Saturday January 20, 2001

The 12th Holy Bull Stakes
10th @ Gulfstream

Think I can still screw up Gulfstream as good as in the past, and with little practice?
You're damned right I can!!!!!

2. Buckle Down Ben...Velasquez...Very interesting. I really love him turning back from the Remsen here in his first start of the year. Klesaris wins 24% when coming off the layoff. Put in very sharp work first time he set foot on  the track in late December. Last one wasn't bad either. Ignore at your own risk--I won't!

3. Drumcliff...Chavez...Looks to be on the improve and it will happen rapidly. Question is, is this too soon? Don't count this guy out later on. Today, it might be okay to.

4. Songandaprayer...Day...Former Duke basketball star Bobby Hurley owns a half-interest in this son of AP Indy who has done absolutely nothing wrong. Make no mistake, it's just a matter of time before a son of Indy wins the Derby, and the Triple Crown. If there were a future on the next sire of a Triple Crown winner, my dough would be firmly plunked on the AP tab. His only question might come at the distance and whether he's able to relax. $1M purchase discovers his true worth today.

5. Master Planner...Prado...Another son of AP Indy and this one might be the best bred in the entire field! Unlike Songandaprayer, he seems to relish the longer going. Two absolutely monstrous works across town at  Hialeah since arriving. Goldberg is 21% off the layoff and 17% first at routes. A lot of positives and the chinks, if there are any, appear well-hidden.

6. Cee Dee...Garcia...Appears better suited for grass, or mud, which he just might get. Not likely to win against these though. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to own him. Probably has shown after 10 starts that this trail is a bit too treacherous. 

7. Airy Hill...Bailey...Won his maiden, and a $45k allowance in the Meadowlands mud. Does that offer hope? Actually, this son of Hennessy out of an Alydar mare could be a strong play here after reaching the shelf just after the Remsen effort. He folded up the tent with a 1/16 to go, but should be stronger now and better suited, while turning back off the layoff, to matching these. A winner? Not likely. But a strong in the money effort would not be a surprise. Bailey, who appears to have misplaced the "S" on his chest, is still a sizeable asset.

8. Radical Riley...Nunez...It's been quite awhile since he set foot on a fast surface in the afternoon. Today might  be an exception, but it appears his only hope as he got dunked in the Florida Stallion Stakes finishing 14 lengths behind Express Tour last October at Calder.

           Nobody's gonna get rich here, and Master Planner looks like a star in the making--especially if this one goes to the mantle. He gets top billing.

            I love horses off the layoff from good efforts in New York early in this meet. Buckle Down Ben fits the bill, and more. Not a surprise to me if he scores top prize.

            Songandaprayer, or Ghoastly Prize for 3rd. Take your choice!