The Road to the Kentucky Derby prep schedule gets serious now as contenders tune-up for May 6, beginning this Saturday, April 1 with both the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, a Grade 1 with a $1m purse, and the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds, a Grade 2 that also offers $1m in purse money. Both races will be run at 1 1/8 miles.
Canterbury’s Road to Kentucky Handicapping Contest will feature the entire Gulfstream card plus the Louisiana Derby.
The stakes-laden Gulfstream program also includes the following races:
· Appleton S (gr. III), $200,000g, 4&up, 8f.
· Cutler Bay S, $100,000g, 3yo, 8f.
· Gulfstream Park Oaks (gr. II), $250,000g, 3yo f, 8.5f.
· Honey Fox S (gr. II), $300,000g, 4&up f/m, 8f.
· Orchid S (gr. III), $200,000g, 4&up f/m, 11f.
· Pan American S (gr. II), $200,000g, 4&up, 12f.
· Sanibel Island S, $100,000g, 3yo f, 8f.
· Sir Shackleton S, $100,000g, 4&up, 7f.
This past Saturday the R2K contest used Turfway Park’s Spiral Stakes card and prices were not strangers. Total available points in the free-to-enter contest were 5,100, the highest yet this contest season.
The projected wining total is 3,060. Scores will be posted HERE later this week.
Four-time Canterbury Park Handicapper of the Year Bruce Meyer put up a big number but may have needed more to cash in the top five spots.
“It was a stabbers’ paradise,” he said of the 12-race Turfway card. Meyer, who ended the day with 2,812 points, had the Spiral winner Fast and Accurate, who paid $51 to win. Points for that race were doubled and amounted to 1,720.
“I had 67 percent of the points after the Spiral,” Meyer said. “Then it went pear shaped.”
Cash In On Keeneland
Racing at Keeneland begins Friday, April 7 and runs through Friday, April 28. Canterbury Park will be offering double MVP Rewards points on all wagers made (using MVP card) on Keeneland races each Thursday, Friday and Sunday of the Spring meet. More info here.
