5/10/2015  Post Time 3:30

RACE 1 SA       Barrera Stakes (GIII)

$100.000   3yo    7f      Dirt

Two for three this season and a nice stakes score at TAM last out at today’s distance and in pretty quick time.  That 95 SRF number was his best so it looks like he’s feeling pretty good right now.  I also like that he didn’t need the lead and showed good late form.  Give him a shot here.

He hasn’t seen the winner’s circle since last Aug when he took the AP Wash Futurity (GIII) and looked to have a very promising career ahead of him.  Since then, it’s been more close-but-no-cigar than anything.  If he can find the old magic, maybe he’s in this, but if it goes like it has been, it’s going to be another long afternoon.

Third at TAM last out when third in the Ocala Soph as he did all of the heavy lifting early in that one, only to get leg weary when the bacon was on the table.  He shows a steady string of works over the track, so they were aiming at this one, but his only local try was forgettable.  I gotta look elsewhere.

Another that hasn’t seen the photo-booth in quite some time.  His last when was an Alw race at BEL last Oct.  He seems to set the pace in two-turn races and come from way back in sprints – I just can’t see much more than a minor share with his best effort.

Nice when in the Bay Shore (GIII) last out, and that was at seven panels as well.  He set the pace and just kept on going that afternoon.  He has a pair of wins this year, and a solid second in the Swale (GII) at GP… he looks like a big factor in this one.

Nice win in a stat-bred race over this track last out.  He chased the pace setter and blew on by in the late stages to get his first win in quite some time.  He narrowly missed over this track in his previous race, so he sure seems to like the course.  He should be used on those tri tickets, that’s for sure!

Not much out of him in the LA Derby (GII) in his most recent, and he changed hands after that race via private sale for $65.000.  He was on the board in his four previous starts to that race, so he has some ability, but I’m not sure if stakes races are quite his cup of tea at this point in his career.

Zing’ed em up in NoCal last out, taking an OptAlw mile race by a head.  In face he’s won three of his last five starts, which is a positive.  He’s been facing softer than this, so it will be interesting to see how he handles graded stakes foes.

Dull effort as the default favorite at TP last out, and he just didn’t seem to fire at all that afternoon.  He made up some ground late, but was so far out of it early that he just couldn’t get past the traffic.  He did have a state-bred stakes score over this track as a 2yo, so maybe the home-cooking will do him some good.

Willie’s Green Card    5  /  1

Categories: Grade III