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Whether it
be "the race of the day" or a small prize round the gaffs, we
will attempt to use our knowledge of the formbook to highlight
the fancied horses participating each day and their characteristics and
requirements. Hopefully this 'second opinion' provides you with a winner
or two each day, or even reinforces your own view on a particular fancy
of yours ... it may even convince you to back some of those horses which
we feel are the "ones to fear", or have decent eachway claims.
whichever is the case, we hope the information is of use to you.
THE
PREAKNESS STAKES
PIMLICO (Dirt)
Saturday 19th May
11:06 Preakness Stakes (Grade 1)
1(1) Marciano 39-0M Johnston
2(2) Mr John 39-0C Nakatani
3(3) Griffinite 39-0S Bridgmohan
4(4) A P Valentine 39-0V Espinoza
5(5) Congaree 39-0J D Bailey
6(6) Richly Blended 39-0R Wilson
7(7) Monarchos 39-0J Chavez
8(8) Percy Hope 39-0J K Court
9(9) Bay Eagle 39-0R A Dominguez
10(10) Dollar Bill 39-0P Day
11(11) Point Given 39-0G Stevens
"THE ROOK " _ Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos challenges for the second leg of the Triple Crown. Hew apparently has looked in tremendous form since his big victory at Churchill Downs and is sure to run a big race once again at Pimlico. Congaree, AP Valentine Point Given, and Dollar Bill who all finished behind him reoppose here, and the race appears to be amongst them. I recognise the claims of Monarchos and the Kentucky Derby favourite Point Given, I will side with Congaree again. He ran as though the trip was just too far, and over this slighter shorter, trip, he may be able to last home
"1st * Choice" _Congaree
"(e/w) Alternative" _ A P Valentine
THE KENTUCKY
DERBY
CHURCHILL DOWNS
Saturday 5th May
Kentucky Derby (Grade 1) (3yo) Winner £541,333.001m2f
[1] Songandaprayer J Dowd A Gryder
[2] Millennium Wind D Hofmans L Pincay Jr
[3] Balto Star T Pletcher M Guidry
[4] Thunder Blitz J Orseno E Prado
[5] Fifty Stars S Asmussen D Meche
[6] Express Tour Saeed Bin Suroor D Flores
[7] Arctic Boy T Richey C H Borel
[8] Congaree B Baffert bV Espinoza
[9] A P Valentine N Zito C Nakatani
[10] Dollar Bill D Stewart P Day
[11] Talk Is Money J Scanlan bJ D Bailey
[12] Startac S Bray A Solis
[13] Invisible Ink T Pletcher J R Velazquez
[14] Keats Niall M O´Callaghan L Melancon
[15] Jamaican Rum J Cassidy E Delahoussaye
[16] Monarchos J T Ward Jr J Chavez
[17] Point Given B Baffert bG Stevens
"THE ROOK " _ As an outsider 'looking in', this looks an interesting race, with several of these having cvhance, and made more interesting with favourite Point Given having to race from an un favourable outside draw. I went through the form and picked out the following runners;
A P Valentine;
on his best form of last year where he won the Champagne Stakes in October (beating Point Given) he'd run well here, however he has run badly of late. He has worked well, so certainly have eachway claims,
Point Given; the favourite , who was touched of in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and comes here on the back of a 5 1/2-length triumph in the Santa Anita
Derby
Congaree, and
Monarchos; closely matched on their recent meeting in the Wood Memorial,
Express Tour, who travelled well throughout when winning the UAE Derby,
Millennium Wind, a half-brother to 1999 Kentucky Derby winner Charismatic, and
Fifty Stars the Louisiana Derby
winner.
The form figures do point towards Point Given if he overcomes his draw, however Congaree, and Express Tour should get perfect runs from their respective lanes, and both of these, the favourite, and long shots A P Valentine and Fifty Stars could battle for the spoils... Congaree gets the vote
"1st * Choice" _ Congaree
"(e/w) Alternative" _ A P Valentine (particularly UK odds)
"LONG*SHOT !!!"_Fifty Stars
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