Risen Star Stakes

Pyro won the Risen Star Stakes this Saturday at the Fair Grounds, and he won it in style. The Steve Asmussen-trained colt made a stretch run from last to first to win by two, thus stamping his late-flying style that we saw in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Second was stablemate Z Fortune, and third was Michael Matz's Visionaire.

Next on the Derby prep lineup is the San Vicente Stakes, today at Santa Anita. Headliners in the G2 event are Into Mischief and Georgie Boy.

Now here's for some more Derby contender preview, with more later on other news in racing.

Court Vision
dk.b/br. c., 2005. Gulch x Weekend Storm (Storm Bird)
4-3-1-0, $221,872 graded earnings

Court Vision is quite a promising young horse, having never been worse than second in his four lifetime starts. After winning a maiden special weight race, Court Vision took the G3 Iroquois and the G2 Remsen. In the 1m Iroquois, Court Vision showed his tough side when he was swung seven wide and still closed in determined fashion. His toughness was proven when he won the 1 1/8m Remsen despite two bumps in the stretch.

Court Vision is by Gulch, an extremely successful stallion who lends distance ability to his horses, and certainly a sparkle as well: Gulch won over $3 million on the track. On Court Vision's bottom line is Weekend Surprise, an unraced mare by Storm Bird out of Weekend Surprise, the dam of such greats as A.P. Indy and Summer Squall. Court Vision's pedigree is full of the best, and his record is stellar. Excited about Court Vision? I think so.

Cowboy Cal
b. c., 2005. Giant's Causeway x Texas Tammy (Seeking the Gold)
4-3-0-0, $57,660 graded earnings

While Cowboy Cal has only been worst than first in one start, that start was his sole start on dirt. This worries me for his chances in the Derby: can he make the switch and handle the surface well enough to run?

Cowboy Cal's sire, Giant's Causeway, says distance to me, so 1 1/14m should be fine. However, Giant's Causeway also says turf: the "Iron Horse" spent all of his racing career in France, England, and Ireland. I don't mean to be prejudice against turf horses, but Cowboy Cal is not one of my favorites for the Derby.