Sophomores are in the spotlight this weekend, as Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida and Fair Grounds in New Orleans, Louisiana have stakes-laden cards highlighted by major prep races on the road to the Kentucky Derby (G1) and the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky the first weekend in May.
This week’s installment of The Green Sheet has a chalky feel, as Gunnevera will be tough to handle at low odds in the Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1), Girvin figures to be a handful in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) and favored Farrell is the controlling speed in the Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2). Tequilita, who has won her past three starts and is 5-1 on the morning line, looks “live” at a decent price in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).
Don’t miss next week’s installment on Thursday, April 6, as I’ll have full-card analysis and selections 24 hours in advance for the opening day of Keeneland’s 2017 Spring Meet on Friday, April 7, a program highlighted by the $150,000 Transylvania Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3T).
Furthermore, on Saturday, April 8, I’ll not only have analysis and selections for the Blue Grass Day program at Keeneland–a card that features five stakes races–but also I’ll analyze the $750,000 Wood Memorial (G2) from Aqueduct and the $1,000,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) from Arcadia, California.
For this weekend’s Spot Plays from Fair Grounds and Gulfstream Park, click HERE.
Header image: “The Aiken Trials”, Vaughn Flannery, 1948