ZATT's Star of the Week, is ... Always Dreaming!
Last week, the decision was easy. It was all about Arrogate. This week, there was much more to consider. We saw a number of notable performances on the track the past few days. So many, in fact, that I'm sure a few will go unmentioned in tonight's column. For the sake of celebrating the thoroughbred, though, now seemed a perfect time for a rundown of the best of the week that was.
Today at Tampa, the classy World Approval returned from nearly a six-month break, and showed his class on the grass with a strong win in the EG Vodka Turf Classic. Not to be outdone on the same Florida Cup afternoon, R Angel Katelyn and Tiger Blood smoked their respective competition in other stakes on the card.
Kentucky Oaks bound fillies strutted their stuff in both South Florida and New Orleans yesterday. Salty announced herself as a budding star with a big run in the Gulfstream Park Oaks, but less than an hour later, Farrell outdid her with a gem in the Fair Grounds Oaks.
Out West, all eyes were on the big horse, but Dortmund came up empty in the Santana Mile. The impressive winner did not, though. Collected had not run since the Preakness, but he looked like he had never been away with an eye catching win in the Santana Mile.
Collected was fast, but back at Gulfstream Park, Clearly Now was faster. So fast, in fact, that the seven-year-old veteran broke a track record while romping in a salty allowance race in 1:20 flat.
Back in New Orleans, Girvin validated his Risen Star win with an equally decisive victory in the million-dollar Louisiana Derby, while Honorable Duty turned it on late to somehow rundown an extremely game Breaking Lucky in the New Orleans Handicap.
Impressive, one and all, but the biggest light of the week that was, came in the Grade 1 Florida Derby. It remains to be seen whether Always Dreaming can get the job done on the first Saturday in May, but on the first Saturday in April, he looked like the genuine article in running away with the Grade 1 Florida Derby. A five-length win in 1:47 and change.
ZATT's Star of the Week, is ... Always Dreaming!