Déjà Vu All Over Again
What's not to like about Super Saver this week?
Mr. Pete Mitchell was right on the money on Derby Day and those that ran in the Derby will have to really improve to turn the tables it appears.
With all the news shooters, those that didn't run the Derby, the race could come down to experience and conditioning.
The fact of the matter is that fresh faces really do not really fare well in Baltimore.
Only 7 Preakness winners since 1970 have skipped the Derby but three of those winners Red Bullet and Bernardini and last year's winner cashed in the last 10 years.
Super Saver's versatility is his calling card and his ability to be placed anywhere and still perform looms the key to victory.
Even though Super Saver's winning Beyer in Louisville (104) is on the light side, he must be respected.
Smarty Jones only put up a 107 and the best since 2002 of 111 was posted by the legendary Barbaro.
Six is the number of Derby winners the last 12 years to repeat in the Preakness.
In the last 11 years 7 Derby runner-ups came back to compete in Baltimore and none of them won but 4 were in the money.
Bettors have to be cautious before taking a swing at a big price in the Preakness if history tells us anything.
The highest price winner in the history of the race has been 23-1 when Master Derby scored so players have to pick their spots.
Here’s how it may just unfold.
Look for new player Caracortado to be on the muscle early. He was the beaten chalk two back, was forced to steady in the Santa Anita Derby and can give you :45 and change speed. His trainer Michael Machowsky is far from a household name but he has won with 32% of his starters this year alone.
Look for Jackson Bend to be more involved early too. He worked just under a minute for Nick Zito recently and was well within himself.
That would leave the garden trip to Super Saver, who was known as a speed horse early in his career but proved in his last 2 races that he could track and still perform.
At the top of the lane Jackson will start to feel the pressure and drop out of it. Ike will dig in as well as he can but cannot stop the force known as Calvin Borel with his Super horse.
In the final furlong Lookin at Lucky will finally get through from his lucky post 7, Paddy O’Prado will be in the mix the entire journey, Aikenite will be making his late move after hugging the rail and Pleasant Prince with be running fastest of all down the lane.
The move at the windows that could be rewarded is to key Super Saver top in the exacta and trifecta with Aikenite, Coracortado, Pleasant Prince, Paddy O'Prado and Lookin at Lucky in the minor slots.
Good luck and lets hope that bankroll is padded for the Belmont Stakes in 3 weeks.
