Weekend Preview

The Man O' War should be well worth watching; Curlin has quite a task ahead of him. Red Rocks, Better Talk Now and Grand Couturier are all strong contenders, and I keep expecting Sudan to figure it out at some point. This race might be a little short for Better Talk Now, but it's always great to see the old guy. Here's hoping for a strong effort from Curlin. While Unbridled Belle is a deserving favorite in the Del Cap (especially after her runaway victory in the race last year), I like Hystericalady to upset her. I'm intrigued by Santa Teresita, given the fact that she's faced Zenyatta, but as this is her first time on conventional dirt, I'm not a believer - yet. The weekend's activities are not confined to this coast; at Hollywood Park, Colonel John is coming back in the Swaps, as are Tres Borrachos and Nownownow. It will be useful to see how they have progressed since the Derby trail. There's action at Arlington this weekend as well - Tizdejavu is back in the American Derby, and Cosmonaut is aiming for a hat-trick in the Arlington Handicap. He's always been just a shade below the top turf runners in his generation, but he is well-placed in this race -- it's obviously one he relishes. It would be nice to see him make a mark for himself, rather than to continue to be better known for his former trainer's cobra-venom hijinks. He's now with Carlos Martin, a third-generation trainer based in New York who was the horse's first trainer, so it's something of a return home. Finally, make sure you check out the article in the NY Times today on racing in Mongolia; those of you familiar with my arcane interest in genetic and archaeological connections between Mongolian horses and Icelandic horses will not be surprised by this recommendation, even if it's not referenced in the story -- it's still a good read. See you Sunday at Delaware Park!