Risen Star 2025

Music even what not life is good.

I welcome in and of Thursday edition of the Horse Racing

Happy Hour. Man.

It is February 13th, Galentine's Day as I'm told by the ladies

around here. Wanted to get this in right

away. We are presented as we have been

last couple weeks, my friends at Louisville Executive Airport and

Louisville Executive 88 Aviation, your hassle free

airport service for the Derby, complimentary shuttle service to

and from the track just 10 minutes from Churchill down

there for the lowest prices in the area, shortest taxi times

and of course a great tower to get you in and out of airspace

that much easier. You're invited to their cookout

all day Oaks day, all day Derby day as well.

So go check them out with our friends Bowman Field here.

Louisville executive.com Louisville executive.com your

ultimate aviation partner. We are set to have a race of

Rachel in the next couple of minutes from up there in

Horseshoe Indianapolis. Wanted to go over the Derby and

Oaks Prep for this last weekend at at Tampa Bay.

Many of you downloaded the episode, The quick one with me

and Jason Bean, the track caller down there at Tampa Bay Downs.

He had talked about several of the horses that ran really well.

One of those that we couldn't figure out was Lacarra and she

ran in the Suncoast and she was coming off a layoff.

And as you know, you read and and saw in different places, you

know, Frank Angst wrote about this in Blood Horse the other

day where the importance, especially on the Derby side of

things of males coming back, the colt side of things coming back

really well in their first race as 3 year olds.

Well, I don't think the we don't, I don't think we have to

think of the Phillies as terribly different than that.

So it was really great to see Lacara do exactly that on

Saturday. Here is the stretch run with

Lacara and our friend Jason Beam down at Tampa Bay.

To a length continues in SEC Italian soiree toward the

inside, starting a move from the back dancing magic trying to run

on Lorraine's looking between horses and queen in the deck.

Her laugh is starting to commence a bit has drawn to

within 7 looks like going to stay toward the inside as

Lacarie brings him to the top for the stretch.

It's Lacarie suddenly 3 in front of Junta Italian soiree.

Her laugh looking for a seam in between runners is going to try

to come out to about the three path.

Meanwhile Lacarra has fled the scene.

Look Carr's in front by 5, her laugh running up into second

along with Della Rain down the outside Italian RA but a final

16th to go. Dylan Davis and Lacarra dominate

the Suncoast Lacarra to win it here by about 7.

Her laugh did get. And it's interesting who got up

second there. So there's no denying that this

was a great race for Lacarra. We don't have to pretend that

getting out front, staying out front is a winning style most of

the time. It can be going a mile 70 here,

though, where it'll be interesting to see if she can

stretch out to that full 9 furlogs in her next starter,

whenever that would be that she would eventually get to that

distance if she were to stay at you know, she can't stay at

Tampa because obviously the Florida, the Florida Oaks there,

the the Tampa Oaks there on the Philly side on Tampa Derby day

is a grass race. So she won't be staying there

for that one, obviously moving to another spot, almost

certainly in a mile and a 16th or a mile and an eighth.

Interesting to see if she can do it.

I didn't say anything in that race that would make me think

that she can't. The other one in that race was,

Oh my gosh, I just had a name on the tip of my tongue. 32nd in

that race. I really apologize.

Finished second in that one behind La Cara.

It's either simply joking or another.

I apologize in advance, but with her running that well, it's not

simply joking. It's the other joking horse, the

daughter of a practical joke there for WID Beckman.

Completely stumbled out of the gate, was dead last for a long

time and ran to get second. I talked to WID Beckman just a

couple of hours ago for the Kentucky Racing Spotlight show

tomorrow night on ESPN 680 here in town and he said it's the

best she's ever run. Fumble start for sure.

Don't love that she's she's completely stumbled out of the

gate like that. But he was really impressed with

her. I thought that ended up being a

really, really great run for her as well.

Last year in the Remsen, we got a great finish between Dornick

and Sierra Leone and we fell in love with both of those horses.

Both of them went on to be multiple Grade One winners as 3

year olds the next year coming out of that race at Aqueduct.

We've all been looking for that race this year, trying to figure

out which one it is. That ends up being the key race

as far as the three-year old season is concerned.

Certainly the Springboard Mile stands out as one of those

races. All the tops top finishers in

that race have come back to run really well in their follow up

races after that. I wonder if the Sam F Davis

couldn't become one of those races.

We saw a great run at the very end there between Owen Almighty

and the eventual winner and John Hancock who rallied along the

inside to win that. Here's Jason Beam on that call.

The finishing finishing stretch of that same F Davis.

Pale 4th still about two and a half, three off the lead right

outside of that one. Doctor Rubin damn starting to

launch a bit from the back is very bold.

Posters starting to get underway.

Was last has gone by a few rivals as Treaty of Rome drops

out of it. Posters on the move, but still

has six or seven to find. A round to the top of the

stretch. John Hancock and Owen Almighty.

They've been going at it since they sprung the latch.

They've now put three on the field.

Camp Hale moves up to third. We're going to swing to the

outside. Poster continues his move right

down the center of the track. John Hancock.

Owen Almighty shoulder to shoulder at the 8th pole.

John Hancock on the inside. Owen Almighty on the side.

Camp Hale still 3 legs back. Poster continues to make up

ground. Owen Almighty goes narrowly the

front John Hancock battle right back John Hancock Owen Almighty

John Hancock John Hancock signs his name to a Sam F.

John Hancock signs his name to same F Davis win there.

Great call from our guy Jason Beam.

Thanks to Tampa Bay Downs and their YouTube page for all of

the great replays there that you just saw.

A couple of interesting finish there as producer Zach joins us

from his gloomy hotel room in New York City.

I, you know, there were a couple really, really good finishes I

thought in that race. Oh, and almighty, nothing to be

ashamed of there. And that finish there, of

course, John Hancock doing the work late.

We saw Poster flying late Poster a little bit of a late starter

in that one. Bad start in the race, sort of

in general was my pick in the race coming out of that Remsen

win last last December. I should say Ed Aqueduct didn't

quite get there, but I thought finished a good third.

No denying, though, how good John Hancock was in this race,

how good that Reed rally was for simply just a second start.

First time trying two turns. Really, really excellent stuff.

We've seen crazier things from the Cox barn than this horse

developing, getting even better as he moves along in his

three-year old campaign and so watch for him there.

Another one that I thought was really interesting that came out

of a it is still a maiden, but was Camp Hale.

I thought Camp Hale ran a really good race there.

Horse will be able to drop back into maiden special company

after this one, but I think the horse learned a lot of lessons

in this race before was out of the Wyndham Thoroughbred barn as

well. And if you listen to us on Blood

Horse Monday this past week, of course they have that they you

know, they have a they have another one on the Derby trail

as well. Brian Hernandez junior had the

ride here. I'm interested to see if this

horse can take a step forward in his three-year old campaign, but

likely going to have to step back into maiden special way

company to do so. But I I thought for a horse that

had never, you know, tried stakes company, frankly has

never won a race. I like Camp Hill ran really,

really well. But the top three finishes in

that race, I'm not giving up on any of them, whether it be

Poster who finished third or Almighty who did finish second.

But John Hancock really stamped his spot.

I do wonder if we're going to start to see that with the Owen,

with Owen Almighty, especially because we saw it in the lead up

in the in the prep for the Sam F Davis that he was really good

over 7 furlongs. And I wonder if eventually Owen

Almighty won't be a horse that we see in the Pad Day Mile

rather than in the Derby. John Hancock seems to have it

all together as far as as far as what we want from a Derby horse.

Of course, the Windstar. The Windstar silks onto him, a

son of Constitution, of course. That's the tappet line out of

the Freud line on the damn side as well, with Scribbling Sarah,

his mom. He's made to go two turns, he

really is, and I think he's made for the Derby trail here.

Of course, Flavian Pratt flying in for that one.

Almost certainly going to be his Derby horse if Brad Cox can get

him there eventually. You know man.

Once Rachel gets here, we will play a stirring rendition around

the Risen star. Zach, good Lord, that shirt.

What are you doing today? I mean.

I love it. It's it's my flannel.

New York is is so cold right now, it's ridiculous.

Yeah, I can. There is some New York City cold

is a different cold, is it not? Oh my gosh, the wind.

It's, it's just, it's brutal. Yeah, it's you're always in the

shade, right? There's no sun.

Yes. Everyone in New York just lives

in the shade. It's a very strange.

Place, Yeah. And then like, you'll get on a

street and get a, a smattering of sunshine and you're like.

Whoa, whoa, it's warm. Yeah, right. 20° difference or

something? Yeah, that's exactly right.

I just wanted to agree with with Jason.

He didn't say it in the call, but the last time he was on the

show, you know, the only thing missing from that race was a

beautiful hat that said the Sam. The Sam.

That's exactly right. And I was like, how how's it

going getting this on a race called the Sam?

He goes, well, there's two of us.

Zach's out for that too, so we'll be able to make that work

for sure. But it is a great day.

Risen Star day, six stakes on the card down.

There 5. Is all route races, a mix of

turf and dirt races that way? A couple of three-year old

races, obviously in the Rachel Alexandra and in the Risen Star.

So you get some really interesting run down there at

the fairgrounds. And Zach, for you, you know, I

know you work on this show and so you're you're you're kind of

forced to be aware of it all the time.

Jason when he came on the show last out talked about using the

the prep race for the race as essentially the start of Derby

trail for him. The 20 point races.

I imagine for a lot of people though, the 50 point this

weekend starting really does kick it off for people.

Yeah, yeah, 100%. And I mean as we get into these

higher point races, you're going to start to see these horses who

are, you know, almost winning in right.

They they take A50 pointer, Yeah.

And they're ready to go. And we've seen, you know, some

other horses that have won those races in the past few weeks and

it's really going to start to to make a difference.

No, that's right. And frankly, even if you've got

just a Derby winner or something like that, doesn't matter at

this point. If you can win any of these

races coming up, you've got a really good shot at getting into

that. The Derby preps, by the way,

from here do run through New Orleans this weekend.

And then after we get out of New Orleans Sunday a couple days

from now, Sunland Derby, of course, they're running for

$400,000 now, Zach. So we're actually seeing some

people ship to New Mexico for that one, which I think is,

look, if you can afford it, go ahead and do it because being on

the Derby trail is a good way to make sure that people are, you

know, aware of your track, betting on that track that day.

And then of course, the next Saturday is the Battaglia and

the Rebel, which are at Turfway and at Oaklawn.

Remember that they've moved the Ruby schedule to match the

Arkansas Derby schedule rather than have it line up with, you

know, all the April first or the, in this case, April 5th.

The Wood Memorial, the Florida Derby, Santa Anita Derby, all

those races that run on the same day.

The Battaglia and the Ruby will be run alongside the Arkansas

races instead. So that's where we're going the

rest of the month with the with the Derby trail itself.

So next week when we get together, we'll be talking

Rebel, we'll be talking to Oaklawn Park, which means of

course I'll be trying to get our Guy 3 Colts handicap Old Old

Dinnerman on the show for sure. Can I ask a a like a ignorant

question? So Nope, Nope, no ignorant.

Question. Go ahead, all the ignorance.

Let's go so. We're we're really seeing

unseasonably cold in the South. Do you think that's going to

play in any of these races? I mean, a lot of these horses

might not have run in this kind of cold.

Yeah, I agree. And so the other part is, and it

looks like New Orleans. I was just checking the weather.

I saw a tweet, a tweet from Marcus Hurst the other day too,

saying essentially the same thing, that they're going to be

OK weather wise. The interesting thing that

happened though is like Ocala and these other places that

aren't supposed to be cold, when I interviewed Brad Cox a couple

weeks ago, he was snowed in in New Orleans.

This is disrupted some of the normal patterns and sort of

workout patterns that we usually see with horses.

With Beckman, who I interviewed today about his runners, he

talked about even shipping from Tampa after the Suncoast to get

his runner back has been a bit of a pain.

So it's been, there's very clearly something about that,

Zach, about the weather and about how it's been, you know,

affecting people in those areas in Florida, New Orleans,

especially Arkansas. My gosh, they've lost training

days, not just running days, training days as well.

And so, yeah, it's it's really affected them.

And and so it does it. If you wanted to expand out,

does that help a Southern California runner because they

haven't had that kind of disruption?

Maybe I think that's a reasonable question.

And so as far as, and as far as that kind of question, yeah, I,

I think there's a chance that if you're, if you're in the Citizen

Bowl camp, you're feeling pretty good because yours are running

all the time. If you're in the, you know, the

Barnes camp, you're feeling pretty good.

If you're in the, the journalism camp, you you're feeling pretty

good out West that your horse hasn't had that kind of

disruption. Now, they did have the wildfires

and there were a couple days where they couldn't do anything

in Los Angeles. But we've seen Santa Anita

bounce back really nicely since then as far as its running

schedule and all those things. So not, not terribly, you know,

not as much of a disruption in LA, even with the horrible fires

out there as there was frankly at a place like Oakland.

So, yeah, it's it's not a bad question at all.

Frankly, it should be interesting to watch.

And you know, I, I also think that, you know, just part of the

every in and every day in and out of, of horse racing is just

the, you know, the, the logistics of moving horses.

Yeah. Yeah, exactly.

This is kind of par for the course for folks too.

Now, is it an added wrinkle? Sure.

But no, I don't think it's, I don't think it's a silly

question there at all. What was your reaction to that,

to that Sam F Davis? That's it's fun when we get a

stretch run like that man. I mean, you, you got to go for

the close stretch run. Even if you have a horse you

want to win, it's nice to see that coming to the finish line.

Both of those horses just wanted it and, you know, just came down

to those extra strides. Yeah, it worked out very well

for the John Hancock connections and I mean.

You got to love Jason Beam with the he signed his win.

I wonder if other track announcers are mad at him for

taking that before this horse wins at another track.

You. Know Oh my.

Gosh, that's amazing. Yeah, He gets up here to

Churchill and Travis is like, how can you steal that from me?

Exactly, which is awesome. Let's go ahead.

We'll get into the handicapping portion of the show here as

well. A reminder from our friends

though, at Louisville Executive Airport, Bowman Field here in

town, get in with them. Louisville executive.com.

The easiest way to get in and out for Derby and Oaks this year

here in Kentucky. If you are interested in the

easiest place to to bring your plane to bring your jet down

here it is Bowman Field. It is louisvilleexecutive.com.

Make sure you get in with them over there.

I Zach, we are going to crash that cookout, by the way.

We're just going to do it. They got to know I'm coming,

right? I mean, you know, sign up.

I mean, eggs. Did you have a cookout?

I mean, Louise's coming. I mean, so it's work.

I wear a suit, I look fine. That is true.

Oh man, all right, we go to that late pick 5.

A reminder for takeout rates at fairgrounds if you don't play

there very often, 25% on a lot of things.

So watch where you are gambling and wagering this weekend.

The pick 6 is traditional. It's a non jackpot but it is a

dollar minimum and the pick 5 both at 15%, both very, very

playable. 17% win, play show the exact.

The double s are right at 20 1/2 percent.

So if you were interested in the wagering down there, those are

almost certainly be the best value for you.

The Albert Stahl Memorial is the first race of the pick five.

It's race 10 on the car down there at New Orleans this

weekend, $100,000 in the Kitty here for four and up on the

Philly and Maresy going a mile and a 16th on the turf course

there. Zach and I landed on the four

here. Probably not stunning to anyone.

Lovely Princess for Brian Hernandez, junior Kenny Mcpeek.

Look, she wasn't great in the Bewitched last out and guess

what? She didn't have a mile and a

16th and Lasix, guess what? She gets here not a mile and a

half and not without Lasix. She gets to have both.

So a mile and a 16th, getting back to a distance where she's

hit the board five of six runs, two wins at the distance.

Has one at the Fairgrounds before.

Never missed the board on that fairgrounds turf course as well.

We saw her just as recently as a December win over this course

over this distance at Fairgrounds and then came back

in the Crafts Memorial after that, ran a good third by less

than two legs and so she seems to really like this course.

They did try her at Keeneland. I don't hate that at all.

Last April, huge amount of time off here, but I think she's

ready to go. The workouts look good down

there at Fairgrounds as well, so we hopefully will see her run a

very, very good race here. As well.

Go ahead, you you got to love a a Mcpeak Hernandez connection.

Like those are those are the things that when you see a horse

that that could do a little better, you're like, oh, OK,

this could be good. Yeah, I totally agree with you.

And then I went outside of the 14 here and it's not because I

love the post position. I don't.

But this is a closer and stir crazy gets Irad Ortiz junior in

the irons here for this one. And we get 6 to one on a Mike

Maker trainee who's won his last two.

And before that was in the grade 3 Cardinal at Churchill Downs

and ran a good fourth by less than a length and a half.

Guess what that horse didn't have that day?

Lasix. Guess what the horse gets here?

Lasix won its last two running. That was good in that Kratz

memorial. That was over a sloppy course

where she went last time. But before that did win the

fishing. Excuse me, the the blushing at

Kentucky Downs or excuse me at fairgrounds as well.

So should be able to hold pick up from there.

The six horse in here is interesting to me to as well.

Join the dance 8 to one finished right behind stir crazy in that

one for Luis Saez. Seem to really enjoy the mile in

the 16th at the fairgrounds last time.

Breaking from the six is considerably better than

breaking for the 14. So I'll take this horse here,

the six over the 14 just because of post position and the fact

that I really do trust Luis Saez in this spot.

You can also look, I think to the five horse here, which is

Nanda Daya, an Argentine bred who came up and had been running

on turf in Argentina. We're very used to Chilean

breads and Argentine breads, etcetera coming up on dirt and

we expect them to run on dirt. But in this case we get a turf

horse, a legitimate turf horse, a daughter of Fortify Majestic.

That's a distorted humor line, by the way.

So we've got one that we know can go two turns.

She's six years old, one start in North America.

She wanted Keeneland right away for non 3 lifers, gets to keep

Lasix here, drops a couple pounds, keeps Jose Ortiz in the

mount, Love all of that. I think the horse for Nacho

Curious has a really, really serious shot here as well.

Maybe a long shot here in Toofani if we wanted to go with

a horse that has two wins. Lifetime at the course gets Ben

Curtis, who's been riding really, really well, especially

on the turf course. They're at fairgrounds before

last race was in a stakes race at Aqueduct in that Belmont and

Aqueduct meet, finished third, only two lengths off before

that, though, two wins back-to-back.

Both of them are Colonial in higher level, in higher level

handicaps as well. She is a Virginia bred, so she

was running against Steaks Company in both of those races

but gets Lasix back here. Interested to see after the run

against Open Company on Long Island if that horse can get it

done at the Fairgrounds as well. Hanging out with producer Zach

Luirbo here. This is the horse racing happy

hour. Thanks.

If you're joining us live or if you're joining us anywhere,

frankly, we really do appreciate it.

Moving on to race 11, started the late pick four mile on the

16th for the Grade 3 mine shaft. We're on the dirt 4 and up here.

Quarter $1,000,000 in this one. And Zach, one of the great

themes of 2025 and we hope it lives up to the hype or at least

half of the hype or 1/4 of the hype, whatever it is, is the

older dirt male division, right? We get all that We got to see

last year, Sierra Leone fierceness, so many of them back

this year. And we get one of those back in

this race. His name is catching Freedom.

He finished in the top 4, the Kentucky Derby top three of the

Preakness before finishing fourth.

The Ohio Derby winner bat down, who's in this field?

We'll get to that in a second. But we get catching Freedom back

here off our trainer Brad Cox, Flabby and Pratt in town to ride

this weekend was aboard him in the Derby in his Louisiana Derby

win as well. So the horses won at Fairgrounds

before we get him back in a spot here going two turns.

He gets Lasix for the first time.

That's a huge angle for for Brad Cox, who wins about 1/4 of his

races doing that. And in my mind, Zach, I was, I

was sitting around, I was thinking about catching Freedom

and, and by the way, who was I pick in the, in the, in the

Preakness? And I was looking around.

I'm like, man, time off, maybe he's not ready, blah, blah,

blah. And then I was reminded Brad Cox

has a lot of really good angles. All of them are very, very good

with him. He's won a third of his races at

fairgrounds in this meet. He has won, he won 26% of his

races last year. If you do anything above 20% in

horse racing, it's an absurdly good percentage.

I was like, man, I don't know. This time off, Brad Cox, 72

horses, OK, 72 times. And this isn't something you can

replicate with a single horse. So this is probably 72 different

horses. He has won 38% of those starts

coming off a layoff of longer than six months.

Yeah. I mean, those are the kind of

odds that like it beats the odds.

And by the way, an ROI of 2 bucks.

So you're actually for a Brad Cox trainee.

That's insane. He also, of course, wins great

at stakes at a 29% clip. It's really, really remarkable.

I think you have to use Catching Freedom here.

It's cool to see him back on the trail, but there are other

horses in this field that are also really good and interesting

runners. And in the mine shaft, I

actually landed on Irad Ortiz Junior and the Todd Pletcher

trained Tuscan Sky. This is one that we saw in the

Harlan handy last time. And if you're looking at that

line and going, Oh my God, that horse ran 7 seventh by 11

lengths. I can't I can't back you here,

Louis. Before that the horse ran in the

Discovery, which is a mile and an eighth at Aqueduct.

OK, that's a two turn race on the dirt.

There was part of the the lead of that race just got

essentially nosed out by generous tipper.

But if you go back to when this horse ran its very best races at

aqueducts and it's maiden went over over the mud and then at

the fairgrounds in the mud. Two things in common or one

thing in common, I should say Lasix and the horse gets Lasix

back here. The rules in Louisiana are

different. So the grade 3 you'll see Lasix

for these horses and they're able to run in this spot.

I think that really helps. Tusk and Sky getting back on

Lasix horse has been training in Florida at Palm at Palm Beach

and I, I think this horse has a serious shot.

I've got him on top. Tuscan's guy went 354.

Hall of Fame is in this race as well.

Irad's brother Jose, of course, been riding at fairgrounds

hitting at about 29% in his starts there.

He's coming out of a really good run over two turns at

fairgrounds before that. The one mile shoot at Churchill

both wins by the way, keeps Jose in the irons here, keeps the

Lasix. I think the horse has a serious

shot. If you want a longer shot,

Warrior Johnny is is 6 to one. Our friend, friend of the show,

Jaime Torres will be aboard here for Phil Bauer.

They'll be Phil Bauer's also got one in both the Oaks race and in

the Derby race down here at at Fairgrounds as well.

Interesting one has one at the distance before is over 2 at

Fairgrounds. Never missed the board though.

If you're playing an exacto trifecta, include Warrior

Johnny, the one horse in all of your bets on the mine shaft.

We move on to the late pick three and the Fairgrounds kicks

that off. It's a mile and an eighth on the

turf there in the Grade 3 Fairgrounds.

This is for four year olds and up in this one and I think if

you wanted to single, this is the spot.

It's with Gigante Agante comes in the two horse here, Jose

Ortiz, 4 Steve Asmussen and one last time in the slop of the

Colonel Brand. Louis.

What does that have to do with this race?

Well, it has to do with the the memorial, the the Diliberto

memorial Before that over the turf course, the horse's 2 for

four lifetime over the turf course with a second place

finish at fairgrounds. So three times out of four runs,

finishing in the top 2, this feels like the horse that you

would want to really zone in on three back.

The horse ran in the River City of grade 3 at Churchill.

Didn't win also didn't get Lasix gets the gets back to Lasix

here. Horse has done its very best

running with with the medication and so he's already won this.

He's already won this year. I expect the horse to bounce

back and run really well here. No thing, no reason not to think

so. If you're looking for another

shot, though, because this might be one, this might be one that

you try to beat for sure in this spot.

Look for the three I think unit economics.

This is such a classic Chad Brown thing to do here.

Drop this horse into this spot with a Flavia and Pratt aboard

comes out of a very, very good run at Gulfstream Park last out

second off the layoff essentially here about a month

and a half off. That's a 27% angle for trainer

Chad Brown here. I do expect this horse to run a

big race as well. Flavia and Pratt had a day at

Tampa I don't see and then Fluence LA had a day at San

Anita. Don't think of a reason that he

won't have another day here at Fairgrounds.

And look, the one horse on the inside is interesting as well.

What's AD for Mike Maker and Luis Saez?

These two connect on so many horses and they hit it such a

high percentage of the high teens, 18% or so all the last

couple of years. This horse comes out of an

optional claimer at Churchill over a mile, has to go a mile

and an eighth here. And it's kind of a weird setup

where you start essentially during, you know, as part that

that second turn at Fairgrounds is where the mile and an eighth

shoot essentially starts it. The horse was really, really

good last time out at Churchill over the mile.

I wonder about adding a little bit of distance here, except

that I don't because the horse is 3 for four lifetime at the

distance. I actually think the one hole is

helpful for how this race breaks.

In other words, having that kind of setup rather than having to

make some kind of wider move or do those things.

I think the horse is going to be really good from the one hole

there. I think an absolute must include

in this one if you're going to go wider than that because this

horse did have five wins and eight runs last year over a lot

of different levels of racing. But that includes the Texas Turf

Classic, which is 300,000. It's a quarter million dollar

race and they got to the Kentucky Dons Preview day was

the only time that the horse didn't really fire was at Ellis

Park. We're really not going to hold

that against him there. Race 13 is the Oaks Prep.

It's the grade 2 Rachel Alexandra.

You can look for $300,000 in this Kitty.

It is a grade 2 mile and a 16th on the dirt course.

They always do things a little bit longer in Louisiana than

they do in other places. Of course, we see the return of

good cheer. A good cheer comes out of the

Brad Cox barn. We saw her go 4 for four as a 2

year old. And I imagine in many worlds

where immersive doesn't exist, she would have been 2 year old

of the year, especially on the Philly side.

But immersive didn't exist. So she was a 2 year old, a

Philly of the year that you were going to see the Dolphin Blue.

We're going to see Luis Saez, we're going to see all of the

things. There's even quotes out this

week from Brad Cox who thinks she's ready to go.

Great, great. I'm going to try to beat her.

How about that? I talked to wit Beckman today.

I think a lot of simply joking. Like a lot a lot of simply

joking. She comes in as the six horse

here. Jaime Torres gets them out

again. Broker maiden at fairgrounds in

a Sprint in a in a Sprint in a in a stakes right away and I

asked him about it. I said good Lord, you started

this horse in her career she's never done anything but running

stakes. How did you know?

Then he goes look, she's just big and she's tailed.

Look, that's all I said look, she's good at this essentially

is what Waybeckman said to me today.

You can hear that interview again tomorrow on the Kentucky

Racing Spotlight. But look, I think she's

legitimate. I think she's going to get the

lead in this field and I think she's going to say come get me.

Good cheer's going to try. Good cheer's going to be right

there with her. Everything's going to set up.

I think if you're playing a longer ticket.

And by the way, the three ballerina de Oro is going to

scratch out of here for Chad Brown.

So Flavi and Pratt will not have them out in in the silver bullet

day down there. Excuse me, the Rachel Alexandra.

I think those two horses good cheer and I think simply joking.

If you want to just use two, try to go thinner here.

Those are the two to use. Interested if Bless the broken

can take a step forward here with Axel Concepcion came in

last time in that silver bowl. A day in the slop gets back to

fast. Go where I think the horse will

run better. Her best speed figure is over

the slop. I'm hoping all that means is

that actually she just likes fairgrounds and so at 12 to one

get A7 horse on the outside. That might be one that you

include. So for example, if you think

good cheer is going to win and eventually she wins by wearing

down simply joking, I think it could be a horse like bless the

broken who picks up the pieces. So if you're looking for an

exact to play trifecta, play something like that.

Bless the broken, the seven on the outside is there again, I'm

going to try simply joking. I I think a lot of her, I know

she's started her careers, living her career there at the

fairgrounds. But if you had made that

criticism last weekend of John Hancock, you would have lost

your bet in the Sam F Davis. So I'm not going to do that

here. In the Rachel Alexandra, the

Grade 2 is the star. For me, when you when you talk

about the Rachel Alexandra, though, you know, you're, you're

talking about a race that matters long term for Oaks and

Black Eyed Susan. I mean, you get a lot of your

winners coming out of that race. I mean, not a majority, but you

know, a significant number. Do you think any of these horses

this weekend, if they win dominantly have what it takes

maybe to to take it to the Oaks or the the Black Eyed Susan?

I think good cheer for sure if she shows up like Lakara did in

that Suncoast last weekend. If she looks like that, I think

all of us are going to go, OK, we've got a replacement for

Immersive in the Brad Cox barn. And her name is good cheer for

Medalla Doro, for the, you know, for the street set side, on the

mare side, for all the Godolphin connections there.

You know, when we talked to Brad a couple weeks ago on the

Spotlight show, I asked him what, you know, what's the next

10 years? What's the motivating factor

here? And he went immediately to

making stallions and making broodmares.

I mean, that's what he went to, and that's really the focus of

what he's doing. So a good cheer.

This is, you know, this is a home bred for Godolphin, right?

They own the daliadoro, right? And this is so this is this is

him trying to move a horse into that kind of category.

So to answer your question, yeah, it's her.

And frankly, at that point, I think this is a chance.

Zach simply joking, being 4 to one on the morning line at

Fairgrounds shows me that the morning line maker at

fairgrounds doesn't think that the general public outside of

New Orleans knows who she is. Fine.

They will if she wins the stretch this weekend.

If she ain't going to be, no, it ain't going to be a problem

knowing who she is or what she's capable of or any of those kinds

of things. So I it's those two that really

stand out. If someone else wins, I think

people will try to make an excuse for why she won, if that

makes sense. Race 14 is the Risen Star.

Grade 2 closes the card mile and an eighth on the dirt course.

There they will stretch out to a mile and three sixteenths for

the Louisiana Derby in a month. Half million bucks on the line

for three-year olds here. We always play a game when we do

all the big races, so if a horse is.

Ready. We're going.

To call him a rising star. So we're going to go 4, and if

they're not, we're going to call him a falling star.

I think that's pretty simple, pretty straightforward.

No one gets hurt like we did like a hemlock one a couple

weeks ago. We did.

We've gotten some pretty morbid ones.

It got dark on this show for no reason.

I mean, it looked like no reasonable, but anyways, there

isn't star is the the closer here.

American Promise is the one horse here.

Keith Asmussen in in town to ride for Wayne Lucas.

I've tried to remember the name. Oh, it was either the honeybee

or the Martha Washington last year, Zach, that Lucas won with

an absolute bomber of a horse, and I'm trying to remember who

that was. Wayne Lucas, Let's try the

honeybee. Who did he win the honeybee

with? Secret oath.

No Lemon muffin. That's what it was.

Lemon Muffin last year won at 28 to one in the honeybee, and I'm

trying to see who I know one of the Asmussen's had.

Yeah, it was Keith Asmussen. How about that?

So the two of them last year connected on Lemon Muffin.

That was at Oakland Park. Of course, they're back with

American Promise. If you think Lemon Muffin can

happen again, this is it. It's American Promise, that's

what I'm saying. Your boy Louis is saying ain't

going to happen. Fallen start here for me.

The horse comes out of the southwest where it was

disqualified from 6th and placed seventh at Oaklawn Park.

Steps back into this kind of company here.

It's only when was a maiden win in the mud at Oaklawn Park.

It's not going to be muddy this weekend.

Give me a horse that does a little bit better on the dry

dirt, which is Jonathan's way. The two horse here comes in for

Jose Ortiz first start as a three-year old.

We of course saw him win the first Derby prep last fall at

Churchill Downs in the Iroquois. The 3 Iroquois in September

under Joel Rosario, who is not making the trip for this one.

And we get Jose Ortiz here for Phil Bauer.

The aforementioned Phil Bauer. This horse has been working very

well at fairgrounds, so I don't want to put this horse down at

all. Phil Bauer just keeps, you know,

the Rigney Racing folks. It's not a huge bar and he had

130 starts last year, which I have to imagine frankly, for a

Phil Bauer was a lot. But it's one, you know, a couple

of week essentially with what he does.

I'm going to include this horse. I think he's a rising star and

it's not because of the Iroquois performance or anything else.

I just think he's got it, whatever it is.

We're in a good second behind First Resort in that Kentucky

Jockey Club. So he's got the two turn

experience a couple of times. I think the works show that he's

in good shape and he'll bounce back.

I would want to see at least a top three finish from him to get

excited about his Derby prospects as far as even making

the gates act. But he's the son of a coma.

Kind of mixed. Mixed results on that.

Indian Charlie on the mare side. So we'll see if he wants to go

longer. But I will call him a rising

star, at least for today. Vasimo, who people are very,

very high on it probably has a drug positive unfortunately from

a previous run. We'll be in this race here for

Todd Pletcher. I read Ortiz in to ride for this

one comes out of an optional claiming win at Tampa over a

mile 40, which he looked really good but was on Lasix has to

drop Lasix again here like he did for his maiden win in

December at Gulfstream Park. I'm going to go falling star

here just I'm going to let this one beat me, which is probably

stupid, a son of Nyquist and and pulp it on the damn side.

It has plenty of potential. Plenty, plenty, plenty of

potential. We'll see what he does, but I'm

going to go ahead and try to play against there.

East Avenue is the four horse here.

We'll call him a rising * Tyler Gaffe.

Leon keeps the mount here for Brendan Walsh.

He was the one, Zach, when you were there with me at Del Mar

that fell in the gate essentially for the Breeders Cup

Juvenile from the inside post there.

Yeah, I remember that. It was brutal.

And there what made tickets? That's exactly right.

We'll give him a number. Exactly my tickets too, because

I bet. He had been so good in my

previous fraternity at Campbell's short stretch, and we

just assumed that short stretch would translate just fine over

to the short stretch at Del Bar. Key to horse racing, if if

you're new to the sport, don't fall down.

That's a really big part of the show of the sport is to not fall

down. So once he did, it was

essentially over. We'll give him, we'll draw a

line through that and hope that we get some of that form back

from his previous runs before that coming out of the Leonatus.

And I thought this was an interesting ship, his chunk of

gold. Phil Sedillo is actually coming

to town for Ethan W who's based at Turfway Park.

This horses run twice at Turfway Park immediately won on a debut

as a maiden in a maiden special weight, a restricted 1.

So in Kentucky, if your auction price, your purchase price was a

certain level, there are maiden special weight races for those

types of horses. Zach they, they bred this horse

or five grand and bought them for 2500 bucks and he's already

earned 24 this year and he earned 24,000 last year.

So this horse has paid his bills.

That sounds like a profitable venture.

Yeah, that sounds OK to me. This is out of the Burton Jones

breeding operation there, the Stevens ownership group.

I'm going to, I'm going to say Falling Star.

But this is one Zach I was surprised to see down here

because I thought he looked pretty good in the Leonatus and

I thought they'd try to keep him on that Battaglia Ruby trail.

But interesting that they're going to try this out.

He does have a recent work at Turfway which was really, really

fast. I'm going to say a falling star.

But it's interesting that Ethan W thinks that this is the spot

to ship this horse for. Seattle Rd. is the 6th horse

here. Marcelita Pedrosa junior gets

the ride for Tom Amos, Tommy A. We love that guy, especially on

the three-year old Philly side. On the male side though, a

little bore of a mixed bag. Did run to the slop last time,

didn't like it, but before that was really good under Marcelino

in a maiden special weight win over the dirt course here.

Go to mile on the 16th. Has to go a little bit further

for this one. I'm going to let him beat me

here if he does. I think 30 to one if you wanted

to take a shot on the Quality Rd.

It's an expensive horse that paid for an OK for him.

So if you think he's got a shot 30 to one, there you go, there's

your option. So Tarian comes in for Chad

Brown and for Flavi and Pratty ran third last out in the Mucho

Macho Man over a one mile. He's going to stretch out and

try to go two turns here. I want to be very clear about I

don't know how this horse ended up in the Chad Brown barn.

He was previously in the Javier Contreras barn and Javier is a

Mid-Atlantic trainer and and he and this horse started its

career at Charlestown going 4 1/2 furlongs and then ran it

Laurel in an optional claimer winning both OK, so no no

detriment. No, no, no looking down on that

at all, $45,000 in the two races.

Good for them, but comes back this year runs third in that

mucho monster man listed stakes down to Gulfstream Park and

under Tyler got felony on behind guns, loaded Treaty of Rome

couple good horses. But I don't I don't understand

how this this 3 year old gelded son of Protonico ended up in the

brown barn and ended up in this race 12 to one.

I think that's probably right. And I think most of that is this

horse would be 20 to one if Flavi and Pratt weren't riding.

A lot of that happened. Yeah, Flavi and being a board.

All of that to say a falling star.

All of that to say I don't know what to do with this horse.

So I'm going to pass for now. There's your besmirchment horse

of the week, whatever you need to do bet Septarian now that's

that's the that's the key here. Joe Koso comes in here.

This is a horse people really like.

One on the turf last time at Churchill Downs is switching, is

switching surfaces here. We see this a lot this time of

year where we find out if a horse could be on the Derby

trail, if they could be on that dirt.

If it doesn't work out, they just go back to the turf and

it's it's no big deal. This horse did try the Bourbon

grade 2 and the Iroquois before that, a grade 3, of course on

the dirt at Churchill Downs. After that of course goes to

Keeneland for that bourbon did not work out, did win an

allowance last out at Churchill, but that was on the grass.

Horses never won on dirt. So for that, at least for now,

3020 to one seems about right on Jocoso, we'll call him a falling

star built is the next horse and if you wanted the local

superstar, this is it. Wayne Catalano trains.

We talked to him on Spotlight Show last summer when he went

over 2500 wins for his career. Really, really great guy.

And frankly, one of those guys that really makes fairgrounds

fairgrounds is Wayne Catalano. This horse has got a shot man.

I'm going to call rising star here.

Luis Saez gets the mount was good in the Le Cop last time,

lost by a neck. I think people forget he did all

the work. Gets caught by disco time at the

end. And that's a Brad Cox trainee.

There's no Brad Cox in this horse and excuse me in this

race. And so I I do wonder is this a

spot we're built? Who is stuck at the 12?

Last time, remember that horse had to do a ton of work to

overcome position. It breaks from the 9 here.

It might be actually 3 spots over.

Might be a massive difference. Now we're going a mile and an

eighth as well. So more time to make that first

move toward the the top of the first the top of the stretch.

Excuse me, the top of the first turn there.

I wonder with this horse because of that has that early speed

doesn't have to deal with that gets back here to dry run.

I I think a very, very high level rising star.

I think a lot of him 5 to one's a gift on that horse. 10 to the

10 horse at 12 to one is the Mcpeak Hernandez Junior

combination. Render Judgement here.

Saw him last time in the Gun Runner in December at

Fairgrounds. Ran up the track a bit, 3rd

place, 9 1/2 legs there. Brooks made no in the highest

level at Churchill going a mile on a 16th.

So if you were looking for an opportunity or if you're looking

for examples of him running over two turns and winning and doing

well, Render Judgement did that at Churchill Downs.

The one run at Fairgrounds like I mentioned was a third place.

I just don't know if he's fast enough, so I'm going to go

Falling Star here. I don't think he's got the speed

to keep up with all the horses in this one.

I wouldn't hate to see see blinkers on this horse because I

think I think he just needs to get closer to the lead rather

than hanging off like he did in the Kentucky Jockey Club and

other races. One to watch moving forward

though, because I think Mcpeak will figure out what to do with

that. Son of Blame Jolly Samurai is

the 11 here. I'll go ahead and just punch.

Not happening. Diaz and Pish combination here.

This horse has been working at Houston.

Why not? Son of First Samurai, of course.

Best win was in the clever Trevor at Remington Park.

A7 furlong Sprint black type over there.

If you beat me, good for you That That's what I'll say about

Jolly Samurai. Almost Carlito.

How about this for Greg Foley and Flora Giroux at 31?

You can get Flora Giroux at 30 to one at Fairgrounds this

weekend. A guy hitting at 27% in his

rides. Yeah, I was about to say that

doesn't happen. It does not add up, people.

So this is the first that was in an optional claimer last out

that was running a minute 46 and change and he lost by less than

a length. So hear me out.

Let's go back to other races that have been run at the track.

The Lecomte last time was running 147.

That's slower than that optional claimer.

Before that, the gun runner was run at 1:13 and 1:43 in the

splits. The Lecomte was run at 1:13 in

the splits as well. So what I'm saying is if you

need a long shot, long shot and you need a guy who's winning at

29, no, excuse me, 27% of Floran Giroux.

OK, Babos Carlitos might be it man.

If you want a 30 to one shot on the Derby trail, I'm going to

click Rising Star here. Not because I'm I'm positive

he's going to win. I think this horse can screw up

your exact or really help it frankly, that way.

Son of Catholic boy. We don't know a lot about the

Catholic boys yet. And Medallia Doro, though, on

the damn side. This is not a look, man I, I, I,

I know the Catholic boy thing. We haven't quite figured it out

yet, but yet I'm interested here.

I don't think Greg Foley puts this horse in this spot unless

he thinks there might be something there.

Magnitudes on the outside. This is a tough one because he's

in the 13. I don't like that at all.

Ben Curtis is aboard and I love Ben on the on the grass.

You know, Englishman comes over, does the thing he's he's riding

great. Look, he's winning 18% of his

race is a fairground. It's good for him.

It's it's a really, really good price Ran 500 times last year,

77 wins. He's a good rider.

It's not that at all. But as far as the dirt, I mean,

I just I, I, I wish I had someone else in the mound here,

especially having to break from the outside, do all that work on

the outside with a magnitude and all that.

He is a son or not this time, Bernardini, Mayer, all those

things. Obviously the distance isn't the

issue. Ran a decent second in that in

the gun runner, but he was 6 3/4 lengths up the up the up the

track built is in the category of the new shooters in this

race. I don't think magnitude is.

So I'm going to call him falling star.

It's a combination of I think he's not in the class and I hate

him breaking from the outside. So there you go for our our

rundown of all the horses in others I'm.

Going to put you on the spot. Ready.

Which horse? Of all the ones you've put in

your pick five, would you pick? This is the horse.

This is the one I'm certain of. Yeah, I, I mentioned him

earlier. I would go back to the Grade 3

fairgrounds and I would I would try to really zone in on

Higante, the two horse. There we go.

Yeah, that's the one. I think if you if you wanted the

horse that's in good form, who's good at fairgrounds, who has a

good jock, who's good at fairgrounds, who has a a good

trader, who's good at fairgrounds, it's Higante the

two, that's what I would lean on.

That's awesome, yeah. So there you go.

There's some interesting other horses in that race.

By the way, the fairgrounds is, I mean the turf.

The two turf races in this pick five are awesome.

Just wide open, fun, everything races.

So hopefully we get a couple of bombers in those races and are

able to round it out with the dirt.

If you had any good food in New York while you've been there.

So oh boy. 11. Food you're going to be oh,

laughing about and the other one you're going to think is

awesome. So we we I'll give you the one

that you think you're going to think is awesome.

So I went to this restaurant that is a French restaurant

called Balfazar and I had a steak frites and some S cargo

and that's not like a good straight it just.

Says it. There's nothing like a good

steak. For you, there's nothing.

Yeah, it was. It was perfect.

It was medium rare. It fell apart.

It was just all the good stuff. And then?

Every time I come to New York. There is a spot called Jarrell's

BTR Better BRGR burger is a vegan burger joint so they serve

impossible burgers with vegan cheese, which you know, I I

don't mind a good meaty burger. Obviously I had steak but being

old and lactose intolerant the the vegan cheese pays off so

they they do oat milkshakes too so I can have a chocolate shake

so it's like. You know.

A small victory because I can actually eat all the food that I

like. I like a $73 burger and a $43

milkshake. Is that how that works in New

York? I.

Think it ended up being 27 with fries and a shake.

I think in NYC that's not the end of the world.

No, that's like real big city prices.

No, that's right. It is.

It's part of it for sure. It's a small shop between like 3

hotels so you know they're paying like insanity rent.

By the way, we will be out there for the Wood Memorial on.

Yes, we will. Zach, me, Barry Spears, John

Piazza and so come by and say hi to us.

I'm hoping we can. Work.

Maybe some other friends? Other friends too.

I'm being kind to people's privacy.

And so, yeah, come on out and say hi to us.

You know, I'm hoping we'll be able to do some stuff, Zach,

while we're out there as far as, as, as, you know, broadcasting

and different things. And so hopefully we'll be able

to do that. But even if we can't come on out

and have a cigar with us and hang out, so do all that.

Yeah, Please. All right.

But let's get out of here. 47, I talked for 47 minutes.

That's terrifying. Let's get out of here.

You can hear me tomorrow on REBO and GO.

Kevin. Excuse me.

Joe Christopheck joins me, of course.

Whit Beckman on the Kentucky racing, you play the music,

that's fine. The Kentucky racing spotlight

tomorrow night, both of those will be up here at the horse

racing happy hour platform as well for you to download.

Appreciate all of you checking out Blood Horse Monday, checking

out this show. The other segments that we do,

we're really trying to make that happy hour platform one that you

can just go to kind of a one stop shop for all those shows.

An easy spot for you to sort of source all the horse racing

content that we do throughout the week, whether it's Mondays

with Blood Horse, Thursdays with this show or Friday with the

spotlight as well. I will be starting a new show

this week called Socal Saturdays with our friends at Amwager,

also broadcast on this platform. Barry Spears will be in with me

tomorrow and we will preview on the entire card every Saturday

for the rest of the year at whatever track is running in

Southern California, whether it be Santa Anita, Del Mar or Los

Alamitos. We'll have you all year with our

friends at Amwager getting you ready for the races on Saturday

in Southern California. And if you are listening to

Southern California, you can sign up at amwager.com.

AM wager.com 100% deposit bonus up to 150 bucks will be out

there again this year for the Breeders couple.

Would love to see you at our annual seminar there as well.

Now play the music, Zach and it's time to go.

There's been another housing.