Ed DeRosa of Brisnet.com takes on TDN's Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap Triple Crown prep races plus the big three races themselves. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets in the preps and $200 Win/Place bets in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Highest bankroll at the end wins.
DeRosa – Shared Belief S. Result – Cezanne finished last of four. Bankroll: $4960.
GI Runhappy Travers S. – I hope people fall in love with the thought of Baffert shipping East (again!) and bet their lungs on Uncle Chuck. It's the only way Tiz the Law could be a playable price, but I would take 6-5 on him in the win pool. He's done everything right as a 3-year-old and for better or worse, had the luxury of getting to space his races out while still targeting the most premiere events for 3-year-olds. And so it goes here in the Travers off a seven-week layoff from the Belmont S. The rubber will meet the road with the Kentucky Derby just four weeks after that, but in this spot he has the foundation for 1 1/4 miles, he's already carried 126 pounds, and he's been consistently faster than the rest of these. Selection: #6 Tiz the Law (1-1).
Sherack – Shared Belief S. Result – Well, the Shared Belief turned out to be a bit of a trap race for Honor A. P. And that's fine. I'll happily take a better price on the first Saturday in September now. Bankroll: $3530.
GI Runhappy Travers S. – I really wanted to play against both of the favorites here, but there just isn't anything entered to take a flyer on. Uncle Chuck ran like a horse that still had plenty of growing up to do in his first two victories, and maybe he has with all the hype surrounding him now and trio of bullets posted since. Tiz the Law, meanwhile, continues to do nothing wrong and seems to be thriving since his impressive score in the GI Belmont S. He's the horse to beat here. Selection: #6 Tiz the Law (1-1).
DiDonato – Shared Belief S. Result – Honor A. P. (+$105) got beat at very short odds, but had a ton going against him and is probably a much more appealing wagering proposition now for the Derby. Bankroll: $5230.
GI Runhappy Travers S. – I hate to keep chalking out, but Tiz the Law looks awful tough in here and I'm not going to give away points and possibly my lead just for the sake of being contrarian. He appears to be working very well and has won over the Saratoga surface; drew a good post; and 10 panels doesn't seem like a major obstacle. I'm not fully sold on Uncle Chuck, so something like a tri key of Tiz the Law over Max Player, Country Grammar Grammer and Caracaro might be the play pari-mutuelly, though it won't pay too much. Selection: #6 Tiz the Law (1-1).
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