This is one fine looking field despite some of the speed figures being, perhaps, California-track biased.
Let’s start with #2, Baffert’s Bodemeister, the 3-1 ML favorite. Sporting a Beyer of 101 and a 9-1/4 length win in his maiden breaker in his last race, he wired from the bell and probably could have circled the field and passed the other 7 horses again! Bejarano gets the call. However, this is a much better field and there will be others to force the pace, but in the pilot I trust.
Baffert also has #6 Liason in this one. Aside from unseating his rider (Bejarano) after clipping heals in his 3-year old debut, he has shown what a true contender he is. Throw out the debacle in the last one and this guy is 4/3-0-1 with nearly $500,000 in earnings as a two-year old. He’s beaten the tough Rousing Sermon, a contender in this race, twice. NOTE: Baffert races this Indian Charlie colt for the first time without blinkers. An appealing 6-1 on the ML….
Trainer Mike Harrington has two in this race with #7 Creative Cause one of them. (Harrington’s Empire Way out of the #10 post to be scratched? I wouldn’t be surprised.). His work coming into this is solid. I will toss his 4-horse field third place finish the sprint last out as prep for this. He is out of Giant’s Causeway and will run all day. Let’s not forget that he finished third to Hansen and Union Rags in the BC Juve. He should be there.
#3 American Act has improved steadily with a career high speed figure in his last race, the San Vicente (G-2) when he beat Creative Cause and lost by a nose hair to the contentious Drill. For the juicy 8-1 ML price, you get Marty Pedroza and local sharpie trainer Jack Carava. These two are 18% wins in tandem. While I am not a big believer in the bounce, this might be the day he regresses. That said, I think he contends.
#4 Midnight Transfer is a good one and he will be tested here. He hasn’t faced as good as these and that’s a bit of a knock. Nonetheless, the local handicapper has installed him at 5-1 ML, so take a close look.