With American Pharoah out of the picture, Frosted is finally the top dog heading into the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby where he will face nine rivals going a mile and an eighth September 19 at Parx.
At 5/2 on the morning line, Frosted could be much lower at post time, but many handicappers will question the risk/reward proposition of taking a short price on a horse who has lost his last four starts and might be fatigued after battling American Pharoah neck and neck for most of the way in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes before tiring to finish third just three weeks ago. If works are any indication, however, the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee is doing just fine. His only recorded move since the Travers was an impressive four furlong drill September 10 at Saratoga that the strapping grey colt completed in a bullet 47.04 seconds. Regular rider Joel Rosario will be back aboard after missing the Travers with an injury.
Upstart (9/2) has been a bit of an enigma since finishing dead last in the Kentucky Derby. Prior to that effort, the Richard Violette-trained colt was a force at Gulfstream in the spring, winning the Grade 2 Holy Bull and Fountain of Youth despite being disqualified in the latter, while defeating Frosted on both occasions. In his last two starts, Upstart has finished third in the Haskell and fourth in the Travers finishing well-back of American Pharoah.
Gimme Da Lute (5/1), trained by Bob Baffert, has enough speed to make an early impact on the race. The son of Midnight Lute has won both two-turn starts including a victory in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Derby in July.
Saturday, January 29 at Gulfstream Park is one of the biggest races of the year: the Pegasus World Cup (G1)! This $3 million race, covering a mile and an eighth on the Gulfstream dirt track, drew a field of nine handicap horses. The eyes of the racing world will be on Gulfstream on Saturday, and you can bet it from the comfort of your own home here in Canada!
The Kentucky Derby trail makes its way to Oklahoma on Friday, December 17 for the Remington Springboard Mile! The race drew a field of nine up-and-coming two-year-olds to go a mile on the main track. The prizes are rich: a $400,000 purse, as well as Road to the Kentucky Derby points (10-4-2-1) for the first four horses across the wire.
The Los Alamitos Futurity (G2), California’s most important Kentucky Derby Prep in December, is coming up on Saturday, December 11! The race features the most promising two-year-olds in California, set to go a mile and a sixteenth over the dirt at Los Alamitos Racecourse. The race offers a purse of $300,000, as well as Road to the Kentucky Derby points, apportioned 10-4-2-1 to the top four finishers.
Let's have a look at the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf betting picks and predictions.
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