A THREE-YEAR-OLD TO WATCH: BODEMEISTER

Today's third race at Santa Anita Park, a one-mile maiden special weight, yielded intriguing results. Three horses were sent off at 2-1, with Stirred Up the narrow favorite over Welter Weight and Bodemeister. The first- and last-mentioned colts are both trained by Bob Baffert, and general opinion leading up to the race seemed to indicate that Stirred Up was the better of the pair.

That was not the case.

TRIPLE CROWN COUNTDOWN -- February 10th, 2012

While the following two days may be somewhat weak in the graded stakes for three-year-olds department, it is nevertheless going to be a fascinating weekend. To be perfectly honest, I think there are more promising maiden and allowance races carded for the coming days than on any other weekend in recent memory. Across the country, we have horses like Spring Hill Farm, Welter Weight, Stirred Up, Bodemeister, Big Blue Nation, and other up-and-coming three-year-olds looking to take the next step toward a potential start in a major Kentucky Derby prep race, and then -- if successful -- a start in the Kentucky Derby itself.
Nevertheless, this week's feature race shall be the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park, the lone graded stakes event for three-year-olds carded for the next two days.