Races of the Week

May 17

Pimlico - Preakness Stakes (G1)
TV: HRTV - Preakness Stakes - Pimlico
Track Reports

May 17

Pimlico - Dixie Stakes (G2)
TV: HRTV - Dixie Stakes - Pimlico
Track Reports

---

Purchase PPs

Subscribers: Click here to purchase.
Non-Subscribers: Click here to purchase.

---

Free contest

Public Handicapper is a free, national handicapping contest. Every weekend you have the opportunity to handicap four races, going head-to-head against thousands of handicappers from all over the U.S. and Canada. The top three finishers go to Vegas for the DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship! Click here to play!

---

Current weather

Pimlico

---

Last week's races

May 10
Lone Star Derby - Lone Star
Past Performances
Official Chart
Race Replay

May 10
Peter Pan Stakes - Belmont Park
Past Performances
Official Chart
Race Replay

---

Race analysis

Lone Star - Lone Star Derby (G3)
By MARY RAMPELLINI

1. Samba Rooster 2. El Gato Malo 3. My Pal Charlie

SAMBA ROOSTER is a quick horse who is appealing for both his speed and company lines. He made his stakes debut last out in the Grade 2 Lexington at Kee and finished second by a length to Behindatthebar, who is headed to the Preakness. One start earlier, SAMBA ROOSTER met Preakness possible Harlem Rocker in a first-level allowance at GP, and finished second to him by three-quarters of a length. Following that race, Harlem Rocker won the Grade 3 Withers at Aqu with a Beyer Figure of 106. Further adding to SAMBA ROOSTER's appeal is the fact that he is proven on dirt, having won his maiden at GP. In addition, his trainer, Bob Baffert, won the LS Derby in 1997 with Anet and again in 2006 with Wanna Runner. EL GATO MALO is making his conventional dirt debut. Like that he is a three-time winner meeting some less experienced rivals, and that he was the favorite last out in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. EL GATO MALO finished fifth after racing farther back than usual, and he might get a stalking trip here, behind SAMBA ROOSTER and LEONIDES, a sprint stakes winner stretching out. MY PAL CHARLIE, who was second in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in March, has natural speed, and could get a nice stalking trip Saturday. "He's a first-wave type horse," said his trainer, Al Stall Jr. "If the pace is slow, he can be up on it. If it's really fast, he can stalk it a little bit." MY PAL CHARLIE is a full brother to Grade 2 winner Bwana Charlie ($388K), and a half-brother to Grade 3 winner Bwana Bull ($526K). GOLDEN YANK is a three-time winner who can be closer to the pace than he found himself last out in the Grade 2 Arkansas Derby, while LEONIDES is out of a half-sister to Grade 2 winner North East Bound. TEXAS WILDCATTER can make a real impact with a repeat of his runner-up finish to Visionaire in the Grade 3 Gotham in March.

---

A Closer Look

Lone Star - Lone Star Derby (G3)
By BYRON KING

Limestone Edge: This one has shown promise in his four-race career, winning a pair of starts, both of synthetic tracks; interesting that Hess takes a shot here, trying him in stakes company on dirt, but this one did work a fast 5f over the CD dirt course; still favoring those with more stakes experience.

El Gato Malo: This is clearly a talented runner, as he has shown by winning his firstt three starts and placing second in the Sham to Colonel John; a little discouraged by his flat performance as the chalk in the SA Derby and now blinkers come on; yet to race on a dirt track; one thing to keep in mind - sire El Corredor has much better synthetic stats than dirt stats in 2007-2008; so there is a chance for regression.

Golden Yank: Connections backed off on him after the Delta Jackpot, and the freshening seemed to dull him somewhat; his two efforts at OP were pretty ordinary; like that he is making his third start off a layoff, often a peak race for a horse; picks up Berry and seems ready for his best race of the year.

Poni Colada: This one has blossomed over the past six months or so, winning two stakes in New Mexico and just missing the Northern Spur; is a possible bounce candidate off that career-best performance; versatile running style is a plus; should offer value for those with faith.

King's Silver Son: Turned in a very flat effort in the Arkansas Derby, one of the quicker Derby preps this year; he likely bounced off his fine 3rd in the Rebel; granted, in the rebel he took advantage of a hot pace that set up his closing rally; has been prone to seconds; minor award expected.

Texas Wildcatter : Bombed in the Wood, finishing eighth after making a backstretch move; recorded a nice work at Churchill Derby week, and that's a track over which he was not particularly sharp when racing there in November of last year; gave Visionaire all he wanted two back, and earned a better figure than the winner on Thorograph for having raced wide (a 0); that strong effort made him one of the favorites in the Wood; stalking style should play well here; choice to bounce back at a price.

Ide Like a Double: Forget that he is a La-bred; this is a pretty quick horse; he won a very fast Crescent City Derby at Fair Grounds and was a respectable third in the Northern Spur in a race in which he figured to regress; those value searching may find him of interest.

Isabull: All things considered, his race in the Arkansas Derby was pretty good considering he chased a fast pace; this horse seems more comfortably when allowed to settle a bit more; is battled tested against a number of nice 3YOs, such as Sierra Sunset, Denis of Cork and Liberty Bull; has just a single win to his credit but still looms a major player.

Samba Rooster: His raced in the Lexington was a beauty; he set an insane pace and kept fighting to the wire to hold second; interesting that Baffert adds blinkers; his Lexington followed a fast runner-up finish at GP, a race that inspired his current connections to purchase him; strong chance, but likely to get pounded by players impressed by how well he ran setting a hot pace in his latest.

Leonides: Faces a tough task in his first route, given that there is plenty of speed in this field; in other words, he is probably going to end up chasing fast splits; respect that this is an hontest colt proven over a dirt surface (TuP); still prefer others that have already routed.

My Pal Charlie: Outperformed expectations in the La Derby by running second to Pyro but could not keep up in an Arkansas Derby that was run fast from start to finish; would expect Theriot to place him in a tracking position, not wanting to go head to head with Samba Rooster; threat.

Fort Apache: Has a home track edge, having won an allowance race here - as a maiden; that tells how highly he is regarded by his connections; he faced some very good maidens at Fair Grounds, which explains why he was winless coming into that allowance; lacking stakes experience, siding with others.

Real Appeal: Raced wide and was pretty much eased in the Illinois Derby; so it is an encouraging sign that Amoss goes looking for a big stake like this; this colt worked nicely Apr. 29 and must be giving him the signs that he is ready to return to peak form.

---

Race analysis

Belmont Park - Peter Pan Stakes (G1)
By DAVE LITFIN

1. Casino Drive 2. Golden Spikes 3. Cosmic

Evidently, all of Japan knew about CASINO DRIVE first time out, because he was 1-5 in a 13-horse maiden race (with a $125,000 purse!) and won by the length of the stretch in hand; has found a soft Grade 2 containing no U.S. stakes winners. GOLDEN SPIKES removed blinkers and held on well in the Illinois Derby over a track that was carrying speed quite well; has subsequently trained well for dangerous ship-in trainer, should argue the early fractions with MINT LANE, and possibly with Casino Drive as well. Should a pace meltdown occur, COSMIC is on a good figure pattern after matching his Beyer top to begin this form cycle, and has never taken a backward step on the numbers over a wide variety of footing.

---

A Closer Look

Belmont Park - Peter Pan Stakes (G1)
By STEVE GRABOWSKI

Casino Drive: Hyped Japanese invader crushed his debut field on the engine back in February; kin to the past two Belmont winners, Jazil and Rags to Riches, he's out to prove that he's worthy of a shot to run his dam's streak to 3 in that storied heat; spots these experience, but the field came up rather light on competition and his recent drill in which he dusted his stablemate indicates he'll take to the local main track just fine; have to think he'll be better with this one behind him, but he looks to be a huge threat today.

Tomcito: Third place finish in his North American debut looks better and better as Big Brown progresses and the Lexington effort can be excused due to the synthetic surface; late runner has returned to work sharply and that could be key as he'll need to stay in touch with a field that doesn't contain a whole bunch of speed; today could be the day he delivers.

Mint Lane: Just missed lasting in Pimlico's Tesio after making all the pace; he'll cut back to one turn after enjoying all of his success at two turns; not much speed in here so we'd expect he'll be sent hard and he does lure Coa; factors on the front end.

Deputyville: Makes his local debut following a decent effort behind Mint Lane; could be set for a breakthrough type effort, but he catches a field without much speed and that may cause him trouble on the turn back; looking elsewhere.

Spark Candle: Second half of the Japanese contingent also possesses a regal pedigree, but he's clearly second fiddle to his entrymate as their Wednesday worked proved; maybe the blinkers help improve his stamina, but wouldn't expect much out of him other than a possible pace presence.

Golden Spikes: Chased Recapturetheglory around the track at Hawthorne and that guy came back to run well in the Kentucky Derby; settled for second in that one and now he'll get Prado for his local debut; looks as if he prefers a target and he should get it in Mint Lane, but his bigger efforts have come two turning and he'll attempt a different configuration today.

Ready's Echo: Lightly raced Pletcher runner tries stakes company for the initial time; like the fact that his late kick has continued regardless of trip or pace and he worked an excellent 5/8s for this at Keeneland on Derby day; expecting a big effort and he could offer some value.

Cosmic: Didn't think he beat too much last time and he was hard used to do it; maybe he's better with that one behind him, but have the feeling he's a much better two turn animal; he's obviously in top form and would pose a threat if ready to take a step forward, but we'd prefer to side with others.

Fast Talking: Late contact didn't help any, but he was struggling late behind a couple of these in the Tesio; interesting to see if they send him like two back at Laurel, if he couldn't make the lead from the rail last time he's probably have a difficult time doing so from here; tough task in this spot.