Tag Archives: John Velazquez

Preakness 2023: National Treasure all the way

By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Preakness Stakes played out in real time just the way it looked on paper. National Treasure broke smoothly from the inside post, got to the front with relative ease, and held off Blazing Sevens in the lane to win by a head. Kentucky Derby winner Mage was third.  The complexion […]

Preakness 2023: First Mission scratch alters pace

By Jarrod Horak The 2023 Preakness Stakes lost a major contender when First Mission scratched on Friday morning due to a problem with his left-hind ankle. How does that defection impact the race? Let’s find out.  I wrote an article about the Preakness pace scenario earlier this week and stated that there were only three […]

Pleasant: Bred for Anything and Everything

Three year old filly for Bob Baffert made her debut on Saturday in a maiden special weight affair at six and a half on the main. Off at 9/2 in a field of 7, she made the running right from the get go and dueled for the early lead through fractions of 22.04 and 44.96 […]

Heart of the Night: Should at Least Get a Mile and She’ll Be Hard To Hold Back

Three year old filly for Mike McCarthy made start #2 in Saturday’s opener and first since last August in this maiden special weight event at five and a half on the turf. She was bumped around at the start, but was challenging for the lead by the half mile pole, through awfully quick fractions of […]

Isabel Ludlow: Strong Debut and Bred to Go Long

Three year old filly for Steve Miyadi made her debut in Sunday’s finale, a maiden special weight event at six and a half on the turf coming out of the chute for Cal breds. Off at 5/1 in a field of 11, she was void of any early speed and was well back down the […]

Clearly Unhinged: Will Get Better as Furlongs Increase

Three year old filly for Mike McCarthy made her debut in Sunday’s opener, a six and a half furlong sprint for maiden special weights on the main. Off at 4/1 and having to break from the rail, she was hustled to the front by Johnny V. and set fast fractions of 21.64 and 44.87 for […]

Escape Artist: A Good Versatile Winner From 8 – 9 Furlongs

Three year old colt for Mike McCarthy made start #2 on Saturday at 9 furlongs on the grass in a maiden special weight. Off as the 5/2 choice in a field of 11, he broke well under Johnny V and laid 3rd into the clubhouse turn just 3 lengths back of the leaders. He stayed […]

Harlocap: Early Trouble But Huge Performance for Solid Barn with Young Horses

Newly turned three year old colt for Bob Baffert had a ton of trouble in Monday’s 9th, a mile race on the main track for sophomore maiden special weights. Off at 5/2 in a field of 9, he broke running from the 4 slot under Johnny V. and tried to make the lead into the […]

Sonoran: Responsive Son of Curlin is Bred to Go Long

Two year old colt for Bob Baffert made his debut on Monday in a maiden special weight event at ¾ on the main. Off at 5/1 in an 8 horse field, he broke running under Johnny V. and then was taken back a bit and sat 3 lengths off the leaders down the back side. […]