DRF Plus Graded Stakes Analysis: Nassau Stakes
DRF Plus analysis for the Nassau Stakes at Woodbine.
Randy GouldingMay 24, 2014
DRF Plus analysis for the Nassau Stakes at Woodbine.
DRF Plus handicapping analysis for Belmont Park on Sunday, May 25.
With a carryover pool approaching $7 million and a 20-cent base ticket price, every card-carrying horseplayer should at least take a little crack at Monday’s mandatory payout of the Rainbow Pick Six at Gulfstream Park.
You can understand if the connections of Ice Cream Truck were getting a bit frustrated, as well as those who had been backing the 4-year-old gelding at the windows the past few months.
After rain late yesterday afternoon and overnight, the main track was being called “good” during training hours, but that is subject to change, as a threat of scattered storms remains.
There was no doubt in 2012 that Snowday had the makings of a quality turf sprinter/miler. The then-2-year-old won a Group 3 in France, and his connections thought enough of him to run in the Group 1 Prix Morny (ninth), Group 1 Grand Criterium (fourth) and Group 2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte (fifth). So, while those waters proved a bit too deep, there was cause for optimism come 2013, and that feeling was buoyed when he came back that April to be a fine second in the Group 3 Prix Djebel.
The Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, and Belmont was hit with a summer squall-like downpour after race 8, which was the last of four turf races on the program.
Trainer Dave Cotey, who campaigned the 2008 Canadian champion 2-year-old, Mine That Bird, unveiled the promising juvenile Her Majesty’s Flag in the second race.
The Grade 3 Hendrie, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, has an intriguing mixture of shippers and local runners. Purely Hot, based at Keeneland with trainer Tevis McCauley, should be favored off a victory in the Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes here April 26, when she benefited from a lively pace to win going away under Chantal Sutherland-Kruse, who picked up the mount at the last minute.
As was the case last week, when the Keertana Stakes was run, turf marathoners are featured Saturday at Churchill Downs with the running of the Grade 3 Louisville Handicap.