BAQ Saturday | Matthew DeSantis

You all know 10:20 on Friday means horse racing.

We head to Long Island for this one.

His name is Matthew DeSantis. He is in Queens.

We're talking about Queens and and Rebels romance showing up in

Queens. What what a what a freaking time

to be alive, buddy. What a time to be alive.

Just rebels romance. One of the coolest horses in

training, if not the coolest, just hanging out at Aqueduct

this Saturday. So that's going to be a lot of

fun. I can't imagine because he's

he's, I mean, look, his record is what it is.

And he's made $14 million in his career, OK.

Not bad. But man, if you're a good

dolphin, are you like, why is this the gelded one?

Why is this the now? The only good news is it it

appears by every every indication he's going to run for

a little while. But it is what it is.

He's Matthew DeSantis that failed the menace on the socials

and of course, at the naira Nyra at the naira for everything

happening up in New York. Matthew, how are you this

morning? You doing all right buddy?

I'm doing great. We have some nice weather up

here. We're looking for a nice

weekend. We're going to be fast and firm

by tomorrow on the turf. So yeah, we're going to be

having a lot of fun up here and great weekend of racing here,

but also Churchill, Santa Anita Saturday, so a lot of big racing

all across the country. Yeah, no, a ton going on.

You can catch my preview of Santa Anita with Joaquin Jaime

from FanDuel Racing last night on the Horse Racing Happy Hour

podcast platform. Easy for me to say.

We talked with my guy Barry Spears on our SoCal Saturday

show today, this afternoon as well, but wanted to talk to you,

Matthew. Of course, a British Cup winning

in with the Vosburg. You know, that race is so

fascinating to me and, and how we qualify horses for the

Breeders Cup. Matthew, because 7 furlongs in a

sandy deep aqueduct and then you go out to Del Mar at six

furlongs, a very different kind of dirt course.

Have you always been a little confused like me as to why we're

running at 7 for Breeders' Cup winning ends when we could just,

I don't know. There's another race on the card

at six furlongs. Yeah, no, it is a little bit

interesting that the Vosburg is this one that was chosen to be

the winner. And I think there's just a

general feeling too. It's like, you know, the winning

you're in with a bunch of these other races sometimes where

you're like, huh, OK, that's the one we're going to choose for

the Challenge Series, not this other one that seems to make

more sense at the right distance on a better surface, you know,

what have you. So yeah, I mean, it's always

interesting to me that the sprints are, you know, the

Philly and Mare Sprint is 7 furlongs, but the male Sprint is

6. And so, yeah, it's just curious

that you're qualifying for the male Sprint 6 furlongs with the

seven furlong race because as you know, so many horses can be

7 furlong specialists and you cut them back to six and they're

just not the same horse there. That's exactly right.

Matthew DeSantis with us up there in New York.

Let me ask you about that. Turf Classic starts to pick five

there in race 5. Many, many of the the top races

by the way, tomorrow are early in the card at the in New York.

Just a heads up, I think even like your late pick 3 is not any

stakes at all, something like that.

So Turf Classic will be around 2 a little after 230 up their

race, five mile and 1/2 on the turf.

The aforementioned Rebels romance.

But I got to say, boy, I know there's five horses here.

This is as good a distance. You know, three turn kind of

turf. I mean, group that I can

remember outside the British Cup.

I mean, that Rebel Red is 8 to 1 is a remarkable thing about

this, because I do think you'll get that kind of value.

Yeah, no, absolutely. Is El Cordovas could not have

been more impressive in a Sword Dancer last time out.

Also a good dolphin horse for Charlie Appleby, also gelded.

They're probably kicking themselves for that too.

But listen, redistricting for Chad Brown.

So obviously far bridge from Miguel Clement, who I think is

going to get the right sort of trip on Saturday.

And then like you said, Rebel Red for Cherie, an outstanding

horse. You nearly beat El Cordovas last

time out in that Sword Dancer and has won a lot of nice races.

So if this is a you know, you hate to be cliche and go well,

it's the right five horses, but it's a really good 5 horse field

because if you want to beat rebels romance, you have some

legitimate alternatives to him in this spot.

Rebels romance 12 to 12 of 17 lifetime at the distance he wins

right-handed, left-handed over good older over good to firm

over good to soft. I mean, like it just it's a

remarkable career here that he's put together.

But is there a world in which El Cordobas is actually the other

Applebee and is like the, you know, the Baffert OS the other

Baffert? Like, do we play the other

Apple? Is there a chance that that's

what's going to happen tomorrow? I do think that there's a

chance, and I think a lot of it comes down to this very bizarre

jockey musical chairs that's taking place.

William Buick does not come over for either horse.

He's ridden both horses before. Rebels Romance and El Cordobas

does not come over for either. Pratt rode El Cordobas last time

out, but he opts to go to redistricting for Chad Brown.

So this leaves Appleby with no run, with no jockeys, picks

Frankie to Tori in Rebels Romance and he gets Johnny

Velasquez up on El Cordobas. I think El Cordobas is a

beautiful trip, just hugging that inside rail, saving every

single bit of ground. He is a younger ascending horse.

We might not have seen the best of him yet.

It seemed like the light really flicked on in that Prince of

Wales Stakes over at Newmarket before he came over for the

Sword Dancer and those last two races have been outstanding.

The important thing to remember too, the horse he beat in that

Princess of Wales Stakes, Wimbledon Hawkeye, the horse you

got to see win the National Derby down at Kentucky Down.

So beat some nice horses that day and I think he's the most

likely alternative to Rebels Romance in this race.

I really like El Cordovas in this spot.

Right-handed there at Newmarket of course, and that Grade 2

Prince of Wales but did beat Wimbledon Hawkeye by open

lengths. El Cordobas coming into that one

is a fascinating, fascinating race.

The Woodward will be Race 6. This is a Grade 2 mile and an

eighth. If you are unfamiliar with the

Big A, it is a mile and an eighth course.

It lays out very much like Saratoga or Ellis Park here in

Kentucky. They do not have that weirdo

mile shoot, so don't worry about that.

The 300K on the line here post time makes the trip up from the

Mid-Atlantic. Phileas Fogg will be amongst the

favorites, but Locked gets the 9:00 to 5:00 nod here from your

morning line maker up there, David Aragona.

What do you make of that? I you know, I understand why

David made lock the favorite because people are going to see

that Santa Anita Handicap and just, you know, that big number

of the one O 9 and remember him from winning that Cigar Mile.

He's got the name recognition a little bit more than Phileas

Fogg or Post time. So I do understand why David

made him the favorite. But for me, you know, there's

going to be some a lot of horses those are cross centered.

It looks like this is just going to be a three horse race in all

likelihood. And for me, Phileas Fogg just

feels like the obvious choice because locked in post timer

closures and Phileas Fogg with Kendra Carmouche boards just

going to get out there and just loop along up on the front end.

And I don't see anybody challenging him and he's already

won going a mile and 1/4. So going a mile and an eighth

should be no problem at all for this horse, especially facing

minimal price pressure on a small field.

There's a bunch of fascinating runners in here, frankly.

The Pimlico special winner, Awesome Aaron is in here on the

inside. Are you betting against Ricardo

Santana Junior in New York at this point?

Because I'm not. You know, it's it's hard to bet

against Ricardo. He's riding so well up here.

And especially with the news of Irad taking his tack down to

Kentucky this fall for Churchill and Keeneland, it really has

opened up opportunities. I think you've seen Manny Franco

step up with some of those wins. I think you've seen Ricardo

Santana junior step up with some of those wins.

You see Kendrick take some opportunities.

So some of these guys are filling that void that's been

left by Irad, and Ricardo is certainly one of those because

he rode so well over the summer of Saratoga and it's been great

to see him carry that on into this start of this Belmont Big a

fall meet. Huge field in the maiden special

in Race 7. I don't need to go through all

of it, but is the Jorge Abreu second timer with Pratt the the

pretty obvious favorite here? Yeah, I would say so.

I mean, living in the breeze 3 to 1 makes a lot of sense in

this particular spot. But I think you could look at

Cosmic Candy Girl for Jimmy Ryerson with Kendrick aboard.

That's a nice horse that just missed out last time as well.

I think even Considerate City at 4:00 to 1:00, which for Jimmy

Ferraro isn't a bad one, but you know, these sorts of races, you

know, you just mentioned Ricardo.

I'll be honest, take a look at the number 4, Jose D'Angelo, a

trainer. I have a ton of respect for the

bow. Liam's are really starting to

run well and I just think that one might be able to take

another step forward with Ricardo up in six to one.

A nice price and an honest price for this horse, I think in that

race. Matthew DeSantis with us from

Naira on socials and at failed to menace for everything he's

working on. The grade 2 gall bloom is race

8/6 and 1/2 on the dirt. We finally get a Philly and

Mayor mayor race here. 3 and up. Quarter million bucks on the

line in this one. Our disaster makes her return

after a couple of sloppy efforts.

Your efforts in the slop. I should say, not sloppy.

She's been very good, frankly, Saratoga including a good second

in the honourable miss behind Helena's Forte.

But some others in here that I think have legitimate shots.

I think scalable is really, really interesting in here.

Sort of a specialist at Aqueduct itself is scalable for Todd

Pletcher and John Velasquez. Love that 6 to 1 price.

Where do you think you'll land in the gallon bloom?

Well, you know, I, it's funny you say that because that's

exactly where I landed on. I love scalable and I, I don't

know think we got 6 to 1 because everybody I'm talking to

scalable. But here's an amazing stat

because this is a horse that has not run since flat of the

Interboro back in January. So the fact that Pletcher is

bringing this horse back from this long about a 240 day layoff

and spotting this horse in a grade 2 tells you everything you

need to know about how ready this horse is.

I think for that effort, I love to cut back now to sprinting for

this one. And here's a stat for you, Todd

Pletcher over the last five years when bringing a horse back

from a 200 to 260 day layoff, which is what Scalable is in

graded stakes races 7 for 1644. Percent.

So yeah, let's go with Scalable. I think this one very, very good

and the other one that's a little scary at six to one

impelled for Brad Cox with Flazy and Pratt up on the mount.

I bring that up because if you look that groupie doll last time

out, the second and third place horses were galed and Alpine

Princess. They both ran well into Locust

Grove. They didn't win, but they

improved their speed figures from that effort.

That makes me think that 90 that Impel ran, she could absolutely

move forward to that. I think she just runs better off

Lasix, quite frankly. And I like to cut back here.

I I think she's a little scary at 6:00 to 1:00.

As he mentioned, she was the winner of the groupie doll.

I was there that day, and boy, Brad was not having a great day

to that point. And Impel really turned that day

around for them. He was in a considerably better

mood after that one, by the way. But that's not a hateful thing

at all. I totally understand his

sentiment there. Yeah.

Yeah. Race 9 is that Breeders' Cup win

and in it is the Grade 3 Vosburgh 7 furlongs on the dirt.

As we mentioned this for three and up couple 100 grand on the

line here. Fun field here, man.

We get Scotland, we get we get Nash at six to one.

I love that baby Yoda's in here for sure.

Crazy Mason on the outside as well.

An interesting one that recently won at colonial in Patriot

spirit coming up out of the Campbell barn as well.

A very I got to watch it September 13 work at Colonial

over six furlongs that I really thought was really, really

tough. Where did you land on this one?

This one feels pretty wide open to me.

This one does feel pretty wide open.

I think you have to respect Scotland from the inside.

I certainly ran a big race last time out, finishing second to

book them. Dano and the Grade 14 go

actually, maybe you could say getting a little bit of class

relief here. So not a horse I'm going to be

leaving off my tickets, but as a top choice, I'm going to go to

the horse that you kind of mentioned a little bit, which is

Patriot Spirit. I love this horse in this spot 5

one of the morning line. I think this was I wouldn't even

be surprised. This one floats up just a little

bit maybe and this is a horse. You look those last few times

out, man second the wine steward in the fifth seasons and then

you know goes a mile and an eighth in the Essex so you can

draw a line through that goes the Knicks go.

I thought ran a really good race.

Second to liberal arts just got napped at the end.

And then, like you said that 7 furlongs a colonial just ran a

hole in the wind that day was an overwhelming favor.

But love the way this one's been working coming into this.

I think 5 to 1 is a is a great price and 7 furlongs.

I love these horses that have that foundation to win going

longer Illinois and this is a horse A1 to Illinois Derby at 9

furlongs. So it can go longer if

necessary, but I think 7 is kind of the right distance for this

1/2 for three winning at that distance and has just been super

consistent on the speed figures the last several times out.

So I'm a big fan of Patriot Spirit and I think you get every

penny of five to one in this race.

I'm. Trying to remember who it was on

the on the on the Pennsylvania Derby card, but came out of

Colonial and I was like, yeah, I just don't know if those

colonial races are translated. They are.

They are, they are. Yeah, they are that that that

learned that lesson. It might have been even at

Churchill on Saturday, I'm not sure.

But it, you know, someone came out of Colonial was just

absolutely flying. So yes, it would not surprise

me. A Patriot spirit keeps that

together, has had quite the 2025.

What else are you going to be watching for up there at the Big

A this weekend? Well, you know, today we have

the Beld aim and that's going to be a lot of fun.

Only four horse field, but she got Margie's intention, won the

Black Eyed season. You got Gun song who was a nice

runner last year as well looking to reading form.

And then you have randomized see if she can bounce back from that

poor effort last time out in the personal lens.

And so you know it's going to be an interesting race.

But listen, a lot of fun stuff. And I'll be honest, the biggest

race I might be looking forward to it.

The big A on Saturday is race one because the full sibling to

Claire Year is making his debut courting the number three horse

in the very first race for Todd Fletcher, $5,000,000, son of

Kerlin. Like I said, that full sibling

declare air of mayor that I absolutely loved, and so you're

going to be really rooting that one home at 3:00 to 1:00 on the

morning line. Which?

Which horse is that? Which number?

Yeah #3 courting at 3:00 to 1:00 and that's in race #1 And so

that's is a nice, that's a really nice maiden race.

You have a Richard Dutcher junior horse Igniter who ran

really well in debut and then he got a pair of Chad Brown horses

for Resolute Racing of Rebel Instinct is actually a half two

unique Bella as well, so some big pedigrees making their

debuts in the first race at Saturday at Equinox on Saturday.

Look at Matthew rooting for the little guy, the $5,000,000

purchase. What a what a good guy.

That's Matthew DeSantis at Failed to Menace Office I.

Live in New York too long now I'm only root for big name.

Equestrus. He's too much time in Equestrus.

There it is at failed to Venice and of course at the naira for

everything happening in New York.

Well, enjoy your questers for those of us who aren't there

when it when it was opened, by the way, the largest restaurant

by square footage in New York City.

There you go. I'm going to be enjoying some

champagne and caviar after that first race on a three to 1, 5

million. Dollar purchase.

Let's go. All right.

Well, enjoy the caviar, you jerk.

I'll see you soon. See you Louis, have a great.

One soon. There you go, Matthew DeSantis.

That failed to bet us on the socials, of course, at the naira

as well. I don't know how we'll

transition, but we go from Matthew to Santos to Lucy

Waldridge. We do it next.