Blue Grass Day LIVE from Keeneland

All right, welcome in trackside here at Keeneland Racecourse.

Danny Brewer, Barry Spears, My name is Louie Revo.

This is the horse racing happy hour, of course.

Bluegrass Day here. You win this thing, you get to

run in a race called the Kentucky Derby.

How about that? Run it for 1.25 today.

They'll run for four times that amount in just one month at

Churchill Downs, $5,000,000 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

Of course, we know some of those players.

We may meet new ones here today. But gentlemen, if you had to

give a weather report, Young Berry Spears, and you had to

describe it to the Chamber of Commerce, I think this is what

you would describe as perfect day.

Absolutely. You know, a nice minor breeze to

keep everything really cool, but it's supposed to get up to about

80 today and I expect perfect weather.

Yeah, should be a really nice day here.

Danny Brewer, of course, you know his work from Forbes, you

know, vary from hanging out with me because his careers are

obviously peaked out. But no, we're here, Danny, this

is, I know, a special place for you.

You're a Tennessee guy. The Kentucky tracks, sort of the

home tracks for sure. And boy, I, one of the things I

always talk about on this circuit is just how different it

is place to place, right? We've got the Ellis's of the

world for the summer and you go down there and it's so hot that

you feel like you're swimming all the time, right?

It's one of those you feel like you're in the pool the whole

time. And then you come to Keeneland.

It's like this Churchill's almost the old Yankee Stadium of

our circuit, right? It's got all the history.

It's also this gigantic sort of spot.

England, though, what does it mean for David?

You know, I think that Keeneland is one of the most special

places on earth because this is like the heart of horse country.

I mean, depending on which how you get here, you'll drive off

horse farms, you know, you you may see tailor made, you may see

Calumet, you may see cool, you may see, you'll see, let's see,

this is the heart of horse country.

The sales Keeneland is the pulse beat of the sport and I think

it's you know, it's fantastic and plus it's a gentleman's

track and it's also a breeding shed track.

That's right. No.

And Barry, you saw that this morning.

Workouts going on. Every family in Lexington's out

here this morning. I think you met every baby in

Lexington. So that's a good thing.

We brought Barry here for the first time.

He got to meet every baby here in the Fayette County, if you

will. But just a great culture.

And I was telling Barry he was like, oh, do they, like, kick

people out when I'm like, no, people just know to leave.

Like the culture so ingrained here was so obvious when you

were. Here, Yeah.

This is like horse utopia where everybody knows what the deal is

when you come to the racetrack, how you hand yourself at the

racetrack, what you do with the racetrack.

And it's it's it's it's undescribable.

You have to come here to see it. And this is my first time and

this is so beautiful. Yeah, I know it's going to be

just a spectacular day here today. 5 big time stakes to

close the card here at Keeneland, but of course, we

want to talk Derby trail before we get there.

And Barry, you've been at several of these Derby preps.

Frankly, at this point, I'm not able to lean on Sean Collins,

who's at every Derby prep because he's at the Wood today.

You'll hear him on Blood Horse Money with me on Monday.

He's taping with Bobby Hall today and I got to be honest,

you 2 compared to Bobby Hall bums.

It's OK, bums, but we'll deal with it.

Don't mental note. Taken Sorry, but you're at the

Florida Derby. You bought Commandment, picked

that one off. You were not there for the

Fountain of View, or were you there for the?

Fountain of view there. Absolutely.

There it was. You've seen that horse run a

bunch now. When's the last time we had a

horse with 150 points that was trained by Brad Coxton?

I feel like got no respect at all.

Or is he getting respected? I'm reading it wrong.

No, I think you're right. The buzz on this horse is kind

of low and it makes me wonder what people are thinking or, you

know, obviously that that performance by Renegade may have

overshadowed Commandment that day.

However, Commandment kind of just gets it done.

And he's not flashy. He he, he doesn't have a huge

turn of foot, but he grinds it out, gets it done and he

finishes up late. That's what you want to see in a

Derby horse. I I just don't understand why

not much buzz. Commandment, I thought

impressive of Florida Derby, all those things.

Are people just assuming he's going to stop at 9 for long?

So what do you think it? Is, you know, I'm not really

sure. I think that maybe they were

focused on other horses, you know, because nearly, I mean,

when you looked at some of his past performances, man, this guy

is for real because he was like kind of assumed the role of the

favorite in the Todd Butcher barn.

But I think that Commandment is a very good horse.

Like very said to me, he didn't win by a large margin, but he

thought and that to me that's important because the Derby is

going to be a fight. But you see 3 year olds so often

they don't want to fight right and they get a little dirt in

their face and they decide this ain't for me.

On this day, we're going to have a horse fight because Bluegrass

here that still is a maiden caught a bunch of dirt that day.

Excuse me, not even that, but Reagan's honor, for example.

Then horse doesn't get the lead today.

That horse might just check out. But you're right.

I I feel like especially out with command when we get that

kind of fight. You brought up Renegade leaves

Tampa, goes to Arkansas, the Puma goes down to the Florida

Derby, runs his eyeballs out. Is there any possibility it's

actually through Tampa that the Derby goes this?

Year I you know, absolutely it could be because Tampa has been

a place where horse can prepare. Years and years ago, one of my

favorite St. sense that's where he came out of was Tampa and I

think he came here to Keeneland and he finished second, but he

won in Tampa and that's how he really prepared himself was

down. And so, no, I think Tampa is a

great place to prep. Of course the Sam you saw

Renegade there, he goes to the Arkansas Derby, does what he

does in the Arkansas Derby. Not always a 1 to 1.

You know, I, I, I always love to look at the historical precedent

of which prep did you win and what does that mean for high

level success in the Kentucky Derby, The Arkansas Derby, if

that trail, you've got to watch the Mystic Dans and those kinds

of forces. Renegade certainly on that

Renegade you you've seen him as well at Tampa.

What do you make of him? You know, in the Sam Davis, he

finished up very well and it was eye popping to me anyway.

And I didn't expect him to do what he did in the Arkansas

Derby, but I, I kind of had the feeling that was in him going

forward. It's it's the question of

whether he ran too good in the Arkansas Derby when coming back

for the regular Derby or the Kentucky Derby.

So that's the question mark. But at least going into it, he

kind of looks the best. You are tuned in by the way to

the horse racing happy hour. He's Barry Spears, Danny Brewer

alongside me Louie robot were presented by Stockton Mortgage

today based right here in Kentucky but found all up and

down the middle part of the country.

Stockton Mortgage powered by people I was there for the Ruby

for full efforts, attempts and I always want to ask people

because I'm in the Kentucky bubble and I want to try to get

people, especially in Florida, different places that are

outside of the bubble. The synthetic thing going into

the Derby, you look at a horse like full effort.

I saw almost a repeat of two fills.

I thought he looked that good. And I expect him to take to the

dirt of Churchill with no problem.

He's going to be in the in the Brad Cox barn.

So he leaves Turfway and goes straight to Churchill.

He's going to be on that surface 4-6 weeks.

How seriously do we take the Ruby finisher there?

Danny in full effort. I think you take him very

seriously and and here's why. You know his pappy, you know

Liam's map, ultra consistent, 8 career starts, six wins, 2

seconds and that is what full effort is, is very consistent.

Talking to Brad Cox just yesterday about this horse, he's

doing fantastic and that's one of the, I said Brad, if you

could pick out a word, would it be consistent?

He said absolutely. His horse is very consistent.

He's doing great and we think he's going to like the dirt.

And, and like I said, I think when you look at at his

bloodlines, that's one of the important things with these

young horses. I think you look at is, where

did they come from? So with full effort right coming

out of the Ruby Barry, I see a horse that's just getting better

as he gets older as well. Seems to turn in, like you said,

very consistent performances. But now he's winning and now

he's pulling away from horses and he's galloping out.

Well, I'm excited by him by the time we get some for Saturday.

Yeah, he looks very, very good. I I mean, he didn't get the best

of trips in the stake stakes and I think that bodes well for him

going to Kentucky for the Derby. I I also believe he finishes up

well and the synthetic to dirt angle is really underrated in

the sport. People don't really think about

that too much. But as you see the results of

the past few years in the Ruby, I've been good in the Kentucky

Derby. Those horses have been running

and running well. That's.

Exactly right, even endlessly who turned out to be purely A

turf horse top nine finish in the Derby.

I mean so we've seen horses come out of the Ruby and run very,

very well. You saw the Puma in that Florida

Derby. I mentioned the train, the Tampa

route, similar connections to mage.

We start to feel that way about the Puma.

This. Year, yeah, I kind of my myself

personally, I think the Puma might be a little bit better

than made. He has a lot more experience.

He got 2 bad trips at one at Tampa he was absolutely wide and

then in the Florida Derby he was wide as well and finished.

He gets any kind of a trip, he's going to be dangerous in the

Derby. You know what we love in this

sport? Danny is a deep closer.

I don't know why. We love the horse that's willing

to do the running way. At the end of the race.

We put down those front runners for no reason at all.

But boy, do we love a horse that closes.

And in this field, it feels like so far, at least for this Derby,

Silent Tactic is going to be that horse I think will be the

buzz horse because everyone's going to say, yeah, he's got to

work out a trip. But boy, he loves to do his best

running late. Any chance Silent Tactic is

already the Derby kind of buzz horse, if you will.

Well, I think absolutely so. And I think the reason that they

like those closures is because the gamut of emotions, you know,

they like out of the gate, they're at the back and they get

oh, no. And then and then they turn for

home and here he comes running, you know, with a big flash down

the lane. And that's what Simon Tactic

does. Talk to Mark Cassie about him.

He's doing fantastic. Now.

Here's the thing. He did not win the Arkansas

Derby, but he ran very well in there.

And Dewayne Lucas may rest in peace.

He told me one day, one time I said I was asking about one of

his horses. He's like, that did not win.

And he said, son, they call it a prep race for a reason.

You know, it's just trying to prepare them.

We want to be ready in the Derby.

And so I think that that's what can happen with son tactic.

And that's the way Mark Cassidy feels about that.

He said the the the Arkansas Derby was an excellent prep for

Sonic tactic. And he's only getting better.

He's been first or second in every career start and he ran it

Woodbine and I think on synthetic at Woodbine.

So there's you another synthetic at dirt and he's done really

well on the dirt. So I think yes, absolutely a

horse to be watching. Does he remind you of Mystic Dan

at all? Yes, a little bit, kind of.

Sign that is the radar coming to the.

Derby, absolutely. Especially see what those big

names and and a horse that ran good on the same track he did it

in in Arkansas. So it's really going to be

interesting what the odds are going to kind of shake out like

once we get to the Kentucky Derby.

Emerging market wins the Louisiana Derby.

What do we do here, Barry? I mean, it is not only been a

long time since Louisiana Derby winner has won this thing.

You got to go back to Grindstone for that.

And frankly, that wasn't the Wayne Lucas horse we were

watching that day, right? Only two ever have won out of

Louisiana Derby. This is a second time starter

and we talk about now in the sport, you know, not of

allowances, not a lot of allowances for three-year olds,

right? Reagan's honors coming in today

to the Bluegrass having run against older horses already got

that weight allowance last time, has to carry a little bit more

weight today. But as we look at emerging

market coming out of Louisiana Derby, how the heck do we

handicap? That one, it's tough because you

know, all these horses are coming into the race in peak

form. They all look good.

They all look good on paper and and you're just going to have to

really drill down, get to the details and figure out which one

you like. Do you have the best turned out

awards for some of these races around the country, Danny?

I think of the in the Derby, they should just say yes, I

think. I think you're right.

Because you know, it's a great point that that the sniper made

here. They're all good.

That's why they're here. What you want to find is who's

at the top of the game. And, and he made a great point

about Renegade. That's that's you don't want to

peak too early. You want to peak the first

Saturday in May because that's what these horses are trying to

do. You know, you're trying to build

and just like what Wayne looks at the prep races.

So you want to build and be peaking on the 1st Saturday in

May. And who's that going to be?

We don't know just yet. We do see a fair number of

runners both at aqueducts in the Wood Memorial that are off of a

layoff of two months here, essentially because they want

the Derby to be the second in the form cycle.

It's interesting to watch people with that level of confidence.

I mean, God bless you and talk to me.

Jimmy, for example, is going to run off the layoff coming out of

a 2 Turner Prep there. Interesting runners, a bunch of

them around the country. I know we're talking about

Bluegrass Day today. Is there anyone you're watching,

Danny, perhaps in the Santa Anita Derby out in the wood

that's fascinating to you? You know, Iron Honor, third

start ever in the Wood Memorial, Potente out West.

We get that Cherokee Nation coming out of that big maiden

win. Anybody stand out to you today?

Well, you know, Patente, this is going to be really a big test

for him. So I think that I think Patente

is really good. We'll find out a lot about him

today. And if he can win and win

impressively, he might be the morning eye favorite because of

Bob Baffert, because big race Bob, when it's a big day, man,

you can never discount him. He's the best in the business of

getting a horse ready for a big race.

So Patente also Robusta, you know, hey, 60 to 1 and he was

second in the last out. He won't be 60 to 1 today, but

Doug O'Neill is really good at getting this horse is coming

right at the right time, too. Robust of my pick in the San

Diego during today of all things, you're going to go get

Semisol Hamario and and Doug O'Neill out West right now.

I'm not. No, absolutely not.

No, no, because they they, they've been hotter than a

pistol. Potenti out less though that

horse turns into a big big a big performance today that I think

it is. Yeah, because he's he's a big

horse, rangy type that grinds it and and it seems like the longer

the better. As long as he's kept clear, that

horse can run and and get it going late.

We watched Juan Hernandez win races on Derby Week last year at

Churchill Downs. Expect him to keep them out

throughout there as well. That wooden memorial today, iron

honor on the outside. You know, we get Napoleon Solo

back for Chad Summers, winner of the Champagne last fall.

We haven't had a wood winner win the Derby since 2000, Busaichi,

Pegasus, etcetera. It's become kind of the

forgotten prep of the day, right?

Certainly the of the later preps, but boy, you're seeing

now in full field of 13. They ended up with 12.

And why? Because everyone's figured out.

Oh, let's just go to the wood. We got a shot at the Derby.

Iron Honor. Can he get it done from the

outside? I think that's a tough task.

If he does, he's really going to stamp himself as as a real

legitimate contender. But I think of all the prep

races today, that's the one that's most likely to yield a

long shot upset. OK, well, there you go.

Danny will grab you back for the Bluegrass.

We'll go horse by horse with you.

Barry and I are gonna bang out some handicap and we'll get you

right back in here again. Danny Breuer from Forbes.

Go check out his stuff there. We'll get you right back for the

end of the show. Thank you, Sir.

All right, so we're getting into the races here today.

A pick five that that we always look forward to the races as

part of this program. So the Commonwealth, the first

race here where we get the Appalachian, we get the Shaker

Town today, right? Those are the kinds of races

that we get into these turf races at Keeneland, the massive

fields, they really change this up your general approach to

Keeneland when you're betting early in the season.

Well, you know, especially early in the season you get a lot of

these horses in in in the lower level climbing type races here

that came from Turfway. And again, the synthetic to dirt

angle it, it pops a lot of big prices.

People kind of dismissed those horses as not being able to

compete on dirt and that's not necessarily the case.

We see it here and sometimes they light up the tow board.

The Grade 2 Appalachian is race 8 today.

Barry, a mile on the turf of three-year old Phillies, are

running for a half million bucks because it's Keeneland sister

Troy yen. She enters the race with the

most stakes experience. She's picks up.

I read here, Barry, everything on paper, she says she's a

deserving favorite. Is she a deserving?

Favorite. Yeah, absolutely.

She's she's built the resume to to command respect in this spot.

I think she will. But you kind of have to wonder,

especially after the last race and how she got beat.

Is she kind of tailing off a little bit?

Long campaign, right? Actually, for how young she is,

how many times does she run already?

7 Five wins. Five wins, I mean, so obviously,

like you said, the resume is there.

She's a worthy favorite here. Goes from Mario Gutierrez down

South. We'll pick up Irad here in

Kentucky. Should be an interesting part of

that to her. Outside, you'll get imagination

the lady. And this is a Brendan Walsh

bringing a horse to Keeneland. Boy, we've seen this before.

Tyler picks up the mild get by Leona, of course, the Jessamine

winner here in the fall. She's back after the Breeders

Cup Juvenile Philly Turf. I think she makes a lot of sense

in this spot as. Well, she sure does, but there's

question marks there. You haven't seen her in a long

time. Walsh does really good with

these kind of layoffs, so that might not be as much of A

concern. But you still haven't seen her.

She draws out why that might not be the best of things.

So I, I think both of those are, are pretty vulnerable in this

spot. If not the top two, then Barry,

who are you looking at? I'm actually going towards the

inside. I think Spirit Doll has a has a

really good chance. This horse was wide and here

comes the bride at Gulfstream gets.

The rail today. Gets the rail today, which

isn't, which isn't great, you know, you know how I feel about

the rail trim. A cumulative, especially to work

out a trip. Exactly And I and I think the

post relief really is going to do this horse good 15 to one on

the morning line. I doubt will get that, but I

think we'll get a good price and this horse has a good shot.

We got Saffy, of course, up there.

Anyone else stand out to you? You know, Just Aloof is another

horse that we actually talked about on our show previously and

we actually picked on on the horse racing Happy Hour So Cal

Saturday. This horse has been off since we

picked that horse, but Chad Brown does this move quite a

bit. When a horse does, it shows

it's, you know, kind of a turn of foot that seems to be elite

like this one. He lays them off and finds a

good spot. And this is exactly what this

is. This is a great spot to start

this horse campaign off this year.

And I think they're they're the goods. 12:50 seems like a pipe

dream but shouldn't be favored. Here, Yeah, no, I think that's

right. And I think, you know, we saw

yesterday, too, and this is something that happens at

Keeneland, especially the opening weekend is there's a

morning line. But the betters are going to

make their own, right? And frankly, more than most

tracks that you and I go to, Barry.

We see that at Keeneland, especially early on.

Boutique need only two days here.

Everybody's guessing at least a little bit, but we see that kind

of all over the place. I didn't ask you about the

Commonwealth because it's setting up to be chalky.

And I know you don't want to talk about chalk.

Yeah. Saudi crown.

Yeah, seems like a layover. There, we will leave that one

alone. The Grade 1 Madison, though, is

Race 9 here. Barry, one of the card.

I love this race. 7 furlongs on the dirt.

A potential starting point for a couple of Phillies, a couple of

mayors that might be looking to move from that Distaff division

to the Sprint division. The grand job comes in here.

This is a 7 furlong race, by the way, for $650,000.

A Grade 1 here. The winner of the Inside Insider

last time at Gulfstream Park is in here is a grade 2 If you

tossed 1 Bad race at Churchill Downs for her, I think she's the

clear favorite. Do you agree?

Yeah, absolutely, Definitely a horse to beat, but I don't think

that's impossible in this spot. There seems to be quite a bit of

speed that could be an impediment for a grand job.

And there's others to go to that have equally as good as talent

just doing a little different things like the horse Cleeko,

the three. This horse is cutting back a

distance, which I think is is a very, very good move.

I think this horse is is tailor made for A7 for a long trip.

Well, she came into this race with a lot of good works.

I think she's ready to give peak effort.

Cleco like immersive, so immersive coming back first

start 2026 today at Aqueduct in the Distaff there.

This is the version of the distaff.

Here of course is the Madison. Interesting to see Cleco, who we

thought of as a real contender in the Distaff division this

year, right as a four year old, take that step forward.

What do you think ends up happening with her?

Brendan Walsh? What decision do you think they

end up making if she's good here today?

I think if she's good here today, they're going to keep

sprinting her. Yeah, I I not that she can't go

longer, but it only against certain kind of competition and

I think that the barn may have figured that out.

This is a great spot and I think if she runs well here today,

we'll see her in the Sprint division, kind of.

Of course, you saw at Gulfstream Park our disaster won the three

of the Grade 3, excuse me, hurricane birdie down there.

Grade 3 winner this year, Grade 2 winner at Aqueduct last year.

I think she's pretty serious contender.

Here too yeah, absolutely dangerous in this spot because

she is faster than grand job. If if this source can clear

without any trouble and and control the pace our disasters

super dangerous. Yeah, no.

Fascinating race. I think a really, really good

one in the middle part of this pick. 5 here.

Late double starts with the Shaker tongue here.

Berry 5 1/2 on the turf. Good luck to you and all your

friends and say goodnight and your countrymen wherever you're

from. 5 1/2, three and up. Four to K on the line here,

Barry. Always a tough one to handicap

these turf sprints. Let's start a little bit

different. When you look at a Turf Sprint,

what are you looking for? First, well, you kind of have to

figure out what you think the pace in there is going to be and

kind of go from there. This race in particular looks

like it's going to be real hot. Let's.

Catch Danny, can you help me out?

Yeah, the pace looks like it's going to be really hot.

You know, obviously this field is loaded and there's a lot of

good horses, those that can close, those that can be on the

lead. So I expect a lot of chaos and

and a chaotic outcome of this race.

I got the three. It's Bourbon 30.

This horse came back running at Turfway last time in the Forego

and I I think this horse just didn't get the best of trips

that day. It's a little bit of a a same

post relief, which would put this horse in a great stalking

position behind the leaders, but it's going.

To keep winner of the of the Ashley.

That yeah, I mean, he rides well here, you know, no matter what

you think about him from before and stuff like that, he rides

well, period. But this is a, this is a chaos

race. And, and I, I, I think he's the

chaos. For instance, Bear Rivers in

here, man, that's the horse that can win here.

Absolutely. We saw him last summer, went at

Ellis Park. I think we saw him run.

Really. Well, a big number.

He's 2020. Kentucky at Kentucky Downs that

day as well. We saw so many of those horses.

Barry, we talked about this at the Breeders Cup with Danny as

well. That came out of Kentucky Downs,

the way they're irrigating that course now, the way that they're

the best horses are going there and they're coming out as the

best horses as well. They came to Keeneland.

They dominated the Jessamine, for example.

I'll be interested to see if a horse like Bear River just shows

up again like you did in the fall, because he stood out

amongst those sprinters at Kentucky Downs.

That ain't an easy place to stand up.

Certainly possible and another thing to add is this might be a

rider's race because I think somebody's going to have to

might be able to do something a little bit different from what

they normally do to pull off a win here.

We got a twirling candy in here, which I love seeing of course,

but a litigation well that you saw break from the 8 hole today.

Mario Gutierrez up to ride for Brian Lynch today, which I do

like. What do you make of this one in

this spot? This one you see the ghost.

Yeah, I saw him in his last two starts ran really good, but

doesn't get a great post here. And I'm not sure this his

running style is going to fit. Yeah, I think he's going to be

way too far back, but he has the the kind of kick that can get it

done. We'll see.

I I mean I I'm. Me personally, I wouldn't take a

short price on a horse like that in a race like price season

here. The big Daddy winner 8 to one up

next to that Reza Rolex reasons Rolex it's been running in

stakes races at Gulfstream. I mean, this is as wide open

even for the Shaker time as I could remember.

By the way, it's always wide open.

It's always wide. Open, but this one feels even.

I mean, kind of. Absurdly, yeah, this is a really

good field assembled, probably the best in a few years, and I'm

very excited to see this race. Couple years ago we saw the

fairgrounds turf course translate really well in other

places of all things. Interested to see if usually

wrong breaking from near the outside of this Shaker town.

Isaac Casteel and it's out to ride this one, which I really

like. Gets them out for Robert Tino

Deodoro. Should be an interesting one

there. I'm going to try to fix the

camera. So what we're going to do is I'm

gonna have Danny come back over here.

I'm gonna set the camera back up.

Or do you want to try to set the camera up?

Since you did a good job, why don't you go do that?

You'll switch spots. Danny.

Danny, get on over here. We're live at Keeneland Race

Course. This is the horse racing happy

hour. Luther Beau, Danny Brewer, and

of course, Barry Spears hanging out with your Presented by

Stockton Mortgage. Powered by people based here in

Kentucky. Great company.

Just up the road in Frankfurt. We actually stopped at Frankfurt

today, Danny, on our way here and there we go.

Make sure we got that all balanced out and everything

else. Any thoughts on the earlier

undercard stakes races? I think that what you guys said

about the Shaker Town is, you know, oh man, it's just

unbelievable what a race. But I'm with you, Bear River,

Kentucky Downs graduate, you know, and I think that that some

of the other race are really good too, but the Shaker Town is

the deepest by far on the card today.

All right. Barry, get back in here with us.

Let's go through the field here guys for the Grade 1 Bluegrass,

of course, Butter Point prep for the Kentucky Derby here at

Keeneland Racecourse. Louie Robot, Barry Spears and

Danny Brewer hanging out with you.

Talkin is going to break from the inside for Danny.

Danny Gargan instead, of course, a jockey at Churchill Downs won

the Kentucky Oaks. So back in the Dejoro Rosario

gets them out here for the connections here.

A good magic which I always like.

Barry, what do you make of talking in this spot comes out

of Tampa Baker. You know, talking is kind of one

of those forces that benefited from the scratches in this race

and that puts this horse in the mix.

Not that they weren't before, but even more so now.

If they get the right trip and kind of get in the race a little

bit sooner, I think they have a shot to win.

Sun's out here at Keeneland. Are we going to be talking and

talking? I'm saying we're going to be

kind of quiet when it comes to talking.

But that's that's just I'm with you.

Yeah, yeah. I think it'll be kind of quiet

when it comes to. Talking, I don't hate them

trying to here. There's a good spot, I think for

this horse, at least to give it a run.

Class president does scratch out here and will not run in this

race, but Great White comes out of here.

I think he's getting a little bit of buzz this week, frankly.

People have figured out that John Ennis knows what he's

doing. This one wins the Battaglia last

out, decides against the Ruby, decides to try it here.

Fascinating move Danny, what do you make of the move coming here

to Keeneland and stuff? Well, I think that he's he's

looking for for bigger and better things.

That's why. And nothing, no disrespect to

the Jeff Ruby Stakes because it's fantastic, but the the

Bluegrass stakes come on as far as a Derby prep.

It's much better to run on dirt. Let's see what he's got.

I like horses that win. He's 2 for three lifetime.

I think Great White is very live here put.

Him in the Grade 1 here. Barry, what do you think?

I've been saying this all week, if anybody's going to upset this

race, it's going to be great. White.

He should stand to get a great trip here behind the speed, and

I'm not sure that 15 to 1 is going to hold, but he's

definitely going to be at least the third choice.

Alex Shard, by the way, Grade 1 winner.

Where was that? Here at Kingland Race Course in

the Grade 1 Makers Mark Mile. Reagan's Honor in here.

Another one of these buzz horses.

Never on without Lasix Berry, but comes in hard to ignore

those numbers at Fairgrounds. Looks great and I'm not really

in the business of betting against Jose Rodiza Tree Devote

Greatest Stakes. What do you make of his chances

here? As they say in the NBA draft,

this is the horse with the most upside.

Reagan's honor can get out in front and dominate this event.

It it it might be lights out. This horse has a lot of

potential bred to go as long as they want.

If this horse shows shows up good today, they they might be

tough come Churchill. All right, so Reagan's honor in

here. Honor, AP on the sire side,

Natalia Doro on the damn side. Is it 2019 or what, boys?

Is it 2019 or what? I'm kidding, of course.

Greeting says let's go, doesn't. It reading does say let's go.

I think that this is a test. We're going to see if he gets

left alone. But I don't think he's going to

get left alone. I think there's going to be some

contested pace up there. So I'm not sure Reagan's honor

will be there at the end, but he does have lots of potential.

Just got to finish probably in the top 2 here in the Bluegrass

to make it over to Louisville Creole.

Chrome's going to break just to his outside Danny.

And I think this is going to be part of that pace scenario that

you're talking about. I think Tyler's just going to

have to go with this one. I think you're going to need to

get out front with this Louisiana bread a son of

Volatile excuse me here in that violence line.

Usually we think sprinters and so to me this is a get out front

and stay out front like this force has done in Louisiana

company to this point. Tough to to, you know, to, to,

to look at these horses and project how they're going to do

against more open company, non state bred company.

What do you make of Creole Chrome in here?

I actually like him in the trifecta.

Well, you know, I, I think it's like a moonshine runner.

You hit the gas pedal and you don't look back.

And that's what he's going to do.

And I once again, I like horses that win.

He's 3 for four lifetime. You know, I forget what company

he's been running in. I like Creole Chrome too.

He's my long shot. Play of the Day. 142 over the

mile, 70 last out at Fairgrounds a decent time.

They're under Aston conception. What are you making?

I think he's going to be a real thorn in the side of of Reagan's

honor, But I'm not sure. I mean, this horse could run,

you know, step up and run a really good race today and put

himself in the mix. I'm not I'm not too keen on that

idea. I I think the others are are

better including Further Ado who who has shown and proven against

horses that are contenders in the Derby already.

Further ADO ran second to the Puma last out in the Tampa Bay

Derby, the grade three event there at Tampa Bay Downs.

They go the mile in a 16th. Barry, you missed that one

because you and I went to the San Felipe this year.

But look, we you saw the Puma in the in the, in the Florida

Derby. We know that route now.

Renegade, the Puma, they've come out of Tampa.

They've been the best, some of the best horses, at least on the

Derby trail. Renegade certainly to this

point. Further ADO comes out of that

route. It's Irad, it's Brad Cox, it's

Keeneland, it's all the things. Are we overthinking this race

mate? Yeah, I think so.

I, I like Further Ado quite a bit.

Ran ran a bang of racing. And I told you this yesterday, I

thought Further Ado ran the best race in the Tampa Bay Derby and

we're going to see it today. We're going to see if I'm right.

Unfortunately, it's going to be a short price.

Do you? Think he's going to be trip

dependent here or do you think he's going to be able to work

out a stock from trip? I think that it doesn't matter.

I I'm with Barry, I think Further Ado is the one talk with

Brad Cox. He's really high on the horse.

The horse is really doing as well as any horse in his barn

right now according to Brad. And that's a pretty strong

statement when you think about the Brad Cox barn.

So I think Further Ado is absolutely the one to beat.

And like Barry said that the only problem is short price.

But hey, a short price better than a long face.

Every time. Every time actually.

But as further ado son of gun runner Sky Mason on the damn

side should not be bothered at all by the 9 furlongs here at at

Keeneland. Ocelli's did a ship up to New

York for Wit Beckman and Joe Ramos.

We will not see here. Monstrosity will run.

I got asked about Munstrosity. How about that?

And I said very nice things about Munstrosity and I didn't

mean any of them. I think Munstrosity's got no

shot here. Barry, what do you think?

Same. OK, You.

The the last time, the last time a maiden won the Bluegrass

Stakes was out of my boy Doug O'Neill's barn, which was I rap

back in 25 Rap, Yeah. Is it going to be again today?

No. I rap famously.

Indiana Derby winner yes, I don't think that's famous.

All right, so Otino on the outside and I'm not going to lie

to you people, this is my second pick in this race going further

ado Otino second here at Chad Brown ships this one in out of

the Withers. Flavia and Pratt picks up the

mount here. They're throwing the blinkers

on. I think they're going to try to

keep this one near the front and just run as long as they can.

Danny, am I crazy to like Otino? Absolutely not.

When you put Chad Brown and Flavia and Pratt together, and

if I can get 20 to 1, which you won't get 20 to one on him, but

still when you put Pratt and Brown together, lookout, it's

always dangerous. You usually like it when I go

with 20 to one shots, Barry. I have a feeling you're not

going to do that. No, I do OK because of the fact

that a lot of the times the Chad Brown runners that you don't

hear about are probably the better ones in his barn.

This kind of fits that bill. Getting Pratt is very, very

interesting. Huge price.

I don't know about winning this race, but I think this source is

going to be right in the mix. Chad Brown's got Iron Honor in

the wood today. He kept another horse that's

doing a second time start ever. I don't have the notes in front

of me. I in that race but moved Otino

here. I don't think that's about an

accident. No, I really don't think that's

an accident. He's getting them away from Iron

Honor. I think he thinks he's got shot.

Yeah, I think so too. You know Chad Brown doesn't

waste his his bullets, as they say.

I don't think Bobby and Pratt's picking up the non offenses

here. Oh, absolutely not.

And you know, the thing about it is like gracious, sometimes it's

the other horse that comes through.

All right, top pick in this race.

Further ado. How many are you including in

the Pick 5? Further ado in great white only.

Great white as well. OK, so long shot most likely

winner on those in the pick. Who do you have further ado?

I'm a further. ADO guys, well.

How many in the pick 5? I think you could single Further

ADO, but because you know there's a single in every race,

it's just can you find it? And I think that Further Ado

would be a likely single in this race.

If he doesn't win, who wins? I gotta say, great White gonna

get the trip. I'm with, I'm with Barry, I'm

with the sniper, A great white give.

Me Otinio to pick this thing. There you go.

Why not give me Otinio? To pick, throw 1 downfield.

Way downhill. I feel like the other preps on

the car out of the day. Are you guys OK to talk about

those? I know you're gonna talk about

Saint Anita at least, and all that.

So let's head out to Saint Anita.

I'll pull up the pass here, make sure that we've got that as I

show off my organization in front of the audience here.

Cherokee Nation on the inside in the San Anita Derby.

Let's just go ahead. Couple of the horses in here

comes out of that maiden win that all of us really loved.

Has to drop the Lasix here when you make it.

Yeah, I'm not really too keen on his chances that that maiden win

looks really, really dressed up. He he should have won that race

and he did. The gaudy buyer speed figure is

going to fool a lot of people, I think.

I I think he's a good horse. I just don't think he's ready

for this. Who you got on top at the?

I'm going to take, I can't even see it.

Intrepido the Seven, right? Man, so many races, so much

time. But yeah, Intrepido, I think

they're going to get the trip there.

There's a lot of speed in here and there's a possibility he

could out quick Potente and that's really what I'm counting.

On You met Your Robusta. I know you you're you cover Doug

O'Neill in his barn closely. I'm picking this horse on top

because of value. MSL, Howard, Remedio, all the

things. Plus I was there at the San

Felipe. I watched the horse do and I

know what this company is like. What do you make of Robusta in

here? And I know you mentioned Potente

earlier. I'll let you go in the direct.

News Well, you know, I think that potente Robusta, that's my,

that's my exact in here. I think potente on top, I I

think he is the class of the field.

But Robusta, he runs his eyeballs out.

I mean, he's a very gutty horse and he runs his eyeballs out.

And so I think that absolutely he's a great one to play.

Iron honor on the outside of the Wood Memorial.

Can he win that race? No, thank you.

Why not? The post is just horrific,

especially at at Aqueduct. He's going to have to work out

some sort of trip. I I think he's going to run

well. Hopefully he can run well enough

to get in the Derby because I'd like to see a minute.

Yeah, I agree with you. I'm hoping that he's at least

the top 2. I think he's an interesting son

of Nyquist, playing him on the damn side on the inside.

I'm passing by Talk to Talk to Be Jimmy in here.

It's a victory I gave out the other day on the horse racing

Happy on our Thursday edition. Go back and watch that with

Bobby Hall, Steve Wynaki. I love Talk to Be Jimmy in this

spot. It's already bought the two

turns in the Withers. It's to go back to that kind of

experience. So many of the horses in here

have shown their fast running for a mile.

Napoleon Solo, that one time mile in the champagne last out.

Iron Honor. Very good over the one turn mile

in the Gotham. It is a grade three event.

I get it. But he needed to battle crown

the Buckeye to get through that. I'll get his crown the Buckeye.

I'll take the state bread here and talk to me, Jimmy, a $5000

breeding job, son of modernist, to win the Wood Memorial.

Wow. No, thank you.

OK. You know, talk to me Jimmy won

by like 11 1/2 lengths. He's in my superfecta.

I think that it's a speed duel. I'm liking the sappy Joseph

Force Bravaro because I think it's going to be an extremely

quick pace for Aqueduct out front because I talk to me Jimmy

and some of the other and Napoleon Solo.

So I think that Bravaro, he's a horse that can stalk, so he's

going to be my top pick. But I think that that talk to me

Jimmy is in my superfecta shirt. And Butane?

Don't discount butane for Bob. There he is.

That's the winner right there, Butane.

Why? I think he has the ability to

sit off the pace. He's not a just a runoff or a

horse with a lot of speed. I think he's controlled, should

get a nice trip here because he's going to make his own luck,

hopefully. I I'm not really sure how

they're going to ride the 13 and that really depends on what the

12's going to do do. You want sort of the Ohio?

I know Baffert's serious about this horse.

Out. Not only did he ship into the

Virginia Deer, but thanks. They're flying up Martine

Garcia. And when Bob's got a sneaky

horse, he brings in Martine Garcia.

You know I'm right. About Oh yeah, absolutely.

He just. Shows up, you read the past

performances and you're like, oh, right, Martine Garcia still

runs. That's right.

Oh, it's bad for that's right. Nevermind.

I think that would be if I were trying to read the tea leaves

here. That's what I would do with

these. Yeah, he didn't get a great trip

in the Virginia Derby and and I think he he stands to get a a

worse trip here. But I think the way the fields

assembled, he could get a really good trip and and sit behind a

lot of that speed. Like Napoleon Solo, there's

quite a bit of speed in here and I think the pace is going to

heat up. He could fall into a great trip.

Butane was good at Saratoga, so that he sure.

Was thing might be better, might be his jam.

Virginia in the spring, it's that thing's a parking lot and

it's so it's really a it's his own thing where they that race

Barry, if you weren't on the front Barry, it didn't matter.

You'd say he needs to send off Aqueduct flight actually off of

it. Well, I think you're right about

that. And here's the key with Martin

Garcia. That's a great point.

Martine has rode how many Bob Baffert Firestone?

I mean, so it's so it's one of those things where Martine the

key for this, because I talked to Bob about butane, the key is

Martine is going to play the break and Martine is excellent

at that because he's a very veteran jockey and he knows Bob

Baffert horses extremely well. So he will play the break

depending on what he needs to do, put the horse in good

position. So I think yes.

And if you can get 8 to one on him, boy, you better bet that

joker all day. Elvis is in here for Riley Mott,

and I bring this up because Riley Mott obviously winner the

Virginia Derby. He's on his way with a with a

incredible to the Kentucky Derby Albus and here coming out of a

maiden when this is when they started here at Caneland goes

ahead goes to Churchill tries that mile into 16th that we see

so often at Churchill that quickly 2 Turner there goes down

to Tampa breaks his mate. It doesn't impressively if Tampa

is the launching point for so many of these other horses.

Any chance at Elvis is one of these?

No, OK. Only because of the timing of

when this horse broke the maiden and against whom.

If this was, if this was probably in January, I would

give it more stock because a lot of those horses that were good

then had already break broken their maiden by the time this

one did. So you have to question who this

horse be? He also ran on Lasix in that

race. Does not get those today up at

the. I'm with Barry, I think Albus is

not the one. Matthew DeSantis, No one's

betting Elvis. Good news for you.

Take your 12 to one all the way to the hoop.

Let me gang it more than 12 to one.

Steele's in here for Bill Mott. This is our guy, JD's horse.

So JD Fox is all over steel coming out of the maiden win the

one turn mile there. He loves Sevachi, of course.

He's a his honor comes in. He is a a Woodbine guy, of

course, so he knows a lot of box like he's 4 Belmont here.

What do you make of that horse? I think this horse is like the

Lord Miles of this of this group has the ability and you can

tell. I think things have to really

fall apart for this horse to win, but it's certainly possible

with all the speed. It's happened in New York.

Why not? That's what I'm saying there for

you. Thank you to the words right out

the mouth. Zoe tapping in New York.

Heck, yeah. Yeah.

Why not? All right, so winner of the

wood, I'm going. With the the Shappy Horse.

Tomorrow. OK, Butane, Butane.

For you and I'll ride with talk to me Jimmy close second is iron

honour. I'll try to make I'll box up

those two there. Well, we're gonna wrap the show

boys. Appreciate you both making the

trip. Barry, you could welcome to

theely talk to meet a green coat as soon as you.

Walk, man, that was great. It's up right now and for us

happy hour, we can find all of our stuff as well.

Hey, by the way, Barry's going to be up for Derby week.

You're going to hear him. That's part of my broadcast on

ESPN. Google speaking up here for

that. Lexington next week.

We know the list of the top 20 and the AES for the Derby by

then. Watch for much, much more

content right here at the Force Happy Hour for Danny from

Forbes. Danny Berger, go find him there.

Of course, horseracingscoop.com as well.

You can find it there. Barry Spears, of course, Find

them every Friday on SoCal Saturdays with me and of course,

starting on Monday. If you're interested in joining

us, we could go up with our new series, Happy Hour Indiana.

We're going to be covered Horseshoe Indiana during the

week. What's great stakes action

during the week, Barry. We love their field sizes out

there. It's such a great betting

product. Excited to get going.

Yeah, that that's going to be so great.

I mean the racing there is is just absolutely perfect for what

it is and I and I think we're going to have a great time and.

Louis, I got a question. For you, right?

What's the name of this game? Great wife is well, for me, it's

I have a hunch about a punch, but for you it's.

Back a horse and get paid. Hey, this is now I think.

There's a lot of rocks out in in this race.