Here's something I wrote a few days ago for TOW. Just a quick preview of the entries.
California Chrome – Someone consider this 3-year-old to be the top Kentucky Derby contender this season and he’ll likely be the Santa Anita Derby betting favorite. California Chrome has 3 races at a mile or longer and his 9 career races have him more experienced than the rest of the 2014 Santa Anita Derby field. California Chrome is coming off wins in the King Glorious Stakes, California Cup Derby, and the San Felipe Stakes.
Hoppertunity – Sired by 2007 Kentucky Derby entry Any Given Saturday, Hoppertunity has enjoyed the distance of a mile or longer just like his father. He’s fresh off a win in the Rebel Stakes in his 2nd try at longer than a mile and has already ran twice at Santa Anita Park while breaking his maiden on this dirt.
Candy Boy – Sired by the undefeated Candy Ride, this member of the 2014 Santa Anita Derby field recently won the Robert B. Lewis Stakes on only his 2nd try on real dirt. Candy Boy’s pedigree suggests that he’ll be better on turf than dirt but that didn’t stop another Candy Ride kid from winning the Santa Anita Derby a few years ago when Sidney’s Candy did so. Candy Boy has raced 6 times in his career while finishing no worse than 2nd in his last 4 tries.
Rprettyboyfloyd – Lightly raced 3-year-old failed in 2 attempts to break his maiden before finishing 3rd in the San Vicente Stakes last time out. Rprettyboyfloyd has never raced at a mile distance but does have the luxury of having all 3 career races at Santa Anita Park. This guy has tons of potential as he is sired by Bluegrass Cat who was 2nd in the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes in 2006.
Friendswith K Bill – This hrose is still trying to figure out where he belongs and has already ran on 3 different surfaces. The good news for Friendswith K Bill is that he took 1st in his 1st run at a mile or longer right here at Santa Anita Park, but the bad news is that it came on turf instead of dirt after finishing 4th in a maiden-breaking effort in his only dirt run.
Big Tire – Another Candy Ride offspring that has failed to win 5 times at maiden-breaking levels. Big Tire has 4 races at 1 mile or longer but has flashed potential in recent dirt races after finishing no better than 4th on turf. Since those turf races ended Big Tire has finished 2nd in both dirt races and could take a surprising jump forward at the 2014 Santa Anita Derby.
Schoolofhardrocks – This lightly raced 3-year-old broke his maiden at a mile on dirt at Del Mar before finishing 4th in the San Felipe Stakes here at Santa Anita Park next time out. Schoolofhardrocks was sired by Rock Hard Ten who finished in the top 5 in the Santa Anita Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes back in 2004.
Dublin Up – Sired by Unbridled’s Song who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 1995 before taking home the Florida Derby and the Wood Memorial and finishing 5th in the Kentucky Derby. Dublin Up hasn’t shown much in 3 career races at the maiden level but looked better than ever while finishing 3rd at Santa Anita Park last time out in his first career race at longer than 7 furlongs.
California Chrome – Someone consider this 3-year-old to be the top Kentucky Derby contender this season and he’ll likely be the Santa Anita Derby betting favorite. California Chrome has 3 races at a mile or longer and his 9 career races have him more experienced than the rest of the 2014 Santa Anita Derby field. California Chrome is coming off wins in the King Glorious Stakes, California Cup Derby, and the San Felipe Stakes.
Hoppertunity – Sired by 2007 Kentucky Derby entry Any Given Saturday, Hoppertunity has enjoyed the distance of a mile or longer just like his father. He’s fresh off a win in the Rebel Stakes in his 2nd try at longer than a mile and has already ran twice at Santa Anita Park while breaking his maiden on this dirt.
Candy Boy – Sired by the undefeated Candy Ride, this member of the 2014 Santa Anita Derby field recently won the Robert B. Lewis Stakes on only his 2nd try on real dirt. Candy Boy’s pedigree suggests that he’ll be better on turf than dirt but that didn’t stop another Candy Ride kid from winning the Santa Anita Derby a few years ago when Sidney’s Candy did so. Candy Boy has raced 6 times in his career while finishing no worse than 2nd in his last 4 tries.
Rprettyboyfloyd – Lightly raced 3-year-old failed in 2 attempts to break his maiden before finishing 3rd in the San Vicente Stakes last time out. Rprettyboyfloyd has never raced at a mile distance but does have the luxury of having all 3 career races at Santa Anita Park. This guy has tons of potential as he is sired by Bluegrass Cat who was 2nd in the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes in 2006.
Friendswith K Bill – This hrose is still trying to figure out where he belongs and has already ran on 3 different surfaces. The good news for Friendswith K Bill is that he took 1st in his 1st run at a mile or longer right here at Santa Anita Park, but the bad news is that it came on turf instead of dirt after finishing 4th in a maiden-breaking effort in his only dirt run.
Big Tire – Another Candy Ride offspring that has failed to win 5 times at maiden-breaking levels. Big Tire has 4 races at 1 mile or longer but has flashed potential in recent dirt races after finishing no better than 4th on turf. Since those turf races ended Big Tire has finished 2nd in both dirt races and could take a surprising jump forward at the 2014 Santa Anita Derby.
Schoolofhardrocks – This lightly raced 3-year-old broke his maiden at a mile on dirt at Del Mar before finishing 4th in the San Felipe Stakes here at Santa Anita Park next time out. Schoolofhardrocks was sired by Rock Hard Ten who finished in the top 5 in the Santa Anita Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes back in 2004.
Dublin Up – Sired by Unbridled’s Song who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 1995 before taking home the Florida Derby and the Wood Memorial and finishing 5th in the Kentucky Derby. Dublin Up hasn’t shown much in 3 career races at the maiden level but looked better than ever while finishing 3rd at Santa Anita Park last time out in his first career race at longer than 7 furlongs.
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Right after race I'm thinking that no horse out there is going to beat him. But the next day I remembered the Bellamy Roads and such and I'll find another come Derby Day. Another thing I say with each passing year is that it sucks to cap the KD now becuase there is so little info to go on, horses going into it with only 3 or 4 races ... total guessing game now.
