Longshot Spiral pick highlights Kentucky Derby Dream Bet selections
March 24th, 2017
I won’t get adventurous in Saturday’s UAE Derby (G2) and Sunday’s Sunland Derby (G3), tabbing morning-line favorites Thunder Snow and Bronze Age on top. Saturday’s Spiral (G3) appears more wide open and I’ve landed on Fast and Accurate at 15-1 on the morning line.
Thunder Snow is eligible to carry his form forward following a smashing 5 ¾-length victory in the February 11 UAE Guineas (G3) at Meydan. That marked the first dirt start for the Group 1-winning juvenile and Godolphin made him a late nominee to the Triple Crown afterward. The classy type looks set to punch his ticket for Churchill Downs.
Bronze Age exits a superb maiden tally in his two-turn debut at Santa Anita and is perhaps the best Kentucky Derby option for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert at this point. The $600,000 son of Mineshaft registered a 95 BRIS Speed rating (tied for a field-best) posting a comfortable victory over the well-regarded West Coast and Bronze Age drew perfectly in post 3 for another front-running trip. Wire to wire with Martin Garcia.
I also like inside speed in the Spiral with Fast and Accurate, who looks poised to send from post 3. Outside posts are generally best avoided in routes on Turfway’s Polytrack and the top three choices on the morning line are all stuck in post 8 or beyond.
There’s no speed around Fast and Accurate in the starting gate and the rival with the best chance to apply pressure, En Hanse in post 12, has the same owner/trainer connections. I hardly expect Robby Albarado to sacrifice both Mike Maker trainees aboard En Hanse, leaving Tyler Gaffalione to dictate terms on a moderate pace with Fast and Accurate. The Hansen colt led all the way breaking his maiden at Turfway two back and exits a convincing wire-to-wire tally in a Gulfstream Park turf stakes.
Be sure to “Opt In” from the “contest & promotions” page at TwinSpires.com for eligibility in the $25,000 Kentucky Derby Dream Bet contest
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