2013 Kentucky Derby Contender: Hear the Cat Loud and Clear in San Felipe Upset

Connected through raging early fragments, even-money beloved Flashback won the fight on the lead with 2-to-1 second choice Goldencents, but lost the war when 5-to-1 next choice Hear the Ghost rallied from mid-pack to obtain up by half a size in the $300,000 San Felipe Stakes (Grade 2) go beyond 1 1/16-miles at Santa Anita. In his first try around two turns, Hear the Ghost notched his first stakes win and earned 50 factors in the first leg of the Championship Series on the road to the Kentucky Derby. aThatas what we live for, huh?a Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer was heard asking his assistant Dan Ward following the battle. Piloted by Corey Nakatani for the very first time, the Ghostzapper colt acquired a 93 Beyer speed figure for his 2nd career gain that increased his career earnings to $222,400 for homeowners Halo Farms and Jerry Hollendorfer. aI desire to stay home and stay with my loved ones on the West Coast and get on the Derby trail with a horse. This really is it,a said Nakatani. aI donat have any doubt that he will (go 1 1/4-miles). He cruises along and you donat have to maneuver on him.a The strategies employed by Kevin Krigger aboard Goldencents and Julien Leparoux on Flashback were dubious, with the absurd speed duel that found the favorites get in fractions of 22-and-four-fifths seconds, 45-and-four-fifths seconds and 1 minute, nine-and-four-fifths seconds reducing each of their chances. But, Flashback did extremely well to put up the area and exits the battle fight examined after having a pair of daytime wins to begin his career for Bob Baffert. The big gray kid of Tapit is aimed for a with Hear the Ghost in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1) more than 1 1/8-miles on April 6. Issues arenat so hopeful for Goldencents, who arrived to the competition the absolute most accomplished having won a couple of Grade 3 events and acquired $782,000. A child of Into Mischief, there have been questions regarding his ability to expand his abilities to longer distances and his fourth-place work brought the realization that a repeat in the Kentucky Derby was probably maybe not in the cards for Doug OaNeill. Sent down at 12-to-1 after defeating state-breds in the California Breedersa Champion Stakes on January 26, the show was earned by Tiz a Minister after being 16 lengths behind the leaders heading down the rear part. Ensure that you follow me on Twitter @mdoche for a whole lot more and visit www.pick4blog.com for daily selections and analysis! Always check out most of Americaas Most useful Racing at www.followhorseracing.com! To see my horse racing station on YouTube click here! Listen to my regular HD L. A. sports podcast!