No Champagne For Favorites

- How bad were Majestic Warrior and Ready's Image in the Champagne?? Oh man! I was never really that hepped on Majestic Warrior's Hopeful, but I figured he'd at least be closing instead of backing up at the finish. And Ready's Image was already dead last as they turned for home, ugh; and Pletcher said he would not be pointed to the Juvenile.

I don't believe we saw the Derby winner today; nor the Juvenile winner for that matter. War Pass set a quick pace with opening quarters of 22.87 and 22.85; and I think he held on in large part because the only ones chasing him were the two longest shots in the field. He hung on by 1 1/2 in a final quarter of 25.88. He's three-for-three, which is hard to criticize, but it's unclear how he'll do stretching out to two turns. Champagne winners are o-for-nine in the Juvenile since Timber Country was the last to win both in 1994.

Bob Baffert was said to be off to catch a plane back to the West Coast, no doubt to saddle Tough Tiz's Sis in the Lady's Secret on Sunday; so Jan Rushton interviewed Garrett Gomez instead after Indian Blessing won the Frizette. Afterwards, she said that Indian Blessing is the likely favorite for the Juv Fillies. Really? I mean, I was impressed by the way she calmly rated behind the longshot speed and moved to take the lead. But a 27.24 second final quarter? And I'm more inclined to accept the chart caller's description of "ridden out to the finish" rather than Durkin's characterization of her having been "geared down." Maybe for a couple of strides before the finish, in my view.

The Toddster didn't fare well in the Breeders Futurity at Keeneland either, as The Roundhouse finished 6th as the 2-1 choice.