A Look at the Remsen

The Remsen has not exactly been a Kentucky Derby winner factory lately. Nonetheless, whoever emerges victorious on Saturday will be cast into the early Run for the Roses conversation. Given that and all the excitement generated by the top tier two-year-olds around this time, we’ll take a look at the race and run it down. Hopefully, we can find the winner.

The Grade 2 Remsen drew a field of 9 going a mile and an eighth around two turns at Aqueduct.

On the rail is Chase Tracker, a Verrazano colt for Todd Pletcher. He ran well first out at Parx breaking his maiden in his debut from just off the pace. The race was fast enough but he regressed a tad in his next start, the Grade 3 Nashua. He adds blinkers looking to wake him back up. I’m not sold on him.

Forza Di Oro breaks from the 2 post. This looks like a very talented colt to me. He went a mile in his debut at Belmont and fell far back and made a nice run. He came back to break his maiden next out. He stretches out and gets two turns to work with here and I think he will like that. Mott is patient and it looks to me like this colt is sitting on a nice forward move. He is one of my top two choices.

The #3 Cleon Jones is pretty honest going one turn against NY Breds. Can he bring that game to open company at a longer distance? I’m willing to gamble no. I don’t see him having the same punch at this distance.

Alaaweed is the other horse I like in here. I see nothing but talent and potential here. His debut at Saratoga was decent but in a key race he needed. He stretched out to win his next start. He made up some ground while wide in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland. He gets a little more ground to work with and moves to his fourth track in as many starts. I think he will be close enough to launch a rally that counts and will be full of run in the stretch.

#5 Informative is a sprinter so far and stretches out here. He has some bottom to him with 6 starts but is still a maiden. I have to pass on him I’m here.

Shotski is an interesting alternative in here. I like the other two I mentioned better but this Blame colt is far from hopeless. He comes out of the key Street Sense, and looks like he will appreciate the added ground he will get in here. If I was going deeper I’d get to him but I’m not.

Prince James adds blinkers. He has two good races against lesser company under his belt. I don’t see blinkers moving him up enough to win in here.

Todd Pletcher’s second entry takes blinkers off. His debut was excellent and his follow up in the Champagne was good. That was a good field and he is dangerous in here. I think he will be shorter on the board than the two I lean to, and he is the next one I’d throw in if I were spreading more than two deep.

On the outside we have Amends. If that last win wasn’t in the slop I might like him more. I think he has talent, and we may hear from him later at Gulfstream or Oaklawn but not for me on Saturday.

I’ll be using Forza di Oro and Ajaaweed in multi-race wagers. If the price is high enough I’ll also use them both on top in some exactas. It should be an interesting Remsen and bring some new names onto the early Kentucky Derby radar screen.