Florida and Louisiana Derby

The Kentucky Derby picture is becoming clearer as the weeks draw closer to the first Saturday in May. Owners and trainers are fine tuning their charges to get them prime for the best two minutes in all of sports. This Saturday the Florida Derby and Louisiana Derby takes center stage. A few horses from each race will serve notice to the racing community. Cairo Prince who is handled carefully by trainer Kiaran McLaughlin will be the favorite. He is a strong horse that will be in the mix early under the handling of young jockey Luis Saez, but before this race is over Wildcat Red will make him run. Wildcat Red an impressive winner of the Fountain Of Youth will be ridden by top jockey Johnny Velasquez. He will replace Rosario who jumps off wildcat Red to ride General Arod. Wildcat Red will send when the gates open. Johnny Velasquez will guide him around the oval and dare the others to catch him if they can. Cairo Prince will sit close along with General Arod. These three will carry the race with Matador and Spot serving notice from the back of the field. Wildcat Red will be tough, but Cairo Prince who is fresh, will turn him back and win this race convincingly. The minor places and derby points will be fought out between Wildcat Red, General Arod, Spot and Matador. Everyone else in the race are window dressing hoping for a miracle in Florida.

Picks: Florida Derby

Look for a fast blistering pace on the lead. Cairo Prince will prevail over General Arod. 

The Louisiana Derby is the most entertaining derby prep of the week. You have a lot of unknown factors trying to make a noise before the first Saturday in May. The Risen Star winner Intense Holiday who is campaigned by Todd Pletcher comes into the Fairgrounds major derby prep with an impressive come off the pace win under Jockey Mike Smith. Intense Holiday tracked a slow pace which was set by Albano. Turning for home Smith guided Intense Holiday in the clear and wore down Albano right at the wire. No one else was finishing fast in the Risen Star, but I believe that was because of the soft fractions that kerwin Clark got away with on Albano. That was allowed to happen because the other speed in the race Rise Up, and Vicars In Trouble sat off the pace. Rise Up just didn't get in the race and Vicars In Trouble who had a very bad post was guided beautifully by jockey Rosie Napravnik around the Fairground strip. Albano will once again be up close in the Louisiana Derby but this time around he will have company and plenty of it. Rise Up, I expect to be more forwardly placed along with In Trouble, who invades New Orleans after running a strong third to Samarrat and Uncle Sigh in the Gotham Stakes in New York. Vicars In trouble will also be in contention upfront, with Intense Holiday, Gold Hawk and Commanding Curve menacing from off the pace. I am looking for Gold Hawk who was a disappointment in the Lecomte and Risen Star to step forward. Gold Hawk will be ridden by jockey Shaun Bridgmohan who won the Louisiana Derby aboard Pyro and also gave Mylute an exceptional ride in last year edition of the Louisiana Derby. Gold Hawk who broke his maiden at Churchill downs, and then added an allowance win at Fairgrounds is a superbly bred horse. His sire is Empire Maker who broke New York fans heart when he splashed home to a Belmont Stakes win while the country hoped for Funny cide. Gold Hawk's dam is Carressing who won the breeders' cup juvenile in 2000. I am willing to give this charge another look despite his disappointment. Bridgmohan will have him in the perfect position while turning for home and he will be on the outside charging. The pace upfront will be a meltdown. Albano, Vicars in Trouble and Rise Up will succumb to the pace and distance. In Trouble with his game, gutty effort in the Gotham will falter after his hard try last time out and second time out. Intense Holiday, Gold Hawk and Commanding curve will be coming. Whose turn of foot will be fastest? Well we all know Intense Holiday can finish. Gold Hawk is yet to live up to the hype and Commanding Curve may not be in this league. I am throwing out the others in this field including the other Pletcher charge King Cyrus at my own peril, but one must take a stance and I am taking a stance against him. I am all in on Intense Holiday and Gold Hawk. These two will secure enough points to make the starting gate the First Saturday in May.

Picks: Louisiana Derby
An entertaining race with Albano, Rise up and Vicars In Trouble carrying them as far they can.
I am looking to Gold Hawk to finally wake up and live up to the massive breeding and hype. Gold Hawk over Intense Holiday.