Thursday Evening Notes
– Quick Oaks picks: Pure Clan, Country Star, Rasierra. I’m leaving out likely favorite Proud Spell, based on her third place finish in the Ashland. It could well turn out that she just didn’t take to the Keeneland Polytrack last month and will return to the form she displayed at the Fair Grounds, but I suspect it’s more likely she peaked beating Indian Blessing in the Fair Grounds Oaks in March. [5/2 Addendum: It’s pouring at Churchill this afternoon and the track is a sloppy mess. Rethinking the Oaks, Proud Spell moves back into contention …]
– Here’s how the Wizard settled on his Derby pick: “Big Brown is brilliant. The others in this race are not.”
– Brilliant or not, Beyer tosses Brown for lack of experience and picks these three: “1. Pyro 2. Z Fortune 3. Gayego.”
– The big news out of Churchill this morning was Big Brown’s fast three furlong :35.40 blowout. Smooth Air also took to the track, going three furlongs in a pedestrian :38.20. Big Brown was headstrong, requiring an outrider to help pull up, which you can see for yourself by visiting Churchill’s video page, a fantastic repository of Derby work and gallop videos. Also of note: Big Brown appeared wearing front wraps, which trainer Rick Dutrow said were nothing to worry about.
– Beware the year of the cicada.
