What we learned: Dr Post has more to prove off Unbridled win

Dr Post took a step forward in his career Saturday by winning the newly-created Unbridled Stakes at Gulfstream Park as the even-money favorite. He improved his record to two wins in three starts, with his lone blemish coming as an inexperienced 2-year-old.

There are two questions to consider. Was Dr Post impressive in his victory? Also, can he move forward off this win and step onto the Derby trail this summer?

To answer the first question, Dr Post ran well for a horse making his third career start. But it was a short-margin win over a mild group of 3-year-old horses in a $75,000 event.

Americanus led the field early on and provided a reasonable pace, taking them through opening 24.07 and 47.47 fractions for the 1 1/16-mile distance. In a surprising move, the speedy Relentless Dancer did not gun for the lead. Rather, he took up the pressing position along with the longshot Soros on his outside.

Dr Post initially tracked the leaders in fifth, only three lengths behind the leader, while Attachment Rate initially settled in last after a wide first turn. 

Approaching the far turn, Relentless Dancer lost position and began to fade. As they traveled six furlongs in 1:10.79, Soros made a brief move to look Americanus directly in the eye. But Soros threw in the towel as well. At the top of the stretch, Americanus continued on, but Dr Post and Attachment Rate joined him with their rallies.

Dr Post gradually secured the front after switching to his correct lead in midstretch and won by 1 ½ lengths. Attachment Rate gave a good effort for second, but not switching leads cost him late and caused him to hang.

Americanus faded to third, and Necker Island finished a non-threatening fourth.

Dr Post received a 112 TimeformUS Speed Figure, and Attachment Rate went down a few points to a 110 after earning a 113 in the Gotham Stakes (G3).

Did Dr Post defeat a good horse in Attachment Rate? Yes. But as pointed out, Attachment Rate gave him the race after failing to switch leads in the stretch.

The rest of the field only looks OK at best. Prior to this race, Americanus won a weak local allowance race on Feb. 22. Necker Island had run a non-threatening fifth in the Gotham, as well as a non-threatening fifth in the Swale Stakes (G3). Relentless Dancer cannot handle a route distance, and Soros looks a step slow. 

His dam, Mary Delaney, ran as a stakes-quality sprinter whose big win came in the 2007 Vinery Madison Stakes (G1). Dr Post’s damsire Hennessy is known as a sprint influence too. On the top side, he does get some stamina from Quality Road, but is it enough to cancel out the bottom?

With that said, Dr Post is still lightly-raced with plenty of upside left, and sometimes horses outrun their sprinter-oriented pedigrees. In a unique season, time is on his side to develop ahead of the Sept. 5 Kentucky Derby.

Long Weekend and Echo Town impress in Bachelor Stakes

Over at Oaklawn Park, Long Weekend and Echo Town stepped up their games in the six-furlong Bachelor Stakes, while favored Eight Rings missed the board in the feature for 3-year-olds.

As expected, Long Weekend went to the front and momentarily held the lead uncontested. Eight Rings did not initially join him. Instead, Echo Town took up the main pressing role as Eight Rings settled right outside.

On the turn, Echo Town took his best shot against Long Weekend. Eight Rings tried to go with them at first, but he faded.    

In midstretch, Long Weekend and Echo Town separated from the field and put on a show with neither horse giving an inch. Long Weekend narrowly prevailed, although both of them put five lengths on Lykan in third. Eight Rings ended up fifth, seven lengths behind the duo.

Long Weekend earned a career-high 122 figure from TimeformUS, while Echo Town also picked up a career-high figure of 121. Both horses were impressive and look ready to move forward to the next level once there are graded sprint races to enter.

As for Eight Rings, he only proved again the weak quality of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile field. While this trend could change as the year continues, betting on Juvenile horses to win in 2020 has been detrimental to bettors’ wallets.

Consider Long Weekend and Echo Town next time, wherever they end up. But discount Eight Rings until he proves himself against stakes horses again.