Today’s racing features the Jerome at Aqueduct and The San Pasqual at Santa Anita  — these are both important races with great match-ups.   The Jerome is replacing the Count Fleet and becomes the first major race for 3 year olds who have an eye for Kentucky in May.   Generally, this is a little early for someone to see a good looking colt and declare they have an idea that we might be looking a Kentucky Derby hopeful.    What I find especially interesting is that all the colts entered did NOT race in the Breeders’ Cup Juvy race, which makes me take them all much more seriously.   Mudflats one of two STAR horses in the race,  races for California trainer Doug O’Neil, but this does not qualify as a ship in, as D. O’Neil takes this one away from Eddie Kenneally — business is business.

The horse I will be looking  at is my other STAR horse…

As for the San Pasquale, is just loaded with exciting runner, such as Jaycito, for trainer Baffert,  who absolutely blew everyone away at BF-Hollywood on 12/1, running a big 79.8 that day on the synthetics.   But I don’t love this horses chances at Santa Anita.  The race also has John Scott who took the worst of it in his BC attempt back on 11/3, but has been allowed to freshen off the big day of racing.  Everyone who has listened to me, knows I think that betting against the horses who competed in the BC is the right move, but this horse still deserves consideration and the freshening might be a good move by trainer Carla Gaines.  the race fills with some other really interesting horses, such as the VERY FAST -EARLY Speed type Ultimate Eagle and the hard hitting Tres Borrachos and then Baffert has another terrific horse in COIL who has not done too well in either the BC or the Cigar Mile.  This one has done alot this fall and added plenty of travel to his schedule.   I’m thinking he needs  a little time to get things turned on again…

The Power Page’s should give you plenty to think about on tomorrow’s card…