The Runaway Horse: January 2019

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Kentucky Derby 2019 Contender Hidden Scroll Looks Sensational in Career Debut

I wrote about trainer Bill Mott and his promising Kentucky Derby 2019 roster on Jan. 23, and three days later he unveiled another sophomore colt with enormous potential, Hidden Scroll.

Hidden Scroll could not have been more impressive in the fourth race at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, Jan. 26. In that one mile maiden special weight affair for three-year-olds, he went straight to the front from the inside post under jockey Joel Rosario and he widened his advantage throughout. He crossed the finish line at least fourteen lengths in front of his nearest rival High Amplitude (Chad Brown first timer), and he stopped the clock in a swift 1:34.82. He paid $18 to win.

Hidden Scroll is a bay Hard Spun colt, out of the Empire Maker mare Sheba Queen. He is bred to handle a route of ground and could be any kind of performer.

His romping debut was accomplished over a sloppy, sealed main track. There were eight races run on dirt at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 26. Five of those races were won on the front end, and the other three were captured by pace pressers. The dirt oval was definitely speed favoring on Saturday, and romping wet track runners frequently disappoint when they return to compete on fast dirt.

I am cautiously optimistic that Hidden Scroll will turn into a stakes runner, and we will learn much more when he returns for his second career start.

Check out Today's Racing Digest for handicapping products, analysis, and more!
Hidden Scroll capture above courtesy of Today's Racing Digest.

You can read all of my Derby blogs on my Kentucky Derby 2019 page, and my annual Triple Crown full card analysis from Churchill Downs, Pimlico Race Course, and Belmont Park will be available on my Runaway Horse Sales page later this spring.

Kentucky Derby 2019 Report: Trainer Bill Mott Loaded With Derby Trail Prospects

All eyes are on five-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert and his likely two-year-old champion Game Winner, plus Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) hero Improbable, and a barn full of lightly raced promising colts. Triple Crown Bob is not the only conditioner with multiple Kentucky Derby 2019 talent. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott has three colts with unlimited Derby potential beginning with Country House.

Country House (Lookin At Lucky - Quake Lake, by War Chant) showed marked improvement in a runner-up finish in his second career start at Aqueduct on Dec. 1. He made his first sophomore start at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 17 and he broke slow and rallied from last place to win going away in a visually impressive effort at a mile and a sixteenth. He seems to have plenty of stamina and is definitely worth following.

Mucho (Blame - Extent, by Pulpit) was part of my original "exceptional eleven" Derby contenders list when I started my blog last September. He followed up a clear place finish in his Saratoga debut with a romping dirt sprint victory at that same venue second time out. He ended his juvenile campaign with a clear place finish behind Mind Control in the Hopeful (G1). He is spending the winter in Florida and returned to the work tab on Jan. 6.

Tacitcus (Tapit - Close Hatches, by First Defence) raced twice in 2018 including a one mile maiden win at Aqueduct in November. He owns a very classy pedigree and I put him on my Derby list shortly after his aforementioned maiden win He also got back to work at Payson Park Training Center in Florida on Jan. 6.

You can read all of my Derby blogs on my Kentucky Derby 2019 page, and my annual Triple Crown full card analysis from Churchill Downs, Pimlico Race Course, and Belmont Park will be available on my Runaway Horse Sales page later this spring.

Article by Jarrod Horak

Mucho photo courtesy of Josh Chicorelli

Kentucky Derby 2019 Points Race Recap: Grey Attempt Steals Smarty Jones

Gray Attempt stretched out successfully and made all of the running in the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Friday, January 25.

The Smarty Jones started with a 9-horse field, and there figured to be an early battle between Gray Attempt and Jack Van Berg, but the latter scratched, and the first Oaklawn Park Derby points race of the year was a parade with the three early runners dominating throughout.

1st - Gray Attempt: The Sugar Bowl winner proved that he could handle a flat mile while setting moderate fractions in the Smarty Jones. He gamely held on by a neck but I am not sold on his chances as distances increase, especially if he is challenged early.

2nd - Long Range Toddy: Saved all of the ground stalking the pace from the inside post and was not quite able to overhaul Gray Attempt. The Remington Springboard Mile hero is a solid competitor but I do not think that he wants to travel much farther.

3rd - Boldor: He ran a solid race throughout but the lack of pace really helped his cause. He could end up being a decent sprinter when all is said and done.

4th - Six Shooter: Raced evenly throughout while failing to threaten the top three finishers.

5th - Sleepy Eyes Todd: Trying two turns for the first time in his second career start was too big an ask, and he was not disgraced in his first start since 10-27-18.

6th - Bankit: Was last early and did not get any pace to chase. The beaten 3-2 favorite passed a couple of tired horses in a flat effort. The Springboard Mile runner-up would have beaten his stablemate Long Range Toddy in that race with a better trip. He is clearly better than this but the New York-bred does not look like a Derby horse at this stage. I would consider playing him next time if he is in a race with pace to chase.

7th - Super Steed: Is looking more and more like a one-hit wet track wonder for Larry Jones.

8th - Forloveofcountry: Made a middle move before retreating to last. He is an okay performer on turf or a wet track.

Check out Today's Racing Digest for handicapping products, analysis, and more!
Gray Attempt capture above courtesy of Today's Racing Digest.

You can read all of my Derby blogs on my Kentucky Derby 2019 page, and my annual Triple Crown full card analysis from Churchill Downs, Pimlico Race Course, and Belmont Park will be available on my Runaway Horse Sales page later this spring.