Posted on
4/4/2008 7:12:30 PM
Horse Racing Betting Picks Padding Your Bankroll
By Michael Dempsey
National horse racing handicapper Michael Dempsey will attempt to pad his bankroll and yours with his daily column. He will feature at least one Pick 3 or Pick 4 play from a major track along with coverage of major stakes races, longshots, and he will keep you up to date on what is happening on the circuits he covers.
There are three major Kentucky Derby preps on Saturday, the last chance for some of these three year olds to earn enough graded stakes earnings to make it into the starting gate on the first Saturday of May.
It will also offer a chance for Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champion War Pass to get back on track after the colt failed to fire in his last start in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3). The colt faded to finish a well beaten seventh at odds of 1/20.
Here is a look at each of the three Derby preps on Saturday:
$750,000 Wood Memorial (G1) at Aqueduct
The fact that trainer Nick Zito is moving forward with War Pass despite the dull effort in the
Tampa Bay Derby suggests this colt will bounce back with a better effort. Inner Light, who has some early zip may hook the colt early. The prospects of a wet track enhance his chances. The colt is a perfect 2 for 2 on wet tracks and is bred top and bottom to handle a wet track. The main problem is likely going to be his short price.
Court Vision might be a good option. The Bill Mott trainee is coming off a third place finish in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park. The colt won the Remsen (G2) over the main track at the Big A at nine furlongs. The colt will need some pace up front. It’s encouraging to see jockey Garrett Gomez stick with this guy. The top jock could have ridden Colonel John in the Santa Anita Derby today.
Selections:
1-Court Vision
2-War Pas
3-Tale of Ekati
$500,000 Illinois Derby (G2) at Hawthorne
The undefeated Denis of Cork will likely go off as the favorite in the field of seven. The David Carroll trainee is coming off a good-looking win in the Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn Park. The colt came from far out of it to score by 2 ¼ lengths, getting a fast early pace to run at. The runner up in the race was Sierra Sunset, who returned to win the Rebel (G2) in his next start. The fourth place finisher Liberty Bull returned to win the $600,000 WinStar Derby in his next start.
Atoned is likely going to offer better value for the top spot. The colt is making just his second start of the year, last out beaten a neck for the top spot in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3). Last fall in his last start as a two year old, he was beaten a neck for the top spot in the Remsen (G2) behind Court Vision. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 27% winners with horses making their second start off a 61-180 day layoff.
Golden Spikes was the pacesetter in the Fountain of Youth (G2) before weakening to finish fifth. The colt caught a dead rail that day and catches a field here where he should be able to take them much farther.
Selections:
1-Atoned
2-Denis of Cork
3-Golden Spikes
$750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) at Santa Anita
The top three year olds on the west coast face off on the Cushion Track at Santa Anita. A field of eleven will go nine furlongs.
Bob Black Jack set the early fractions and weakened late to finish third in the San Felipe, beaten 1 ¾ lengths for the top spot by Georgie Boy, who is now off the Derby Trail with a pulled muscle. It was the colt’s first start around two turns and the inner part of the racing strip was not the place to be that day.
I’m still not sure this guy wants to go nine furlongs, but he has talent and popped a bullet work on March 30.
Colonel John will likely go off as the favorite. The colt prompted the early pace and held on gamely in the stretch to win the Sham (G3) last out, a half length ahead of El Gato Malo.
Selections:
1-Bob Black Jack
2-Colonel John
3-El Gato Malo
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