Road to Preakness | Pegasus

All right, welcome to another episode of the Horse Racing

Happy Hour. I'm back.

I am back. It's 24, come out of

hibernation. I'm Mike Endolfo.

I'm joined by Radio Louie. This is we're, you know, we're

on to our rogue Venus. You know that's what you're

going by now. You're going by Radio Louie.

You know you're. A big little radio.

We're a little radio Louie on it.

The people. Since when people get here for

Derby 150, they're gonna be shocked by all the billboards,

the bus ads, the it's Radio Louie everywhere.

Because he is the handsomest man radio.

You know Luther Beau. So that that's.

Not hard to do. It's not hard, not.

Listening to this episode. We got we got Danny Ulman

joining us and John Piatzik Blue.

Before we get started, I want to play a live preview of what it

was like seeing Ilman at the Breeders Cup.

OK, this is a wild, wild looking right here.

This is this is Zolman at the Breeders Cup.

Look, let's get. Some deep There's a red lobster

nearby. My tree maybe?

Some other time. Shooter I thought we were going

to be friends. Oh, we're friends.

We are. I just got to.

Go. OK, well.

I'll be at the red. Lobster in case you change your

mind shooter, that's. Me in the That's me in the

fucking hat. Listen, we have a good time, Red

Lobster. If I'm not there in an hour or

so, just keep waiting. I'll just keep waiting.

I'll. I'll get Hey.

I'm on my way guys. I'm serious.

Just just wait. But you also did the 9th hole at

9 Trick with us too, you know, the whole deal.

So yeah, so good to see you guys.

Good to be back. I'm pouring myself a beer

because it's been that kind of day, you know?

So there we go. You can't tell by my hair and

just how the shovel I look. And you?

Got my Rich Strike Cup today just to piss off as many people

as. Possible.

I think every year. Every year for the rest of their

lives, the rich strike people ought to send the ethereal Rd.

people fruit basket or something, because that horse

doesn't scratch. That's their whole lives are

dedicated or or because that horse scratched so they should

be I. Mean you can do the same thing

with that. I can't remember the horse's

name anymore that went out and said that toward pace.

That mean that horse doesn't set that toward Pace early.

On That's true as well, yeah. Let's be honest.

This episode should be called Also eligible because we have

the Pegasus World Cup on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

And yes, it is our Road to the Preakness show.

We've got some very exciting racing at Laurel Park, weather

permitting. I'm interested in your thoughts

on the Pegasus though. Before we get started.

Radio Louis, let's get going. Who do you like?

All right. So we're going straight to it.

I I will tell you, I will start a little unusual.

I think Nimitz class hits the board.

Let's start with that. You're a lipstick.

Confused. Louis A.

Serious serious contender to hit that exact to hit that trifecta.

I I I mean I was on our collector last year I don't

think a lot of people were and so this is a race where you can

get some value in it. I think you see Nimitz class

come in here on top the the horse I can't figure out.

Number one is trademark I I don't trademark I can't figure

out. I love the Price National

Treasure. I think the mile and an eighth

is way better for. So I actually think that there's

a chance that that's one that can get out front, stay out

front. How good is first mission?

I don't know. It's not a lot of races, but

this is the kind of thing that Brad Cox just does.

But again, I'm going to go a little off the board here.

I think Skippy Longstocking wins the Pegasus World Cup on

Saturday. There's no you that is not real.

No. Come on.

From the From the 12th Classic to the Pegasus.

World Yeah, Another Mid-Atlantic interest in the Pegasus.

And in fact, I let. Me.

Back-to-back Years, Back-to-back.

Years of a voice pulling off the Charlestown Classic.

Pegasus double doing. Pretty nice.

Or are you worried about the outside posts?

They're considering the sources running style.

I mean, he's got a lot of early speed.

You mentioned National Treasure. You mentioned Hoist the gold.

There's not a long run to the first turn to Gulfstream.

Are you worried you're going to get hung out wide there?

Yeah, of course, yeah. So anyway, I can demand value.

So what price are you willing to take on Skippy Longstock if he

is yours? I love the 8:00 to 1:00.

Do you think I'm not getting 8:00 to 1:00?

Oh, I think you're getting 8 to one, yeah.

OK. Then I'll take 8 to 1, OK.

Let's go. I'd rather have 15 to one on

dynamic one with Pletcher and Irad Ortiz.

OK Then have Tippy Longstocking there.

Well, the Commissioner, yeah. How about you, Mr. Ilman?

Are you leaning in one way or the other?

Boy, I I thought this was one of the toughest Pegasus World Cups

in recent years. I mean, I like First Mission as

a horse. I think I.

Think because the field sucks the field.

Actually, I wouldn't say the field sucks.

I'd say it's probably not up to par from some of the other

Pegasus World Cups, but to be honest, it's a great betting

race. It's not a $3,000,000 field

though. It's not a $3,000,000 field, but

you're getting 13 of them and again it should be a a great

betting race. These horses have promise.

Like First Mission again is a horse that's thus far in his

career been all reputation. He hasn't yet put it together.

He hasn't much of a chance to put it all together.

He's only raised five times. I think he has the potential

probably be the best one of this group.

He should be right there. National trend I think showed in

the Breeders Club dirt mile that he's probably more the prequel

source was in his other races where he kind of lost his

luster. I decided to go with the horse

that I think a lot of people are going to fade and that's hoist.

The gold one was cigar mom everything his own way.

Last time out at Aqueduct it was a wet track it was feed favoring

track. He went to the lead yet

everything his own way. But I remember begging the

source, the Breeders Cup Sprint, and he's an odd race.

We just didn't do anything in between horses.

And when the race was over, he galloped out past.

Everybody was really running and I have a feeling he just doesn't

like dirt in his face. He wants to go to the front and

I think they're going to take the lead away from national

treasure. Ride him like Knicks.

Go John Velazquez and take this field.

Wired a window a 12:50. Any concern?

He's never gone two turns. I think there's always a concern

where he hasn't gone two turns. That's why I need double digits

before I'm going to play him. I may not get it because he has

that huge, albeit perhaps slop infused speed track, infused

buyer speed figure from his last race, but I would need at least

12:50 and I think the ride is key.

I think you just go, you make National Treasure, take a seat

and you see how far you want to go.

How? About you, John.

I think the big question of a Pegasus is goes back to the

Preakness. If first mission didn't scratch,

what do you have won? I feel like probably he does.

And as you said, he hasn't had a chance to really prove himself,

but based on what we've seen, he has a lot of promise.

I mean he ran huge in in in the Lexington, I thought at third

asking back in mid-april, then comes back wins First off a long

way off the Keeneland runs. I thought pretty well in the

Clerk last time out we had a much improved figure.

First time mistakes against all the forces we had a much

improved figure on resident scale has been working very well

should get an extra. I don't think hoyster Gold is

going to go is going to be you know last in the lead.

I think he's he's going to be sent for the lead and he'll lead

most of the way but then he'll tire.

I think national Treasure is going to be on the pace and

he'll stop. I I I don't know if I can

believe that last start in in a dirt mile only because it was

such an outlier from his previous races.

I just don't quite know what to make of it.

And and he'll get over back because he's a previous winner

so first mission is going to be my force.

I think Grant Aspen is being kind of overlooked too.

He's also really lightly racing in improving form.

Ran well in the Heartlands holiday last time out and it

should also get a nice trip near the leaks.

You give O'Connor much of a shot here, Dan.

I think it's a tough spot for him.

I like him at this distance. He had such a perfect trip when

he won the Harlins holiday last time out.

He had the run of the rail. He was able to sneak on through.

I didn't really think that much of that field.

I do think this distance works and I think he can pull a trip

from this post position in behind what could be a hot pace.

I'm interested more in Mike's source dynamic one because he's

kind of The X Factor in this race.

You can make the argument, but he might be the best pure closer

and let's say hoist the gold and national treasure hookup in a

speed duel. This horse is good enough on his

best day. We haven't seen it in a long

time because he hasn't raced much to run these horses down.

If you look at his last race, isn't that just a prep off A

year layoff and you're only supposed to look at it as a

freshening and a tightener off of a freshening and that we

should just not even worry about the running line?

Yeah, I don't know about that either, but I I mean it's a long

time off between races for dynamic one.

I just don't know. I mean I just, I I get it.

I get the connections, I understand the desire for that.

But I just, man, I guess if you get that kind of number that

you're shooting for that it's not any worse than SKIPPY long

stocking on the outside, so. I think you're going to see a

number in this race. I mean, you're either going to

see National Treasure do what I guess the line thinks National

Treasure is going to do, which it doesn't sound like any of us

are real confident that's going to happen, or I think you're

going to see it. I mean, you got some pretty

insane numbers in here. When you think trademark won the

Clark and it's 15 to 1, Senior Buscador is 20 to one.

I mean, it's pretty crazy the kind of numbers you have in

this. And I don't, I don't.

Nothing here jumps off of me. It's like, well, this is, you

know, this horse's race and that's it.

So. And I'll say this too, I think

if you believe is the go mile track was biased and I do and

we'll get back to that. Actually when you talk about the

particular bid, I mean you almost have to like senior Bruce

Skiddor in this spot. No, because he ran so well on

the bias track like like there's no way that he could win that

race given the circumstances he was in.

And but based on what happened, happened early on, he ran.

I thought about as well as he could.

He runs this race a lot. I don't know if he has enough

national early speed to be a good tendo, but I can easily see

myself playing like a cold 86 exact and try to catch a number

underneath. No, I think this horse is going

to run on. You make an excellent point.

It was a biased track and he had no chance because he is a one

run closer. He has no speed whatsoever.

Now he should get the right setup.

I've always been confused as to what kind of horse in your bus

gador is. Is he a true mile and an eighth

mile and a quarter horse? Is he better?

Is sort of a one mile, one mile and a 16th late running type

when he gets some pace. And I just think he's been

campaigned at Southern California where his running

style doesn't really work, does it that late running style

usually speed rules over there, but Gulfstream's kind of speed

rules as well. If you give him a trip he's

going to be running on at the end.

I I think that's a very good point for John.

And again, how can you argue with 20 to one on a horse that

ran a big figure against the bias?

And it's run grade one all. Right.

Say this too. I feel like it'll, we will call

up #10. He's 20 to one on the morning

line. I feel like he's going to end up

being kind of the steam voice of this field because you know he's

only won one on time against greater stakes company.

But now he competed in a in a Triple Crown event last year and

and got kind of some steam though just missed in the Fiat

two stars back. He could also set a nice trip

kind of a mid pack and has a pretty good middle punch.

So I can see him hanging around for a slice and getting bit

quite a bit off his 21 morning line.

It's interesting with him because I think you saw a horse

who the course they wanted on the Derby trail never really

happened for him. And then after that he's been

decent, you know, I mean the last couple times out he's won a

grade three, came in third on a grade in the Pennsylvania Derby,

came in two in the in the Fayette, you know, came in,

showed him the Clark. You never know.

I mean, that horse could be getting better with age, right?

So. He's kind of a cool horse

because he's got a a steel jaw. He was kind of a laughing stock

on the Triple Crown trail last year, wasn't he?

Look at the odds he was in those races and they kept running them

time after time just looking at the PPS he needed in Neil

Moroccolo in order to win those races.

And then all of a sudden he shows up and as you said, Mike,

he's running good race after good race.

He's maturing, he likes Gulfstream.

I think he needs to take a slight step forward and if

John's right and he takes money, I think that puts him into

underlay status considering all the other quality great one

grade two types in this race. I'll take I'll put $2.00 to win

on every double digit odds horse in this thing.

I think I'm going to come out ahead, I.

Think that's what I do want to know too.

Going back Nimitz class. This is his first start with

four new connections. He was a home bred for Arrowwood

Fire Tom Coulter for a while, but he has purchased after his

last start. Where he came in third in the

Leslie Mile at Pokes. Now he's making his first start

for a conglomerate led by guitar racing and George Weaver.

He's had three workouts since joining Weaver Bone in in it

appears to be about mid-december.

I mean, I love the voice very much.

He's the exact kind of horse that I like watching.

He's a hard try. He won a whole bunch in the

Mid-Atlantic last year. But you know, I've seen

hopefully spokes bride and riding with Biden play out in my

head one too many times to believe in the Mid-Atlantic

courses. So I'm cheering for him, but I

got to fade him. Louis left.

We just lost. Well, we just lost Louie.

It's alright. Louie is disgusted with that

analysis. He loves class.

He. Thinks.

I mean, as a fan, I love him as a thing.

Left, little right. As a fan, I like listen.

It's shameful. No, I agree with you 100%.

I know Nimitz class. He's a nice horse.

I'm rooting for him. I think this is a very, very

tough spot. And it appears that Louie's

having an earthquake of some sort.

I. Think he's just putting down his

garage door. So, you know, we are, we're big

fans of the Maryland breeding program, I can tell you that.

How about that? We'll we'll go with that one,

so. John Well, he's APA bread, but I

cheer for all Mid-Atlantic bread horses.

I just said we're friends of the friends of the Maryland breeding

program. That's all.

I said the I'm, I'm kissing ass here.

That's basically what. I'm doing just let me well

actually on I know talking about Saturday's races but on Sunday

at Lowell it's a very nice Maryland bread showdown possible

quite possibly the two best Maryland breads in training are

going to go at it in the Jennings.

It's post time versus 711 Seven's 11.

A two time stakes winner both against older voices last year

I'll be I'll be at Maryland Dredd or Maryland Styard post

time of course a Maryland Dredd 2 year old champion won the city

of Laurel in his last start. I think both of them could have

big campaigns, not just in Maryland but in the Mid-Atlantic

in general. So on Sunday, that's going to be

a race to watch. Or we move to anything at

Laurel. I do have a question for Dan.

Yes. On Pegasus card in the late part

of the sequence, who is more likely to lose to not win their

race? Let's put it that way, Hijazi or

Warm Heart? They're both eight to five, nine

to five. I'm against Warm Heart.

I, I, I I I think that simply because she might be shorter

than that at post time, I've actually don't like either one

of them to win. I would rather have both of

those races. Warm heart for me is a horse

that I think if you're liking her, you're simply saying she

has such an overwhelming class advantage over this field that

it doesn't matter that she's going to be racing at a distance

that in my opinion is far shorter than her best.

Plus her last race in Hong Kong, and I thought there was no

excuse. I know she was running against

better horses. She had a perfect trip, tracking

a slow pace. She had the leading the stretch

and they ran her right over. Maybe she's just simply again,

too much for this group on paper, but I don't know.

I think she's going to be a short price.

I think there's some other decent runners in there.

There you go. Hey, John, we'll move on to

Maryland. Give us an just an idea.

We talked a little bit up here. What's going on at Laurel and

Pimlico? What's the updates?

How are the tracks? It's been some pretty rough

weather as you were talking about earlier.

Yeah, well it snowed twice last week.

We had a a lot of snow Monday into Tuesday, then again

Thursday into Friday. Last week ended up getting

canceled, but it's understandable.

Then we had training at, well, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and

at some point between Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning,

track disintegrated. There was no training on

Wednesday or this morning. Thursday morning recent was

canceled. For Friday.

However, gallopers are being permitted and the track

maintenance crew, led by the Grade 10 Brown are going to be

working on the track all day. Fortunately, there's not going

to be a drastic temperature change like it's it's it's not

going to go from freezing 60°. It's going to be in about the

mid upper 60s on Friday, then dipping down into about the low

upper mid upper 40s overnight and back in the upper 50s on

Saturday. So no temperature changes.

Track should be OK, but Saturday we're not be surprised if we're

still on off track but we should be good to go And of course and

people are allowed also to keep that as a recording in case I'm

wrong and make the look like a tool but that's my.

No toes there if that happens. Every every trainer I talk to is

worried, worried about the track condition.

They're afraid because they haven't had to have been able to

train the last few days. They basically all said that

it's a mess. I think some of the attic town

barns, especially the ones from parks, might not chip in.

So I think there is some concern that that maybe this track isn't

going to recover in time. I I do think it's going to be

wet and I think it's another handicapping variable that you

you have to factor in, watch the early races on the car, try to

distinguish a bias and maybe you catch something later.

The price. If they do run, do you think the

turf will be on? No one's laughing, no one's

laughing, Nothing. No, no, no.

This is serious business on horse racing and the turf is on.

What do you what do you what are you talking about?

It's funny because, you know, it's funny because as as a, you

know, a Daily Mail in handicapping whenever grass

season stops, it's it's almost like, hey, you know, it sucks,

but at least you don't have to worry about coming off the

grass. And I was lulled into kind of a

false sense of acuity last year because last year we had no days

at the winter meet, cancelled through the weather, and now

we've had four. So I am getting what was

apparently coming to me by getting all complacent.

There it is. All right.

Anything else you want, you want, you want to promo here or

talk about for Maryland? John, yes, if you were in the

area, we're having a winter clothing Dr. sponsored by

Maryland Voice Foundation. Any new or lightly used winter

clothes and or writing gear? We're happy to take them and

they'll be donated to writing programs in Baltimore County.

If you're interested in donating something, call us up at

410-252-2100 or e-mail the great Jenny Schnell Jeannie at

marylandthoroughbred.com. We also are going to have our

career program this year, A5 day extravaganza of all the crew

program, all the career opportunities Maryland has to

offer both on and off the track. It's a wonderful program.

I did it in its first year back in 2017.

And for anyone out there who who who may be interested in a

career in the industry, whether you're in Maryland or not,

definitely worth something, Definitely something worth

pursuing. So check it.

So check that out at marylandofcourse.com.

Applications are due April 19th and of course on the Pegasus Day

car. There's two other Maryland

connections we have intrepid Daydream, who is second last

time out in in in the Sugar, Swirl in in the Inside

information and Brittany Russell trainee.

Full count Felicia in the Pegasus Philly and Murtos.

Best of luck to both of them there.

It is. All right.

Well, then let's get on to some handicapping.

We're going to talk about a late pick four sequence, hopefully a

Laurel. I guess we'll see.

I mean, what do you think? Is it 50507525?

Let's say a lot what the difference I say.

OK. So you got a 66% chance we'll go

with that, that it's going to be a Laurel and we're going to

start with the race and rate. This is going to.

This will kick off the late pick four and it is the extra heat.

It is a six furlong dirt race for three-year old Phillies

$100,000 on the line. Dan Illman, if you like.

Two impressive debut winners faced off.

Reconcile the three from Linda Rice 4 Heart trainer Brittany

Russell. Both have speed.

It'll be interesting to see if they cancel each other out.

Personally, I kind of like hard in this race, Brittany.

I talked to her and she was very happy with the preparation of

all of her horses. She feels that she got all the

work in before the rain, before the snow and he's has she's

happy about heart. She feels she can rate, Linda

Rice said. She's sending reconcile the lead

in this race, so I like Hark sitting.

All right, Louis. Yeah, I agree with Dan.

I mean, even before the morning lines came out 7 minutes before

this show I thought the two of them absolutely stood out.

I'm not mad Maryland. I promise you got a good last

race in the sequence. I'm not mad.

But no, the I I agree with Dan. I I don't know how other people

feel about this but I love a horse coming out of a maiden win

watching horses put it together but especially a horse that wins

on 1st asking. I think both of them are very

good. I I frankly don't know a lot

about the Linda Rice trade reconcile in this spot coming

down. I do like that she's booked

Rodriguez here in Maryland to do you know, for them out here.

I think that's a good idea here. In this case, I was going to ask

is there any chance because he is making the trip, gosh, I'm

trying to remember, oh someone's coming down from New York for

the day and I'm forgetting who it was that I saw in one of

these races if he was going to get more more mounts anywhere

else. But anyways, oh, thank you.

Yes. And so I do think, I do think

the two of them are the ones to beat.

The only other horse that I would look at in here is coming

out of that gin talking. It's Ronan Goddess.

Maybe she runs a little bit better this time at six furlongs

than she did at 7:00. But otherwise, I do think it's

those two horses that are going to make up your winners for this

one. Hey, John, before you tell us

about this race, Brittany Russell really just had like a

breakout year last year. I mean, she almost had double.

She almost had more in earnings last year than all her previous

campaigns combined. I think I mean pretty close to

it. Yeah, yeah.

But you're getting better every year.

As you mentioned, a group best campaign, in fact, the leading

trainer in all of Maryland with 119 victories.

And in fact, there's a bit of you all female trainers in

Maryland, Brittany had a great season.

Lacey Gordat finished sixth in the four standings end of the

season on an absolute here Kerry Brianna also had a great end to

her season. She ended up like 10th in the

law of four standings and in fact 10 women finished in the

top 50 in the in the training standings.

No other track in the country really came close to that most.

So it's really a hotbed for female trainings here in the

Mid-Atlantic. Love to see you you've been.

At this you've been at this longer than I have in, you know,

certainly in more detail. Was last year the best year for

female trainers ever between her, Linda Rice and Jenna

Antonucci? I would have to imagine.

I mean, as I and as I alluded to, that's been kind of a

tradition of great female trainers in the Midland is

continuing again and it really helped.

I mean Greedy really hit a ground running.

I thought she had her first winner back in 2018 had a lot of

big clients kind of out-of-the-box and and as the

stable keeps growing and growing she she has done a great job

managing them and it could culminate with the big weekend

as as as I mentioned she's very promising voices both Saturday

and Sunday and circling back to the extra heat.

I I do like your voice quite a bit in there, but I am going to

try to beat her with somebody else.

Go for it. And that being the other I was

setting myself up. There I was with the other hammy

Smith trainee #5CC Royal also for men's Grill racing.

Fox ran really well second time out back in the 8th and Broken

Maiden going away after racing on the pace worldwide stretched

out from 5 1/2 furlongs to a mile.

Last time out might have been bad flow.

Too much of her still head off for the lead.

Held on pretty well in fact ran the best of anyone who was on

that pace. Finished third behind the very

promising Maryland red Sheila's work like who is not in today.

However we could see who in in the wide country next month.

Now CC world cuts back from a mile 26 furlongs.

I think this is this is what she wants to do.

I think it is kind of a the risk of getting caught up in a duel

with reconcile and she has shown some tactical speed earlier in

in in her career. I think if Victor Carrasco, who

has written her all three times, is patient and sits just off the

pace it, it could work out in your favor.

All right, there we go. We're going to move on to Race

9, which is an allowance optional claiming race.

And if you know anything about this show, I usually try to get

quick picks on allowance, optional claiming races, but

this might be the greatest allowance, optional claiming

race of 2024 up to this point. Let's just go with that.

So and you're going to see names that you're going to know for

sure. You know, I think like if you

did, if you followed the show last year, John P Isaac was

literally selling coffee with Chris sweatshirts out of the

back of his car. He has plenty of them left over.

I think they're three for a dollar right now.

We got many people. Penny at this point.

Who is the greatest hockey player of all time?

I don't even know who that Wayne Gretzky guy is.

And we got Joe. Little bit of dreams with you,

by the way, on that one. That's not even a question for

Dan. Hill of.

Course what? Are we doing you're a Rangers

guy, right? I mean, I mean, Gretzky was

fine. I mean, he had something called

grit, right? That's what I like, you know,

Grit, desire. I mean, some pretty boy comes

out there with his 99. I don't know, not impressed.

Thank you. Not impressed?

Yeah. Hockey talk of.

All day long. What about that?

And we got two of these horses up for a claiming price with

Outlier and Yodel. Yodel, which is another great

name. So listen, this is this is the

one of the greatest optional claiming races of all time.

Louie, who do you have? I love this, though, because

we've been doing these Maryland shows long enough that if you've

listened to this show for the last couple of years, you know

Kofi. You know how this feels.

You know these horses. I'm serious.

You know, Yoda, I think Daniel's given that horse out on this

show, I mean. He has, you know it's.

It's it's that kind of race, and it's one of those that, you

know, if you start to really pay attention to circuits, you get

to know the horses that are in these races.

I was a little surprised to see the short price on Messier here

at 7:00 to 5:00. However, look, you see the class

here, the answer is probably is Dutrow just taking in horses

right now and just running them off the off the page against

everyone. That's also true.

So if Messier wins here, I wouldn't be surprised.

I know John's got a a longer price horse in here that he's

excited about. I love horses that win and a

horse that's already won this year and he's coming down from

Parks. We think out of the man the

Mancia barn is, is Martini Martin the Five.

Can he keep that win streak going?

I'm not so sure against the horse of the quality of a

Messier, but if I was looking outside of Messier, I would

probably look at him. The only, I mean, he sets you

up, you got to go. I do want to say I love coffee

with Chris very much. He's outrun his pedigree no

matter what he does for the rest of his life and want me to take

deep shot that in Tom, John, everybody.

I love you guys very much. As Louis alluded to, I am fading

messier here. I mean you know he was very

good. That was two years ago.

I mean that Bob Lewis win was two years ago next week.

Since then he really has not come especially close to

winning. I mean, yes, he did run well in

in in in Santonio Derby but ever since then it's been one kind of

mediocre effort after another. People are going to bet him

because it's going to be a lot of folks at OTBS half paying

attention, being like hey Miss yay, I know that horse and

betting him I do like that's kind of A2 horse racing here.

I like Martini Martin quite a bit in a nice story.

I think a $6000 purchase at auction by Mike Chefries a a big

local owner who is quite the character.

Hopefully you too get to meet him on this week because he's

great focus man for a $25,000 tag back in October at Delaware

Park and ever since then he's been climbing up the class

ladder with brutal efficiency and he's won pretty impressively

every time. I mean, he's come from off the

pace in some cases, pretty far off the pace, one going away

each time. His figures keep getting better

and better. He's answered every class test

with authority. Last time out at a post on New

Year's Day, he faced second level foes for the first time.

Those kind of races can be kind of tough, but he But he answered

the question, rallied and won by a length.

I think he should be hard to hold on here.

I also want to give a shout out to #4 shafts bullet for Larry

Fowler and Gil Capuano. Larry Brady aforementioned

intrepid Daydream running at at Gulfstream on Saturday.

Someone had kind of a tough trip in his last starts taking off a

long layoff got caught wide. Every step kind of faded late.

We ran huge. First off off, layoff in a

start, fire close pretty well. Christmas behind Magic Michael,

who at the time was in great form.

This one should just keep getting better with more races

under his belt. I'm just going to look at this

race completely different. I think Messier shoots and

scores. I think he's still can run.

His last race was his first start off of a long layoff.

They ran him on synthetic sprinting and that's just not

his game at all. Plus, adding the fact that he

kind of hit the game at the start was in behind horses most

of the way. It was a good run from him off

the layoff. He galloped out.

Well, this distance is what he wants and I think if he shows up

with his usual a race, he's going to win.

I agree with what John said about chaff's bullet.

He might be my other horse in the race simply because he ran

so big off that long layoff. I just think he bounced last

time out. He's been given a little bit of

time. I'm expecting him to to run a

lot better as well. But I I think Messier's last

race on synthetic showed he could still step.

He's now with Dutrow I I just think he's the class of this

field. I'm sure as we speak, Dave

Rodman is crafting his hockey punt for and messier was he.

He takes this stuff very seriously.

Dude, still one of our like six or seven most popular episodes

ever is when we had him on and he just started telling New

Orleans stories. I mean, good God, holy hell.

I mean, it was great. And then uncomfortable and then

great again. It was awesome, yeah.

It's kind of funny, 'cause, you know, if you think of him as so

much in a Maryland guy, I I mean, he's been calling for 30

plus years that you forget that he's a New Orleans native and

called for a while at Louisiana Downs.

I'm I'm very excited to go to this particular mistakes.

Not necessarily just because it's I wanted to hear who you

all think's going to win. But mainly I really just want to

know who John Piazzak's Fangirl Horse of the Year is going to be

for. You know who's going to be his

new pop. That's what I And so this is

what I'm this is, this is what I'm doing.

I came, I came out of my freaking bedroom and woke up

after a three month long nap to come back for this moment right

here, John, this is the spectacular Bid Stakes.

It's $100,000, Race 7 for a launch for three-year olds that

are on that Preakness trail. Who do you like?

Top pick is #4 Copper tacks. Not too creative, but I think he

he's going to be tough and circling all the way back to to

the Aqueduct bias talk he ran in the Remsen last time out.

His second started around two turns, clearly a class test.

And much like Senior Bouscador, he really had no chance.

The way that was played out. I mean, as we've said many

times, that track was playing toward speed horses on the rail.

He was wide, just about every step from off.

The pace unsurprisingly faded, lost by 14 lengths.

Gary Capriana gave him rest of December off, he said four good

workouts, including a mild drill on Tuesday in 145 Fast 6

workers, I believe, all of whom work Capriana trainings, because

that's one of his specialty. His working horses a mile, I

mean his. He got that.

Remsen and his other races had buried this.

I mean he ran big in in the James Lewis overcame some

trouble to win by a neck Weigold who the 2nd that day came back

to win at bullshit next time won some other races at Delaware by

open lengths. I think he's going to be be very

tough as long as he doesn't hit too much trouble and the horse I

want to point out in here has a bit of a long shot if you want

to try to beat the favorite. His number 7, Sweet Saudi J and

as obscure as copper taxes form is kind of by that last start.

I mean sweet Saudi JS form has been completely good, good.

He's been trying a lot of spots maybe a little bit over his

head. He was in the drone last time

out, didn't really handle the track I think and and was

well-being his well-being in his prior tried aqueduct in the

champagne. But I think Laurel is where he

wants to be. He ran really well in the heft 2

starts back cut the corner well, finally changed leads.

One going away. Redford well I thought two in

the James Lewis and may well have have won that race too had

he changed leads. His two best figures have come

on this track. He gets back here he gets a

Bowser back in the saddle. I talked to rake into for a

magazine story earlier this month.

He says a boss fits that horse very well and I'm kind of hoping

maybe betters don't believe because of those bad races, but

but if his best self shows up, I think he is by far the most

likely one to be copper tax. I'm expecting, I'm expecting the

135 to scratch out of here considering the conversations I

had with the trainers. I agree with John that copper

tax is the horse to be the morning line, can't be right.

I mean, copper tax is going to be the favorite in this race.

Everything he said about the Remsen is absolutely true.

Inside track, he's 4 wide throughout.

He actually gets checked a little bit on the turn and he's

running at the end. That distance is probably a

little bit too far for him. I just think he's the best one

right now. I do think Mission Beach, the

number 2, is going to give him a little bit of a fight for

Brittany Russell. However, I talked to Brittany, I

talked to both of the trainers. Gary's very worried about the

race track with copper tacks, especially coming off a little

bit of a freshening because after the Remsen, he said he

sent the horse to the farm for about two or three weeks to sort

of wind down, got some works into him to get him back to

seven furlongs. That's why I breezed her a mile,

to try to get a little fitness into him.

But I think he's worried about the track.

They haven't been able to do anything with him, Brittany said

he had. She got all the work done with

Mission Bitch, the beach she needed.

I think Mission Beach, his last race was pretty good, all things

considering. The goal, Brittany told me, was

we want to teach this horse at a rate, but on the lead in all

three starts, rated finished distance is going to be the

source's friends getting another prolonged to work with.

I think eventually he might overtake copper tax.

I think on Saturday copper tax gets the better of it.

And he No. I will say based on Dan's

comments, I think it's not impossible that Brittany has her

post Preakness Starto with Mission with Mission Beach.

I think of this group, he is most likely to enter the gate on

the 1st Saturday in May. Yeah.

I mean Son of curling all the all the the numbers make sense

for that horse to be ready when we get to that point in in May.

I wanted to ask neither of you have mentioned the morning line

favor here. Is it Guinard?

Guinara. I I apologize.

Dan are you are you looking at him is is Dutrow going to ship?

I assume he is right. I'm assuming he's going to come

down for this race. It just seems like a really good

spot when you look at his last buyer speed figure.

I mean he runs that 88. All of a sudden he has a major,

major threat in this race. You see the change in form since

Tutro has taken over 2 very, very impressive wins and perhaps

most importantly 1 / a wet track.

So this sort of says good tactical speed and I think with

some of the scratches taking the speeds out, it allows the source

to stay closer to the pace and I think that will raise his

confidence level a little bit. It's obviously a huge step up in

class, but if you're a figure player instead of a class

player, then all of a sudden this horse is right there.

If not the fastest horse in the race, it's.

Going to be interesting to see just the year for Rick Dutrow.

I mean I think it's going to be really just fascinating to

watch. Does he build back that trust

level and start getting some really big time horses,

especially horses who maybe have underperformed from other

trainers because he seems to have that, that magic touch

right now, you know and but. Dan, have you been surprised by

that? No, he's.

Been away for a long. You're not.

OK, OK. I I've been see, I've seen

Dutrow for a for a for years and years and years before the

suspension and I've seen this before it.

You know he he improves horses. I say what you will you can

question whether what's going on behind the scenes.

You can question whether he's a great horse and the bottom line

is he has success. He moves horses up.

White Mario we saw trained by a very good trainer, Sappy Joseph.

Dutra moved the source up. He's moved Gwinnare up so far.

So no, I'm not surprised at all. I think he's going to continue

to get good horses. We saw Messier here.

Who knows? I I'm expecting if he stays out

of trouble, he's going to have a pretty big year.

I mean, it's kind of interesting to me.

He's, he's hit the board in 10 out of 14 starts this year

already. You know, I think 14 starts.

This point's a little low. Hasn't even had a steak starter

yet. So this, I don't know.

This might be his first steak starter of the year.

So we'll we'll have to see what happens with Dutch Row.

But I imagine he could go a long way of just kind of rebuilding

that barn. So, Louie, who do you like in

this one? Yeah, I I I mean, I like the

throats horse here. I mean I I'm not going to lie

like I I'm a I'm a figure guy in this race and not a class guy in

this race. I'll put it that way.

I I'm fascinated by and how they're handling sweet Saudi J

and the quick turn around up shipping up to New York running

that race. Can he settle back in and be the

horse that we've seen. John talked about it his best

runs are at Laurel. Will he like the track again

coming back is the surface different enough You know in his

case unfortunately for him not to like it on Saturday I simply

don't know. I'm just I'm fascinated by how

they've handled him and and I'm I'm almost rooting for him

because he runs so much, right. I mean it's it's one of those.

Where? You know I don't want to say

that you know you don't want to quote UN quote root for horses I

guess but who cares also. But yeah just I love how they

handle the horse how much he runs seems to be ready to go all

the time. I I'm with you guys.

I don't think that Jerome had anything to do in that case with

anything except he was just he was done.

I mean it just at some point that start was bad enough he

just and Kendrick did the right thing and pulled him up and all

that stuff and dropped him out and all that.

So I I'm less worried about that.

I'm interested there. But I do think Guinari is the.

Is the is the class here? All right, well, there's, you

know, be sure to tune in, watch a great day of racing.

Might be a Laurel, might not. We'll have to just kind of see

what happens. Well, we do have to.

Do the last race here because. Oh, my fault, I forgot the race

11. Oh, you're right, the last race

here because they they carted nine horses here plus one.

And I, I made a comment, but if we get these higher level races,

we're definitely going to talk about them.

So there you go. How about that?

Plus, by the way, reminder kids play the pick 5.

Not the pick four. Play the pick 5.

The takeout rate is way better. Play the pick 5. $27,000 purse

is a mile for maidens, Phillies. Who are three-year olds?

Old Louie. Who'd you like here?

Irish rage. I mean, I.

At some point I have to go back to the Brittany Russell well and

I think it might be in this race with the 9 horse.

A bunch of different starts gets a bit of a layoff here.

Ran last time at Timonium in a maiden special weight at 6 1/2

furlongs. For those of you not familiar

with Timonium that's A5 turn race and so coming back I think

it's going to be a little bit better.

Laurel for that horse. I I would lean there.

I wouldn't think about this race too much.

I think you know there's a first time starter in here that I I

don't think is is in here to win this race.

I think it's just in here to get its legs underneath it in the

seven horse design diva out of the Trombetta barn.

Otherwise, do you take the coupled entry?

Maybe if they both run? I don't know, but I would

probably lean pretty heavily out breaking in the spot.

You get the the ever so popular South Carolina bread, which I

don't know how many. What's Who's the greatest South

Carolina? Bread.

He's an interesting guy, actually.

Swaying to and fro, of course, last year by the finishing

winner Who Who's I was back on the work tab.

Hopefully she'll be back soon. I mean, if you want a story,

that's a story. A South Carolina bred $16,000

claim ends up being a great stakes winner.

Here's something for you. There you go.

All right. Who do you like here?

John I do like Brittany's horse quite a bit of trouble dreams

but obviously Brittany horses get over bet so any chance I I

can't pick against them I take it I am to pick a #2 no walk in

the park on top for Keon McGee and Martino Rojas who's been

doing who I thought pretty well at the fall meet with who bug.

A lot of these are coming out of the same race at Lowell on

January 7th at this condition on a wet track which you might see

here and no walk in the park. I thought ran the best out of

any of them. Lost to an odds on a favorite

determine blue who's much the best a mess much the best that

day no walk in the park we're out very well from off the pace

got a clear cut second improved. You figure from we start two

starts back now it gets a little more distance so best crew race

came at 7 furlongs. Think she'll do just as well.

Go on a mile. I think Trouble Dreams is 9:00

to 5:00 in the morning line. No, Walk in the park is 6 to 1.

Think that'll be a nice press. I also think the aforementioned

designer design diva will get bet a lot.

But as you alluded to, Mike Trombetta really doesn't fire

with first time starters. He does a lot better second and

third time out, but they always get bet because they're

Trombetta's and Jamie Rodriguez says the Mount all fade who It's

no walk in the park on top, hopefully in a walk in the park.

I'm fading the favorite in here, the horse on the outside.

I mean, she's going to be a pretty heavy favorite, but she's

also plunging in class. She's lost 3 * 4 * 3 to one or

less, and now she's stretching out to a mile for the first

time. There are a lot of unknowns

there, and it's not like she has such a tremendous edge over this

field that I think she's a lot. I mean, it's been shocked for me

and most of these other legs. I think Irish Rage is a horse

I'm going to concentrate on. Forest Boys is one of the most

popular horses jockeys in Maryland.

She's closing in on 1000, lifetime time wins, Irish wage,

getting Lasik for the first time.

Source broke well last time at they just got out run behind a

really fast pace going 5 1/2 furlong.

She had to steady turning into the stretch in behind horses got

the split ran on at the end. I think there's just enough

pedigree for her to last the one turn mile and if there's some

pace, I mean Forrest is going to have Irish range out in the

clear and rolling. And we'll say this too, about

troubled dreams. Just one quick anecdote is the

horse that she lost to Actimonium.

Last out is Maryland bread named Lily Lightning.

And I remember that race because Little Lightning, trained by

Ronnie Jenkins, owned by Mrs. Ellen Charles, who you know are

very well liked people in the region.

And after that race I was saying to Frank Vespy like, you know,

hey, like good for Ronnie, good for this is Charles.

It's nice. Philly, hopefully she does well

and Frank was kind of like, yeah, I don't know if she's

going to be much and she has not been much.

So Frank was almost done from there there.

You go. But she got the win.

That's what counts there. You.

Go Well, it's great to be back for our special Pimlico races.

Look forward to the next one. We'll see you guys in a couple

weeks. Thank you all so much for

joining us. Always a pleasure.

Good luck, good luck on. Good luck on Saturday well.

Let hang on, hang on. Hang on, hang on.

Let's let people pub what they're doing.

Dan, I'm sure you got Pegasus. Probably already kind of did

that, but OK, go ahead. He's on DRF.

We should. Go to it because it's better

than this all. Sorts of Pegasus video stuff.

Daily racing form, YouTube channel, Latest on Laurel,

including race previews and recaps at DRF under score.

Dan Uhlman, that's where you find me.

He'll be out of revolt. With Ashley Maylou instead of

instead of our guy beer, which I this show does not like.

You keep the beer in your life. You understand me, Dan Ellman?

I'm with. He's a light beer with some of

his picks lately. Oh man.

Well, hopefully Messier shoots and scores for you, my friend.

There it is. Johnny will pub your stuff.

Yeah, find me on Twitter. As you can see at they're off

professionally I'm at Maryland TV.

I'm at Maryland TB on Instagram as well Facebook.

Find us at Maryland Thoroughbred and Maryland Voice Foundation.

A lot of great stuff going on in Maryland Dred World over the

last few months. If you're in the area, lots of

cool stuff going on at at the Maryland Voice Library and

Education Center. Visit marylandvoice.com/library

and learn more. As I mentioned, have the

clothing drive going on, not have the career program in the

hop. Lots of cool stuff coming up on

social media including our ever popular full pictures because

everybody loves baby horses and folks here in Maryland always

love posting pictures of the newborns.

So a lot of good stuff coming up.

And once again that is at Maryland TB on our Twitter and

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Facebookers, Hey. Dave.

John, John. No only thing for you.

He's he's got that feat website first now hey, the for for your

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Can't touch us here and we'll help coordinate shipping.

Thank you all. Right.

Awesome. All right, guys, we're done.

For real this time. Zach, play us out maybe.

Is he here? He's there.

I'm. I'm hearing the music in the

background, you know it's going good.

We'll see you guys next time on the Horse Racing Happy Hour.