Longboat Key, With Council to duel in marathon Starter Handicap
Horses will go around six turns and take roughly 3 1/2 minutes to run two miles in the final leg of the Starter Handicap Series at Northlands Park on Saturday. The marathon, for horses who have started for a claiming price of $8,000 or less in 2014 and haven’t won for $12,500 since they became eligible, drew seven horses. It headlines an eight-race card that begins at 1 p.m. Mountain.
Longboat Key and With Council are the only horses with wins at the distance. Longboat Key won the race in 2012 and finished third as the favorite last year. With Council won it by five lengths last year.
Longboat Key, trained by Robertino Diodoro, could be the favorite. He is coming off an improved effort going 1 5/8 miles on Sept. 6 and appears to be peaking at the right time. Quincy Welch rides the 8-year-old Longboat Key for the first time since October 2009.
With Council is coming off a dull effort in the same race, finishing 13 3/4 lengths back in fifth while making his second start for trainer Eurico Martens, who claimed him for $8,000 on Aug. 4. Jorge Espitia retains the mount.
Wee Billie Wilde, fourth in the race last year, paid $69.80 for his win over Longboat Key on Sept. 6 and is an obvious contender.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Wee Billie Wilde. Trainer Marcos Malavaez is 29-9-1-6 with a $6.17 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
:: Learn more about Formulator | Buy Formulator PPs
:: Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts
KEY CONTENDERS
Longboat Key (Last 3 Beyers: 66-60-60)
◗ We know he can go this far, and he showed more tactical speed when he finished second to Wee Billie Wilde in his latest effort.
Wee Billie Wilde (Last 3 Beyers: 67-58-52)
◗ Trained by Marcos Malvaez, he pulled off a huge upset over Longboat Key in his last start with Jose Guerrero aboard in the previous leg of the series. If he can repeat his surprising performance, he could be tough to handle.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, Malvaez has won with 13 percent of his starters who won their previous race.
:: Learn more about Formulator | Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts
With Council (Last 3 Beyers: 52-58-53)
◗ He could do some damage if Espitia can get him into a striking position early. Last year, he came from a stalking position in his five-length win in his only try going around six turns.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Election Vow. Trainer Craig Smith is 9-6-2-1 with a $15.85 ROI over the past two years removing blinkers. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Walcott to ride at Remington
Leading rider Rico Walcott isn’t riding at Northlands on Saturday. Instead, he will be traveling to Remington Park, where he will ride the last two winners of the Grade 3 Canadian Derby, Edison and Broadway Empire, on Sunday.
Broadway Empire, who won the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby last year, will try turf for the first time in the $100,000 Remington Green Stakes. Edison will attempt to give Diodoro and Walcott a second straight win in the Oklahoma Derby.