The race I most want to see & Derby futures

COMMENTARY

FEBRUARY 12, 2013

The race I most want to see & Derby futures

by Ed DeRosa

(Ed picks up the thought from his Saturday night tweet: "Fun conversation

today... what racing is all about. Imagine if superstars like PoE & AK butted

heads every week?" 10:01 PM - 09 Feb 13.)

Not since Rachel Alexandra-Zenyatta have two horses ignited conversation like

the way Point of Entry and Animal Kingdom did following their battle in the

Kitten's Joy Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap Championship.

Pat Cummings @DubaiRaceNight tweeted: "I find nothing sad about this being

Animal Kingdom's last run in the US - taking on the world is a thrilling

proposition, need more to do it" (9:04 PM - 09 Feb 13).

Both Animal Kingdom & Point of Entry could make their next starts in Dubai,

albeit in different races w/ Animal Kingdom likely for the Dubai World Cup on

Tapeta Footings, and Point of Entry nominated to the Dubai Sheema Classic on

turf.

I don't necessarily share Pat's zest for seeing U.S.-based animals having an

international campaign, but seeing Point of Entry and Animal Kingdom square off

again in a race like the Prince of Wales over 1 1/4 miles at Royal Ascot would

be a lot of fun. Throw in Little Mike and Horse of the Year and three-time

champion Wise Dan, and wouldn't it be something if Americans had the superfecta

at Royal Ascot?

But seeing those four in the same gate would be amazing regardless of locale,

and any of the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes, Dixie Stakes, or Manhattan

Handicap would be a fun setting for such a match up since all three of those

races are on classic undercards.

MONDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Per

Mike Welsch, Point of Entry will not point toward Dubai and instead have

what appears to be a more domestic campaign with the Arlington Million and

Breeders' Cup Turf being major summer and fall goals, respectively. I bet a

Phipps horse who won those two races plus another Grade 1 a la Little Mike would

be champion.

Anyway, doesn't sound as if we'll see Animal Kingdom take on any of his

conquerors (Wise Dan and Point of Entry) again, but he is taking on the world,

and that's definitely something. 

Following up on my future wager action, I had to call an audible late Sunday

afternoon because seven horses at 15-to-1 or less plus the field at 8-to-5 meant

some decent prices elsewhere that I just couldn't ignore. I ended up playing

eight different horses to win at $20 apiece to bring my total Kentucky Derby

investment to $200 with returns ranging from 3-to-2 to 11-to-1 on the 12 horses

I've taken a position on.

2013 Future Wagers: All bets

Horse		Price		Investment		Return
Forty Tales		175		$10.00		$1,750.00
Itsmyluckyday		25		$20.00		$500.00
Winning Cause		175		$5.00		$875.00
Park City		150		$5.00		$750.00
Capo Bastone		58		$20.00		$1,160.00
Code West		56		$20.00		$1,120.00
Delhomme		55.6		$20.00		$1,112.00
Frac Daddy		68.5		$20.00		$1,370.00
Mylute		123.6		$20.00		$2,472.00
Overanalyze		33.6		$20.00		$672.00
Super Ninety Nine		47.6		$20.00		$952.00
Vyjack		49.9		$20.00		$998.00
Total:				$200

I passed on the exacta pool because I wasn't in a position to look closely at

the will pays and didn't want to play "just because." In retrospect, probably

would have been worth a few shekels to key box the field with the aforementioned

eight horses I bet to win, but there'll be time enough for counting when the

dealing's done. I mean, I still have two pools and the race itself to put myself

in a more favorable position.

The final 10-point-to-the-winner Derby prep races are this weekend with the

El Camino Real Derby on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields and Southwest Stakes on

Monday at Oaklawn Park. Then things really get interesting with the 50-point

races since I project a win there almost certainly guarantees a spot in the

Derby gate if more than 20 enter.