Illinois Derby

[congaree1]

Hilarious that TAP enters a MC for this race. I\'ve looked at the race and it appears to be very wide open. This looks like a good board race of the week, since The field is big, not much separation between..

[analizethis]

Musket Man has a nice pattern and I watched the Tampa Derby again and it was a measured victory. I believe that he will have no issue running back or improving on the earlier 2s if he transfers his Tampa form (always a question off that quirky track). Chris Block says that Giant Oak will be scratched and sent to Keeneland if it is sloppy (rain is forecast), I think Lord Justice will scratch and run in The Wood and I\'m not sure what to make of the Nowhere To Hide\'s improvement in the last after showing nothing in five months.

[Lost Cause]

analizethis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Musket Man has a nice pattern and I watched the
> Tampa Derby again and it was a measured victory. I
> believe that he will have no issue running back or
> improving on the earlier 2s if he transfers his
> Tampa form (always a question off that quirky
> track). Chris Block says that Giant Oak will be
> scratched and sent to Keeneland if it is sloppy
> (rain is forecast), I think Lord Justice will
> scratch and run in The Wood and I\'m not sure what
> to make of the Nowhere To Hide\'s improvement in
> the last after showing nothing in five months.


I was looking over the race last night and I thought to myself why doesn\'t Block run Giant Oak in the Blue Grass to get into the Derby...He loves the Poly..I think that would be a good move regardless of sloppy conditions.

[toppled]

There\'s no rain forecast until well after the race will have been run, per equidaily\'s weather at tracks.  Perfect Song looks like the controlling speed and even though he sports a couple of 4.3s on dirt, I can see him beating the ones who have tops in the 2s by getting loose on the lead and never looking back.  Win bet on him plus boxing him in exactas with Giant Oak & Musket Man & may put a little saver box with him & Il Postino if the odds are right.

[shanahan]

The Illinois Derby historically does indeed have an early speed bias & rewards those who go to the front frequently.  Must be the beautiful scenery that takes the horses minds off closing...