Illman: How I'd play Santa Anita for Saturday, April 2
DRF handicapper Dan Illman outlines his strategy for playing Saturday's card at Santa Anita.
Dan IllmanApr 01, 2016
DRF handicapper Dan Illman outlines his strategy for playing Saturday's card at Santa Anita.
Saturday is the signature day of the Turfway Park meeting, highlighted by the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes, a race that will award 50 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner. Dan Illman and I already have previewed the pick four (available on drf.com/videos) consisting of races 7-10, but here I’ll break down the final three races of that sequence.
BreezeFigs Quick-Pix for Saturday, April 2nd by Bob Fierro and Jay Kilgore.
Upon examining the past performances of Saturday's Grade 3 Spiral Stakes at Turfway, I initially turned my attention away from Jensen toward other horses. Then trainer Larry Jones talked me into supporting him.
Saturday is the biggest day of the year at Gulfstream Park, with a special renewal of the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby topping a card that also includes seven other stakes, six of them graded. And what makes this edition of the Florida Derby undeniably special is the matchup between two undefeated colts – Mohaymen, the current future-book favorite for the Kentucky Derby, and Nyquist, last year's champion 2-year-old male.
The Florida Derby, the centerpiece of an interesting Gulfstream Park card on Saturday, could very well reveal the Kentucky Derby winner or, at least, the favorite. And we get to see the rare battle of No. 1 seeds before the Final 20.
Brad Free's horses to watch at Santa Anita for the week of March 28.
Dave Litfin's horses to watch at Aqueduct for the week of March 28.
Trip Notes for March 26: Fair Grounds Oaks, Louisiana Derby, Santa Ana and more by Michael Hammersly.
Road to the Derby: United Arab Emirates Derby