A wide open tote board for the Fountain of Youth
The card appeared to favor inside speed in the 2nd and 4th race. First Time Starter Social Inclusion broke slow and rushed up and won by 6 with no horses closing. In the 4th. Chee looked tired on the turn and gutted out a 2nd place finish staying at the rail. Constitution and Tonalist ran 1/2 all the way around in Allowance race. In the Davona Dale Onlyforyou was sent and survived a lot of heat going wire to wire.
The Start
General A Rod was sent by Castellano, Luis Saez sent Wildcat Red. Both jockeys wanted the lead both would not give up the lead, pleading with their horses from the half mile pole. This is what smart jockeys do when there is a bias. You don’t give an inch. If either horse would have taken back they would have lost. General A Rod made 3 moves for the lead and Wildcat Red never was allowed to relinquish the lead.
Commissioner had no shots on todays track. His speed figures were slow coming in and they are slow coming out. We Miss Artie made a mid race move and possibly deserves a shot on a un-biased track but most likely will go to the poly of Bluegrass for his ticket to the Derby. Commissioner has no points on derby trail and has to get off Gulfstream Park to get any. Unless they use Constitution as a rabbit in the Florida Derby.
Top Billing was way back but didn’t make up any ground in the stretch, finished in 3rd, but looked tired doing it. Again nothing can really be learned he ran wide and rallied but looked tired after a long run which can be expected. This horse has no speed, none he will always be last after a half mile. With todays track being so biased he was ridden early to get position still saved ground and went wide for the drive. They can stay and close and lose in Florida, or they might go and lose at some other track. With no speed to get involved in the race for the first half mile it makes it tough.
Almost Famous was given a horrendous ride which makes Calvin Borel perfect this weak. He has been a 10% rider for 4 years now. He rode Ride On Curlin horribly in the Southwest. Today on a highway makes the decision to take back off the two speed horses. This horse had no chance once taken back.
This race is a tough nut to crack. Bottom line for me was that Wildcat Red and General A Rod have went toe to toe twice now and finished noses apart both times. Both horses have fired every time on different tracks and both have withstood heat the length of the stretch. Both are nice horses.
My heart says this race gutted both of them. This is Second of June and Readthefootnotes part Deux. Trying to come back in one month and if they are both in the race, then that race will gut them. General A Rod should just take the second place finish and train up to the Derby if he gets in, he gets in. Wildcat Red has the sprint pedigree and is the Florida Bred. He is on a roll but Craps out soon.
Looking Ahead