A BOY NAMED EM (Point Given - No Knocks, by A.P. Indy) - Split horses gamely in his debut performance to win going six furlongs at Churchill by 1 1/2 lengths. He made up 5 1/2 lengths in the final furlong, and although the final time was not fast, he is not bred to be a sprinter and could prove to be quite the horse with additional distance.
AFRICANIST (Johannesburg - Mekko Hokte, by Holy Bull) - This colt is definitely one who could have some distance issues, and his sixth-place finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) wasn't very good, but he has been keeping good company and could certainly be influential in races up to a mile or slightly more.
ANCIENT ROME (Roman Ruler - Wish It Were, by Is It True) - Won the Spectacular Bid Stakes on opening day at Gulfstream in a quick 1:08.95. Trained by Tony Dutrow, who feels this colt could be something special, the Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) at the end of January looks like a good spot for him to stretch out beyond six furlongs for the first time.
ALGORITHMS (Bernardini - Ava Knowsthecode, by Cryptoclearance) - Trained by Todd Pletcher, Algorithms won what could turn out to be a key allowance race at Gulfstream Park, wearing down the highly-regarded Consortium to win in sharp fashion. The Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) in January could be his next start.
ALPHA (Bernardini - Munnaya, by Nijinsky II) - Let me say this -- Alpha is a colt that will have no trouble with distance. After breaking his maiden in impressive fashion at Saratoga for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and owner Godolphin Racing, he proceeded to finish second behind Union Rags in the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) and a troubled eleventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. More time and distance will help this promising colt.
ALSVID (Officer - Regal Mary, by Afternoon Deelites) - Three-for-four so far, this promising son of Officer has been racing at Remington Park and Zia Park -- not normally the tracks that turn out Derby contenders, but Alsvid may prove to be an exception. After taking the Kip Deville Stakes over nice horse such as Officer Prado and Jake Mo, he disappointed as the second choice in the Clevor Trevor Stakes before rebounding to take an allowance race at Zia Park by 4 1/2 lengths, running 5-1/2 furlongs in 1:03.52. Could the Sunland Derby be his ticket to the Derby?
ANGEL'S TUNE (High Cotton - Holiday's Tune, by Concorde's Tune) - He doesn't have the most fashionable pedigree, but talent is one thing he does have. He finished second to Delta Jackpot winner Sabercat in the Garden City Stakes back in October and most recently ran second in a Gulfstream allowance race to Ravalo's Boy.
BASMATI (Borrego - Abruzzi Ridge, by Mountain Cat) - Beaten only 1 1/2 lengths in the Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) while still a maiden, this promising Doug O'Neill-trainee followed up that run with a so-so effort in the Norfolk Stakes (gr. I), then dropped back into a maiden special weight for his first victory. Most recently, he ran second to Sabercat in the Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes (gr. III), which earned him $200,000 in graded earnings. He'll have to keep improving, but he probably doesn't need any more graded cash to make the Derby.
BLINGO (Artie Schiller - Wassifa, by Sure Blade) - Turned in a simply terrific rally for the same connections of Zenyatta in his very first start, charging from way behind to get up for a 2 1/4 length triumph going a mile on the Hollywood turf. He will now try to prove himself over a synthetic track in Hollywood Park's CashCall Futurity (gr. I), which could potentially jump start him en route to the Kentucky Derby.
BROTHER FRANCIS (Lion Heart - Viapervita, by Spectrum) - He's still a maiden, but he has finished second in both of his starts, including the Hollywood Prevue Stakes (gr. III) where he was beaten only a half-length. The CashCall Futurity (gr. I) is scheduled to be his next start, where he could be capable of running big at a price.
CASUAL TRICK (Bernardini - Casual Look, by Red Ransom) – This Nick Zito-trainee disappointed in his first start going six furlongs, but returned during the Churchill Downs fall meet to break his maiden going a mile by 2 1/2 lengths. He did this despite setting early fractions of :23.04 and :46.40. He's got enough stamina in his pedigree to suggest that even a race like the Belmont will be within his capabilities, so look for him to keep improving with additional time and distance.
CONSORTIUM (Bernardini - Marietta, by Machiavellian) - Beautifully bred Darley colt broke his maiden by a sharp 4 3/4 lengths going 6-1/2 furlongs at Aqueduct for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, then returned to finish a strong second behind the above-mentioned Algorithms in a Gulfstream Park allowance race. But that was at six furlongs, and he is bred to run much farther, so it should be interesting to see how he develops as the distances increase.
COZZETTI (Cozzene - Lemon Drop Cello, by Lemon Drop Kid) - Trained by Dale Romans, Cozzetti lost his first two starts but then broke through impressively going a mile and a sixteenth at Churchill, drawing away in the stretch to win by five lengths. Romans thinks he could be a nice one, and the colt will get a chance to prove it in Saturday's CashCall Futurity (gr. I).
CREATIVE CAUSE (Giant's Causeway - Dream of Summer, by Siberian Summer) - Winner of the Norfolk Stakes (gr. I), Creative Cause has yet to miss the board in five starts and was a very close third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I). Of all the colts pointing toward next year's Kentucky Derby, this colt has one of the finest pedigrees among them. I really think that this colt has a huge future.
CRUSADE (Mr. Greely - La Traviata, by Johannesburg) - Trained by Aidan O'Brien, this foreign-based colt shipped in for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) and his sixth-place finish may have been enough to warrant a return trip here next spring for the Derby if he continues to progress during the winter. However, if he does come for the Derby he will have to overcome his pedigree, which is perhaps slanted more toward one-mile races than a mile and a quarter.
CURRENCY SWAP (High Cotton - Echo Bluff, by Pine Bluff) - Undefeated colt broke his maiden first time out, then won a fairly weak renewal of the Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) by three quarters of a length. Unfortunately, setbacks have kept him from starting again since then and he has not worked out in over two months.
DAN AND SHEILA (More Than Ready - Sheila's Prospect, by Not For Love) - Imagine this. An unraced two-year-old makes his debut in a one-mile maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park. After breaking slowest of all, he is four-wide every step of the way. Despite this, he takes over the lead turning for home, opens up a two-length lead passing the eighth pole, and coasts home to win by 1 1/2. Trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Zayat Stables, Dan and Sheila has certainly caught my eye and I believe he could be a good one.
DISCREET DANCER (Discreet Cat - West Side Dancer, by Gone West) - Another Derby contender from the barn of Todd Pletcher, Discreet Dancer has only raced once -- but what a race! Going 5-1/2 furlongs at Gulfstream, he drew off to defeat a field of Florida-bred maidens by 9 3/4 lengths in 1:02.34, eclipsing the track record by a sizable amount. He could have trouble stretching out, but he shouldn't have any trouble winning his fair share of sprint races this year.
DONE TALKING (Broken Vow - Dixie Talking, by Dixieland Band) - Beaten only a length in the Remsen after trailing by five at the eighth pole; by my calculations, he must have turned in a :11.86-second final eighth in order to do that. With a strong pedigree backing him up, I believe that he is one of the more promising juveniles heading into next year.
DRILL (Lawyer Ron - Cat Dancer, by Storm Cat) - Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) winner has been in a bit of a rut since then for trainer Bob Baffert. After finishing a non-threatening second in the Norfolk Stakes (gr. I), he turned in two dismal efforts in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) and the Delta Jackpot Stakes (gr. III), finishing tenth and seventh respectively, beaten a combined total of 35 1/2 lengths. But jockey Martin Garcia and Baffert think he may be on his way back into form and will get another chance to reaffirm his position as a leading Derby contender in Saturday's CashCall Futurity (gr. I).
DULLAHAN (Even the Score - Mining My Own, by Smart Strike) - A half-brother to 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, Dullahan won the Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) for his only victory to date, but did finish a late-running fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) after breaking poorly and being dead-last early. Trained by Dale Romans, he has three-time Derby winning Kent Desormeaux as his jockey and is one of the more intriguing juveniles heading into next year.
EL PADRINO (Pulpit - Enchanted Rock, by Giant's Causeway) - Any time you have a juvenile colt trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, you have to respect it. When that colt has an amazing pedigree for the classic distances and broke his maiden by 12 3/4 lengths, you can bet that the bandwagon will be filling fast. He turned in a good late run to finish a close third in the Remsen going nine furlongs -- a distance that is probably even a little short for him, believe it or not.
EMPIRE WAY (Empire Maker - Delta Princess, by A.P. Indy) - A full-brother to Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic winner Royal Delta, Empire Way broke his maiden in sharp fashion first time out going 6-1/2 furlongs for trainer Mike Harrington, but subsequently finished sixth in the Hollywood Prevue Stakes (gr. III). However, as I stated in a previous post, that effort was deceptively good and I expect him to rebound in a big way in Saturday's CashCall Futurity (gr. I).
EVER SO LUCKY (Indian Charlie - Bally Storm, by Summer Squall) - Broke his maiden in sharp fashion and then returned to finish a game second in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II). It's possible that, being a son of Indian Charlie, he could have a bit of trouble with longer distances but he certainly has a ton of natural talent and mustn't be counted out.
EXFACTOR (Exchange Rate - Bright Magic, by Prized) Winner of the Bashford Manor Stakes (gr. III) in July, the promising late-running colt has not raced since then but will be running in Fair Grounds' Sugarbowl Stakes on Saturday against a field of seven. Trained by Bernard Flint, I believe that this beautiful gray colt could end up being one of the major Derby contenders by the time the first Saturday in May rolls around.
EXCAPER (Exchange Rate - Ada Ruckus, by Bold Ruckus) - To date, he only has a maiden win to his credit, but he did finish second in both the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. I) and Summer Stakes (gr. III); the former race at odds of 33-1. He will be running in the Dania Beach Stakes on Sunday.
FINALE (Scat Daddy - Twinkle, by Lively One) - Winner of the Summer Stakes (gr. III) for trainer Todd Pletcher, the beautiful (and large!) colt finished seventh as the favorite in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. I) after a tough trip. He will get a chance to rebound in Sunday's Dania Beach Stakes, where he will most likely be favored. In addition, being by the 2007 Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Scat Daddy, Finale could prove himself to be equally capable racing on dirt as on turf later this year.
FIRE ON ICE (Unbridled's Song - Lost in the Storm, by Storm Cat) - Broke his maiden going six furlongs at Saratoga first time out by 10 3/4 lengths in a sharp 1:09.67, but was injured shortly thereafter and has not raced since. He has a ton of talent and will most likely win his fair share of races when he returns.
FORT LOUDON (Awesome of Course - Lottsa Talc, by Talc) The King of Calder during the summer, sweeping to victories in a trio of Florida Stallion Stakes, Fort Loudon took a big step up in class in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) and ran well enough to finish seventh. A Florida-bred, he has a unique pedigree and it's difficult to say just how far he will be capable of running, but he could make an impact in Florida this spring.
GEMOLOGIST (Tiznow - Crystal Shard, by Mr. Prospector) - Does this sound familiar: a Todd Pletcher-trained colt owned by WinStar Farms wins the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II). Just like Super Saver in 2009, Gemologist has stamped himself as one of the more promising contenders for the 2012 classics. And with a pedigree like his, you know he won't have any trouble with distance.
GOLD MEGILLAH (Purim - Touch Me Once, by Touch Gold) - Talk about a dramatic change. Gold Megillah lost his first three starts for trainer Graham Motion, first sprinting on dirt and then routing on turf. So I doubt that Motion could have expected what was about to happen when Gold Megillah's scheduled fourth start, a mile and a sixteenth maiden special weight, was rained off the turf. Motion did not scratch him and let him try his hand at routing on dirt, and Gold Megillah responded with an 18 1/2 length victory. The future could potentially be unlimited for this colt.
GRACE HALL (Empire Maker - Season's Greetings, by Ezzoud) - Won her first three starts prior to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, including the Spinaway Stakes (gr. I), and was the only filly to stay anywhere near My Miss Aurelia in the Breeders' Cup homestretch. Trained by Tony Dutrow, she'll probably head to the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) rather than the Derby, but should definitely be kept in mind when considering the 2012 Derby contenders.
GUN BOAT (Congrats - White Ruffle, by Vigors) - Promising colt broke his maiden first-time out while defeating the promising Basmati, then ran a terrific fourth in the Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) beaten only a length. A setback has obviously occurred, for he hasn't raced since and hasn't worked out in several months, but there's still plenty of time to get back on track for the spring prep races. I like this colt's name, too.
HANSEN (Tapit - Sunday Warning, by Sir Cat) - Conqueror of Union Rags in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), Hansen is one of the first sons of Tapit to find success at the highest levels of the sport. A front-running type, the grey colt won his first two starts by a combined 25 1/2 lengths and will head to Florida for the winter, where he could potentially meet up with Union Rags prior to the Triple Crown.
HIERRO (Hard Spun - Brief Bliss, by Navarone) - Promising Steve Asmussen-trainee broke his maiden third time out, running seven furlongs in 1:23.65 en route to an impressive 5 1/4 lengths. Especially impressive was the ease with which he won. Perhaps this will be the colt to give Asmussen his first Kentucky Derby victory. He's out at Santa Anita Park and could race again shortly.
HOW DO I WIN (Corinthian - Silver Crown, by Distorted Humor) - Owned by Mike Repole and trained by Todd Pletcher, this colt was very unimpressive in his first four starts in maiden special weight company. However, a drop into the maiden claiming ranks enabled him to break through with a 17 1/2 length triumph, which he backed up with a solid three-length victory in an Aqueduct starter allowance race. He's probably not of the caliber necessary to be competitive in major graded stakes races, but with his connections he definitely bears watching.
HOWE GREAT (Hat Trick - Ginger Sea, by Western Winter) - Racing for the same connections as 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, Howe Great is 2-for-3 so far, with wins sprinting on dirt and routing on turf. Most recently, he won a one-mile turf allowance race at Gulfstream in wire-to-wire fashion, setting an extremely slow pace before flying home his final five-sixteenths in a blazing :28.92, running each sixteenth of a mile during that time frame in an average of 5.784 seconds. He will probably end up being best on turf and at shorter distances, but any horse that can close that fast—regardless of the early pace—bears watching.
IN THE BEAT (Street Sense - Rythmical Beat, by Fusaichi Pegasus) - After a couple of poor efforts for trainer Carl Nafzger, the light finally went on inside In The Beat's head during his third start. In a six furlong maiden special weight at Churchill, the colt found himself far behind early on under Calvin Borel, and was still four lengths behind at the eighth pole. But with a rail-skimming ride, the colt turned in a blazing 11:87-second final eighth to win by a half-length. Bred to be a classic-distance runner, I'm really, really excited about this colt's future.
KEVIL KID (Petionville - Boot Um Bertie, by Storm Boot) - Albert Stall Jr.-trainee broke her maiden first time out at Fair Grounds against a field of Louisiana-bred maidens. It's not exactly the kind of race that Derby winners usually emerge from, but she drew off powerfully to win by six lengths while eased up and may prove a serious threat in races such as the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (gr. III) and Fair Grounds Oaks (gr. II).
LAUNCH COMMANDER (Master Command - Launch Site, by Relaunch) - If you like Managed Account, then you have to like this colt, who set a quick pace in the Toccet Stakes before tiring late to finish a neck behind Managed Account while 8 1/2 lengths ahead of the rest of the field. Trained by David Fawkes, we could certainly turn up again soon somewhere at Aqueduct.
LIAISON (Indian Charlie - Galloping Gal, by Victory Gallop) - Could this be Bob Baffert's next top Derby contender? A winner of two of his three starts, he most recently took the Real Quiet Stakes by a game half-length over Rousing Sermon. He is entered in the CashCall Futurity (gr. I) on Saturday, which is the run over the same course and distance as the Real Quiet, so he should prove tough to beat in that spot.
LONGVIEW DRIVE (Pulpit - Wild Vision, by Wild Again) - Took a pair of listed stakes races on the Northern California fair circuit, then finished third after coming from last in the Delta Jackpot Stakes (gr. III). Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, he could be a threat in such races as the California Derby and the El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) if that is where he ends up heading for the spring.
MAJESTIC CITY (City Zip - It'schemistrybaby, by Meadowlake) - The narrow morning line favorite in Saturday's CashCall Futurity, Majestic City won his first three starts in sharp fashion before finishing second in the Del Mar Futurity (gr. I) and the Breeders' Futurity (gr. I), although he was disqualified to third in the former race. A subsequent twelfth place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. I) was probably due more to a dislike of the turf than anything else, but this is a colt that could have some difficulty excelling at long distances. Nevertheless, the CashCall Futurity should be his kind of race and he may be capable of taking them gate-to-wire.
MANAGED ACCOUNT (Malibu Moon - Catinca, by Storm Cat) Finished a troubled sixth in the Remsen after stumbling at the start. Despite this, he was only beaten 3 1/4 lengths while closing his final eighth in :12.26. He had previously won the Toccet Stakes at Aqueduct sharply and looks to be one of the better three-year-olds up in New York next spring.
MONASTIC (Rock Hard Ten - Motokiks, by Storm Cat) - His lone poor effort in four starts was a tenth-place finish in the Bourbon Stakes (gr. III), where he got completely mugged while he and half the rest of the field tried to avoid a fallen horse. Sandwiching that black mark on his resume are two fabulous efforts routing on turf, in which he has powered clear in both while splitting horses professionally in the most recent of the two races. Unproven on—but bred for—the dirt, he could prove to be a multi-surface threat next spring.
MARGANO (Dynaformer - La Ville Rouge, by Carson City) - A full-brother to 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, Margano lost his first two starts before breaking his maiden going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf at Gulfstream. It is doubtful that he will repeat his brother's success -- full sibling racehorses rarely do -- but he displayed a good turn of foot in that race and could prove a fascinating horse to follow next spring.
MOTOR CITY (Street Sense - Shawgatny, by Danzig Connection) - Showed a great deal of grit when winning the Iroquois Stakes (gr. III) by three-quarters of a length under Calvin Borel. Trained by Ian Wilkes, he should have the stamina to win a race like the Derby and has been improving with every start. He is wintering in Florida, so expect to see him turn up in a race like the Fountain of Youth (gr. II) or the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) next spring.
MR. STYLE (Bluegrass Cat - Number One Girl, by Tiznow) - From the barn of Todd Pletcher, Mr. Style hasn't raced since late August and hasn't breezed in several months -- he's still a maiden, too -- but his two efforts at Saratoga during the summer were good enough to warrant inclusion here. Second first time out behind J C's Pride, who broke the track record for five furlongs with his win, Mr. Style was then beaten a head by subsequent stakes winner Officer Prado, whom I mentioned above.
MY MISS AURELIA (Smart Strike - My Miss Storm Cat, by Sea of Secrets) - With fillies and mares like Zenyatta, Rachel Alexandra, Havre de Grace, Goldikova, and others defeating males with frequency, why not Miss Miss Aurelia? I loved the move that she made turning for home in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile to blow the race wide open, and she has the stamina to win at a mile and a quarter. It's been 24 years since Winning Colors . . .
NAJJAAR (Jazil - Hasheema, by Darshaan) - To be perfectly honest, this colt has lost all four of his starts, but his last effort was extremely impressive. Last early in a one-mile maiden special weight at Churchill Downs, he made an impressive middle move while racing five wide to reach contention in the stretch before flattening out a bit to finish third. A luckier trip could help bring about victory in his next start.
OFFICER PRADO (Officer - Prado Lady, by El Prado) - I've had my eye on this colt since Saratoga, feeling he could be a nice one, and he vindicated my beliefs in him with a solid victory in the Clever Trevor Stakes at Remington Park in November. He took down some decent horses in that race
O'PRADO AGAIN (El Prado - Leh She Run, by Pulpit) - Racing for the same connections as Paddy O'Prado, he put in a terrific late run to win the Remsen Stakes (gr. II) last week at Aqueduct with a :12.26-second final eighth. Bred to be a stayer, he is undefeated in two starts and will likely winter in Florida.
OPTIMIZER (English Channel - Indy Pick, by A. P. Indy) - With a pedigree perhaps biased more toward turf than to dirt, it's not surprise that his best efforts have come over the Saratoga turf and Keeneland's Polytrack. Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, he loomed dangerously in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) before flattening out a bit to finish fourth. One thing's for certain -- he won't have any trouble with a mile and a quarter.
OUT OF BOUNDS (Dicreet Cat - Unbridled Elaine, by Unbridled's Song) - After finishing fourth in his debut at Santa Anita, the Darley-bred/Darley-owned colt rebounded sharply to break his maiden going seven furlongs at Hollywood Park. Trained by Eoin Harty, the colt could potentially have some trouble stretching out but he has a lot of talent.
OVERDRIVEN (Tale of the Cat – Air France, by French Deputy) – Has won his only two starts to date for the same connections as 2010 Champion 2yo Male Uncle Mo, but was given some time off after training poorly following a big win in Saratoga’s Sanford Stakes (gr. II). He doesn’t have the best pedigree for route races, but could certainly be competitive in races up to at least a mile and a sixteenth.
PASSING GAME (Game Plan - Fifth Avenue Suite, by Category Five) - 2-for-2 so far, this Gary Sherlock-trainee took the Golden Nugget Stakes by a head going six furlongs at Golden Gate last time out. It's hard to say just how far his pedigree will take him, but I expect to see him in races like the El Camino Real Derby (gr. III) next spring.
POLITICALLYCORRECT (Kitten's Joy - Exceedexpectations, by Tale of the Cat) - Lost his first three starts while competing against some very good horses, then broke through with a nose win going a mile and a sixteenth at Gulfstream. Obviously a bit of a longshot to make the Derby, but the well-bred colt shouldn't be counted out yet.
POLLARD'S BOY (Pollard's Vision - Sultryann, by Sultry Song) - His Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes victory was not accomplished in a quick time, and he did drift out quite a bit in the stretch, but what I loved about his performance was the way he engulfed the field on the turn with a dramatic burst of speed that carried him from last to first. As long as his trainer is able to straighten out his colt's drifting issues, Pollard's Boy could prove an intriguing contender along next year's Triple Crown trail.
PROSPECTIVE (Malibu Moon - Spirited Away, by Awesome Again) - Certainly has a wonderful pedigree for success on the dirt, but to date his biggest success has come over Woodbine's synthetic track, over which he won the Grey Stakes (gr. III). A wide trip in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) certainly cost him his best chance, but he was still beaten by just over twenty lengths and will have to step up his game to be competitive in the Triple Crown races next spring.
RADIANT TALENT (Johannesburg - Dignified Diva, by Meadowlake) - Bit of a longshot here, for he is still a maiden, but this promising Steve Margolis-trainee has finished second twice in maiden special weight company, most recently behind the promising runner In The Beat. He is entered in another maiden race on Saturday at Fair Grounds, where I believe he is capable of turning in a dominating performance.
RESPECTFUL ED (Eddington - Respectful, by Honour and Glory) - Lost his first five starts, all at Laurel Park, before bursting through in between horses to win a gritty stretch duel going a mile in a recent maiden special weight. His final time certainly wasn't quick, but I was impressed by the toughness and willingness he displayed.
ROUSING SERMON (Lucky Pulpit - Rousing Again, by Awesome Again) - Winner of the California Cup Juvenile Stakes, Rousing Sermon subsequently returned to finish a late-running second behind the promising Liasion in the Real Quiet Stakes at Hollywood Park. He is entered to run in the CashCall Futurity (gr. I) and should prove quite tough for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.
RULER OF DUBAI (Tribal Rule - O K Topless, by Old Topper) - Took the Graduation and I'm Smokin Stakes at Del Mar in good fashion before finishing a distant third to Creative Cause and Drill in the Norfolk Stakes (gr. I) while finishing ahead of subsequent Delta Jackpot runner-up Basmati. But he has not breezed in over two months, so it's likely that he is dealing with some minor issues.
RUSSIAN GREEK (Giant's Causeway - Sand Dollar, by Grindstone) - Has won two of his three starts for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, including the Gold Rush Stakes last time out in which he made up five lengths inside the eighth pole to win the one mile race by a neck. Could the California Derby be next?
SABERCAT (Bluegrass Cat - Miner's Blessing, by Forty Niner) - Two-time stakes winner took the $1,000,000 Delta Jackpot Futurity (gr. III) on November 19th with a brilliant burst of speed through traffic. Trained by Steve Asmussen, he has already breezed twice since then at Fair Grounds and appears to be on track to race again soon.
SACRISTY (Pulpit - Christies Treasure, by Belong to Me) - She may be a filly, but she certainly is a good one! Trained by Wayne Catalano, she finished second first time out to the highly impressive Applauding in a track record-breaking performance, then broke her maiden at Churchill going 6-1/2 furlongs by 6 3/4 lengths. She has been training exceptionally well down at Gulfstream and could prove quite tough in the major stakes races for fillies down there.
SAINT HONORE (Sun King - She Ain't a Saint, by Meadowlake) Was beaten thirteen lengths in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II), but he was very wide for a good part of the race and I can't help but think that this colt seems like the kind who will get much better with time. One to keep an eye on.
SECRET CIRCLE (Eddington - Ragtime Hope, by Dixieland Band) Perhaps the most amazing thing about this Bob Baffert-trainee isn't that he is undefeated in three starts sprinting and can rattle off an opening quarter in :20 and change. Perhaps the most amazing thing is that he isn't really bred to be a sprinter and has a pedigree that should enable him to stretch out in distance. This, coupled with his blinding speed, could set this colt up for a big year in 2012.
SEVEN LIVELY SINS (Stormy Atlantic - Carson's Star, by Carson City) - Certainly could have some distance limitations, and he could potentially even have trouble with a mile, but he has a lot of talent which was showcased by his strong second to Motor City in the Iroquois Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs. He followed that up with a fourth-place finish beaten eight lengths in the Delta Jackpot, but he really didn't get the best trip there and could rebound in a sharp way next time out.
SHUMOOS (Distorted Humor - Wile Cat, by Storm Cat) - Some will claim that her incredible late run for second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint was an illusion caused by the fact that the winner, Secret Circle, was tiring badly. But that is not the case. She closed her own final eighth in :12.63, and that was coming off of a previous eighth in :11.64. She is bred to stretch out and will likely get a chance to do so this spring at Santa Anita Park.
SKY KINGDOM (Empire Maker - Sky Beam, by Kingmambo) - After a pair of so-so efforts sprinting for trainer Bob Baffert, Sky Kingdom stretched out to a mile and a sixteenth and promptly broke his maiden by 2 1/4 in 1:43.98. He is entered to run in the CashCall Futurity (gr. I) on Saturday, where he could stamp himself as a top Derby contender with a victory.
SO BRILLIANT (Medaglia d'Oro - Merry Me in Spring, by Wekiva Springs) - He's undefeated in two starts for trainer Bob Baffert, but was forced to miss the CashCall Futurity (gr. I) due to a slight fever. Nevertheless, the front-running colt should prove quite tough in the major spring Derby preps if he can handle two turns as well as he can one.
SOUPER SPEEDY (Indian Charlie - Speed Succeeds, by Gone West) - Second to O'Prado Again in the Remsen, he set a slow pace and led into the stretch before getting passed late in a sharp effort. Perhaps he doesn't have the strongest pedigree for classic distances, but the Remsen was only his second start and he does look like he could be a nice one.
STAT (Unbridled's Song - Di's Time, by Gilded Time) - Got his career off to a good beginning, breaking his maiden by two lengths before finishing second in the Saratoga Special (gr. II) behind early Derby favorite Union Rags. But he has not raced or worked out since then, which means that he has likely suffered a setback. Nevertheless, he is trained by Todd Pletcher, and everyone knows that you can't count out a Pletcher horse on the Derby trail.
STATE OF PLAY (War Front - Valeta, by Procida) Raced by the same connections of 2011 Kentrucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, State of Play won the With Anticipation Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga over subsequent Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) winner Dullahan. A setback kept him from racing again until the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. II), where he ran twelfth of fourteen in a race in which he really wasn't ready to fire his best shot. He'll probably end up being best on turf, but then, the same was thought of Animal Kingdom last spring.
SUMMER FRONT (War Front - Rose of Summer, by El Prado) - Undefeated in two starts for trainer Christophe Clement, Summer Front won the King Cugat Stakes going a mile on turf at Aqueduct by a half-length over a good horse in Liquidity Trap. In that race, he closed his final quarter mile in a sharp :23.68. He is entered in the Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park, where he could establish himself as a leading three-year-old on turf if he can defeat the talented likes of Finale, State of Play, and Exfactor.
TAKE CHARGE INDY (A.P. Indy - Take Charge Lady, by Dehere) - Good old A.P. Indy is starting to run out of opportunities to be the sire of a Derby winner, what with him being pensioned earlier this year, but perhaps Take Charge Indy can accomplish what A.P. Indy's many other sons have not. The colt has lost all three of his stakes attempts so far, but that includes a decent fifth-place effort in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) and a second in the Arlington-Washinton Futurity (gr. III). Like many of the A.P. Indy foals, this guy could simply be the late-maturing type that will get better with age -- which would make his strong juvenile efforts all the more impressive.
TED'S FOLLY (Wild Tale - Tricksword, by Sword Dance) - After losing his first two starts at Prairie Meadows, Ted's Folly found his home at Remington Park, where he has rattled off six straight victories. Most recently, he flew from last to win the one-mile Remington Springboard Mile by 1 1/4 lengths in sharp fashion. Due to his running style, he'll always be reliant on the early pace, and it's hard to say whether he will be more effective as a one-turn sprinter or a route horse, but the talent is there.
TIMELY TALLY (Mr. Greely - Score, by A.P. Indy) - In two consecutive races -- an allowance optional claiming event and the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) -- this colt has closed a tremendous amount of ground against the highly regarded Gemologist. In my opinion, this colt has as much potential as any colt on this list and I honestly believe that this colt is going to be a legitimate Kentucky Derby contender next year. And oh yes -- Calvin Borel is his regular rider.
UNION RAGS (Dixie Union - Tempo, by Gone West) - I doubt there's a person around who doesn't have this colt at or near the top of their Derby watch list. Trained by Michael Matz of Barbaro fame, Union Rags won his first three starts, including the Champagne Stakes (gr. I), in impressive fashion before losing the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) by a nose to Hansen. He will head to Florida to prepare for the Triple Crown, with the Florida Derby (gr. I) surely on the radar.
WHARTON (War Front - La Prado, by El Prado) - Is definitely bred for the turf, but nevertheless broke his maiden in late October going six furlongs on the Churchill dirt. He showed terrific early speed in that race, which could potentially mean he will be best in sprints, but trainer Steve Asmussen may have an ace up his sleeve with this colt.
WROTE (High Chaparral - Desert Classic, by Green Desert) - Shipped in from Ireland for trainer Aidan O'Brien to take the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. I) with a terrific stretch kick. I doubt that he'll come back over for the Derby -- races like the English 2,000 Guineas make more sense -- but you never know.
-Keelerman
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