Derby Blogs

So, below are some horses that I’ll be betting this week. I think they’ll provide some value in this pool. In order of preference:

Summer Doldrums - His price will drop with another strong effort in Saturday’s Gotham Stakes, but his current 28-1 odds are juicy. This guy doesn’t get much respect because his best efforts were on Aqueduct’s Inner Track and he hasn‘t beaten much, but he does have many positives: an excellent trainer, a distance pedigree and nice tactical speed. His speed figures are top-notch, and I love his recent pattern. I’m going to be punching lots of tickets if he runs well Saturday and his odds stay above his 15-1 morning line.

Sam P. - It’s pretty scary when you see Todd Pletcher listed as the trainer of six of the 23 individual betting interested in Pool 2, plus plenty others in the “All Other 3-Year-olds " category, including Deadly Dealer, who dazzled in an allowance in last Saturday. Sam P. surprised me with a big effort to finish second in the Robert Lewis Stakes last Saturday and, at a whopping 81-1, continues to sneak under the radar. He’s the horse to bet if you’re on the Pletcher bandwagon.

Sam P. developed nicely at 2 and defeated Chelokee in a tough Churchill allowance on Nov. 25. I lost interest after a dismal effort in the Holy Bull, but I liked the way he chased home Great Hunter last week. Plus, he’s by Cat Thief, a horse I could never figure out during his racing career. He always ran big and beat me when I hated him, including in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. In my days as a Suffolk Downs intern, the press box clan referred to him as “Rat Thief.“ But I’ve since forgiven Cat Thief and will plunk down a few bucks on his son this weekend in Pool 2.

Adore the Gold - That was a nice effort in the Fountain of Youth from the far-outside post to finish just a length behind Scat Daddy. Adore the Gold lost ground around both turns and fought bravely to the wire, showing the guts of daddy, Formal Gold. Yes, he’s a smallish colt, and me may be built more like a sprinter, but I think he’ll get a 1 ¼ miles under the right circumstances. His speed figures are on par with the big names. At around 40-1, largely because of low-profile human connections, he’s worth some of my money.

Good luck to all!