We are closing in very strongly on the 1st Friday and Saturday in May, as this weekend marks the last chance for horses to punch their ticket to the Kentucky Oaks on Friday May 1st, or the Kentucky Derby on Saturday May 2nd.
Let’ em Run will be putting forth some special shows, with some special guests, as we lead up to the big weekend, so be sure to stay tuned for details.
Arkansas Derby Recap
Below is how we did last weekend with our race analysis of the Arkansas Derby, and the Florida Derby and the late P5 at Gulfstream Park.
The Arkansas Derby
The #6 Renegade punched his ticket to the 1st Saturday in May with an impressive win as the odds on favorite. Our top pick, #9 Litmus Test did not fire and may be looking elsewhere for his next start.
Gulfstream Park Late P5 Recap
Race 10
We had our eyes squarely on #6 Connect the Stars, as our 15-1 longshot to win and kick off the 1st leg of the P5 with a bang. Jockey Javier Castellano had this runner closing strongly for the win, when another runner veered out slightly and caused our pick to have to go wider than he would have liked. He landed in 2nd place, and still paid a nice $14.60 for the effort.
Race 11
Our pick #4 Concrete Glory, hit the gas out of the gate as expected, but at best, could only hold on for 4th place. The winner #2 Pentathlon pain $10.00 for the win.
Race 12
We had a lot of arrows pointing to our top pick #10 Candy Quest, those arrows missed their mark, and she did not fire at all. We will look to see where she shows up next, and expect a much better effort, with some potential improved odds to boost.
Race 13
This was where the favorites in the race looked like the most likely winners, and they did not disappoint. Top picks #7 Far Bridge and #1 Corruption finished 1st and 2nd for a chalky exacta. Our longshot pick #8 Echo Lane, did lock in the trifecta and landed in 3rd place.
Race 14 – The Florida Derby
We have not yet found out what may have went wrong (if anything) with top pick #6 Nearly, as he finished a well beaten 4th. He now sits in 19th place in the Derby point standings, and a longshot to make it. We will continue to investigate, as he had no chance right out of the gate. Jockey John Velasquez offered no insight immediately after the race. The winner #4 Commandment, was a nose winner over #8 The Puma, and both are now eligible to line up again in the Kentucky Derby. The P5 paid a very chalky $286.87 for a .50 cent base wager.
Final Prep Races This Weekend
This weekend is still packed with some very solid prep races, starting with Friday 4/3, at Keeneland with The Ashland Stakes for fillies looking for a last chance to draw into the Kentucky Oaks. There are also two other races for fillies on Saturday 4/4, at Aqueduct with The Gazelle Stakes, and at Santa Anita with The Santa Anita Oaks.
For the boys, they will be running The Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland, The Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, and The Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita. All represent last chances for 100 points and a ticket to the Kentucky Derby.
Tune In and Final Thoughts
An action packed weekend to be sure, and Let ‘em Run will be on top of it all. So be sure to tune in to Happy Hour Friday at 3pm, and our big weekend show at 12:30 on Saturday. The podcasts can be viewed on Sports Talk Media Network, as well as multiple streaming apps and social channels.
So as we say, “bet smart, cheer hard, fast horse can lead to serious fun”, and when all is said and done, Let ‘em Run !!
