Hi, Jerry, Bailey hero
with Randy Moss, remotely, taking a look at the three
major prep races for the Kentucky Derby, big
implications as we go to the Run for the roses in four
weeks. We're gonna start with the Wood Memorial
at Aqueduct Racetrack. The favorite was number five, Morello.
Also in the mix is Mo Donegal, number one and early voting.
Number three, the complexion of the race changed dramatically
at the break when Morello number five in the blue silks,
got away late. He's usually up close
up near early voting who now takes the
Going into the first turn.
No pressure there. But whoa, Donegal, he's using
a come-from-behind horse. Oh, he's in his natural spot. Randy
going into the first turn.
And Morello didn't last as they go around the first turn. As
you pointed out. He's usually a horse, that's been a link for
two of the early Pace, early voting controlling, the pace
right now. The Chad Brown trainee.
That's the perfect scenario for early voting. Now
he's going to get caught at the end as we see, but
when they go to Kentucky, one thing that early voting is
going to have to do is is probably learn how to settle
a little bit further off the pace. But anyway, for this
Trace you can see Mo Donegal. Now, number one next to last.
Begin working his way through the pack here
as the horses. Get to the second turn.
So mode on ago has been running and Gulfstream Park in South
Florida, a very speed, conducive type racetrack. He
needs a racetrack. That's fair and honest Pace racetrack,
that's fair to closures which he is
and gives him some kind of a puncher's chance to make up
the difference through the body, the race. Now, you see Morello
off slowly in the blue. He's starting to make his way up,
but it's a big mountain for him to climb, but
Mo Donegal, here, he now, he's making up links on the inside
savings. Oz
getting closer to the early leader, early voting
and he's got a really good trip Randy coming here and he looks
like he could win at the top of the stretch.
Yeah, he not only needs a racetrack that can be kinda
closers. He needs a racetrack with a decent stretch,
the runway, because last time out, when he ran to the Holy Bull,
at Gulfstream Park, it was in a mile and a sixteenth. I have
it. Altered at Finish Line, a short stretch run,
and look at the way Mo Donegal runs.
He doesn't really get into gear until the final eight that even
sixteenth of a mile, nice effort for early voting. He
fights hard. Not good enough though, to hold off, Mo Donegal
both horses. Likely going on to the Kentucky Derby and
the extra 8 of Mi
the Kentucky Derby will not hurt his,
Things at all. It'll only help Mo Donegal.
Next. We got the Bluegrass stakes from Lexington, Kentucky, that
favorite there is number 10,
smile happy also number four, second choices, and on
those are the two horses to look at.
There you go. Breaking from the gate smile. Happy Red Cap,
black silk see trainer. Can McPeak told the jockey Cory
Landry. Don't worry about being widen the first turn. I just
want in fairly close to the PACE
and in the clear.
Zenden back in the back, saving ground, right there mid-pack.
Randy. He did lose a lot of ground in the first. Turn did
smile, huh? A p--.
He's five wide right there, red cap of the far outside. When
Pete said, don't worry that much about being why I don't
think he really
counting on that stand on meanwhiles only like a horse,
maybe two horses off the rail. So he's a little bit better
than smile happy in terms of early position around the turn
but
the pace is not particularly fast a very moderate Pace
48 change for the have 112 and change for six furlongs for
this level of horse. That's a relatively slow pace. That
worked in favor of smile. Happy look at it right there in
third. That's a manual on the lead
then sand on is still next to last. He's disadvantaged by
the base and yet he still makes that huge run Jerry. Not only
is he behind a moderate Pace? He's got nowhere to go because
the
horses start crowding up going into that far, turn his jockey
Flavia and Pratt has to wait while smile happy is continuing
to pursue the early leader. So he Dan Don's got a mountain to
climb as he comes up between horses yet. Here he comes.
It's making these movies only two hook, two, paths wide, so
not a bad trip in terms of with fours and on. Now. He's within
five links turning for home. But can he make up
the difference? Because smile happy
is now, colouring leader a manual
and he's got the jump on him turning for home
a big effort buys and on making up the ground, through
the stretch, Randy.
He made that same sort of bold move around the second turn to
the Risen star. He just got off to a really slow start in that
race. That's what cost him. Any chance to win. I don't think he
was going to be deficit or anyway,
but a really, really impressive performance here from xand on
typically last at the three-eighths pole behind
moderate pace and still get up to him
against a good horse and smile happy.
And again, the extra eighth of a mile. The Kentucky Derby
won't hurt his feelings at all. Next, we go to Santa Anita in
the Santa Anita handicap.
Favorites more or less were Forbidden. Kingdom number
three, Messier number four and then tybo. Number six on
the outside. He was a third choice, Forbidden Kingdom, as usual
expected to go to the lead. I expect him to
open up, quickly, open up three, or four links
with Messier number four in close Pursuit, as well as tight
a ba,
but Forbidden Kingdom, doesn't open up much and the pace is
not all that fast. I expected it to be two or three or four
links in front by now, but it's a cluster of the three horses
Forbidden Kingdom, Messier number four and An anti ball on
the outside, Randy.
You know, it's a fine line Jerry. It's almost darned if
you do or darned, if you don't because at this point you can
stay. Okay, it looks like forbidden kingdoms more relaxed
today.
It looks like he's conserving his speed a little bit more today,
but he's not opening up on a horse in Messier that has
a much stronger, finishing kick
typically than Forbidden Kingdom does.
So to be only a link that a quarter length and a half ahead of
Messier right there Forbidden Kingdom.
It's not I think what Richard Mandela wanted to draw up on
the chalkboard and then sitting in third table.
Coming off. One, six Furlong Maiden race. Odor honors, the Don
vetoed, all of his advisors. Who said don't run this Source
in the sand in the derby.
He said he wanted to give him a chance to prove he belonged in
the Kentucky Derby and look at him. Now beginning to close in,
on Forbidden Kingdom and Messier.
I was of the opinion that that was way too much to ask of
a horse that are only run one time. As you said it, six
furlongs. Has
to try and beat these two monsters here. Forbidden Kingdom,
who is now week and he's dropped off. The pace
Messier is taking the lead. Now.
I thought if Messier was anything like he was
his prior race, winning the Robert B, Louis by 15 links. He
should draw off here. He doesn't table comes and takes
the measure them to. I don't know if it's indictment of
Messier or just tip your hat to table, and he's a superstar
more will be revealed in the Kentucky Derby, but certainly
a huge performance by the winner table.
You know what Jerry you were right? It was too much to ask
of taba to go from six furlongs to a mile and an eighth, but
the way this race developed,
he was able to win it. Anyway, because Messier was it quite as
good as he was in the Louis. And Forbidden Kingdom was
definitely not as dynamic as he was in the San Felipe. So,
three races.
Three very good results and ran. And I both think that all
three winners belong in the top five or six horses going to
Churchill Downs in a month.
Terry Bailey here at the studio NBC Studios.