Friday, March 27, 2009

Even more Road to the Kentucky Derby...Spotlight -- Florida Derby

If Dunkirk is your fancy... ... the time to strike is now.


With the Florida Derby scheduled for Saturday afternoon at around 5:40pm est Gulfstream Park will either become the super highway to Louisville or another resting place for the never ending list of Derby contenders.


Three of the fields nine entries are serious contenders for the Derby Crown, Kenneth McPeek trainee Theregoesjojo, the Edward Evans owned Quality Road and undefeated monster Dunkirk.


Although Quality Road will be gunning for the early lead on Saturday afternoon Dunkirk’s trainer Todd Pletcher has cross entered stablemate Europe to insure an honest pace from Quality Road through the races early fractions. Pletcher, a future hall of famer is so desperate to make it to Kentucky for the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby that he is prepared to send out Europe as a sacrificial lamb or in this case a sacrificial rabbit. The reason for this bold moves is simple... ...Blue blooded newcomer Dunkirk has won both of his two career starts, however entry into the Kentucky Derby is based solely on graded stakes earning of which Dunkirk has none.


If Dunkirk along with Pletcher and Co. intend to make the starting gate at Churchill Downs they have only one shot to collect the required graded stakes earnings that will garner them a Derby Day invitation and that’s to win Saturday’s Florida Derby.


If Dunkirk fails to make the winners circle on Saturday afternoon Todd Pletcher and the ownership group behind the colt will be forced to reschedule there colts coming out party for Preakness Day at Pimlico.


If Dunkirk wins... ...it`s straight to Kentucky as the odds on, undefeated favourite at a price that will make even an iron stomach like myself reach for the Pepto...forty cents on the dollar.


If you like Dunkirk...why wait tell Derby Day to make it count?


If Dunkirk makes the Derby it’s all but a forgone conclusion that he will go into the gate as the races heavy favourite likely paying around thirty cents for ever dollar you wager.


So what’s a gambler to do?


The answer is simple, head over to www.bowmans.com where Dunkirk is currently being offered up at the meaty odds of 9/1. Keep in mind that this means that the Todd Pletcher trainee will need to win both of his next two races in order for you to claim a potential payout, but if you really, really like Dunkirk there’s definitely no time like the present.


Z. Black


The Kentucky Derby Futures Pool #3 will open next week and I expect that Dunkirk will be the Pool’s 5-2 favourite, again too little to late.


Tags: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

No comments: