There’s Racing Outside of Kentucky, Too

On a day when most attention is focused a couple hundred miles north for the Breeders Bowl, there is still plenty of action right here in Florida for the seventh running of the Grade 3 Panhandle Derby for three year olds going nine furlongs on the turf.

While none of these had the points necessary to qualify for the BB turf races, many of them are coming in at the top of there game.  The race looks very competitive.

Here is a look at the field:

1. Pedro’s Rainbow (Scenic x Rainbow Quest) tried graded company last time in Chicago against Campillo and older, and the results were not encouraging.  He won three of four just before that outing and was in the money in seven of eight, including a couple listed stakes.  Speed figures are competitive and he is eligible to improve off his last.  Out of the Pedro1975 (12%) barn, which has had nice success with the progeny of a winless dam.  8-1.

2. Okemo Prospector (Crafty Prospector x Green Dancer) is the second choice in the morning line based on an impressive wire to wire win over older in the Grade 2 Posh Purse.  One from that field entered the BB Mile, but failed to draw into the race.  That last race was Okemo’s first try on grass, and don’t look for him to leave the surface anytime soon.  This Runwild8 (16%) trainee gets a field with not many others looking for the early lead.  Great position to win two in a row.  7-1.

3. Jennahs (13%) is a believer in taking a horse through its conditions before trying stakes.  Her Jennahs Fleet (Afleet x Danehill) picked up his fifth win on the lawn two races back and tried stakes last time.  He was closing on three top ranked older ones to run a more than respectable fourth.  One of those who beat him is running in the Breeders Bowl, and the winner would have qualified as well.  Don’t overlook this one.  11-1.

4. Winless in stakes, but two of four in allowance turf tries, Very One (Macho Uno x A.P. Indy) is the surprising morning line favorite.  Though he may be at a class disadvantage, he is consistently quick.  He likes to sit just off the early pace and should get first run at the early leaders.  Trainer RedSox05 (15%) has picked up an impressive 913 points this year from a four horse stable.  6-1.

5. Campillo (Storm Cat x Seeking the Gold) has seven straight finishes in the money on firm turf courses, including a second against older last time in the Grade 3 Haw Haw.  He won a stakes last year, but is oh for five as a three year old.  He at the top of his game right now and figures to be in the thick of things here.  The talented Rafita (15%) trains.  8-1.

6. Worlds in Motion (Lemon Drop Kid x Miswaki) has three wins in turf allowances and tries his second stakes.  First stakes was a listed sprint where he finished a speedy second to against an above average field.  The last two races for this stalker out of the high percentage Species48 (21%) barn have been a little slow, but he does rank number four in this field in earnings per start.  14-1.

7. Lenny3 (19%) has won over two million dollars this year, and he’s picked up five wins in just eight turf starts with Run and Hide (Silver Ghost x Deputy Minister) this year.  Run’s graded win came against a suspect field going 11 furlongs, and he also has a listed win at eight furlongs.  Last time out he beat older in an allowance, but faces tougher today.  11-1.

8. MrBigB (12%) brings his number three rated filly, Sunshaft (Mineshaft x Kris S.), to run against the boys.  She tried this once before this year, against a similar field in the Grade 2 Bean Sprout, and she held her own with a third.  Against girls she has three graded wins this year.  Goes dirt to turf for the third time in her career, and the other two were followed by improved performances.  Only millionaire in the race.  10-1.

9. Ollie’s Gone (Gone West x Lear Fan) keeps running into Hail Cesario, and trainer Beamnreasn (13%) has to admit Ollie is no match for that one.  Still lightly raced, and with two stakes wins, this closer should find this field much more to his liking.  He’s the highest rated colt here.  One of four in here at 8-1.

10. Persistent trainer Alba1 keeps searching for spots for Gallic Charm (Silic x Shahrastani) and occasionally finds one where his colt can be close.  Only two of his thirteen starts earned figures over 91.  Needs much better than that today.  28-1.

11. Candlepower (Law Society x Majestic Light) was pulling away at the end last time in a listed stakes, and the time before that he finished second in the Grade 2 Jockey Club.  He is running better than ever for trainer Morrghan, who believes in sending this one out every three weeks, no matter what.  Can’t argue with it – he’s been consistently earning the points and is a top twenty three year old.  11-1.

12. Falcon Jack (Sulamani x Gone West) shortens up a bit today for the JackWorm (11%) barn.  Four of his last six races have been at a mile and a half, and the last time he went this short was early in the year when he won an allowance.  Probably faster than his recent speed figures indicate because of the distance.  He wants more speed to run at.  17-1.

13. Tyson (Finocchio x Emperor Jones) took a bite out of older but not better last time in a small listed stakes and lost a photo for third in a Grade 2 race before that.  Deep closer out of the two horse QTip (17%) stable, fits with these at a nice price.  13-1.

14. The second filly today is sitting outside.  Neutral Zone (Pine Bluff x Miswaki), out of the outstanding Indigo1 (27%) stable, was able to run down a tough filly loose on the lead last time and comes here off two very nice efforts.  Not afraid to mix it up with the boys, she won an allowance against them early this year.  Already making her 16^th start this year, she doesn’t look to be in need of a rest.  8-1.

Morning line:  4-2-9-5

Timmn’s picks: 2-3-5-14