Showdown

Major, major weekend of racing. Two days filled with several G1's for sprinters and routers all around. Plus while not the most anticpated showdown, possibly the second most anticipated showdown will be held this weekend.

Here are some of the fantastic races to be held this weekend.

At Saratoga tomorrow,

10th (4:38)
Ballerina S. (G1)
7 Furlongs | Fillies and Mares | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $250,000
Prg. # PP Horse Jockey Trainer Wt. Claim $ Equip. Med. ML
1 1 Rightly So Velasquez C Dutrow Anthony W 117 L 6-1
2 2 Warbling Castellano J J Kenneally Eddie 119 L 4-1
3 3 Jessica Is Back Trujillo E Wolfson Martin D 122 L 7-2
4 4 Informed Decision Leparoux J R Sheppard Jonathan E 119 L 5-2
5 5 Qualia Maragh R Ribaudo Robert J 115 L 4-1
6 6 Pretty Prolific Prado E S McPeek Kenneth G 117 Blk-Off L 12-1
7 7 Devil by Design Desormeaux K J Mott William I 115 L 12-1
8 8 First Passage Bridgmohan J V Wolfson Martin D 117 L 15-1

Informed Decision lost in this race last year to Music Note, but she has a chance here this year. The only thing is she's not my pick, I'm going with the newly crowned G1 winner Jessica is Back in this race. She's a better sprinter then she is a router.

11th (5:10)
King's Bishop S. (G1)
7 Furlongs | Open | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $250,000
Prg. # PP Horse Jockey Trainer Wt. Claim $ Equip. Med. ML
1 1 Latigo Shore Dominguez R A Zito Nicholas P 117 L 20-1
2 2 Hurricane Ike Borel C H Sadler John W 119 L 6-1
3 3 D' Funnybone Prado E S Dutrow, Jr. R E 123 L 5-2
4 4 Discreetly Mine Velazquez J R Pletcher Todd A 123 L 6-5
5 5 Bulldogger Garcia M Baffert Bob 117 L 5-1
6 6 Bank Merger Garcia Alan McLaughlin Kiaran P 117 L 8-1
7 7 In Jack's Memory Mena M Guillot Eric 117 L 20-1

This is a excellent matchup between D' Funnybone (once the top 3yo sprinter in the country) and Discreetly Mine (now the top 3yo sprinter in the country). Beware of Hurricane Ike who I believe will be the best of them all when all is said and done in their careers. However, for this race I'm going with the hot horse in Discreet Cat's little brother.

12th (5:46)
Travers S. (G1)
1 1/4 Miles | Open | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $1,000,000
Prg. # PP Horse Jockey Trainer Wt. Claim $ Equip. Med. ML
1 1 Miner's Reserve Cohen D Zito Nicholas P 126 L 12-1
2 2 Trappe Shot Garcia Alan McLaughlin Kiaran P 126 L 4-1
3 3 Admiral Alex Desormeaux K J Blusiewicz Leon J 126 L 12-1
4 4 First Dude Dominguez R A Romans Dale 126 Blk-On L 8-1
5 5 A Little Warm Velazquez J R Dutrow Anthony W 126 L 7-2
6 6 Ice Box Leparoux J R Zito Nicholas P 126 L 10-1
7 7 Afleet Express Castellano J J Jerkens James A 126 L 6-1
8 8 Fly Down Lezcano J Zito Nicholas P 126 L 8-1
9 9 Friend Or Foe Maragh R Kimmel John C 126 L 15-1
10 10 Afleet Again Velasquez C Reid Robert E Jr 126 L 30-1
11 11 Super Saver Borel C H Pletcher Todd A 126 L 6-1

This race lost some of it's luster when Lookin at Lucky came down with a fever, never the less it's still a nice field. You have the experienced horses like Super Saver and Ice Box. Then there's Admiral Alex who is only making his second start of his career. Three horses, are trying to redeem themselves after poor preps (Super Saver, Ice Box and Fly Down). And then there is the always the bridesmaid never the bride First Dude. I'm going with my heart to pick the Derby champ to sweep the Derby/Travers. 1. Super Saver 2. First Dude 3. A Little Warm I believe this would be Todd Pletcher's first Travers win and Calvin Borel's second. Should be interesting if SS wins as on Sunday his jock and trainer will be opp. in the feature.

At Del Mar tomorrow,

8th (4:30)
Pacific Classic S. presented by TVG (G1)
1 1/4 Miles (All Weather Track) | Open | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $1,000,000
Post # Horse Jockey Weight Claim Price Equip. Med.
1 Battle of Hastings (GB) Blanc B 124 L
2 Isle of Giant's Valenzuela P A 124 L
3 Dakota Phone Rosario J 124 L
4 Temple City Bejarano R 124 L
5 Unusual Suspect Quinonez A 124 L
6 Richard's Kid Smith M E 124 L
7 Hold Me Back Gomez G K 124 L
8 Crowded House (GB) Nakatani C S 124 L
9 Awesome Gem Flores D R 124 L
10 The Usual Q. T. Espinoza V 124 L

This is a very interesting group of horses as I think only one will actually move onto the Classic. In matter of fact, he's going to be my pick in this race. I'm going with the old man of this group Awesome Gem, he finally has his G1 win and I think he's ready for more. For second I'm going with another gelding in Battle of Hastings, he was freaking fantastic in defeat last time out. I don't think Dakota Phone or Richard's Kid will do well here. Hold Me Back (as much as I think he's a poly specialist he is G1 placed on dirt) for third.
and Sunday at Monmouth

11th (5:43)
Molly Pitcher S. (G2)
1 1/16 Miles | Fillies and Mares | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $300,000
Prg. # PP Horse Jockey Trainer Wt. Claim $ Equip. Med. ML
1 1 Malibu Prayer Gomez G K Pletcher Todd A 123 L 6-5
2 2 Stage Trick Trujillo E Goldberg Alan E 117 L 15-1
3 3 Just Jenda Thompson T J Jones Cindy 117 L 4-1
4 4 Unforgotten Castro E Stewart Dallas 117 L 20-1
5 5 Queen Martha Bravo J Biancone Patrick L 117 L 9-5
6 6 Milwaukee Appeal Elliott S Fairlie Scott H 117 L 9-2

This very well could be called "We All Lost to Rachel Stakes", the only thing is not all of these horses faced Rachel Alexandra (Milwaukee Appeal hasn't yet). Malibu Prayer is the one to beat in here, however don't count out Just Jenda who adores the Monmouth surface.  Queen Martha has to show that her 2nd place finish in the Lady's Secret was not a fluke.

same day at Saratoga

10th (5:56)
Personal Ensign S. (G1)
1 1/4 Miles | Fillies and Mares | 3 Year Olds And Up Stakes | Purse: $300,000
Post # Horse Jockey Weight Claim Price Equip. Med.
1 Miss Singhsix (IRE) Valdivia J Jr 116 L
2 Rachel Alexandra Borel C H 122 L
3 Persistently Garcia Alan 116 L
4 Life At Ten Velazquez J R 120 L
5 Classofsixtythree Castellano J J 116 L

Okay so this is not the race everybody was looking foward to. However, depending on the outcome it could very well lead to it. While the post position shows that Rachel will most likely head to lead be stalked by Life at Ten, I actually think it will be the other way around. That could set it up for Miss Singsix. Here's the thing though, Rachel is the fastest horse in the field dispite Life at Ten's winning streak. Her Beyers (weather you buy into them or not, I personally really don't) are still higher then anything then Life has run. With that being said, this will be Rachel's toughest test to date. She hasn't faced anything like Life before. If lays just off the pace she can pass at the top of the stretch and win by a comfy margin. I'm going with Rachel Alexandra to win, Life at Ten to hang on to second (although I would not be suprised if she won and still be happy) and Persistently to beat out Miss Singsix for third.

So that's it for this weekend. I will have a recap and announce the winner for Week 2 (there's still time to enter!) on Monday.