Posted on
3/10/2008 5:56:53 PM
Horse Racing - War Pass Goes for Sixth Straight in Tampa's Derby
By Greg MELIKOV
War Pass risks his unbeaten streak that dates back to July when he broke his maiden in a sprint at Saratoga. On Saturday March 15, the 3-year-old goes for No. 6 in the Sunshine State.
The 2007 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champ will be heavily favored in the $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby inaugurated in 1981 when the purse was valued at $50,000.
Trainer Nick Zito’s decision to enter War Pass prompted the Sam F. Davis Stakes winner to head north to Oaklawn Park for the $300,000 Rebel Stakes.
Fierce Wind, victorious over seven others at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 16, departed South Florida for the Arkansas track, but faces another tough cookie, Denis of Cork, who breezed five furlongs in 1:01 on Sunday after taking the Southwest Stakes.
However, Smooth Air, third in the Sam Davis, will return to town after breezing a mile in 1:45 3/5 at Calder Race Course on Sunday. He’s among several challengers hoping to derail War Pass, who recorded an undemanding 7 ½-length win in an allowance contest on the Fountain of Youth Stakes card Feb. 24 at Gulfstream Park.
War Pass cruised the mile in 1:36 1 /5 after FOY victor Cool Coal Man battled Elysium Fields down the stretch, covering the mile in the same time, before winning by a half-length at 1:50 for the 1 1/8 miles.
The son of Cherokee Run breezed five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 on a good track at Palm Meadows on March 6.
War Pass is pursuing the same course as last year’s Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, who also won the BC Juvenile. Street Sense nosed out favored Any Given Saturday in the Grade 3 event, setting the Tampa Bay Downs track record for 1 1/16 miles – 1:43.
Both horses battled head-to-head down the stretch as they brushed several times in close quarters, but Street Sense gained a short advantage inside the eighth pole and prevailed.
War Pass will be heavily favored, with his staunchest rival likely to be the Steve Asmussen trainee Z Fortune, runner-up to stablemate Pyro in the Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 9.
A good omen for the son of Siphon was Pyro’s three-length victory on March 9 in the $600,000 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. Z Fortune, who captured the Lecomte Stakes on Jan. 9, posted a bullet 1:13 3/5 for six furlongs on March 1.
Conditioner Todd Pletcher sends out Atoned, who hasn’t raced since a neck loss to Court Vision in the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct last fall. The son of Repent was a busy 2-year-old, winning two of seven outings that included Monmouth Park’s Continental Mile.
Pletcher also plans to run Face the Cat in the 1 1/16-mile Rebel. The son Tale of the Cat broke his maiden on Jan. 4 at Gulfstream and nearly a month later recorded a four-length triumph in a mile allowance contest.
Another contender is Sierra Sunset, runner-up in the Southwest after being overtaken by Denis of Cork.
Across the country at Santa Anita Park, the $200,000 San Felipe Stakes looks like a two-horse scrap between Georgie Boy and Bob Black Jack.
Georgie Boy is coming off a 3 ¼-length victory in the San Vicente Stakes on Feb. 10. The son of Tribal Rule was just one-fifth of a second off the track record of 1:20 for seven furlongs in his sophomore debut.
The California-bred gelding posted a bullet work of 1:23 3/5 handily for seven furlongs on March 1 at Hollywood Park.
Bob Black Jack drilled five furlongs in a minute flat on Sunday at Santa Anita where he set the world record 1:06 2/5 for six furlongs while winning the Sunshine Millions Dash on Jan. 26.
Both 3-year-olds are going for their third straight victory and haven’t traveled longer than seven-eighths of a mile. Saturday’s race is 1 1/16 miles.
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