A handicapper's delight this weekend.

Have no idea what I'm going to do, but my horse, Free Drop Billy, is back in the Gotham, facing Firenze Fire and Enticed.

Does the Derby winner go through Gotham? Will the Casse trained, Flameaway, put in another stellar effort in the Tampa Bay Derby? Or is Bolt D'Oro the one to watch in the San Felipe?

No.

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His mind is not for rent to any God or government.

Contrary indicator?

A lot of class in F.D.B. And gets another week due to the Fountain of Youth pull-out.

I don't believe Free Drop Billy wants the Derby distance and I'm sure Firenze Fire does not.

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His mind is not for rent to any God or government.

That's not what his trainer says. Romans on Free Drop Billy in the 1 mi. Gotham, "The distance doesn't matter for him. Even though it's a different distance, and a different racetrack, it doesn't matter. He's a versatile horse. He's a push button horse. He won a Grade 1 at 7/8 miles, and he won a Grade 1 at 1 1/16 miles, so the distance for him isn't really a concern at all.”

Free Drop Billy would have won the Holy Bull, had there been no Audible. That 1 1/16 mi. time was pretty incredible at 1:41.92. I'm not saying Free Drop Billy is better than Audible, who may be your Derby winner, but it was good for Free Drop Billy to get a bounce-back effort in the Holy Bull to get 2nd.

What say Walt and W_Z? Don't hear from Spmack much these days.

Romans is notoriously optimistic.

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His mind is not for rent to any God or government.

Well, he's on a roll after his 18-1 Promises Fulfilled upset in the Fountain of Youth. He said he wanted Free Drop Billy to run in the Gotham rather than in the F.O.Y, because he thought the Gotham would be easier. I can't disagree.

I didn't see anything in the Breeders Cup Futurity that F.D.B. couldn't do a buck and a quarter. I think he would excel at the longer distances. He's got some West Coast in him with those long, easy strides. However, I admit that he didn't duel well down the stretch in the Holy Bull, giving up the ghost, but that was his first time back after the 3 mo. lay-off, when he might not have been in the best shape.

Since JORR knows me so well.......a Tri Box @ Tampa Bay Derby Vino Rosso...Johnny V and Pletcher love this race.....World of Trouble horse for course and jockey change I see bit of Spend a Buck in this guy.....and Untamed Domain gets Jose Ortiz always a threat. What happened to ROI.....I'll tell you something ...if the pony you bet to win doesn't your ROI is zero

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

Regarding Tampa, Flameaway in the Sam Davis was impressive. He's a gritty horse that doesn't quit, as he showed in that all-out duel with Catholic Boy. Just when you think he has no more to give, he finds that extra something to thrust him ahead. The Scat Daddy pedigree makes him dangerous at 1 1/8 mi, if not at 1 1/4 mi. He could be the surprise of the Derby contenders.

I don't think I would try to get too cute in any of these main races tomorrow. The chalks are all good horses.

I like Flameaway so much, that I would consider getting Kentucky Derby futures at him at 30-1. That price will only go down from here.

Was watching some races of his sire, Scat Daddy, last night. Great horse, and you can see the similarities in the son. Winners of the Fountain of Youth and the Florida Derby, but had a bad trip in the Kentucky Derby after getting bumped. Race caused a tendon injury in his leg that he never recovered from. Wikipedia writes of his build, " He had a good shoulder and exceptionally powerful hindquarters."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkHrX__D-vo

Got my $10 on Flameaway in the futures. He's 30-1 today, when the horse he beat in the Sam Davis, Catholic Boy, is 13-1. Casse said of him, "“…If you look at his breeding, he’s bred to run as far as they write races.” Casse is no stranger to the Kentucky Derby himself, getting 4th with Classic Empire last year, after coming in as the favorite.

These odds are nuts at Tampa Bay. Vino Rosso 1-1. Flameaway 8-1. World of Trouble 5-1.

Did Walt make a huge wager?

We'll see!

Gotta make some adjustments here based upon the odds. Tiz Mischief looks like the bet right now. The front end has been horseshit all day. World of Trouble is WAY overbet. Now watch him grab the lead and run these guys into the ground. Interesting action on Untamed Domain.

I'm playing 2 on top of 3, 4, 9, and 10.

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His mind is not for rent to any God or government.

Late money coming in on Flameaway, now down to 5-1.

So close, he ran his heart out. Another furlong, and he gets it, I think.

Where did Quip come from??

Great race. Exciting call, superbly done.

Quip had every reason to move forward. World of Trouble ran his fucking eyeballs out on that track.

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His mind is not for rent to any God or government.

Maybe he does. Enticed was very impressive and looks to have a good style for the Derby.

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His mind is not for rent to any God or government.

Free Drop Billy looked flat and had a bad trip. No spring in his step down the stretch. Romans was being overly optimistic.

The jockeying was not very good. One time I saw him pull on the brakes, it seemed, killing the horse's momentum. Should have been more forwardly placed. Romans should be pissed.

I'm still high on Flameaway for the Derby. You can't take anything away from that effort.

Casse will get him right. I have full confidence.

What a terrible call to disqualify McKinzie. Two horses running their guts out and leaning on each other in the stretch. That's racing.

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His mind is not for rent to any God or government.

as I said before nothing impresses me

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

I tend to agree that this looks like weak group.

Who do you like in the Big Cap?

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His mind is not for rent to any God or government.

['m actually laughing the horse you liked in the Derby a few back Mubtaahij since Baffert took over he's a horse of s different color

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

Yeah, Baffert has him good. I don't think I bet him in the Derby though. I think I used him underneath. I think Materiality was my key that year.

Are you watching Santa Anita right now? I'm taking a shot with Mostly Cloudy in the gimmicks. He's 60/1 and I think he's in a spot to show improved performance.

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His mind is not for rent to any God or government.

Also, Michelle Yu looks particularly good today.

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His mind is not for rent to any God or government.

yeah

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

yeah

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I'm going to bounce from the spot for awhile but I will be back at some point to argue with you about this hoops stuff again. Playoffs have been great this season. See ya up the road.

I'm out.

Because of the JORR stamp of approval, I will put some futures money on Enticed.

Would be funny if it worked out that way, by accident, after a jest comment. Stranger things have happened in the Derby, like Mine that Bird.

Seriously, was that the greatest call ever today by Grunder in the Tampa Bay Derby?

Like the horses, he went all-out and was completely hoarse at the end.

He's up there with O'Bradovich and Buffone for his fire and passion.