Big Derby Prep Weekend

This is a big weekend of horseracing for three year olds.

There are several major stakes races that are prep races for the Kentucky Derby (5/2/09)

I play several fantasy horseracing games and so many of 'my horses' are running today.

First up is a horse I haven't quite -as of yet- pegged him as "my derby horse", but I really don't know why because I like him ALOT.
Old Fashioned (below) is undefeated in four starts, which is always a good sign, right?

He's a beautiful grey, and is trained by Larry Jones, whom I have a great respect for.

Jones trained the ill-fated Eight Belles - the filly that came in second at the Derby last year but then collapsed right after the wire and had to be put down :(

So I'd love to see him win the Derby with this stunning horse.

photo by Coady Photography/Blood Horse

Old Fashioned runs in the Rebel Stakes today at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas.
A brief reminder that it was the same exact route that Smarty Jones took just five years ago on his way to winning the roses (and then some...)

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The Louisiana Derby (held at the Fair Grounds racetrack) has long been a pretty exciting Derby prep.
Two of my horses run there today:
Friesan Fire and Patena.

Friesan Fire (uncredited photo)

Patena (photo by Michael Burns)

Once again, Larry Jones is the trainer - of Friesan Fire.
Unfortunately, Richard Dutrow (not my fave trainer by any stretch of the matter) trains Patena, but I like the horse, dammit. If you'll recall, the annoying and obnoxious Dutrow trained the great Big Brown last year...
But it's not my horse's fault! Big Brown was in my stable last year and he did me well!

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None of my horses are running in the Tampa Bay Derby, but I feel there are a few good picks there - some up-and-comers. Horses that I will no doubt be adding to my stable when we get to choose supplemental picks next month.
General Quarters and Hello Broadway.

GQ photo by Tom Cooley

Hello Broadway- photo courtesy Barclay Tagg Racing Stables

I don't know enough about these two to make any kind of educated guess. But they are two to watch.
GQ is by Sky Mesa - an impeccably bred horse, so I'll be watching this one closely.

Hello Broadway is trained by Barclay Tagg (of Funny Cide fame) and ridden by Edgar Prado (who needs no intro, but in case you live under a rock - he rode Barbaro)...
And you have to admit, from the pic above, Hello Broadway is one good looking horse!
Reminds me a bit of Curlin.

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The horse with the strangest name in my stable, Pioneerof the Nile, is running at Santa Anita Racetrack today in the San Felipe stakes.

photo by Benoit/Blood Horse

It wouldn't be such a strange name if they didn't spell it that wacky way. Tacking the "of" onto the end of Pioneer and not letting it be its own word - what is up with that?

But one of my fave trainers for many many years, Bob Baffert, trains this beaut.
I would say this horse is currently the best from the West (coast).
That said, it does annoy me greatly that this horse's sire is Empire Maker - the horse that ruined Funny Cide's Triple Crown bid in 2003. Ugh. I always tend to get an attitude towards those horses (sorry.... I have no love for Victory Gallop or Birdstone either).
But in any event, I think Pioneerof the Nile (annoys me every time I write it) is a worthy Derby contender.

So there you have it...
Can't wait to see how all my picks do.

TBC.