Steve Sherack: Thursday's Results – Couple of late gate scratches completely killed my price (went from 6-1 to 5-2), but still great to finally get on the board with Red Danger after a steady diet of no-shows with logical horses to start this thing off. Bankroll: $550.

Race 8 – A full field of turf sprinters are signed on for this seven-figure payday and the lightly raced 8yo gelding Bombard may find himself all alone on the lead if the AE doesn't draw in. He came within a neck of pulling off a 19-1, front-running upset over soft ground in this race last year and he appears to be in even better form this time around off a win in Santa Anita's GIII Daytona S. in late May. Selection: #3 Bombard (10-1).

Brian DiDonato: Thursday's Results – Jungle Juice (Ire) finished sixth. Bankroll: $0.

Race 10 – What. A. Card. My head was admittedly spinning trying to decide who to play, and I ultimately landed on Annex in the GII Franklin-Simpson S. The 'TDN Rising Star' showed an impressive turn of foot to take his first three starts, but has been a bit disappointing since then, albeit with some excuses along the way (though he was flattered by Public Sector last Saturday). I'm thinking the cut back to 6 1/2 furlongs and one turn might wake him up. His quick burst should be aided by this configuration, and the make-up of the field is not such that I'm too worried about him getting run off his feet early. Selection: #7 Annex (9-2). 

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Steve Sherack: Race 2 – Don't think we'll see anything near the 20-1 morning-line quote, but Gamble's Orb can certainly run this field off their heels at a price in her grass debut. She flashed big speed in her first two goes in the Gulfstream slop, dueling and finishing a close second June 25, then dueling and tiring to a well-beaten third July 23. Her dam Forest Gamble (Forest Wildcat) was a razor sharp winner in her lone career start over the Woodbine synthetic, and she has produced a pair of stakes winners over that surface as well. Orb, sire of P. G. Johnson S. winner Orbolution, is certainly capable of siring a turf runner and Gamble's Orb blew out three furlongs over the Palm Meadows turf in :34 3/5 (1/4) Aug. 24. Trainer Joe Orseno shipped in from his South Florida base to capture last year's GIII Runhappy Turf Sprint S. with Imprimis. Selection: #2 Gamble's Orb (20-1).

Brian DiDonato: Race 6 – The 2-year-old maiden races are some of the most interesting and typically wide-open events at Kentucky Downs, and there were several babies who caught my eye on this opening day card. I'll make Go Bali Go my play. He ran a sneaky good race first out after getting squeezed out at the start and making a middle move behind a very slow pace. The fifth-place run when switching to the dirt can be excused–he dueled through a pace rated fast that day on a surface he probably doesn't prefer. His dam was dramatically better on grass and her other progeny have leaned that way too. Freshman sire Bal a Bali was also a turf horse, and his early runners have seemed turfy for the most part as well. I'm hoping for a bit better than the 8-1 morning line, and think Go Bali Go has a solid shot to put it all together this time around. Selection: #4 Go Bali Go (8-1).

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DeRosa – Bankroll: $5480 – Pegasus Result – Skyscanner made no impact at a big price.

GI Kentucky Derby – Tiz the Law is my pick to win the GI Kentucky Derby. He is the most likely winner, and my wagers will go through him attempting to hook up other non favorites with him (i.e., I think other favorites are less likely to win their races than Tiz the Law is to win the Derby). But this is a win-place exercise, and Max Player gives us our best chance to catch Brian, as he might pay more to place than Tiz the Law would to win and place. Clockers have noted the work Steve Asmussen has put into Max Player since joining his barn, and as a colt who’s always run his race behind Tiz the Law, he feels more like a should-be third choice than the likely fifth choice. Selection: #2 Max Player (30-1).

Sherack – Bankroll: $4110 – Pegasus Result – Granted, the competition wasn’t much, but still nice to see Pneumatic run the kind of race I knew he was capable of.

GI Kentucky Derby – I’m not nearly as confident as I was a month ago prior to Tiz the Law’s jaw-dropping win in the GI Runhappy Travers S., but it’s still Honor A. P. for me. While the Shared Belief S. was obviously a disappointing result for the stunning dark bay, especially following his breakthrough win in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby, it was never going to be the right kind of spot for him cutting back in distance and facing only three rivals ahead of his main objective on the first Saturday in September. Can he improve off his visually impressive win in the Santa Anita Derby and take the necessary leap forward to take on Tiz the Law at 1 1/4 miles here? I’m betting that he does. Ny Traffic is my longshot for underneath. Selection: #16 Honor A. P. (5-1). 

DiDonato – Bankroll: $5500 – Pegasus Result – Big City Bob didn’t do anything.

GI Kentucky Derby – Since I’ve got this huge $20 lead to protect, I’m going to chalk out and go with Tiz the Law. I just don’t see a knock on him–especially now that he’s proven over 10 panels and in fact ran his best race ever at that distance. Maybe he’s a bounce candidate, but he certainly wasn’t all out in Saratoga and his recent breezes have been super strong. He’s the tactical type who almost always works out a good trip and the post doesn’t bother me–good luck if you’re trying to beat him. I think Honor A. P. is by far the second most likely winner, but that’s not an interesting opinion either. Money Moves and Max Player are the price horses I’ll likely include underneath to try to spice things up. Selection: #17 Tiz the Law (3-5).

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