowd in excess of 50,000 each of the past three years.
The race lost a potential starter this week when trainer Todd Pletcher said Take the Points, runner-up to The Pamplemousse in the Sham Stakes on Feb. 28, was now being pointed toward the $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 11 because of the presence of both Pioneerof the Nile and The Pamplemousse.
Pletcher told the Daily Racing Form that he would reconsider the Santa Anita Derby if there was one or two defections. Garrett Gomez would ride Take the Points in the Blue Grass, but he'd need a different rider if he ran in the Santa Anita Derby. Gomez is scheduled to ride Pioneerof the Nile in the Arcadia race.

Here's the latest Kentucky Derby rankings I sent in to paulickreport.com this morning:

1. The Pamplemousse -- Canani continues to be impressed by his a.m. drills
2. Friesan Fire -- Will go next in Blue Grass Stakes on April 11 or train up to Derby
3. Pioneerof the Nile -- His old trainer, Bill Mott, wonders if this guy will like the dirt
4. Old Fashioned -- Will prep for Kentucky with start in Arkansas Derby on April 11
5. Dunkirk -- No colt who didn't race as a 2-year-old has won Derby since 1882
6. I Want Revenge -- Wood Memorial on April 4 should show if Gotham romp was for real
7. Quality Road -- Slated to face Dunkirk in most interesting Florida Derby on Saturday
8. Imperial Council -- Needs to improve if he wants to turn tables on 'Revenge in Wood
9. Chocolate Candy -- Gary Stevens thinks media is overlooking Candy Ride colt
10. Desert Party -- Set to go in Saturday's UAE Derby at Dubai

Watch for Dunkirk to shoot up in many Derby rankings if he wins Saturday's Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park. He's an extremely talented colt who could break that 127-year 2-year-old jinx much like Big Brown dispelled many Derby myths last year.

Here is my newest Kentucky Derby top 10 that I will be submitting to the Paulick Report this morning. The list reflects the results of last weekend's Derby preps, including the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds, Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs, San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita and Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park:

1. The Pamplemousse -- If he can handle dirt, look out
2. Friesan Fire -- Was powerful score more a reflection of his talent or the sloppy track?
3. Pioneerof the Nile -- Baffert's past Derby success impresses me more than colt so far
4. Old Fashioned -- Loss in the Rebel Stakes isn't the end
5. Dunkirk -- Florida Derby will show if lightly raced colt is for real
6. I Want Revenge -- Ultra-impressive in Gotham, but remember Bellamy Road in 2005?
7. Quality Road -- Figures to be Florida Derby favorite off Foutain of Youth romp
8. Imperial Council -- Second to 'Revenge in Big Apple, but can improve
9. Desert Party -- Best of the Godolphin brigade
10. Giant Oak -- Somebody has to round out the top 10

That's it for this week. I'm going on a one-week vacation and will return next Sunday. Please come back then and contribute to our blog.

When Ventura was nosed at the wire in last weekend's Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita, it marked the first loss in 2009 by a 2008 Breeders' Cup champion.

Stardom Bound, winner of the 2008 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, is 2-0 this year and is being pointed to the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland on April 4. She is scheduled to leave for Kentucky on Wednesday, according to trainer Bobby Frankel, and will join the Rick Dutrow barn. Frankel leans toward training the Tapit filly up to the Kentucky Oaks on works, so we'll see how that goes.

Albertus Maximus, Breeders' Cup Mile champ, won the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 31 and is readying for the $6 million Dubai World Cup on March 28. Considering that the Donn was his first graded victory, the connections might be shooting for the moon here, but we'll see. He might be getting good enough to pull it off.

Desert Code won the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at boxcar odds last October and returned to win his first race of 2009. He's being pointed toward the Arcadia Handicap on April 4, a one-mile race over his favorite turf course.

Ventura, of course, returned to the races with an easy victory in the Grade I Santa Monica Handicap at Santa Anita on Jan. 31. Winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, she's a tough mare who gives her all even when she loses, like in the Kilroe.

Trainer John Shirreffs is quite the ladies' man these days, what with the luxury of having both Zenyatta and Life is Sweet in his barn.

Zenyatta, the champion older female of 2008 who is unbeaten in nine career races, is training at Hollywood Park for her first start of 2009 -- possibly the Milady Handicap at Hollypark in late May.

Meanwhile, Life is Sweet continued her winning ways with a powerful score in Saturday's Grade I Santa Margarita Handicap at Santa Anita. She trailed early, but put in her usual closing charge under Garrett Gomez.

Asked after the race if Life is Sweet will square off against Zenyatta at some point this year, owner Martin Wygod said, "Who knows?"

It's a big afternoon for colts like Pioneer of the Nile (San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita) and Friesan Fire and Papa Clem in the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds.
I'm a participant in the Paulick Report Kentucky Derby top 10, and here was the latest ballot I submitted this past Monday:

1. The Pamplemousse
2. Old Fashioned
3. Pioneerof the Nile
4. Dunkirk
5. I Want Revenge
6. Quality Road
7. Papa Clem
8. Imperial Council
9. Friesan Fire
10. Desert Party

The Paulick report has got some good stuff on its site, so check it out at www.paulickreport.com. Also, Equidaily (www.equidaily.com) is a good source for horse racing information.

We officially lost our $2,000 bankroll Friday. It's been a bad year so far for our long-shot system, but we're not going to take out a loan to go further into debt. We'll let our government set the bad example and we'll take the high road. We'll be back again with our picks for Hollywood Park, and I expect to see much better results.

FRIDAY, MARCH 13
2nd -- $20 to win on Lullabytime
3rd -- $20 to win on Natural Touch
4th -- $20 to win on Sovine
5th -- $20 to win on Pediatrics and Dynamic Host
8th -- $20 to win on Delicato and Sur Brio

THURSDAY -- Minus $120
OVERALL -- Minus $1,935
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $65

Good luck today!!

THURSDAY, MARCH 12
1st -- $20 to win on So Hottie
2nd -- $20 to win on Missatacama
5th -- $20 to win on Sky Marni
6th -- $20 to win on Eddie the Hat
7th -- $20 to win on Mast Track
8th -- $20 to win on Love Song Mellody

WEDNESDAY -- Minus $48
OVERALL -- Minus $1,815
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $185

Good luck today!!

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11
1st -- $20 to win on Common Trust
3rd -- $20 to win on Itsnotjustagame
4th -- $20 to win on C.C.'s Secret
5th -- $20 to win on Vikkilee; $5 exacta box, coupling Vikkilee and Jemmealey
6th -- 20 to win on Ventana
8th -- $20 to win on Beaudacious Lady; $5 exacta box, coupling Beaudacious Lady and Thunder Babydoll

SUNDAY -- Minus $60
OVERALL -- Minus $1,767
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $233

Good luck today!!

Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel was at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Ariz., on Monday watching the Dodgers and slug their way to a 13-7 win over the Texas Rangers in a Cactus League game. Frankel was sitting behind home plate with Garrett Gomez's agent, Ron Anderson. Frankel is very good friends with Dodgers skipper Joe Torre, who owns horses and employs Frankel as his trainer.
Good way for Frankel to get away and relax a bit after his share of purses on Big 'Cap day -- Stardom Bound ($18,000), Ventura ($6,000) and Champs Elysees ($20,000) -- added up to a cool $44,000.

SUNDAY, MARCH 8
7th -- $20 to win on Bell Canyon Road and Gifted Gina
9th -- $20 to win on Digital Magic

SATURDAY -- Minus $110
OVERALL -- Minus $1,707
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $293

Good luck today!!

The Stardom Bound camp is not quite as gung-ho about facing the boys later this spring after the 3-year-old daugher of Tapit was all out to beat the girls by a nose in Saturday's Santa Anita Oaks. She needed a powerful performance to warrant a shot at the Santa Anita Derby on April 4, and it just wasn't there. Give her credit. She showed a lot of heart to win that race, racing seven-wide into the stretch, but she just doesn't appear to be good enough to beat the boys at this point, especially considering the way I Want Revenge won the Gotham Stakes today by 8 1/2 lengths.

"I expected her to take a leap forward today, and I'm not sure she took a leap forward," winning owner Michael Iavarone said in the winner's circle. "I think she did what she had to do to win, but I was expecting a little bit more of a sizzling performance and it just wasn't there. But sometimes the best ones, they win on heart, and that's what happened today."

Iavarone said he has to sit down with trainer Bobby Frankel, who didn't even want to talk Derby after the race, before making a final decision. But expect Stardom Bound to run in the Ashland Stakes against fillies at Keeneland on April 4 and then, if all goes well, to take on the girls again in the Kentucky Oaks on May 1.

Ouch ... hurts when you get beat a photo on a 25-1 shot, i.e. Pericia Fina in today's third at Santa Anita. Two more jumps and he gets there. Oh well. Kind of sums up how this meeting has gone for me.

Three great stakes here today, including the $1 million Big 'Cap, which is wide open by the way. The defection of Colonel John because of a morning fever only makes it tougher to figure.

Here's who I like:

Santa Anita Oaks -- Nobody beats Stardom Bound, who could be pointed toward the Santa Anita Derby with a powerful victory today. I think she needs to win convincingly in order to tackle the boys, and I think she might just do that. I think the filly's connections want to see what they've got, and she'll be cranked today after being only about 75 or 80 percent for the Las Virgenes on Feb. 7.

Kilroe Mile -- Tough race to figure, especially with two of the main speed horses -- Mast Track and Monterey Jazz -- declared earlier today. I would not be surprised if Ventura wins. She certainly has the class and has beaten the males before, but I have a feeling somebody else is going to jump up and win. I'll go with Artiste Royal, but he needs a good pace to run at.

Big 'Cap -- I give Champs Elysees a big shot at a price in here. He ran a nice 102 Beyer speed figure in the Breeders' Cup Classic here in October after closing like a freight train in last year's Big 'Cap to finish third. That day, he was 26 lengths back early and lost by only 3 1/2 lengths despite having no pace to run at. If he gets some honest splits today, I think he'll come flying in the stretch.

SATURDAY, MARCH 7
3rd -- $20 to win on Pericia Fina; $5 exacta box, coupling Pericia Fina with the entry of Cassablanca and Carnival Queen
8th -- $20 to win on Soul City Slew
11th -- $20 to win on Macduff; $10 exacta boxes, coupling Macduff with Mt. Orient and Macduff with Man to Man

FRIDAY -- Minus $29
OVERALL -- Minus $1,597
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $403

Good luck today!!

FRIDAY, MARCH 6
1st -- $1 early pick four, including Defense King in the first, Summertime in the second, Street Car in the third, and Accopela Choir in the fourth; $20 early double, coupling Defense King in the first and Summertime in the second
3rd -- $20 to win on Street Car
4th -- $20 to win on Accopela Choir
5th -- $20 to win on Wiggle and a Wink
6th -- $20 to win on Miss Lydia; $5 exacta box, coupling Miss Lydia and Chicks Rule
7th -- $20 to win on Sprung

THURSDAY -- Minus $200
OVERALL -- Minus $1,568
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $432

Good luck today!!

THURSDAY, MARCH 5
1st -- $20 to win on White Angel; $5 daily doubles coupling White Angel and Warren's Walk in the first with Radius, Trevor's Clever, Pistol Pete Afleet and Soda Pop Kid in the second ($40)
2nd -- $20 to win on Radius
3rd -- $20 to win on Smokey Beau
7th -- $20 to win on North Rodeo
8th -- $20 to win on Falstaff Lane; $5 exacta box with Flip the Penny, Armstrong Won, Falstaff Lane and Greedy Way ($60)

WEDNESDAY -- Minus $100
OVERALL -- Minus $1,368
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $632

Good luck today!!

The California Horse Racing Board has called a special meeting for Friday at 10:30 a.m. at Santa Anita to cover the following subjects regarding Magna Entertainment Corporation's impending bankruptcy:

1) Discussion and action by the Board regarding the race meet licenses and the Advance Deposit Wagering license granted to Los Angeles Turf Club, Inc., operating at Santa Anita Park and Pacific Racing Association, operating at Golden Gate Fields and XpressBet Inc. respectively, in light of the imminent filing for bankruptcy protection by licensees' parent company, Magna Entertainment Corporation.

2) Discussion and action by the Board regarding assurances from licensees Los Angeles Turf Club, Inc., Pacific Racing Association and XpressBet Inc. that the wagering public and horse racing industry participants are financially protected in the event the licensees parent company, Magna Entertainment Corporation, files for protection under federal bankruptcy laws.

3) Discussion and action by the Board regarding contingency plans in the event Magna Entertainment Corporation is unable to secure "Debtor in Possession Financing", including substitute race meet operators should licensees Los Angeles Turf Club, Inc., and Pacific Racing Association cease operations and Advance Deposit Wagering operations of XpressBet Inc. be suspended.

I have gotten e-mails from several readers worried about their XpressBet money if and when Magna files for bankruptcy. I am told it is safe, but I was also told to buy a stock two months ago that has gone down 55 percent since. In other words, who really knows?

Also, the California Thoroughbred Trainers sent out the following memo to their members Wednesday:

DATE: March 4, 2009
TO: All Trainers
FROM: CTT

SUBJECT: Paymaster Fund Withdrawals

If you would like to withdraw Santa Anita Paymaster funds immediately, the Paymaster's office will be open until 1:00 p.m. today. If you do not withdraw your funds today, you will be unable to withdraw your funds over the next three days while accounts are being transferred to a horsemen's account to be managed by the TOC.

The three day delay is so that new checks can be printed and paperwork can be completed. Beginning next week, things will return to normal and you will be able to withdraw funds at your request.

The funds will still be handled through the Paymaster's office, but the account will be managed by the TOC instead of Magna.

Should you have any questions, please contact the CTT office at (626) 447-2145 or the TOC at (626) 574-6620.

Our newspaper sent out a reporter and photographer to the racing office Wednesday morning at 9 and they couldn't find anyone there who was trying to withdraw money. Maybe fears have been alleviated? It looks like perhaps negotiations between the Thoroughbred Owners of California and local Magna officials have resulted in a settlement and the paymaster account money will now be transferred to a separate TOC account. Whatever, there are still a lot of nervous people at Santa Anita.

I heard from a very reliable source today that there is more than a good chance Santa Anita might have to shut down in the immediate future because parent company Magna Entertainment Corp. is on the verge of filing for bankruptcy and a bankruptcy judge in Delaware would freeze all of the company's funds, including paymaster accounts that are used for purses. No purses mean no racing, for either Santa Anita or Magna's other track in California, Golden Gate Fields.

According to the source, Magna may file for bankruptcy as early as Tuesday, sending a mess of trainers and owners to the paymaster window early Wednesday morning to try to retrieve their money before it's frozen. There is reportedly $11 million in Santa Anita's paymaster account and another $4 million in Golden Gate's.

Santa Anita president Ron Charles had no comment when I contacted him early Monday evening, but there is very little doubt Magna will be filing for bankruptcy soon, probably sometime this week. A source at Santa Anita told me there is little chance that racing would be interrupted before the end of the meet on April 19, although there could be some anxious moments. The source could not guarantee that racing will not be interrupted, but at the same time said there were some ongoing efforts to reorganize and avoid such a dilemma.

Stay tuned. I have a feeling something big is going to come down sometime this week.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4
4th -- $20 to win on Skippy Due
5th -- $20 to win on Con Corazon
6th -- $20 to win on Searchforthetruth
8th -- $40 to win on You Wood

SUNDAY -- Minus $10
OVERALL -- Minus $1,268
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $732

Good luck today!!

The Pamplemousse turned in the best Kentucky Derby prep race I've seen so far this year, setting decent fractions en route to a record-winning time in Saturday's Sham Stakes at Santa Anita.

A son of Kafwain, The Pamplemousse went gate to wire to win by six lengths, running the 1 1/8 miles -- the same distance as the Santa Anita Derby on April 4 -- in 1:47.86 after carving out honest fractions of :23.08, :46.51 and 1:10.29. Not sure what his Beyer speed number will be for the race, but he sure is a running sonofagun.

Right now, if I had to pick a winner in the Santa Anita Derby, I'd go with The Pamplemousse. I think Pioneerof the Nile is going to have a very difficult time running the big colt down in the stretch. I'm already looking forward to the race.

How about you? Who do you like in the Santa Anita Derby, and how impressed were you by The Pamplemousse's effort in the Sham? Granted, there might not have been a lot chasing him, but it's the way he won that was so impressive to me. He set some swift fractions and then never let any of the other horses come close to him.

Jockey Alex Solis is already sending out signals that he's one of the best horses he's ever ridden. I want to see him beat some top-caliber horses before I go that far, but I was very, very impressed with The Pamplemousse's effort in the Sham.

SUNDAY, MARCH 1
1st -- $20 to win on It's Partytime
2nd -- $20 to win on Twoformeoneforyou
3rd -- $20 to win on Smiling Bubbles; $2 exacta box, coupling Smiling Bubbles and Keira's Way
5th -- $20 to win on Frangipanni
6th -- $20 to win on Kentucky Nectar and Betterthanfiction; $1 late pick four, including Kentucky Nectar and Betterthanfiction in the sixth; Dream Now and Flashmans Papers in the seventh; Leavethegateopen, Mr. Holmes and White Lace Jimmy in the eighth; and Cali Girl and Tie in the ninth ($24)
9th -- $20 to win on Cali Girl and Tie

SATURDAY -- Plus $284.50
OVERALL -- Minus $1,258
BANKROLL (started with $2,000) -- $742

Good luck today!!