Breaking down
the top five horses for this race on the morning line odds, I have given a
winning percentage to each one of the contestants.
Tapit Trice
(5-2)
This
Kentucky-bred colt has raced four times in his early career, and he has won the
last three events at Aqueduct, Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs. As a
three-year-old, Tapit Trice won a one-mile Allowance race at Gulfstream on Feb.
4 before capturing first place at Tampa Bay Downs on March 11 in the Grade 3
Tampa Bay Derby.
Sired by Tapit,
he drew the No. 1 gate for this race with jockey Luis Saez. Trained by Todd
Pletcher, Tapit Trice has raced at least one mile on dirt in his early career.
As long as he gets off to a clean start, the favorite will be among the leaders
in the backstretch.
Winning
Percentage: 45%
Verifying
(3-1)
Starting at
gate No. 3, Verifying should be neck-and-neck with Tapit Trice to win the race.
He has Brad Cox as his trainer and Tyler Gaffalione as his jockey. He also has
placed first or second in three of five races in his early career. Verifying
did take fourth in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 25, but he
ran into tough competition with Confidence Game, Red Route One and Reincarnate
in the money.
Winning
Percentage: 30%
Raise Cain
(9-2)
As a son of
Violence, he won the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on March 4. Raise Cain
covering 1 1/16 miles on dirt in 1:38.09 over Slip Mahoney and General Banker.
He also finished first, second or third in his two-year-old career. Trained by
Ben Colebrook and ridden by jockey Joel Rosario, Raise Cain is breaking out of
the No. 10 gate in the Blue Grass Stakes. He is stepping up in distance and
grade in this race, but he has a knack for finishing in the money for major
grade events.
Winning
Percentage: 15%
Blazing
Sevens (6-1)
Trained by Chad
Brown, he is starting from the No. 8 gate with Irad Ortiz Jr. has his jockey.
Blazing Sevens placed a distance eight in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on
March 4 at Gulfstream Park. However, he finished first or third in three races
as a two-year-old colt. As a son of Good Magic, he has raced over a mile on
dirt his last two events. Blazing Sevens has also race at Keeneland before.
Winning
Percentage: 5%
Sun Thunder
(10-1)
As a
three-year-old colt, he races at Fair Grounds his last two major graded events.
Sun Thunder finished second in the Grade 2 Risen Star on Feb. 18 before placing
fifth in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby on March 25. The Blue Grass Stakes is
another major graded stakes race to get points for qualifying for the Kentucky
Derby in first Saturday in May.
Winning
Percentage: 5%
Previously posted on Doc's Sports Service