Horse Betting: Gotham, Sham Headline Derby Prep Action on Saturday
The Kentucky Derby Trail heats up on Saturday with two key races for three year olds looking to stamp their ticket to the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday of May.
At Aqueduct, a field of ten three year olds will go to the post in the $250,000 Gotham Stakes (G3). Last year’s Gotham winner was I Want Revenge, who was the morning line favorite for the Derby, but was scratched after a filling was discovered in an ankle on the day of the race.
At Santa Anita, the $150,000 Sham Stakes (G3) drew a field of ten runners who will go 1 1/8 miles over the much maligned Pro Ride surface.
The Sham was originally scheduled for last Saturday, but for the second time in three weeks, a poorly draining surface caused the track to cancel their program.
Track officials are keeping their eyes on the skies. There is a 90% chance of rain in Arcadia, Ca. on Saturday.
Who would have guessed there would be a better chance of racing canceled in Southern California than New York in February or March?
The Gotham at the Big A is part of an outstanding 11 race card. There are two supporting stakes on the card, the $65,000 Fred Capossela Stakes for three year olds going six furlongs, and the $100,000 Toboggan for three year olds and upward, also going six furlongs.
The top three finishers from the Whirlaway Stakes won by Peppi Knows return in the Gotham. The Penn National based Peppi Knows is trained by Tim Kreiser and is 10/1 on the horse betting morning line.
It is no surprise trainer Todd Pletcher will be represented in the race. The four time Eclipse Award winning conditioner nominated 11 three year olds to the race, and will saddle Three Day Rush, who was third in the Whirlaway, beaten 1 ½ lengths for the top spot.
Two runners making their three year old debuts are interesting prospects in the race.
The Kelly Breen trainee Nacho Friend is making his first start since last July when the colt was a close up fourth in the Sanford Stakes (G2) at Saratoga.
The colt has been popping bullet works at Palm Meadows in Florida for a barn that excels with horses coming back off layoffs. His half brother Your Bluffing was a stakes winner who earned $542,031 in his career.
Awesome Act makes his first start since a fourth place finish at 32/1 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2).
Trained by Jeremy Noseda, the son of Awesome Again will be making his first start over conventional dirt.
If the rains stay away or the drainage system works, the Sham at Santa Anita should be a excellent betting race.
If the rains come and another card is wiped out, Santa Anita also carded the Sham as the tenth race on Sunday as a back up plan.
The Sham is a key prep for the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 3 and has produced several solid Derby candidates in recent years including Colonel John, who won the 2008 running and was the second betting choice in the Kentucky Derby that year.
In 2005, Giacomo was third in the Sham, and bounced back from a poor showing in the Santa Anita Derby to pull off a shocking upset in the Kentucky Derby.
The Sham is a challenging betting race, with ten runners but only one stakes winner, Wolf Trail the winner of the California bred Graduation Stakes last July at Del Mar.
Half the field is exiting the maiden ranks, including the highly regarded Michael Machowsky trained Nextdoorneighbor, who is one of the 23 separate betting interests in Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager at 30/1 on the morning line.
The colt is by Lido Palace out of the stakes winner Fencelineneighbor, who won 8 of her 32 career starts for earnings of $612,588.
Setsuko is the only other runner in the field that is listed as a separate betting interest in Pool 2. The Richard Mandella trained colt is coming off a runner up finish against first level optional claiming company on Jan. 27.
Hall of fame trainer Bob Baffert sends out an uncoupled duo of Marcello and The Program.
Marcello exits the Baffle Stakes on turf where the colt made a good late rally to finish third, beaten 3 ¼ lengths for the top spot.
The son of Johannesburg won his lone start over the Pro Ride surface, beating first level allowance foes last October.
Both wins by The Program came over the surface, the latest a first level allowance race on Feb. 3. The colt battled on gamely in the stretch and won the head bob over Indian Firewater, who returned to finish second in the Turf Paradise Derby in his next outing on Feb. 20.
Kettle River beat The Program on Jan. 6 in his first level a allowance score and returns off a two month break for trainer Eoin Harty, a former top assistant to Baffert.
His 90 Beyer Speed Figure earned in that victory is the highest number any of these have earned in their young careers.
The Sham is one of five stakes races on the 11 race program at Santa Anita.
Three time Grade 1 winner Blind Luck leads a field of eight in the $250,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G1). The Jerry Hollendorfer filly is nominated to the Triple Crown and has won five of her seven career starts.
Also on today’s card are the $250,000 Frank Kilroe Handicap (G1) and the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1).
The Big ‘Cap has been won by some of the biggest names in horse racing history, including Seabiscuit, John Henry (twice), Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, Tiznow, and Lava Man (twice).
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