Who: Thoroughbreds – Empire Way ( on top)
What: Horse Racing Betting Tips – The $750,000 Cashcall Futurity
Where: Hollywood Park
When: Saturday, December 17th
Juveniles on the West Coast get one more shot at glory Saturday in the mile and a sixteenth $750,000 CashCall Futurity and online sports players should pay attention as the winner will have one leg up on Kentucky Derby success.
Six Futurity starters have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby starting with Gato Del Sol in 1982 and ending with wild long shot Giacomo in 2005.
The winner of this race last year, Comma to the Top, was coming off a win on grass in the Grade 3 Generous as he got an ideal 2-hole trip to post a 95 winning Beyer.
Horses are coming from near and far to compete this year.
Desormais was flown to California from Europe Wednesday, one day after Cozzetti arrived from Kentucky, to swell the lineup.
He is in the Paddy Gallagher barn but owning spokesman Aron Wellman had this to say about the runner, Wellman: “We bought Desormais after he broke his maiden in his third start on November 15, at a mile and a quarter at Marseilles. I’m worried the Futurity might be a little too short for him.”
Cozzetti broke his maiden by five lengths in his third try on a sloppy Churchill Downs track in November but would not get oversold on the margin.
Majestic City is unbeaten at Hollywood and will have the services of Ramon Dominguez. He is trained by Pete Miller, who won this race last year.
Handsome Mike is trying to take the same route as last year’s winner as he was a solid second in the Generous. The colt has to prove he can handle the synthetic.
Brother Francis figures to enjoy the distance but as a maiden, he could have his work cut out while Groovin’ Solo is also looking for his first win and will be a huge price.
Empire Way is bred to get the trip on both sides of the pedigree and he does retain Joel Rosario for this. How high might the expectations be for this guy? He is a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner and over $1.6 million earner Royal Delta.
Drill needs a rebound run. He is a Grade 1 winner but disappointing as the beaten chalk in the Norfolk, and then bore in sharply in the BC Juvenile. The Bob Baffert charge seemed in the right spot last time but was fried in a duel and dropped back quickly.
Sky Kingdom, another Baffert charge, freaked on the surface to graduate and has drilled fast since while Blingo walked out of the gate in his turf debut, could have sulked, but came flying to win going away.
Rousing Sermon has to prove he can win outside of state-bred land but he did run well in open company last time vs. rival on his direct outside, Liaison, who was troubled in the debut, has run three bang-up races and is yet another Baffert bullet.
Basmati improved when given a chance to route and he can give you a sub :22 quarter if in the mood.
Face it, this is a made scramble with several in here with tons of upside. The play here is to key Empire Way first and second in the trifecta for a buck with Handsome Mike, Drill, Blingo, Majestic City and Liaison.
Good luck and have a great holiday season. See you at Santa Anita the day after Christmas.