THE COMPLETE (or nearly so!) LIST OF 2012 TRIPLE CROWN CONTENDERS

One of my favorite parts of the Triple Crown season is compiling a list of promising juveniles sometime in December, then watching how they perform and mature during the months leading up to the Kentucky Derby. This year, I decided to compile the largest possible list, just to see how many of the Triple Crown prep race winners I can come up with this far out. So here you have it: my most complete (as possible) list of 2012 Triple Crown contenders, ranging from well-known stars like Hansen, Union Rags, and Creative Cause, to maidens like Radiant Talent and Mr. Style. The following list is over 6,200 words long and contains 82 horses, but I can just about guarantee that it includes some horses that you have never heard of! Enjoy!

AWESOME OF COURSE: THE MOST UNDERRATED STALLION IN THE NATION?

Every year at around this time, a moderately sized, but quite heavy, brown package arrives in the mail. Enclosed in this unassuming parcel is one of the finest annually-printed volumes in the sport of horse racing – the Blood-Horse Stallion Register.

THE RETURN OF EXFACTOR

During the 2011 spring meet at Churchill Downs, I watched a promising son of Exchange Rate by the name of Exfactor take the Bashford Manor Stakes (gr. III) with a tremendous late rally. At the time, I stated to several people that he was my 2012 Kentucky Derby colt; the one that would head to Churchill Downs as the finest three-year-old in the land and vindicate that opinion with a dominating victory.

Hollywood Starlet Stakes Thoughts & Analysis

The Hollywood Starlet Stakes (gr. I) has launched many a good filly on her way to major victories as a three-year-old. Turbulent Descent and Blind Luck, the last two winners of the race, both went on to win grade Is at age three, with Blind Luck being named champion at the end of the year.

CLUBHOUSE RIDE, JAYCITO RETURN TO THE WORK TAB

Clubhouse Ride, who looked like one of the most promising contenders for the 2011 Triple Crown after finishing second in the Sham Stakes (gr. III), returned to the work tab for the first time since January 26th when he breezed three furlongs at Santa Anita on November 30th in :36.60.

A TWO-YEAR-OLD TO WATCH: Discreet Dancer

Todd Pletcher unleashed one of his most promising juveniles of the year in Discreet Dancer in this afternoon's third race at Gulfstream Park, as the two-year-old son of Discreet Cat blew away his opponents in a 5-1/2 furlong maiden special weight while breaking the track record.

Sent off as the 3-5 favorite under Javier Castellano, Discreet Dancer tracked the early pace set by Someday Came beforing blowing past him rounding the far turn. After running a half-mile in a quick :44.99, he coasted home an easy winner by 9 3/4 lengths in 1:02.34, eclipsing the previous track record of 1:03 flat set by Paizano on January 23rd, 2010.

It will be interesting to see where Discreet Dancer turns up next. Races such as the Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II) later in the meet look like intriguing next-steps, and then a step up in distance in the Florida Derby (gr. I) could potentially set him up for a run at the Kentucky Derby.

-Keelerman