That Handicapping Show: San Carlos

Tom and Evan analyze the San Carlos Handicap (gr. II) at Santa Anita on February 21. The Wizard's Spotlight Play is Race 1 at Fair Grounds on Saturday.

Georgie Boy Formidable for San Carlos H.

California-bred Georgie Boy looked like he was back in top form when he won the Sunshine Millions Sprint Jan. 24, making him a formidable favorite for the $150,000 San Carlos Handicap (gr. II) at Santa Anita Feb. 21.

Monba, Yankee Bravo Set to Return

Monba and Yankee Bravo, both prominent on last year's Triple Crown trail, will make their returns to the racetrack in the $100,000 Thunder Road Handicap (gr. IIIT) Feb. 7 at Santa Anita. However, Irish-bred Ferneley, a near-winner in consecutive graded stakes, could loom the largest in the one-mile turf event.

Preakness Notes: May 16

Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. said May 16 that he is nearly as confident that the Boundary colt will win the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) as he was before his dominating win in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).

Big Brown Draws Post Position 7

Undefeated Big Brown will break from post position 7 as the 1-2 favorite in Saturday's Preakness Stakes (gr. I) as the colt will attempt to duplicate his impressive victory in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).

Gayego Now Possible for Preakness

Trainer Paulo Lobo reported May 12 that a start in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) May 17 at Pimlico Race Course by Cubanacan Stables' Gayego is under consideration.

Preakness Profile: Yankee Bravo

With any luck, Yankee Bravo could have been a Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) starter. But it was not meant to be for the son of Yankee Gentleman, who finished fourth in the April 5 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) after being cut off in mid-stretch, which resulted in the dark bay colt falling short of the required graded earnings.

First Preakness Contender Hits Pimlico

Bear Stables' Kentucky Bear was the first Preakness Stakes (gr. I) contender to arrive at Pimlico, while others are scheduled to ship in next week.

Recapturetheglory Headed to Preakness

Saying "we're there to win", co-owner Ronnie Lamarque announced May 7 that Recapturetheglory, who finished fifth to Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), is confirmed for $1 million Preakness Stakes (gr. I) May 17 at Pimlico Race Course.

Seven Confirmed for Preakness

With the May 17 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) 11 days away, the field set to test Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Big Brown continues to change as the connections of some of the top 3-year-olds weigh a start in the middle jewel of racing's Triple Crown at Pimlico Race Course.

Colonel John Commands Santa Anita Derby

WinStar Farms' Colonel John emerged as the West Coast's leading Triple Crown contender with a clutch late-running victory before a crowd of 50,358 in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) April 5.

Colonel John, El Gato Malo Head SA Derby

Colonel John has been installed as a slight favorite over El Gato Malo in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) April 5. A larger-than-expected field of 11 was entered in the 1 1/8-mile synthetic track test for 3-year-olds.

Ky. Derby Trail: Py in the Sky

On Saturday, in one corner of the country, the mighty Pyro once again crushed his foes, winning the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) in grand style. On the same day, in the opposite corner of the country, a humbly-bred colt who sold for meager $1,000 as a yearling, Autism Awareness, mowed down his field to win the El Camino Real Derby (gr. III).

Pyro Makes Statement in La. Derby Win

The doubters said that Pyro's last-to-first victory in the Risen Star (gr. III) was not as good as it looked. There won't be much for the skeptics to say after the Pulpit colt's latest performance, a commanding three-length score in the $600,000 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) March 8 at Fair Grounds, a victory that cemented the Steve Asmussen trainee as one of the top two 3-year-olds in the country.

Louisiana Derby Should Provide Answers

With less than two months until the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), it is time that some of the highly-touted 3-year-olds begin to answer our questions. Many of those answers will be provided March 8 at Fair Grounds, when nine top challengers will do battle in the $600,000 Louisiana Derby (gr. II).

Pyro Early Favorite in Louisiana Derby

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Pyro, who stamped himself as a leading Triple Crown contender after his win in last month's Risen Star Stakes (gr. III), is the 7-5 morning-line choice in a field of nine 3-year-olds entered in the March 8 Louisiana Derby (gr. II) at Fair Grounds.

Realizing a 20-year-old Prediction

PORTER ON PEDIGREES, by Alan Porter

More than 20 years ago in Ken McLean's book "Tesio - Master of Matings" he predicted that the combination of Nijinsky II and the similarly bred Storm Bird would one day be a potent one. At the time, Storm Cat -- Storm Bird's most important stallion son -- had yet to cover a mare. McLean also predicted these sires would be most effective when they had receded to the third and fourth generations of a pedigree. What has come to pass is a cross that has produced 120 stakes winners, of which 60 are graded stakes winners and 20 are grade I winners.

Yankee Bravo Wins California Derby

Yankee Bravo duplicated his Eddie Logan Stakes performance, unleashing a strong stretch rally to remain undefeated by winning the $150,000 California Derby on a showery day at Golden Gate Fields Jan. 27.