Bolt d'Oro/Vino Rosso

[frangooch]

I like both of these guys a lot, especially if you are looking for alternatives to Justify and Mendle. Bolt is training lights out, and seems to have benefitted from two tough races at a distance. He has the foundation and the pedigree to get the distance, enough tactical speed to get a good position barring a disastrous post, a jock who sorta knows his way around CD, and always runs a good race. I like him a little better than VR and GM. They may have looked better in the last race, but neither had to chase Justify. If someone can soften up the favorite, he'll be right there.

Vino Rosso happens to be something I love to drink, but he is also a horse who seems to be getting good at the right right time. Another great pedigree for the race, and his recent work seemed like the best of the Pletcher 4. Apparently Velasquez thought so...Doesn't have to come from the clouds, has shown he can handle a rough and tumble race (as has Bolt), and he'll be on my ticket.

I would put Good Magic in with these two. Doesn't seem quite as fast, but he's got Brown and the other guys don't.

What an interesting race this is shaping up to be!

[shoes]

Good thoughts Frank and sound logic. I agree that this is a fascinating field. I have spent more time to this point than almost any other year I can remember. Still nothing finalized but you can make cases for each of the top 7 and a couple of long shots-IMO. I have been the pooh-pooher of the importance of the post position draw on our board in other years (as Elliot Walden put it yesterday-"You can't get a great trip from a bad post, or a bad trip from a great post-BUT, this year it may be more of a separator for me. Hate to say it but as someone who instinctively looks for reasons to beat the favorite (except for Orb), in recent years, I'm kinda hoping Justify gets stuck inside.