Bee,

Clarification on what I posted re TAP'S horses. Neither CQ or SD had reported soundness issues and I never wrote that.CQ had displayed a kinda lack of eneregy 10 days before the Wood and Pletcher felt CQ could not go into the Wood and come back with his best effort in the derby. This is a knock, an 8 weeks unplanned break into a 1 and 1/4 never having gone more than 1 and 1/16th. His figs speak to his talent but not the vicious run he has when right.He loves CD to boot.Tough call for me except he's short odds and there does not seem to be much early gas in this derby so deep closers may be compromised by race shape.The PP draw is always very important.

SD,third string in Feb (behind CQ and AGS) has shown resiliency and improved tactical speed in his last florida race and Prado fits like a glove on this horse.

ASG was all the rave after his first Tampa race reportedly coming out of the race better than going in.There was head scratching about who Johnny V would ride CQ or AGS,this in spite of Scat Daddys game score.Forward to the Wood where AGS sat perfectly off three vieing horses and tried hard but spit the bit very late. Walked off tired that day, off the three week break.He was floated very wide on the first turn and also lost some ground on the second.Strictly one to observe training up to the derby.Could he possibly be as knocked out as he appeared after the Wood?

Cowtown Cat is not impossible, imo.

My take on TAP's derby horses is simply that the Derby swagger of February is not the same today and history tells us that his horses usually do not come up big on the first saturday in May.Conflicted, because I'm always rooting for Angel(after rooting for myself)


Mike

P.S. Be careful BEE,Rags to Riches Cali performances were monsterous and the figs do not do her justice,imo.If shes handle's the CD surface like Cali, she's a cinch.