Weekend Stakes Races from Tropical Park

Weekend Stakes Races: Grade III Tropical Park Derby and Grade II San GorgonioHandicap

Race-days: Tropical Park Derby on 1/1/2009 and San Gorgonio on 1/2/2009

Race-times: Tropical Park Derby at 4:17 pm EST and San Gorgonio at 7:07 pm EST

Just because it’s a new year it doesn’t mean that horseplayers have to find new tracks on which to wager.

The BetOnline Racebook offers wagering opportunities from every single track in North America. That means that horseplayers can bet on races from Florida, California, New York, Ontario, wherever a racetrack might be.

The biggest stakes race this weekend occurs at Santa Anita Park where BC Ladies’ Classic winner Life Is Sweet returns in the San Gorgonio Handicap. The other great race to watch and wager is the Tropical Park Derby at Calder on January 1 st.

Calder Racecourse – Race 10

Grade III Tropical Park Derby

$100,000

For Three Year Olds

1 1/8 miles on turf

Lost Aptitude is going to be awfully tough to beat in this, but I’ll be looking for a price which is why Cat Parkseems so intriguing to me. The Graham Motion trained 3 year old switches to jockey Julien Leparoux, an expert rider on the turf, and need only to improve on his race before his last in order to contend. Lost Aptitude is a seriously good horse. He’s won 3 out of 5 lifetime races and will have no trouble with the 1 1/8 mile distance. The only issue is price and the fact that Bernie The Maestro may put pressure on him on the front end. Other than that, Lost Aptitude should win this race. Becky’s Kitten should be compromised by his post position. He breaks from the 12 hole and will have to bide his time before making a move to the finish line. Still, he’s better than most every other horse in this and should be considered to at least grab the show money.

• Cat Park
• Lost Aptitude
• Becky’s Kitten

Santa Anita – Race 8

Grade II San Gorgonio Handicap

$150,000

For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward

1 1/8 miles on turf

The Neil Drysdale trained Cat By The Tale couldn’t quite get there in the Grade II Bayokoa in her last. She did finish 3 by 1 ¾ lengths and should improve big time going back to turf. She will also go off at a price since Zenyatta’s stable mate is in this. That stable mate, Life Is Sweet, ran faster in the BC Ladies’ Classic then she ever had before. She could bounce in this which means that it’s tough to bet her to win, but, man, she’s really good. Diamondrella has to start returning to the form that allowed her to beat Forever Together twice in 2009. I’ll peg her for third.

• Cat By The Tale
• Life Is Sweet
• Diamondrella

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