Thursday, June 22, 2023

Saturday's Picks for the Ohio Derby at Thistledown

*Previously posted at Geek Brand Media

My picks to win the Ohio Derby as a favorite, a contender and one live longshot.

*My Favorite

Trained by Larry Rivelli and ridden by jockey Jareth Loveberry, Two Phil’s is the obvious lead horse of the Ohio Derby because of his rating of 7.89 from Horse Racing Nation. The 8/5 favorite will be starting at the No. 4 gate. As a three-year-old colt, he placed second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 6 after he won the Grade 3 Jeff Rudy Stakes at Turfway Park in the end of March.

Sired by Hard Spun, Two Phil’s sees the Ohio Derby as a warm up for the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park. He has covers 1 1/8 miles or more in his last three graded stakes races (on dirt or turf) and finished first, second or third.

*My Contender

At 3-1 odds on the morning line in the Ohio Derby, Bishops Bay is one of the strongest contenders for this stakes race. Sired by Uncle Mo, he finished second to Arcangelo in the Grade 3 Peter Pan Stakes on May 13. Arcangelo went on to win the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes as the third Triple Crown event.

Trained by Brad Cox, Bishops Bay will be starting at gate No. 3 with jockey Florent Geroux on board for the Ohio Derby. The three-year-old won two races at Fair Grounds in the early spring. He was bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, LLC.

*My Longshot

With three races at Thistledown in the past two months, Angello’s Dream has home track advantage in the field for the Ohio Derby. At 20-1 odds on the morning line for this race, this live longshot has placed second or third in all three Allowance events. Angello’s Dream covered 1 miles and 70 yards by taking third place in the middle of May.

As a son of Always Dreaming, he was bred on dirt going one mile or less in six of seven races as a three-year-old. Angello’s Dream is stepping up in both distance and class to compete in this race, but he as a knack for finished in the money at Thistledown.

 

 

 

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