Horse Betting World

The Grass is Greener in Virginia

By Joey Adams

Picturesque Colonial Downs will host its biggest day of racing on Saturday, with the highlight being the $600,000 Virginia Derby-G2. Trainer Todd Pletcher will be looking to win his third Virginia Derby, while rival conditioner Dale Romans and jockey Ramon Dominguez will each be looking to win their second.

The 1 ¼-mile Virginia Derby features a field of eight three-year-olds, including a trio who at one point or another took part in Triple Crown races on the main track. The heavy betting favorite is 7-PADDY O’PRADO, who easily won the Colonial Turf Cup-G2 last time out following a 6th-place finish in the Preakness-G1 and 3rd-place finish in the Kentucky Derby-G1. That win was his second graded stakes victory over turf, having won the Palm Beach-G3 at Gulfstream Park earlier this year at the expense of subsequent Lane’s End-G2 winner Dean’s Kitten. Today’s competitive is much stiffer than he faced last time out but having a win over the course and distance can only be viewed as an edge. Trainer Dale Romans won this race back in 2004 with Kitten’s Joy. 3-INTERACTIF returns to his favorite surface after a pair of races over synthetic tracks and a 7th-place finish in the Belmont Stakes on dirt. This Todd Pletcher-trained colt has a 4-2-1-1 record on grass, with his wins coming in the With Anticipation-G2 at Saratoga and the Bourbon-G3 at Keeneland. He is the only multiple graded stakes winner in the field besides the favorite. The distance is a question mark for him but he figures to be forwardly-placed and will look to get the jump on Paddy turning for home. Pletcher has won this race twice, sending out 37/1 outsider Red Giant in 2007 and English Channel in 2005. 2-KRYPTON ships in for Kiaran McLaughlin following a win in the Hill Prince-G3 at Belmont Park. He was a game winner over heavy favorite Nordic Truce but that was a five-horse field that basically played follow-the-leader around the track (running positions barely changed throughout the race). He should be sitting in the second flight along with Interactif today, but it appears he will need to step up his game if he hopes to pull off the upset. 8-STATELY VICTOR was no factor in the Kentucky Derby or Belmont Stakes following his shocking 40/1 upset in the Blue Grass Stakes-G1 at Keeneland. He won his maiden over turf at Saratoga last summer and grass is probably his future in the near term. Ramon Dominguez, who leads the nation in wins and earnings, and who won this race in 1999 with Phi Beta Doc, takes over in the saddle but this colt looks like the early trailer in this field and will need to pass them all to grab the gold. More likely a “gimmicks buster” than a winner.

Here is a quick look at the other stakes on Saturday’s card:

Race 8 – the $50,000 Chenery for two-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs looks like a two-horse race. 1-Z APPEAL crushed $50,000 maidens at Churchill Downs in his career debut for Dale Romans and is bred to handle the new surface. His chief rival appears to be 5-HAPPYTHEMAN, a speedy colt who was dueled into defeat in a better-than-looks stake at Delaware Park. Those looking to spread in the “All Stakes Pick 5” could include 3-The Flying Whizzer and 4-Ol’ Man Murph – or get adventurous and hit the “all button”. Saratoga Online Horse Betting

Race 9 – there is plenty of speed in the $50,000 Tippett for two-year-old fillies, setting the table for 5-MOLLY MINGUN. This Virginia-bred filly was a strong debut winner last month, rating kindly and coming home fast (:11.75) to win going away. The biggest threat could come from the filly she beat that day, 9-VALIANT STAR, who came right back to win her maiden by 13 lengths at today’s distance. It’s tough to separate the speed, which should come from a variety of sources: 1-Sopchoppy, 2-Tomica’s Spirit, 3-Winslet, 4-Vivendi’s Verdict and 7-Latika.
Race 10 – the $50,000 Kitten’s Joy drew a big field of 13 and the bettor could go any number of ways. 7-BALTIMORE BOB and 3-VANQUISHER finished a head apart in 1st and 2nd, respectively in the local Da Hoss Stakes ($50K), and the third-place finisher has already come back to win a stake. 5-FOREST ATTACK ran well in his turf debut at Churchill Downs and could prove the controlling speed. 9-PLEASANT STRIKE looks like the class of the race, and despite losing his last eight starts, his last win did come right here at Colonial. 4-Southern Anthem, 11-March to Victory, 12-Pick Six and 13-Rockaby Bay have a chance to make things interesting at boxcar betting odds if any show up with their best. Saratoga Race Track

Race 11 – the $150,000 Virginia Oaks-G3 features a heavy favorite in 8-CHECK THE LABEL and she’s tough to discount. She comes off back-to-back wins in the Sands Point-G3 at Belmont Park and the Appalachian-G3 at Keeneland, giving her a decided edge in class over this field – which includes only one other stakes winner. She’s no stranger to this turf course, having won her maiden here last July, and she is the only filly in the field with a win at today’s distance. The real race could be for second money. 2-Martita Sangrita looms the logical second betting choice, but 1-Jungle Tale, 3-Midway Holiday, 5-Kilmore Quay or 7-Frances Gardner offer better odds. Saratoga Race

Today’s All-Stakes Pick 5 Tickets … (ticket costs based on $1.00 wagers)

($96.00) 1-5 / 5-9 / 3-4-5-7-9-11-12-13 / 8 / 2-3-7
($40.00) 1-5 / 5 / 3-5-7-9 / 1-2-3-5-7 / 7
($24.00) 3-4 / 5 / 3-5-7-9 / 8 / 2-3-7
($8.00) 3-4 / 9 / 3-5-7-9 / 8 / 7
($40.00) All / 5 / 3-5-7-9 / 8 / 7
($40.00) 1-5 / 1-2-3-4-7 / 3-5-7-9 / 8 / 7