2 Guys and a Crown: Blue Grass Stakes
Description:
Bram Weinstein and Joe Kristufek return in 2016 to take fans step by step down the Triple Crown trail. The focus for this edition is Saturday’s Grade 1, $1-million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, in which the winner earns 100 points toward a potential berth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands.
Run over 1 1/8 miles at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., the $1-million Toyota Blue Grass is worth 100-40-20-10-5 Kentucky Derby points for first through fifth place.
The Blue Grass was run on Polytrack from 2007 to 2014. In 2007 Street Sense lost the Blue Grass by a nose before winning the Kentucky Derby.
Last year with a return to dirt, only seven horses lined up to take on odds-on favorite and winner Carpe Diem, but 16 horses were entered for Saturday's edition with 14 allowed to start.
Seven different racetracks were the most recent pit stop for this year's field.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, who has won three of the last 11 editions of the Blue Grass, including last year with Carpe Diem, sends out 5-2 morning line favorite Zulu as well as Donegal Moon and Cards of Stone.
The last horse to score the Blue Grass/Kentucky Derby double was Strike the Gold way back in 1991.
Joe's Blue Grass Picks
#14 My Man Sam
#3 Cherry Wine
#4 Zulu
#13 Star Hill
Joe's Blue Grass Wagers
$2 exacta box 3, 4, 13, 14 = $24
$1 exacta 3, 14 with 3, 4, 13, 14 = $6
Bram's Blue Grass Picks
#3 Cherry Wine
#14 My Man Sam
#4 Zulu
#13 Star Hill
Bram's Blue Grass Wagers
.50 trifecta 3, 4, 14 with 3, 4, 13, 14 with 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 13, 14 = $27
$3 win #3 Cherry Wine
Joe's Kentucky Derby Top 20
1. Danzing Candy2. Mor Spirit 3. Destin4. Nyquist5. Mohaymen6. Mo Tom7. Exaggerator8. Cupid9. Gun Runner10. Outwork11. Whitmore12. Suddenbreakingnews13. Creator14. Lani15. Zulu16. Tom's Ready17. Star Hill18. Shagaf19. Cherry Wine20. Dazzling Gem
$1-million Toyota Blue Grass StakesSaturday, Keeneland Race Course, Race 10, 6 p.m. ET1 1/8 miles, Dirt, 3-year-olds
PP
Horse
Jockey
Trainer
Owner(s)
Odds
1
Lookin for a Kiss
Tyler Gaffalione
Michael Tomlinson
Michael J. Bruder
50-1
2
Donegal Moon
Martin Garcia
Todd Pletcher
Donegal Racing
5-1
3
Cherry Wine
Corey Lanerie
Dale Romans
William Pacella and Frank L. Jones Jr.
12-1
4
Zulu
Javier Castellano
Todd Pletcher
Stonestreet Stables, Susan Magnier, Michael B. Tabor and Derrick Smith
5-2
5
Crescent Drive
James Graham
Tom Amoss
Paul Van Doren
20-1
6
Brody's Cause
Luis Saez
Dale L. Romans
Albaugh Family Stable
4-1
7
Laoban
Jose Lezcano
Eric Guillot
McCormick Racing and Southern Equine Stable
12-1
8
Twizz
Mitchell Murrill
Mike Maker
Warner Thoroughbreds, Lewis III, Lewis, Setzer, Setzer et al.
30-1
9
Goats Town
Robby Albarado
D. Wayne Lukas
Calumet Farm
20-1
10
American Dubai
Chris Landeros
Rodney Richards
Richard Keith
20-1
11
Cards of Stone
Paco Lopez
Todd Pletcher
Highclere America, McConnell Racing Stable, Wachtel Stable and D. Bilinski
20-1
12
Zapperini
Francisco Torres
Greg Foley
Lloyd Madison Farms IV
30-1
13
Star Hill
Emisael Jaramillo
Rusty Arnold
Calumet Farm
10-1
14
My Man Sam
Julien Leparoux
Chad Brown
Sheep Pond Partners, Newport Stables and Jay W. Bligh
10-1
AE.
Pinson
Joe Bravo
Mike Maker
Ken and Sarah Ramsey
30-1
AE.
Hint of Roses
Florent Geroux
Mike Maker
Ken and Sarah Ramsey
30-1