3/8/2025

  12   TAM   The TAM Derby (GIII) [KYD]     

$400.000   1 1/16th Mile   Dirt     120lbs

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I think last weekend may have been one of the best TC Trail windows that we’ve ever seen… can we keep that going into the mid-March races?  If this is a representation of what we are about to see, I just don’t hold out much hope. 

The mile and a sixteen TAM Derby (GIII) has a long history of producing KYD types, and the points will certainly be welcome to whomever walks home with the win… but I don’t see this as a strong group, but we have to land on something so… off we go.  I’m going to look for Hard Nut to bounce back from a lackluster performance in the Southwest (GIII) at OP.  That paper-clip track has been the site of many a bad race for very good horses, so let’s chuck that out the window and hope that he runs back to the KY Jockey Club (GII) win… that was at CD, so goodness knows he’s like to get back to that magic spot.

Can Clever be a major factor here today?  He won over this track to close out his 2yo season, winning the Inaugural, then was fourth in the Smarty Jones at OP before a less-than-impressive outing at GP in the Holy Bull (GIII).  He’s going to need his best, but I think he could have a big race in his future… is this it?

Mb has been solid in these TC lead-up races, as he is each and every year, so let’s take Banned in the third spot… the Big Barn has a 3-headed monster here, and I think this one is the best of that lot.  His last three have been 10-7-9, but this barn doesn’t enter for the sake of seeing their name in the program… they come with all barrels loaded, and I think he shows a bit more, today. 

The Card went in an entirely different way… so bet wisely.  It’s anyone’s guess. 

Here’s The Field –

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1		Conscientious		Mb Stables		Centeno D E		120		8/1
2		Brooklyn Bash		Riggins Racing		Geroux F		120		9/2
3		Into The Ether		Mo Mentum Farm		Velazquez J R		120		6/1
4		Pink Bride		Sheffler Stables		Ferrer J C		120		8/1
5		Hard Nut		Boomtown		Beschizza A		120		8/1
6		Travis Mathew		Nakamura Stables		Gallardo A A		120		8/1
7		Turning Point		TwinTowersRacing		Davis D		120		10/1
8		Cadillac Frank		Williams9		Moore R L		120		10/1
9		Pretty Boy Floyd		Big Jd Racing		Alvarado F T		120		6/1
10		Banned		Mb Stables		Spencer J P		120		10/1
11		Clever		D J C Racing Stables		Smith M E		120		8/1
12		Consensual		Mb Stables		Lopez P		120		9/2
13		Winds Of Opus		Fabone1		No Rider		120		AE

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COZMAN  5 / 11 / 10           Willie’s Green Card  2 / 6 / 5        

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