Noted: April 7
– Keeneland opens its three-week spring meet today, and the TBA’s own Quinella Queen will be there. This meet will be the last with a dirt course, as the track plans to install Polytrack before the fall, which means it’s also your last chance to capitalize on Keeneland’s notorious speed bias. The opening weekend’s highlight race is Saturday’s Ashland, which will feature leading Kentucky Oaks favorite Balance, as well as Santa Ysabel winner Itty Bitty Pretty. The two are predicted to dead heat, at least by one source.
– Round Pond is out of the Apple Blossom, but that doesn’t mean Happy Ticket will get a free ride in the race.
– Brad Free suggests a way to revive Wild Fit’s career: “This is crazy, but she should run against colts April 29 in the one-turn, one-mile Derby Trial. A bold, reputation-salvaging move is just what the one-turn specialist needs, because she has nothing to lose other than a start six days later in the two-turn Kentucky Oaks.”
– “The Justice Department is conducting a civil investigation of the horse racing industry’s practice of interstate transmission of wagers, which the department considers to be illegal.”
– Mr. Sekiguchi, the $8 million colt, makes his second start in race five at Santa Anita on Saturday. The colt finished second by half a length in his February career debut.
