March Madness on Saturday Horse Racing Style
Horse racing fans will be jumping through hoops (pun intended) on Saturday, with a huge menu of wagering options that include three key Kentucky Derby preps, and the 2010 debuts of the two queens of racing, Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta.
The reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra is making her first start since beating older males in the Woodward (G1) on Sept. 5 when she takes on four overmatched foes in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes at Fair Grounds.
The Steve Asmussen trainee, who was perfect in eight starts last year including three victories against males, will be the overwhelming favorite in the 1 1/16 mile dirt race.
The filly is using the race as a springboard to the Apple Blossom Invitational (G1) at Oaklawn Park on April 9, where she is expected to face the undefeated Zenyatta.
The purse of the Apple Blossom will be $5 million if both of the super lades show up in Hot Springs, Arkansas next month.
Her main foe on Saturday is Zardana, who is shipping in from Southern California for trainer John Shirreffs, the trainer of Zenyatta.
The six year old mare won three of her seven starts last year including the Bayakoa Handicap (G2). She will have to run a career best to threaten the champion.
The lightly raced Clear Sailing, who has won three in a row over the Fair Grounds main track may have the most upside, but she would have to jump forward in a big way to pull off the upset.
Longshots Fighter Wing and Unforgotten complete the compact field.
Just twenty minutes later, Zenyatta will make her 2010 debut in the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (G1) at Santa Anita.
The six year old mare makes her first start since capturing the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Nov. 7.
The mare is undefeated in 14 career starts, but did not scare off the competition. Eight fillies and mares will take her on.
Like Rachel Alexandra, the price on Zenyatta is going to be miniscule, and the bridge jumpers may be out in force.
If we see an upset, it could come from the Ken McPeek trainee Striking Dancer, who is coming off a smart win in the La Canada (G2) on Feb. 14. She faces three she beat that day again in this race.
The fifth place finisher in the La Canada was Freedom Star, who returned to win the Azeri (G3) in her next outing at Oaklawn Park on March 6.
The entire industry will breathe a sigh of relief if both of the super females can win their races in good order, setting up a showdown in the Apple Blossom of epic proportions.
While Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta may grab many of the headlines the next couple of days, there are 21 three year olds looking to stamp their ticket to the Kentucky Derby in three key preps on Saturday.
The 2009 Juvenile Eclipse Award winner Lookin At Lucky will make his first start since winning the Cashcall Futurity (G1) on Dec. 19 in the Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park.
The colt will be making his first start on conventional dirt, and is catching a solid group of runners in his return off the layoff.
Hall of fame trainer Bob Baffert is adding blinkers and is confident his colt is ready to go off the bench.
The colt that will be tough in the race is going to be saddled by another hall of fame trainer.
D. Wayne Lukas will send out Dublin, who was a good second in the Southwest Stakes (G3) over the main track at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 20, unable to catch the gate to wire winner Conveyance, who is trained by Baffert.
The other intriguing prospect in the race is Noble’s Promise, the winner of the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) last fall at Keeneland.
The colt finished behind Lookin At Lucky in his last two starts in his two year old campaign and will be making his debut on conventional dirt for trainer Ken McPeek.
A field of seven three year olds will go to the post in Tampa Bay Down’s marquee event of their season, the Tampa Bay Derby (G3).
The prep for the race was the Sam F. Davis (G3) won by the Todd Pletcher trained Rule, who did not ship back for the race, but the runner up Schoolyard Dreams and third place finisher Uptowncharlybrown will go.
While Rule did not make the trip, the loaded Pletcher barn sends the highly regarded Super Saver, who is making his first start since winning the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 28.
The up and coming Odysseus, coming off a first level allowance score where he drew away to win by 15 lengths, is making his stakes debut in the race.
Owned by Padua Stables and trained by Tom Albertrani, the colt is one of three in the race that is proven over the Tampa Bay Downs surface.
Pletcher seems to have a contender in every race along the Derby Trail, and the San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita will be no different.
The four time Eclipse Award winning trainer will send out Interactif, a multiple graded stakes winner on turf.
A strong effort over the Pro Ride surface may put him in into the Derby hunt.
The top three finishers from the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) on Feb. 13 are back, and the Lewis winner Caracortado is seeking to stay undefeated.
The Michael Machowsky trainee has won all five of his starts, all with jockey Paul Atkinson aboard.
Sidney’s Candy is a danger to shake loose and go gate to wire. The colt will try two turns for the first time, stretching out from a very sharp win in the San Vicente (G2) going seven furlongs in his last start.
At the end of the day on Saturday, the Derby landscape will probably have changed, and hopefully it will be full steam ahead to Oaklawn Park for Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta.
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