There were three Kentucky Derby prep races run over the Weekend. Avery Island took home the Withers Stakes, Audible romped in the Holy Bull, and Lombo stole the show in the Robert B. Lewis. All eyes were on these impressive colts as they dazzled on Saturday, making their Derby dreams come even closer to reality. However, as fantastic as they were, they weren't the only three-year-olds that shined on Saturday.
While the main focus was on the Kentucky Derby preps, there were some other three-year-olds that put on a show of their own in other races. One such horse that particularly impressed me was a colt that raced on the turf, and lost. That horse is, Gidu.
Gidu and Speed Franco, Coglianese Photo
Gidu marched to post in the grade 3, Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park. It was to be the stakes debut for the striking son of Frankel, and having already had a strong runner up effort and a win to his credentials, Gidu was carrying high hopes into the starting gate with him. When the starting gates flipped open, Gidu shot out like a rocket and went right to the front. There was no turning back from there.
Gidu brazenly led the fray through solid opening fractions. The opening quarter-mile was up in :22.66, followed by :46.99 for the half. Gidu was dauntless in his pursuit of victory, relentlessly sprinting his heart out on the front end. He was keen to lead the way and didn't want to stop. The powerful challenge of Speed Franco wasn't even enough to make Gidu want to yield, and that's where the dogfight began.
Gidu and Speed Franco blazed into the stretch together, vigorously matching each other stride for stride. Speed Franco refused to back away, but Gidu was just as intent in remaining in front. The pair viciously went at it, battling down the stretch in a thrilling confrontation. Despite having used most of his energy leading the race from the start, Gidu was still there. He was fueled by undeniable determination that carried him as fast as his legs were capable of moving. Stretching his body out as far as it would go, Gidu desperately held on. For a moment, it looked like he may just hold on. But in the final strides of the race, Speed Franco slammed his head down to out-nose Gidu right at the wire.
It was a painfully close finish that did not deserve a loser. Both colts proved their courage and heart that day. Gidu went down in defeat with grace and dignity, and will definitely find his way to the winner's circle again one day. He ran a winning race, but a mere bob of the head placed him as second best. After doing all the dirty work on the lead and still finding the strength and determination to fight in the stretch, Gidu proved that he is capable of big things. He refused to give in to the pressure, and rose to a daunting task with the valor of a lion. This is a real racehorse, and he is one to watch moving forward.
Another colt that put on a dazzling display at Gulfstream Park over the weekend was Strike Power. After breaking his maiden in December, this speedy son of Speightstown was more than ready to take the leap into stakes company. It is a large task to go from a maiden win to a stakes race, but it was a test that Strike Power would ace.
Strike Power sprinting to victory, Coglianese Photo
Strike Power entered the grade 3, $200,000 Swale Stakes over the weekend, and he put on an exhibition. The nimble chestnut sprang out of the starting gates and charged right to the front. Dashing around the dirt oval of Gulfstream Park, Strike Power decided to turn the race into a game of "catch me if you can". Unfortunately for his rivals, nobody could catch him.
Flaunting his speed and daring his rivals to keep up, Strike Power zoomed into the stretch, still loaded with run. Strike Power bounded over the finish line by nearly three lengths, stopping the clock in a quick time of 1:22.68 for the seven furlong event. It was an eye-catching victory, but it wasn't the first time this speed demon managed to raise some brows.
In his debut, Strike Power nearly broke the track record at Gulfstream Park. He was a mere .33 second off of the 5 1/2 furlong track record, which is impressive, considering it was his first race ever. Not to mention, his Beyer Speed Figure for that performance came back as 102, making it the fastest speed figure for any two-year-old in a one-turn race, and the second fastest overall for two-year-olds in 2017. The fact that his amazing maiden win was followed up by such a sharp stakes win suggests that this colt may be the real deal. Whether he makes a career as a sprinter or can manage to carry his blatant speed through classic distances, this horse has been blessed with serious potential.
Strike Power, Coglianese Photo
Another head turning performance that took place over the weekend came in the form of a maiden race at Oaklawn Park. A flashy chestnut with chrome markings by the name of, Exclamation Point, lived up to some pretty high expectations on Saturday. This strapping son of Concord Point is a half brother to champion, Classic Empire. And just like his brother did, Exclamation Point is already showing fleeting signs of talent at an early age.
Exclamation Point broke out of the gate for the six furlong dash and began marching his way to the front. However, a colt by the name of Augie was just as intent in taking the early lead. The pair slugged it out in the early stages of the race, and Exclamation Point got his way. He bulldozed his way to the lead and there he stayed. Augie had to settle in behind the tenacious chestnut, but that didn't mean he was going to hand the race over to Exclamation Point. Instead, Augie was going to make him work for it.
Augie hounded Exclamation Point around the track, pushing him on with every stride. The pressure was on, but Exclamation Point wasn't letting it get to him. He daringly blazed through quick fractions of :22.21 for the opening quarter-mile, and :45.71 for the half. Exclamation Point wasn't letting the pace or the competition get to him, and he stormed into the stretch, refusing to give up his lead. Despite looking a little green, Exclamation Point managed to shrug off his challengers and pulled away to score by almost three lengths. His final time came in 1:10.56.
Exclamation Point was a very impressive maiden winner. You can't learn too much off of one race, but Exclamation Point's raw speed and determination has certainly stamped him as one to watch. Being a half brother to Classic Empire means that this young colt will have a lot to live up to, but whether or not he goes on to become a stakes winner, he is still a neat horse to follow. Exclamation Point is off to a good start, and I am excited to see what he can do moving forward.
There were two horses that stood out to me on Saturday, despite having lost. These horses each competed in the Kentucky Derby preps, and while they didn't take home the prize, they still left a mark in their own way.
The first horse is Firenze Fire, who ran second in the Withers Stakes on Saturday. Avery Island was a clear winner over him that day, but I can't get over the way that Firenze Fire fought to the finish. He was the definition of determination, giving it everything he had. Even when it was clear that he wouldn't get by the winner, he still continued to run. He was as game as they come, pouring his heart and soul onto the track. The horse is tough, and you can't ask for more than that. Courage and heart is what makes a racehorse, and they are qualities that Firenze Fire definitely possesses.
Firenze Fire has been a model of consistency, having won four of his seven starts, including the grade 3 Sanford Stakes, the grade 1, Champagne Stakes, and the Jerome Stakes. This hard knocking horse is not afraid to get into a fight and will do everything it takes to make it to the wire. He has heart, and that is what is going to take him far.
Last we have Enticed. He was a distant fourth in the Holy Bull. While it's true that he didn't look impressive, I am not ready to give up on him yet. When you take a closer look at the race, there are a few things that went against Enticed in the Holy Bull that could have contributed to his lackluster run.
For starters, Enticed had to carry six more pounds than the winner, Audible, carried. When you consider the fact that in the Kentucky Derby, all of the horses carry equal weight, it doesn't really make sense that certain horses would be forced to carry more weight in a prep race. The weight disadvantage wasn't fair, but that is not a full excuse. After all, Audible was so impressive in the Holy Bull that no matter what, I don't think anyone was stopping him that day. However, there is more that happened to Enticed that may make you want to draw a line through his race.
Enticed drew post one in the Holy Bull. It's not a horrible spot, especially when the outside post positions at Gulfstream Park are so famous for being the worst spots to be. But for a horse that doesn't have early speed, the rail is not a great place to be. Enticed had to be hustled out of the gate quickly, but just wasn't swift enough to establish a good position. He was taken out of his usual game and that's not something you want to have to experiment with against a field that is so talented.
The fact that this was Enticed's first start of the year, the fact that he carried extra weight, and the fact that he broke from a less than ideal post is why I'm willing to excuse his race on Saturday. In the past, he has shown obvious signs of talent by breaking his maiden on his first try, and then running a very solid third in the grade 1, Champagne Stakes behind multiple graded stakes winner, Firenze Fire and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Champion, Good Magic. After that, he was a very game winner of the grade 2, Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, proving that he has the speed and heart to win at a higher level. Only time will tell if Enticed truly is Kentucky Derby material, but after only one poor race, I am not ready to give up on him yet. The colt has class, and it's up to him to figure out what to do with it.
You can find my analysis of the Kentucky Derby prep race winners from last weekend in this link https://chelsealowman66.wixsite.com/mysite/single-post/2018/02/05/The-Three-Year-Olds-Impressed-Over-the-Weekend
Be sure to follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/Down2TheWire_