Big Saturday at the Gulf

- Entries in for Gulfstream, and what a day of racing. Undefeated Maddalena faces six in the Forward Gal (G2); yet another promising 3 yo for Nick Zito, Noble Causeway, goes in a NW1X allowance; Lost in the Fog against ten in the 7 furlong Swale; Eddington, Zakocity, Classic Endeavor and 6 others in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2); and the Fountain of Youth draws a field of 11. In the all important post position draw at the 9 furlong Gulfstream route for the FOY, which starts perilously close to the turn, probable top choices High Fly and Bandini draw 7 and 8. One horse who drew inside will likely actually scratch because he drew the 2 post that most others would covet. Trainer Ken McPeek said earlier this week of his Kansas City Boy, second in the Holy Bull, “He drew inside posts in his last two starts, and that was detrimental to him because he doesn't relax, and he gets shaken up.” [Thoroughbred Times]. If he does scratch he may go in next week’s Louisiana Derby instead. Y’know, he was pretty close in those races in which he was “shaken up” and he’s shown tremendous improvement this year, going directly from maiden races to a 3rd and 2nd in graded stakes, and may be one to watch.

- And great news from Oaklawn, where trainer Tim Ritchey has unexpectedly entered Afleet Alex in a 6 furlong stakes race for this Saturday!

"I had it in the back of my mind for the last month and a half," he said. "That way we'll have three races before the Derby, which is what I kind of had planned all along. I just didn't have him ready for the Southwest. So, he'll run Saturday, and hopefully I'll be able to get permission from the stewards to let him gallop out seven-eighths." [Daily Racing Form]

So I’m crossing him off the list of horses I’m rooting against in the Derby.

- On this, a day in which the toll of American soldiers killed in Iraq went over 1500 (didn’t I JUST write about it going over 1400?), I spoke to a woman on the phone named Ms. Peace, and I told her she had a nice name. Even with the differences in opinion in our sharply divided country now, isn’t that something that we all can agree on?

Peace.