TheDowneyProfile.comOur guest picker, Mike Pearson, loves speed, and sometimes the cheaper the better. But there's nothing cheap about his preferences in the Tampa Bay Derby. Pearson's day job is prosecuting felons, and he never takes the easy way out. He's been on a handicapping roll of late, prompting TheDowneyProfile.com to ask him to apply his talents here.I like LIMEHOUSE in the Tampa Bay Derby. He looked great winning the Three Chimneys on the 2003 Kentucky Derby undercard and he had a win in Churchill Downs' Bashford Manor Stakes after a troubled start. Even though he suffered through a "blue funk" at Saratoga, he was still competing in Grade I and Grade II events. He ran a credible, closing third to EUROSILVER in the Grade II Lane's End Futurity at speed-biased Keeneland, then most recently took the Grade III Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park running in the same manner. When he is at himself he is fast, likes to move and likes to win. In his last he "hunkered down," got into the track and beat them up in the stretch. He looked great--he felt great. SWINGFORTHEFENCES> is my pick to place off the 1:50 and change he posted 1 1/8 mile at Gulfstream. is my choice for the show slot. He's responded to Lasix, first scoring in a six furlong, $45,000 maiden claiming race and then winning a seven furlong conditioned allowance at 63-1.MIKE'S PICKS
1. LIMEHOUSE
2. SWINGFORTHEFENCES
3. VERY FORMAL M. D.