Weekend Warrior for April 26: Picks for Snow Chief, Texas Mile, San Francisco Mile

Not surprisingly, the Saturday before the Kentucky Derby finds a relatively quiet U.S. stakes schedule. There are three Grade 3 events – the $200,000 Texas Mile at Lone Star, the $150,000 Derby Trial at Churchill Downs, and the $100,000 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate.

Snow Chief Stakes

Tamarando is the marquee performer in this headliner of the California Gold Rush card at Santa Anita, which includes four other stakes that are also essentially for California-breds.

Last year, Tamarando won the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity and the open Real Quiet Stakes and finished third in two other Grade 1 races. And before an uncharacteristically dull effort in the Spiral Stakes last time out, Tamarando was solid in his first two starts this year. He was easily second-best in the California Cup Derby in his 3-year-old debut to California Chrome, the clear-cut favorite for the Kentucky Derby. Two starts back, Tamarando won the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby over Dance With Fate, who came back to win the Grade 1 Blue Grass in his next start.

[California Gold Rush: Get PPs, watch Saturday's card live]

Obviously, Tamarando is taking a massive class drop by moving back in with statebreds, and he might make a show of this field. However, this will be Tamarando’s first start on turf. Tamarando’s strong synthetic-track form does bode well for this surface switch, but the fact remains that he will be a short price on footing he has never before raced over. That makes me look for potential alternatives.

Aotearoa will attract support given that he won the open Zuma Beach Stakes and finished second in the Grade 3 Generous Stakes last year. But two dull performances followed by a three-month absence and a return Saturday at a nine-furlong distance he has never been before scare me off.

I’m going with Awesome Return, who has the makings of a nice turf colt. He won his first start on grass late last year and was a creditable third in his next turf outing two starts back in a race that was a slow-paced procession. But it is his fine effort last time out that wins me over.

Awesome Return faced tough, older opponents most recently in a strongly run overnight race and was beaten just a nose. The winner, Christopher Street, and the third-place finisher, Awesome Prospect, are both sharp 4-year-olds. Awesome Return might not be taking anywhere near the kind of class drop that Tamarando is, but moving back in with straight 3-year-olds after facing older horses is a meaningful drop, especially at this time of year. Awesome Return should also like the added distance.

Texas Mile

I have this race down to Taptowne, Grand Contender, and Bourbon Courage. If the Bourbon Courage of late 2012 or early 2013 shows up, this race is over. But I can’t make an excuse for his loss as the favorite last time, and I wonder if he’s as good as he used to be. As for Grand Contender, he’s in raging form, with a stakes win and a pair of second-place finishes in his last three outs, but he will see some early pace pressure here.

Taptowne is my play. Taptowne was a so-so third in the Razorback last time, but that outing had “prep” written all over it, as it was his first start in more than three months. It should be noted that Taptowne won big in his second start back last year and later turned in a series of races that would be good enough to win this. He also projects to sit a sweet stalking trip from close range.

San Francisco Mile

If Horizontalyspeakin or Summer Hit were in this race without the other, either would be tough to catch. But since these two are most effective when they are in control early, they could wind up compromising each other by hooking up in a pace battle.

Tribal Jewel might be able to capitalize on the projected contested pace. Tribal Jewel was game in winning and finishing second sprinting in his first two starts back off an extended absence and now suitably stretches out in distance. He had an excuse in his only prior turf start (long layoff) but should like the footing and should be a square price.