First off you have Street Sense vs. Hard Spun at Turfway
You have the Return of Santa Anita park
You have After Market facing Real turf horses for the first time in his career in Icy Atlantic and Trippi's Storm
You have Discreet Cat returning
But the race I've had circled, for a number of reasons, has been the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
now, this race isn't 8 miles like it used to be.. BUT. This is THE very most important prep race of the year.
My thoughts: I don't like hte fact that EZ Warrior is outworking Lawyer Ron
For you pletcher fans... THIS. is a prep race.
reakness winner Curlin and multiple Gradeo1 winner Lawyer Ron completed preparations for their showdown in Sunday's Gradeo1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup by putting in their final workouts Monday.
At Belmont, Lawyer Ron went five furlongs in 1:01.21 under exercise rider Eddie King. Lawyer Ron was prompted through the final stages of his work by E Z Warrior, who was working a half-mile but credited with a five-furlong move in 59.27 seconds. While King had Lawyer Ron under restraint, E Z Warrior was rolling through the stretch, came to him, and passed him late. Todd Pletcher, the trainer of Lawyer Ron, said King took a strong hold of Lawyer Ron when E Z Warrior came to him.
Pletcher said he wasn't looking for a fast drill from Lawyer Ron,who is coming off wins in the Whitney and Woodward at Saratoga.
"His work was very good," Pletcher said. "He's an eager horse. If you let him, he'll work very fast. That wasn't what we were trying to do."
which is verbatium what Pletcher said after Rags to riches put in the slow as molasses last work before her injury.
I mean.. the horse was never Speed racer in the morning.. but EZ Warrior
Political Force is also in the race. as well as Sun King.
I circled this race because it's hands down the best classic prep this year. In this race alone you have 3 Grade 1 winners. I also have a horse crush on Curlin.> I love curlin. hate the connections.. love curlin.
This race will tell us if the Haskell was a fluke... and juding by his workouts.. I think it was. I don't like the fact he hasn't raced in almost 2 months.. but hey. I don't think he will win this race. I think Steve is actually (gasp) using it as a PREP for the classic. You don't not race in 2 months and then tackle lawyer ron.
Lawyer ron SHOULD win this race.. but I wouldn't count the giant killer out. Boy of Political Force pulls this one off we wouldn't hear the end of it.
Sun King is also a LIVE long shot. let's take lawyer Ron out of the equation and say he's just not "right" for whatever the reason may be.. the fact that he's getting outworked by EZ warrior concerns me, I don't care if he was under a death grip, when you gallop in the morning, it's not scripted to let EZ Warrior fly pass lawyer ron. Just like the connections started really toying with putting rags in the the Belmont when Rags was toying with Circular Quay in her workouts in the morning. it's just not a good sign
But you take Ron out, let's assume you believe political force beat no one in the suburban... and Curlin needs a race.. hum... at at LEAST 10 to 1. he will get the distance.. and I'm not the biggest Zito fan on earth, but any horse that has raced this long at this level deserves a grade 1 under his belt.. I'm sure Charasmatic is somewhere cheering him on.
What if Lawyer Ron looses? Boy does that throw a monkey ranch in everything. What if Curlin runs away with it? What now? is he again the best 3YO in the country?
Again, very very interesting race