Down and Derby - The Holiday Edition

1. Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie) Todd Pletcher - The unquestioned king of the juveniles has people triple crown dreaming. 2. To Honor and Serve (Bernardini) Bill Mott- The best at Aqueduct. How will that translate to Louisville? 3. Boys at Tosconova (Officer) Rick Dutrow - Classy and talented, but can the son of Officer go a distance? 4. Mucho Macho Man (Macho Uno) Katherine Ritvo - Been chasing Mott’s colt; distance should be no problem. 5. Premier Pegasus (Fusaichi Pegasus) Myung Cho- Looking good sprinting and bred to handle a route of ground. 6. Cool Blue Red Hot (Harlan’s Holiday) Angel Penna Jr. - Only faced maidens so far, but plenty of upside. 7. Dialed In (Mineshaft) Nick Zito - One race, and it was a doozy. Has the look of a Derby type of horse. 8. Santiva (Bernardini) Eddie Kenneally - Like the way he battled in between horses over the Churchill strip. 9. Comma to the Top (Bwana Charlie) Peter Miller - Electrifying at Hollywood, but I have my 10 furlong doubts. 10. Jaycito (Victory Gallop) Bob Baffert - BC Juvenile bolt makes this well bred colt a bit of an enigma. 11. Stay Thirsty (Bernardini) Todd Pletcher - Love the name, love the looks, but he needs to improve to run with Mo. 12. Tapizar (Tapit) Steve Asmussen - Ran away from his competition at Churchill like a real runner. 13. Brethren (Distorted Humor) Todd Pletcher - Super Saver’s little bro has impressed in his first two starts. 14. Sway Away (Afleet Alex) Jeff Bonde - Been away from the races for some time, but I liked what I saw at Del Mar. 15. Rogue Romance (Smarty Jones) Ken McPeek - Switch back to dirt earned him a distant 3rd in the BC. 16. J P’s Gusto (Successful Appeal) David Hofmans - Solid in California, what happened in the Juvenile? 17. Astrology (A. P. Indy) Steve Asmussen - Kentucky Jockey Club favorite ran well, but was outgamed to the wire. 18. Clubhouse Ride (Candy Ride) Craig Lewis- Dropped way back at Hollywood, but was full of run down the lane. 19. Mountain Town (Cape Town) Rick Dutrow - No match in the Remsen, maybe more distance will get him in the picture. 20. Gourmet Dinner (Trippi) Steve Standridge - Still not a big believer in this game colt at 10 furlongs, but he already has the earnings. 21. Major Gain (More Than Ready) Wayne Catalano - Dirt race was promising as he battled from the rail. 22. Archarcharch (Arch) Jinks Fires - Went from maiden to stakes winner yesterday. I like his distance potential. 23. Coil (Point Given) Tom Proctor - Recent maiden winner is by Point Given out of a Theatrical mare = distance. 24. Sherriff Cogburn (Vindication) Don Von Hemel - Eager to see the return of this Midwestern flash. 25. Smash (Smart Strike) Bob Baffert - The maiden win was impressive, but no racing since July. Here is To Honor and Serve handling Mucho Macho Man and Mountain Town in the Remsen.

Comma to the Top Scores in Tedious CashCall Futurity

In one of longest awaited races I have ever seen, Comma to the Top, favored at 5-2, stalked early pacesetter High Level Jeff in second position, through moderate early fractions, before accelerating on the far turn to take command of the grade one affair. Under Corey Nakatani, the son of Bwana Charlie drew clear to an insurmountable lead early in the lane, and at the wire was nearly two lengths in front over a hard charging J P's Gusto, with longshot Clubhouse Ride getting up late for third. It was the sixth victory in ten starts for the Florida bred gelding. Final time for the 1 1/16 miles on the Cushion Track was 31:44.72.  Did Hollywood Park really let that horse delay one of their biggest races of the year a full 30 minutes in a driving rainstorm???

CashCall Futurity Features An Eclectic Bunch

The CashCall Futurity is the last chance of the calendar year to see top Kentucky Derby prospects duke it out. This year’s grade 1, mile and 1/16th race at Hollywood Park may not have any of the current favorites for next year’s Run for the Roses, but what it lacks in star power, it makes up for with a number of interesting prospects. So much so, that a case easily could be made for anyone in the ten horse field. Favoritism should be contested between the following five horses: Comma to the Top is the now horse and the one to beat. Experienced with nine starts already, the gelded son of Bwana Charlie enters off an impressive four race win streak. A fifth straight win may boil down to whether the speedster can handle early pressure against quality horses. Local threat, Industry Leader, a son of Cherokee Run, looks primed to stretch-out after two sharp efforts over the Hollywood strip for trainer Kristin Mulhall. In his second start, he looked strong as chased home Premier Pegasus in the Hollywood Prevue Stakes. The most accomplished horse in the race is four-time stakes winner J P's Gusto, who will hope to return to top form as he returns to a synthetic surface. He proved no match at all for Uncle Mo last time in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on dirt. Rustler Hustler may be the most interesting colt in the race. He is shipping in from the East Coast off of two straight stakes scores on the grass. The last was a visually impressive romp at Belmont Park. He has already won a synthetic surface and has been working sharply on the Gulfstream Park dirt for new trainer Rick Dutrow. Shipping in from Florida is Gourmet Dinner who continued to surprise bettors with an impressive win in the rich Delta Downs Jackpot in his latest effort. With four wins and one second in five stars, and a win around two-turns, the son of Trippi merits respect. Meanwhile, each of the other five colts in the race offer plenty of hope.  The best bred horse in the race is Clubhouse Ride. The son of Candy Ride out of a Seeking the Gold mare, shipped East to run third in the Delta Jackpot, where he made a bold move before flattening out while going two-turns for the first time. Recent winner over the track, Riveting Reason is a stablemate of highly regarded Premier Pegasus, and has the early speed to keep Comma to the Top busy early. Two races back he set the pace in the BC Juvenile. Ronin Dax has already traveled from San Diego, to Toronto, to Louisville, and back to Hollywood in his brief career. After a sharp debut win, the son of Tapit has not met with much racing luck in two subsequent stakes tries. High Level Jeff makes his second start for new connections after impressing in his first two races in South Florida. He did not live up to his billing in his first try on the West Coast, but his breeding suggests that he may improve around a route of ground. And finally, Slammer Time is coming off a nice win in the Cal Cup Juvenile Stakes. The son of Grand Slam is moving up in class, but seems to be improving with each and every start. Ten horses and they all have a chance to win, but you can’t bet them all. I am going to go out on a limb and select a big longshot for this year‘s CashCall Futurity. Clubhouse Ride is an improving and well bred colt who should improve in his second try at a distance. With P-Val in the irons, he’ll be my pick to click at big odds.