Applebee: Closer look – 2023 Preakness and Dinner Party

Happy Preakness Day!  For the first time since the current Triple Crown schedule began in 1969 we have only one Derby runner entered back in the Preakness Stakes.  As a result “new shooter” is the term of the week. One potential new shooter, Forte, is not entered today after being placed on a fourteen day Vet Scratch list on Derby day and is not yet cleared to run. Sadly, we also lost First Mission from the field to injury.  The Grade III Dinner Party has a competitive field of seven headlined by Pegasus Turf winner Atone.   Race 8 The Dinner Party – Grade III  One Mile and One…

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Applebee: Closer Look – Ky Derby and Turf Classic 5.6.23

Happy Derby Day!    This is a particularly good betting card highlighted by wide open editions of the Turf Classic and the Kentucky Derby.  All three Derby Also Eligibles have drawn in due to scratches in the main body. As we learned last year – don’t discount them. If they are live runners they can be dangerous from the outside.    Race 11- The Turf Classic – Grade I  One Mile and One Furlong on the Turf for Four Year Olds and Upward  Ocean Atlantique: Front running Mike Maker trainee tries graded stakes company in North America for the first time after two wins from three starts this year…

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Applebee: Closer look 4.8.23 Wood Memorial/Carter Hcp

Happy Wood Memorial Day!  Today we get our first big race day in New York with four graded stakes races co-headlined by the Grade I Carter and the Grade II Wood Memorial. The late Pick 5 and Pick 4 sequences at Aqueduct are pretty tough with a state bred maiden filly and mare turf sprint carded in between the Carter and Wood. Wouldn’t all stakes Pick 4 made sense. Oh well, good luck to all!  Race 8 – The Carter Handicap  – Grade I  Seven Furlongs on the Dirt for Four Year Olds and Upward  Today’s Flavor: Winner of four in a row since George Weaver took over…

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Applebee: Closer Look 2023 FL Derby and GP Oaks

Happy Florida Derby Day!  This does not appear to be the deepest Florida Derby field as only half of the entrants have run a Beyer fig north of 85.  However, this field does include the clear leader of the division, Forte, who cemented his position with a dominating win in the Fountain of Youth.  Todd Pletcher will saddle Forte as he aims to extend his own record win total in the Florida Derby to seven.     Race 12 – The Gulfstream Park Oaks – Grade II  One Mile and a Sixteenth on the Dirt for Three Year Old Fillies  Flakes: Runs here off a win against N1X Florida…

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Applebee: Closer look – La Derby / FG Oaks

Happy Louisiana Derby Day!  This is the big day at Fair Grounds headlined by the Louisiana Derby. For reasons that escape me this race remains a Grade II, even though it has become a premier Derby prep especially since the distance was extended to a mile and three sixteenths in 2020. Recent winners have included Gun Runner,  Epicenter, and Hot Rod Charlie.    Race 11 – The Fair Grounds Oaks – Grade II  One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt for Three Year Old Fillies   The Fair Grounds Oaks, which awards 100-40-20-10 points for entry into the Kentucky Oaks, has a surprisingly compact field of five. There…

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Applebee: Closer look – Gotham / Fountain of Youth

Happy Fountain of Youth Day!  We have entered the “Championship Series” portion of Derby preps as the Derby points are 50-20-15-10-5. A win in today’s preps will earn the winner enough points to make the Derby field.  Aqueduct Race 9  – The Gotham – Grade III  One Mile on the Dirt for Three Year Olds   The Gotham occupies an interesting spot on the Derby calendar. New York has already run two nine furlong Derby preps (Remsen and Withers), but today we turn back to the flat mile.  There is a ton of early pace signed up here – but there are no obvious closers.  It’s definitely a spread…

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Applebee analysis: Holy Bull, Sweetest Chant/GP 2.4.23

Happy Holy Bull Day!  With the Big A closed today due to extreme cold our eyes turn to South Florida.  The top five finishers in the Holy Bull will receive Kentucky Derby qualifying points (20-8-6-4-2) – which is double the value that this race had last year.  Gulfstream Park Race 11 – The Sweetest Chant Stakes – Grade III  One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Turf for Three Year Old Fillies   Sweetlou’sgotaces: Broke her maiden going two turns by wiring the field in the Tepin Stakes the Big A going the two turn mile (84 Beyer).  That was her fourth career start, and she was still a…

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Applebee: Pegasus / Pegasus Turf – Gulfstream 1.28.23

Happy Pegasus Day! Today marks the first big race day of 2023. The Gulfstream card has seven graded stakes with the Pegasus Turf and Pegasus World Cup headlining the day. While the 2023 Pegasus field lacks a superstar, it sports a competitive field where a solid case can be made for a half dozen entrants. It’s just an old fashioned good betting race – with a $3 million purse. The Pegasus Turf features a similarly competitive field that was expected to include two time defending champion Colonel Liam – but he was recently retired with an ankle issue. Race 12 – The Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes…

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Applebee Closer Look: Cigar Mile, Remsen 2022

Happy Cigar Mile Day!  There are four graded stakes at Aqueduct today headlined by the Cigar Mile which is the last of thirty-six Grade 1 races run in New York this year.  It honors the magnificent Cigar who won this race when it was known as the “NYRA Mile”.  The Remsen is part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series and the top five finishers will be awarded Derby points (10-4-3-2-1).  This race is the first Derby prep to go nine furlongs. You will have to wait until the Withers in February for the next Derby prep to go as far.  Race 7 The Remsen – Grade…
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Applebee Closer Look: 11.26.22 Fall H’wt and Red Smith

Happy Fall Highweight Day!  The Highweight dates to 1914 when the filly Comely won the inaugural running as a two year old competing against older colts.  Recent editions have seen hard-knocking fan favorites Stallwalkin’ Dude, Life in Shambles, Salutos Amigos, and Caixa Electronica take the top prize.     The Red Smith is the feature race today, and it marks the end of graded stakes turf racing in New York for 2022.  We won’t see another graded stakes turf race in New York for five months.     Race 8 – The Fall Highweight Handicap – Grade III  Six Furlongs on the Dirt for Three Year Olds and Upward  This is…
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