Lone Star Derby Part 2

- I’m getting into this Lone Star Derby. It’s a really wide open race with Storm Surge as the 4-1 morning line favorite. I’m going to look to beat him as well as Magna Graduate, who breaks from the number twelve post with what looks like a short run to the turn, and Real Dandy, who I just don't care for. Besides the horses I mentioned earlier, another possibility is Barometer Rising (Kris S.), an improving horse who has woken up since moving from Santa Anita to Texas and the barn of high percentage trainer Danny Pish. He comes an allowance win at a mile with a lifetime best 89 Beyer. His dam is a half sister to several winners including graded stakes winners Exploit and millionaire Prized. He had a best-of-87 bullet work last weekend on this track, and could be good value; he's 20-1 in the morning line.

Another improving 3 yo who’s listed at 20-is the horribly named Yes He’s A Pistol (Yes It’s True - Maggies Pistol). He’s coming from southern California too, and they all merit respect these days. He also comes off a mile allowance win; he got a 92 fig going wire to wire. However, he has the ten post and faces at least two speed horses inside of him in Munificence and Thor’s Echo.

Shamoan is 9 for 9 in the money for his career, but they’ve all been on the turf. He does have some impressive dirt works at Santa Anita, and I suppose you have to respect even horses that just work fast there (as Giacomo did). He’s by Monashee Mountain, an Irish horse who was imported to Coolmore in Kentucky after a successful first crop. He’s a half brother to Mineshaft by Danzig.

It looks like there should be a nice pace and it could set up for Awesome Twist and Barometer Rising for a nice exacta payoff.

- Racing has indeed been cancelled at Evangeline, until May 19 to address the jockeys’ concerns about the track’s safety after a spate of breakdowns and DNFs last night.