El Camino Real Derby pits North vs. South
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It will be a battle of north versus south this Saturday at Golden Gate Fields, and you might just say there is a big opportunity that lies ahead for the winning connections.
The main event is the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby and it will be run at 1 1/8 miles. Not only is this a major stepping stone to the Kentucky Derby, but it is the start of the Preakness 5.5 (a five million dollar bonus to the winning owner of a horse that wins the El Camino, the Santa Anita Derby and the Preakness Stakes).
Since we don’t have Michael Buffer to announce the competitors for this heavyweight match up, I will do my best impersonation.
Laaaaadies and gentleman, (ding, ding) . Now for the competitors.
In one corner, hailing from Golden Gate Fields, trained by William E. Morey and ridden by Julien Couton, we have the winner of the Gold Rush Stakes and the California Derby….Positive Response.
The main event is the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby and it will be run at 1 1/8 miles. Not only is this a major stepping stone to the Kentucky Derby, but it is the start of the Preakness 5.5 (a five million dollar bonus to the winning owner of a horse that wins the El Camino, the Santa Anita Derby and the Preakness Stakes).
Since we don’t have Michael Buffer to announce the competitors for this heavyweight match up, I will do my best impersonation.
Laaaaadies and gentleman, (ding, ding) . Now for the competitors.
In one corner, hailing from Golden Gate Fields, trained by William E. Morey and ridden by Julien Couton, we have the winner of the Gold Rush Stakes and the California Derby….Positive Response.
Ok gentlemen, we want a good clean race, put your hooves together and may the best horse win.
Alright, enough with the fun and games lets get down to serious business.
Comma to the Top, the 6-5 morning line favorite, is currenly the 11th ranked horse in the latest poll of 2011 Kentucky Derby hopefuls right here on Horse Racing Nation.
A couple things stand out when looking at Comma’s past performances.
For openers, two of his five consecutive wins, came here at Golden Gate Fields in 2010, both allowance races, and both on the Tapeta Surface. Also, in all five of his latest wins, he has been behind a horse just one time, and that was his latest win in the Cash Call when he was second out of the gate, but soon after got the lead by the half mile. Other than that, he is a front running machine that has never been less than 3 ½ lengths in front turning for home in any of his six lifetime wins.
Could this shape up as a battle of front running favorites?
Probably not. Remember the same was said about Positive Response before his last race. He had won two straight races in front running fashion, but in the California Derby, with other front runners (such as Jakesam, who is also in this race) ‘Response rated off the pace and won with an impressive turn of foot around the far turn.
I guess I should mention there is another horse in this race with some respectable credentials and that is Silver Medallion, out of the Steve Asmussen barn. He formerly trained a couple other pretty good horses in Curlin and Rachel Alexandra.
Medallion will be ridden by Russell Baze and is actually the second favorite in the race, (5-2) coming off of a win in the Eddie Logan Stakes on the turf and Santa Anita. But I think when the betting commences, that Comma and Response will be one-two in the wagering.
So who has the upper hand?
You have to think that Comma to the Top is the real deal. You don’t win three straight stakes races in virtually wire-to-wire fashion if you aren’t. But something tells me that IF, Jakesam or Formula Gold puts some pressure on Comma to the Top, and IF Positive Response can settle a little farther behind this time and let them battle it out of front, the home town track can maybe get Positive Response to make a big run down to the wire.
If all that doesn’t happen, Comma to the Top may just put a period at the end of the phrase “El Camino Real Derby winner”.
Lets get ready to ruuumbleeeeeee (Sorry couldn't resist)
Here's the field from the rail out:
Comma to the Top (Nakatani, 6-5), Bluegrass Reward (Juan Hernandez, 15-1), Formula Gold (Hector Romero, 30-1), Silver Medallion (Baze, 5-2), Positive Response (Couton, 7-2), Anthony’s Cross (Aaron Gryder, 10-1) and Jakesam (Frank Alvarado, 8-1).
Alright, enough with the fun and games lets get down to serious business.
Comma to the Top, the 6-5 morning line favorite, is currenly the 11th ranked horse in the latest poll of 2011 Kentucky Derby hopefuls right here on Horse Racing Nation.
A couple things stand out when looking at Comma’s past performances.
For openers, two of his five consecutive wins, came here at Golden Gate Fields in 2010, both allowance races, and both on the Tapeta Surface. Also, in all five of his latest wins, he has been behind a horse just one time, and that was his latest win in the Cash Call when he was second out of the gate, but soon after got the lead by the half mile. Other than that, he is a front running machine that has never been less than 3 ½ lengths in front turning for home in any of his six lifetime wins.
Could this shape up as a battle of front running favorites?
Probably not. Remember the same was said about Positive Response before his last race. He had won two straight races in front running fashion, but in the California Derby, with other front runners (such as Jakesam, who is also in this race) ‘Response rated off the pace and won with an impressive turn of foot around the far turn.
I guess I should mention there is another horse in this race with some respectable credentials and that is Silver Medallion, out of the Steve Asmussen barn. He formerly trained a couple other pretty good horses in Curlin and Rachel Alexandra.
Medallion will be ridden by Russell Baze and is actually the second favorite in the race, (5-2) coming off of a win in the Eddie Logan Stakes on the turf and Santa Anita. But I think when the betting commences, that Comma and Response will be one-two in the wagering.
So who has the upper hand?
You have to think that Comma to the Top is the real deal. You don’t win three straight stakes races in virtually wire-to-wire fashion if you aren’t. But something tells me that IF, Jakesam or Formula Gold puts some pressure on Comma to the Top, and IF Positive Response can settle a little farther behind this time and let them battle it out of front, the home town track can maybe get Positive Response to make a big run down to the wire.
If all that doesn’t happen, Comma to the Top may just put a period at the end of the phrase “El Camino Real Derby winner”.
Lets get ready to ruuumbleeeeeee (Sorry couldn't resist)
Here's the field from the rail out:
Comma to the Top (Nakatani, 6-5), Bluegrass Reward (Juan Hernandez, 15-1), Formula Gold (Hector Romero, 30-1), Silver Medallion (Baze, 5-2), Positive Response (Couton, 7-2), Anthony’s Cross (Aaron Gryder, 10-1) and Jakesam (Frank Alvarado, 8-1).
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