I still want to see what develops with horses like Stardom Bound, Pioneerof the Nile, Friesan Fire and even Capt. Candyman Can before I make it official ... but after the Southwest today I think I'm pretty set on Old Fashioned!
He just has something special, no doubt about it! Sure it was mainly two-horse race between Old Fashioned and Silver City the whole way ... the rest of the field never really came close to the front ... but he showed that he has heart. So far this horse can run just about anything down, in any fashion, and he still comes away looking like he doesn't even break a sweat. Just. Wow. Let's see how he comes back from this.
If you pay attention to the first Future Wager, Old Fashioned and Capt. Candyman Can (right) are both co-favorites right now at 10-1. But a closer look and you'll see that the REAL favorite is every other three-year-old that didn't make the cut, at 5-2. Just one more sign that we're way too early in the game to be picking sides.
One thing is for certain, however. We will know a little more after this holiday weekend is over. More specifically, we will know more by the time Monday evening rolls around.
I think it is safe to say that I won't be the only one paying close attention to how Old Fashioned runs in the Southwest on Monday! If he wins, no matter how he does it ... I'm gonna have a hard time bumping him off the top of my list for anyone!
Well, he had an excuse. A good excuse. But Nicanor didn't get the job done today. Not that I was expecting him to. Funny that he went off at even odds, though. Definitely getting the support from sentimental Barbaro fans who know nothing about horses or racing.
He finished 10th in a field of 12 in his debut. Apparently they are saying he grabbed his quarter (injuring himself) at the break, so Edgar (jockey) eased him back around the final turn and just let him finish without pushing him. Not sure I believe that because watching the race it seems like Edgar is still actively riding him ... but oh well. Either way, it wasn't meant to be. Hopefully he'll come back from the injury in good shape, but it will probably take some time for him to heal depending on how severely he broke through that quarter. They didn't really say. I'll be watching to see what they do with him next. The chart does list him as being bumped at the start, so I know they'll give him another shot if they can. He's probably off the Derby trail though, if nothing else because of the injury. Kinda sad for Matz, Prado and the Jacksons.
Maybe Lentenor, Barbaro's next little brother, will fare better. He seems to have a stronger build and he is maturing nicely from what little I've seen. Highly doubt any of them will match what Barbaro did, but we're going to end up watching them no matter what. The media and the fans can't help their fascination with the Barbaro family, and for good reason.
Warrior's Reward - a long shot at 30-1 - was quite impressive though, and I am thrilled for Calvin Borel! Who didn't fall in love with Calvin in 2007 when he was astride the Triple Crown trail with Street Sense? Kinda makes me hope he'll have another shot this year. He is probably the most underrated jockey in the business. His rail-riding style is always exciting to watch.
Albertus Maximus (above) was pretty impressive in the Donn Handicapp, and it will be exciting to see him travel to Dubai for the World Cup this year. He's looking fantastic; certainly has matured into a nice 5-year-old!
Saratoga Sinner (below) was quite an upset in the Holy Bull, but what a race that was! Was it a fluke? Dunno. Might have to keep an eye on that one. I was also impressed with Bear's Rocket who held strong under Kent Desormeaux to place after running pretty strong fractions and leading the race basically all the way from the gate to the 16th pole.
Still keeping my eye on Old Fashioned. Really looking forward to his next race. If he can continue to dominate, he is my early Derby pick. For sure. Been studying his two-year-old career and I've found that, even though he is a front-runner ... he can run with fast fractions or moderate. So I think he might have a shot. We'll have to see how the rest of the three-year-old crop develops ...
Imperial Council and Capt. Candyman Can are two more that have recently appeared as blips on my Derby radar. Gotta watch them as well. It's gonna be a busy season!
Well, that was disappointing.
