[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;3070209]
I might get to see Blackberry Road next month … Blackberry Road targets Ill. Derby[/QUOTE]
Sure sounds like it. The bigger question is, who will be riding him?!
I think we will see Big Truck on that graded stakes list very soon 
I thought they were kind of rough on Albarado, implying he “used him up early” in the LA derby. Lord knows sitting back and waiting hasn’t worked for him in the past. Maybe the jock change will do him good in Chicago… whoever they find.
This weekend’s WinStar Derby at Sunland is looking to be a good race, though not graded. Keep an eye on the 3 horse, Ablaze With Spirit. Though not nominated at this time, he has been posting some super quick works. He’s just coming off another stakes win back in February. He comes from an absolutely wonderful female family if I do say so myself. 
I still don’t understand how the AR Derby is not a grade 1 and winstar is not a grade 3. Winstar would be a good option for CA horses to try dirt and get graded stakes $$.
[QUOTE=miss_critic;3071611]
I still don’t understand how the AR Derby is not a grade 1 and winstar is not a grade 3.[/QUOTE]
That was the point of a lot of folks - fans, horsemen, and racing writers - when the Graded Stakes Committee failed to upgrade that race last fall.
One example: “Graded Stakes system seriously flawed” Dec 8, 2007
The graded stakes committee announced that the Santa Anita Derby, the Blue Grass Stakes, the Wood Memorial and the Florida Derby would all be Grade 1 races in 2008. These committee members also announced, apparently with straight faces, that the Arkansas Derby would remain as a Grade 2 race.
What? Are you kidding me?
Let’s break this down a little more.
The past five Arkansas Derby winners have a combined lifetime record of 74 starts with 40 wins; 54 percent of the time they won their races. Their lifetime earnings are $18,900,059. Collectively, they have won the following Grade 1 races – Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont, Breeders’ Cup Classic, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Oaklawn Handicap, Woodward, Whitney, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Hopeful, Champagne and of course they all won the lowly Grade 2 Arkansas Derby.
I cannot agree that future $$ earned really means much as Smarty Jones’ “earnings” in my view will always be an exceptionally skewed joke. Still the fact the winners of that Derby having gone on to win a lot of other big G1s suggest that prep is producing solid runners.
Post positions for the Rebel are up:
Rebel S. (G3)
1 1/16 Miles | Open | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $300,000
Post # Horse Jockey Weight Claim Price Equip. Med.
1 Isabull Doocy T T 115 L
2 Sierra Sunset Emigh C A 119 L
3 Stone Bird Johnson J M 117 L
4 Sacred Journey Borel C H 117 L
5 Golden Yank Sterling L J Jr 119 L
6 He’s Eze Quinonez L S 117 Blk-On L
7 King’s Silver Son Bridgmohan S X 115 L
8 Anak Nakal Bravo J 119 L
9 Z Fortune Gomez G K 122 L
Post positions for the San Felipe have been up since Tuesday:
San Felipe S. (G2)
1 1/16 Miles (All Weather Track) | Open | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $200,000
Post # Horse Jockey Weight Claim Price Equip. Med.
1 Gayego Smith M E 115
2 Southwest Nakatani C S 115 L
3 Bob Black Jack Flores D R 117 L
4 Georgie Boy Bejarano R 117 L
5 Indian Sun Solis A 115 L
6 Go for Cover Baze M C 115 L
7 Chop House George Talamo J 115 Blk-Off L
8 Shediak (FR) Leparoux J R 115
9 High Stakes Silver Garcia M 115 L
Still waiting on the Tampa Bay Derby… although reports are still only confirming the 3 horses: War Pass, Atoned, and Big Truck. Guess it doesn’t matter much who draws what post. 
Wow, they drummed up 4 more brave souls!
Tampa Bay Derby (G3)
1 1/16 Miles | Open | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $300,000
Post # Horse Jockey Weight Claim Price Equip. Med.
1 Cigar Man Allen R D Jr 116 L
2 Gentleman James Amiss D D 116 L
3 War Pass Velasquez C 122 L
4 Make Me Zach Rivera J A II 116 L
5 Dynamic Wayne Morales P 116 L
6 Big Truck Coa E M 116 L
7 Atoned Velazquez J R 116 L
NBC Sports 3-13-08 “Zito, Lukas to square off at Rebel Stakes”
Stone Bird has raced twice around two turns, and won both times. His first score came in a one-mile maiden special weight here on Jan. 21, when he stalked the pace and was up for a neck win in his fifth career start. He ran next on Feb. 9 and won a $62,500 optional claiming race, also at a mile. Stone Bird dueled early, then went on to a 5 1/2-length win, earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 83.
“That last race I was impressed with because I think it was the first time he really put it together,” said Lukas. “I loved the way he did it. He’s starting to finish well.”
Lukas said the race convinced him to look to the Rebel with Stone Bird, a son of Kentucky Derby winner Grindstone. Stone Bird is out of the mare Bird Cage, who is a half-sister to both Birdstone, the winner of the Belmont and Travers, and Bird Town, the winner of the Kentucky Oaks.
It would be nice to see a Marylou horse closer to the Derby …
Not sure if this partnership will happen after the spill today in the 8th race at Santa Anita; he is the current leading rider at SA with 60 wins.
San Felipe S. (G2)
4 Georgie Boy, Bejarano Rafael
Bejarano taken to hospital after spill
…Bejarano was thrown hard to the ground when his mount Parisian Art collapsed at the eighth pole and died of an apparent heart attack. Parisian Art was trailing the field and being eased when he went down; Bejarano landed head first. … Bejarano had pain in his neck and shoulders. He did not stand or sit up, and was removed from the track by stretcher.
Parisian Art, a 3-yr old gelding, was making just his second career start for trainer Doug O’Neill 
Hopefully Rafael will be fine after this, but it sounds very ugly.
Precious little respect is out there for Stone Bird in the Grade 2 $300,000 Rebel Stakes. It looks to be from most punters and writers Z Fortune’s to lose. As cited within the entries is (the still in litigation, I believe) Golden Yank of last year’s fat-pursed photo finish in Louisiana.
GY has not started since concluding his juvenile campaign with a third place finish in the $1-million Boyd Gaming’s Delta Jackpot Stakes (G3) at Delta Downs. Interestingly enough, as we’ll recall, Turf War and Z Humor finished in a dead heat for first. I’m sure his connections are looking to prove those results wrong with a victory over Z Humor.
Prior to the Delta Jackpot, Golden Yank earned consecutive wins last year in the Remington MEC Mile Stakes at Remington Park and the Jean Lafitte Stakes at Delta.
Anyone have any updates on Bejarano? I haven’t heard anything since he was taken to the hospital yesterday. I guess no news is good news???
[QUOTE=Texarkana;3073626]
Anyone have any updates on Bejarano?[/QUOTE]
Nothing as of today - per the Los Angeles Times: Bejarano was taken by ambulance to Arcadia Methodist Hospital, and hospital spokeswoman Ann Azer said he was in fair condition.
The Santa Anita Park Stables Notes aren’t updated yet for today.
As an aside, lets see how Bob Black Jack does in the San Felipe Stakes. I believe his accomplishment of becoming the world-record holder for 6-furlongs went largely uncommented on with this BB.
Bob Black Jack, the world record holder for six furlongs, tries two turns for the first time in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile San Felipe Stakes. Jim Kasparoff is optimistic the bargain son of Stormy Jack can make the transition.
“He’s been relaxing great,” the 33-year-old trainer said of the $4,500 Barretts purchase, who won the six furlong Sunshine Millions Dash in 1:06.53 on Jan. 26 to establish the mark.
I know he holds the world record but how much merit can you give him considering the track at that point? Not to take away from him bc that horse hauls some serious a*s down the stretch!!
Michael Baze was named on Friday to replace Bejarano by Georgie Boy’s trainer, Kathy Walsh.
DRF 3-14 “Bejarano’s injury puts M. Baze on Georgie Boy”
Jockey Rafael Bejarano will be out indefinitely with apparent compressed vertebrae in his lower back.
Bejarano was first taken to Arcadia Methodist Hospital, where X-rays were taken. He was released in the early hours of Friday morning, according to Santa Anita’s publicity department.
Later Friday, Bejarano was scheduled to meet with Dr. Dan Capen, a noted orthopedic specialist who is also a prominent horse owner. Capen’s best current runner is Ever a Friend, the winner of the Kilroe Mile, whom Capen owns in partnership.
Huge upset! War Pass looked terrible today in the Tamp Bay Derby and goes off 1-9 but finishes last … the winner with plenty of charge and heart: Big Truck
I cursed WP by adding him to my Road to the Roses Stable last night. Mea Culpa…
Another upset today … Rebel Stakes
win: Sierra Sunset
place: King’s Silver Son
show: Isabull
also rang - in order of finish: Golden Yank, Z Fortune, He’s Eze, Anak Nakal, Stone Bird and Sacred Journey
Clearly Anak Nakal is not what he once was or was thought to be. Z Fortune has the money to get into the Derby but is he looking good? Eh, not so much. Long-shot Stone Bird flopped but D. Wayne Lukas did very well on the day with 3 winners.
No word yet if War Pass is injured or simply was taken out of his game at the break of the Tampa Bay Derby. I could tell watching it live before the went into the final turn that he was not in it to win it.
However there video replay of this amazing race: here within the BloodHorse article
Again, big props to Big Truck on his hard fought victory to the finish line.
The San Felipe Stakes (G2):
Bob Black Jack, the world record holder at 6f, couldn’t quite hold on for the win - and finished with show. Winner Georgie Boy, with replacement Michael Baze in for Bejarano Rafael, was much the best with a solid burst of speed late in the stretch. Place was take by Gayego. Who knows that this means for the KY Derby as, of course, it was held on the synthetic track.
YEAH!!! Big Truck!!! I have a feeling I was one of his few fans 
His time was about a second slower than Street Sense, but a win is a win!
I too added WP to my RTTR stable last night Linny but I am going to hope it was that fever that affected him. Still, a crappy turnout for points in my stable this weekend. I bet a lot of people added him. But points aside, I like Big Truck better so I was stoked.
I think I am becoming a Georgie Boy fan. I just love his determination-and he didn’t even switch leads. However, like most other races, it was SLOW. I don’t recall other years having races that were all so slow.
[QUOTE=Linny;3076173]
I cursed WP by adding him to my Road to the Roses Stable last night. Mea Culpa…[/QUOTE]
You and me both!
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