Florida Derby

With the racing world focus their attention on the Dubai World cup, the $1 million Florida Derby is the forgotton race this Saturday.

This year's Florida Derby had drawn an full field of 12 runners for the 1 1/8 miles race. You can get the Past Performances from drf.com.

1. Fierce Wind, 122, Cornelio H. Velasquez
2. Smooth Air, 122, Manoel R. Cruz
3. Da' Tara, 122, Joe Bravo
4. Tomcito, 122, Jorge F. Chavez
5. Cool Gator 122, Eddie Castro
6. Nistle's Crunch, 122, Julien R. Leparoux
7. B B Frank, 122, Javier Castellano
8. Elysium Fields, 122, Eibar Coa
9. Hey Byrn, 122, Jose Lezcano
10. Majestic Warrior, 122, Rene R. Douglas
11. Face the Cat, 122, John R. Velazquez
12. Big Brown, 122, Kent J. Desormeaux

The morning line favorite at 3-1 Big Brown will start at the far outside. Big Brown will probably get bet down by the public at race time base on its 2-2 lifetime record and the average winning margin of 11 length. Big Brown ran a 103 beyer in his last race, one of the highest beyer for this year 3 year old. If he run back to his last race, he will win the derby.

At 12-1 Tomcito is the mystery horse. Tomcito had not race since Nov 17 when it won the Peruvian Derby(G1) at 1 1/2 miles, defeating 3 yrs old while still a 2 year old. Tomcito had won 4 of 5 start in Peru and had been training in Palm Meadows for this race. He fired a bullet in his final work competing 5f in 58 4/5.

Fierce Wind at 6-1 has won 3 in row coming into this race. He defeated Big truck by 1/2 length in the Sam F Davis while racing near the front. Fierce Wind will likely be stalking the pace, the inside will help him to save ground at both turns.

Elysium Fields spot a 1-3-1 record in 5 lifetime starts. He finished 2nd in Fountain of Youth (G2) on Feb 24 , lost to Cool Coal Man by 1/2 length. Elysium Field is very consistant and his trainer Barclay Tagg is one of the best in the business to get his horse ready for the big race.

My main ticket will be an exactor box of Big Brown, Tomcito, Fierce Wind and Elysium Fields. My backup ticket will a trifecta wager with Tomcito to win and Big Brown, Fierce Wind, Elysium Fields, Majectic Warrior and Face the Cat for the other 2 spots.

Dubai World Cup 2008

This Satuarday March 29, 2008, is the 13th running of the world riches horse race - Dubai World cup. Horse of the year Curlin will be the the odd on favorite in a 13 horse field. The 4 year old colt will start in post 12 and he will have to overcome the outside post to win the 2000M race.
Here's a quick look at the pp of each horse and its jockey.

1. Sway Yed, Olivier Peslier
2. Well Armed, Aaron Gryder
3. Happy Boy, Kerrin McEvoy
4. Kocab, Stephane Pasquier
5. Great Hunter, Garrett Gomez
6. Premium Tap, Sebastian Madrid
7. Vermilion, Yutaka Take
8. Jalil, Lanfranco Dettori
9. Asiatic Boy, John Murtagh
10. Lucky Find, Kevin Shea
11. Gloria De Campeao, Christophe Lemaire
12. Curlin, Robby Albarado
13. A. P. Arrow, Ramon Dominguez

Steve Asmussen brought Curlin to Dubai 6 weeks ago to fully acclimate to the weather and the Nad Al Sheba racetrack. Curlin easily won the Feb. 28 Jaguar Cup in his final prep race while coming from behind and racing wide in the strech. There will be no value in picking the winner of this race as I believe Curlin will win it easily.

One of the horse that will be getting alot of public interest is Jalil, Godolphin's main hope with regular jockey Lanfranco Dettori to ride. Jalil is a improving 4 year old and won the round one of the Al Maktoum Challenge earlier this month. The $9.7 million Storm Cat colt is 3 for 3 this winter at Dubai and he is peaking at the right time. If anyone can upset Curln, it will be Jalil.

Vermilion ran 4th in last year edition of the World cup and is coming into this racing in top form. The 6 year old horse won the February Stakes(G1) at Tokyo Racecourse on Feb 24 for his fourth consective win. I was very impress with Vermilion victory in the Japan Dirt cup(G1) last November, his strong closing kick should prvoide an exciting finish.

Asiatic Boy is the wild card of this race. It became the first horse to win the UAE Triple Crown last year when it destroyed the UAE Derby field by 9 1/2 lenght over runner-up Jack Junior. Asiatic Boy won a sprint race in January but only finish 3rd in the Burj Nahaar(G3) on March 6 as his final prep race. Mike de Kock, Asiatic Boy's trainer was aslo suprised by the horse's poor performance but reported the horse is in good heath. If Asiatic Boy can run back to his last year's form, he will be very dangerous.

Last year's runner-up Premium Tap will return for another crack of the top prize. I love Premium Tap in the 2006 Breeder Cup Classic, which he ran 3rd as the 27-1 long shot behind Invasor and Bernardini. Premium Tap will be the forgotten horse in this year's race. He failed to impress and finished forth in his last race, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, a race that he won in 2007. The six year old Pleasant Tap horse is more suited to the 10 furlong than the 12 furlong the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup. I will absolutly use him at the bottom of the trifecta.

Another American horse Well Armed, is ready for a strong showing base on his recent form and training. The 5 year old Tiznow horse finished second in the 1 1/16-mile San Pasqual Handicap (G2) and then won the San Antonio Handicap (G2) on Feb 9 at Santa Antia. Well Armed is expected to go to the lead when the gate open and will try to steal the race by slowing down the pace. I don't expect Well Armed to hold off Curlin in the strech but he may last for a minor award.

Good luck everyone and I am looking forward to cash my winning tickets.