The Jerome Could Prove a Key Preakness Prep
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Zipse’s Kentucky Derby Daily – Day 16
The days of top contenders running two weeks before the Kentucky Derby, or less than that in the not too distant past, seem to be long gone. Accordingly, Saturday’s two major stakes races for three-year-olds promise little to no impact on this year’s run for the roses. While the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland has one realistic chance to send a horse on to Louisville, in Silver Medallion, it is the Jerome Handicap that I find to be the much more interesting race. While I don’t imagine it will yield a single runner in the Derby, it could well end up becoming a key prep for the second jewel of this year’s Triple Crown.
The Jerome, long run in the late summer at Belmont Park, returns after a one year hiatus from the New York racing schedule. As the closing day feature at Aqueduct, the Grade 2, $150,000 Jerome seems to have found a nice spot on the calendar to attract the late developing colts not quite prepared for the Derby, but still with an eye on Triple Crown glory. A big run on Saturday by any colt in the eight horse field will likely lead to a birth in the starting gate for the May 21 Preakness Stakes. Run at a one-turn mile, the Jerome has attracted several promising colts.
From the Todd Pletcher barn comes the morning line choice, Cal Nation. Listed at 2-1, the WinStar Farm homebred has made only two lifetime starts. Both came at Gulfstream Park, where he first romped to a 7 ¾ length win in his February 5 debut going seven furlongs. In his second start, he finished second by a nose to stablemate Dance City in a March 19, one mile, allowance race. That result became a whole lot more impressive after the winner came back to run a strong 3rd in the recent Arkansas Derby. John Velazquez will ride the impeccably bred son of Distorted Humor as he breaks from post position 2.
Just to his inside will be the morning line second choice, Astrology, who will try to win the race just days after his partial owner, Jess Jackson, succumbed in his battle with cancer. The Steve Asmussen trained son of A.P. Indy was thought until recently to be a Kentucky Derby candidate, but his connections opted to get a little more seasoning before entering the Triple Crown fray. Astrology has made only one start this year, a 2nd in the Sunland Park Derby, after winning the Iroquois Stakes last fall at Churchill Downs. Of all the horses in the Jerome, Astrology might be the most likely to head to Baltimore in four weeks. Mike Smith picks up the mount on the 5-2 shot, and 120 pound highweight.
Two other very lightly raced colts should attract plenty of support in the Jerome and still could prove to be any kind. Adios Charlie just made his return to the races after he was sidelined with a tibia stress fracture following his 2nd place debut in a Belmont Park maiden race last October. He made a most impressive return when he ran away from a maiden field at Gulfstream three weeks ago. Ridden by Rajiv Maragh, The son of Indian Charlie drew away under a hand ride to score by 6 ¾ lengths in the 6 ½ furlong affair.
Yet another promising colt making only his third lifetime start in the Jerome will be the Kiaran McLaughlin trained Rattlesnake Bridge. The son of Tapit made an eye-catching storm to victory in his debut at Gulfstream back on February 12. Thrown to the proverbial wolves in his second start, Rattlesnake Bridge proved easily second best when he finished behind the then undefeated juvenile champion, Uncle Mo in the Timely Writer Stakes one month after his debut. Jose Lezcano will again ride the 6-1 morning line chance.
The Jerome field is completed by Justin Phillip, Gallant Dreams, Isn’t He Perfect and Starship Caesar, but it is from the first four mentioned that I will be looking for an impressive performance or two, sending them on to Baltimore with a real shot to make some noise as the fresh horse in the Preakness.
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