Dubleo

- Really game performance by Dubleo (Southern Halo) (pronounced by Vic Stauffer as ‘Double-O’) taking the Dave Feldman for 3yo’s on the turf at Gulfstream. As expected, Lord Robyn took the lead and after going :24 1/5, blazed deadly quarters of :22.1 and 22.3; Dubleo tracked about 4 lengths behind but still, he must have been going pretty fast to keep up, and I’m feeling good with closers Tadreeb and Crown Point. The next quarter was a slowing :25.2 as Dubleo took the lead, and he dug in bravely when Tadreeb pulled alongside and went on to a half length win, with Crown Point a fast-closing third.

So, as if we haven’t recently seen Todd Pletcher send out the impressive Forest Danger and Coast Line, here’s another one with scary potential. He’s now a neck short of 6 for 6 on the turf and 4 stakes wins, and has shown both speed and grit. He’s out of a Secretariat mare named Secret Red, who as I mentioned the other day is a half sister to champion sprinter Rubiano; she’s also a half to Tap Your Heels (Unbridled), the dam of last year’s Wood Memorial winner Tapit. [UPDATE: Fogot about Isola Piu Bella, another one for Pletcher!]

- Roman Ruler (Fusaichi Pegasus) worked 6 furlongs from the gate this morning, and seems headed for the Gotham at the Big A (yay). That race is scheduled for a one turn mile on the main track, however I read some comments by Nick Zito today expressing doubt that the main track would be ready and that the race could be run around two turns on the inner, a situation that was dissuading him from sending High Fly here for the race.

- A slightly belated word on All Along, the champion mare who passed away last week. I was at Aqueduct the day she won the Turf Classic on her Horse of the Year tour there, and though I can’t really say I remember anything specific about the race, I remember that I was there, and that’s only because she was too. I remember it feeling like the chilly, gray track was being graced by a visit from a foreign dignitary.