Tesio win could send Coffeewithchris to Preakness
?q=100)
It’s easy to root for Coffeewithchris, a $2,000 yearling that dances every dance.
Coffeewithchris might earn a trip to the Preakness in Saturday’s $125,000 Federico Tesio Stakes for 3-year-olds at Laurel Park. The winner of the 1 1/8-mile Tesio automatically receives a Preakness entry if the horse is nominated to the Triple Crown, and trainer John Salzman Jr. said “if he wins it [Tesio], then I’m probably going to look at the Preakness.”
Coffeewithchris makes his seventh consecutive stakes appearance. He has hit the board in his last five, including victories in the Heft on Dec. 30 and the Miracle Wood on Feb. 18.
Although the beaten favorite in his initial two-turn attempt, the 1 1/16-mile Private Terms on March 18, Salzman was pleased.
“I didn’t like the post position [eight of eight], and it could have cost me the race,” he said. “I was five wide. You’ve got to use your horse a little more than you’d normally have to use him. He was up there closer than we probably wanted.”
Coffeewithchris drew the rail Saturday.
“I think the one-hole will be fine,” Salzman said. “I have enough natural speed that I think he’ll get into the turn, and we’ll save ground.”
Distance questions have swirled since Day One, but Salzman is hopeful Coffeewithchris lasts the trip.
“The other day, when that horse [Hayes Strike] got by him, he could have folded up, but he didn’t,” Salzman said. “My horse never quit. He’s not showing signs he won’t go long.”
Trainer Brittany Russell counters with Prince of Jericho and Circling the Drain. Prince of Jericho finished second to Coffeewithchris in the Heft, got the better of him in the Spectacular Bid on Jan. 21, then dropped the rubber match after a tough Miracle Wood trip. The Tesio is Prince of Jericho’s first try around two turns.
Circling the Drain ran well in his stakes debut when third in the Private Terms. A long-striding horse, he’s already won twice at 1 1/16 miles.
Ninetyprcentmaddie earned a career-best 86 Beyer when wiring the City of Brotherly Love on March 6 at Parx Racing, despite remaining on his left lead in the stretch.
“He’s a horse that’s gaining confidence,” trainer Butch Reid said.
Summer Cause and Perform ship up from Florida after facing quality 3-year-olds during the fall and winter.
Trained by Christophe Clement, Summer Cause graduated going nine furlongs on Feb. 26 at Gulfstream Park. Three starts back, he was only beaten five lengths by Tapit Trice in a maiden race at Aqueduct.
"He's an improving type, but he's always trained like a horse that wants to go long," Clement said. "It's an ambitious spot."
Perform, conditioned by Shug McGaughey, grabbed his two-turn debut in a maiden special weight on March 11 at Tampa Bay Downs. In his prior start, he finished fourth to Mage going seven furlongs.
“He was a little bit of a disappointment, but we took him over to Tampa and got him back off the pace and got two turns into him,” McGaughey said. “He ran a pretty darn good race and I like the 1 1/8 miles.”
Time to Cruise, Fletcher, and Eldest Son complete the field.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.