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 – Last Week – Decent start in week one, tabbing two of three winners–Max Player (+$905) and Thousand Words (+$290). Unfortunately, the most impressive winner of the trio by far–Tiz the Law in the Holy Bull–was the one I didn't use (Toledo could only manage third), and both my adversaries both also used the longest-priced winner of the weekend. Bankroll: $1195.
GIII Sam F. Davis S. – Let's see how creative we can be in the Sam F. Davis! Independence Hall is the horse to beat, but not seeing the value in odds-on against a solid group in which a couple of these have a license to improve. We'll go to the rail with Ajaaweed, who was never catching Shotski in the nine-furlong Remsen last out, but gets freshened for this and should have some pace to run at after a ground-saving trip. Selection: #1 Ajaaweed (4-1).
Sherack – Last Week – Max Player (+$905) and Thousand Words (+$290) made for a nice opening weekend of Throwdown selecting two of three winners, while Relentless Dancer could do no better than a distant fourth in the Holy Bull. Bankroll: $1195.
GIII Sam F. Davis S. – Disappointed that Irad Ortiz, Jr. won't be making the trip to Tampa, but still willing to see if the stretching-out 'TDN Rising Star' Premier Star can run this field off their feet as the likely second choice under Johnny V. He was a smart winner in his first two trips to the post going seven furlongs beneath Ortiz, Jr. at Gulfstream and handled an impressive next out 'Rising Star' Caracaro on debut. Selection: #6 Premier Star (3-1).
DiDonato – Last Week – Was pleasantly surprised to get better than 5-1 on Max Player (+$905) after all three of us landed on him. Tiz the Law (+$380) was a bit of a gift at 13-10–that was a really strong performance. Tizamagician wasn't quite good enough–just glad my chalky winner wasn't quite as chalky as Ed and Steve's. Bankroll: $1285.
GIII Sam F. Davis S. – I made a big bet on Ajaweed last time–that was fun… I can't get past him here and am hoping his run this time doesn't come too late. Independence Hall is a talented horse for sure and a fairly likely winner, but he's not guaranteed to see out two turns–especially if he finds himself too close early to speedster Premier Star (Chapalu has some speed too, but I'm not sure he's the same kind of fast as Premier Star). Shotski's second in the Withers with less of an easy lead than he got in the Remsen flatters Ajaweed, who seems like a true Classic prospect and one of the better under-the-radar Derby prospects out there currently. Selection: #1 Ajaweed (4-1).
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