Cowboy Cal is taking the Barbaro path to the Kentucky Derby by staying on the turf for now (Jim Lisa Photos)
Folks are starting to whisper about Todd Pletcher trained 3 year old Cowboy Cal as they dare to compare him with one of the sport’s legends. Just about everywhere you look, there is mention that Cowboy Cal is following in the foosteps of the great Barbaro. Cowboy Cal was victorious in the Laurel Futurity on 11/24/07 , and then returned to win for the third consecutive time on the grass when he took the Turf Paradise Derby (Grade 3) on 1/1/08. Barbaro, you see, won the same two races during his preparation for the 2006 Kentucky Derby.
Saturday’s Daily Racing Form contains a quote from Todd Pletcher that with his choices of the Fountain of Youth (which is shaping up to be highly competitive), the Hallandale Stakes, and a possible ship out of town, he chose this event to try and keep the colt moving forward. Pletcher went on to say that the plan is to run Cowboy Cal in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland as a final Kentucky Derby prep.
The Hallandale Beach is a $100,000 ungraded Stakes that runs 1 1/16 miles over the turf course at Gulfstream Park.
It looks like Cowboy Cal should get a relatively easy win here today. If he’s the Derby hopeful that his connections believe he is than the company he faces on Saturday should not be a problem. There are no War Pass or Pyro in this field. Instead, Cowboy Cal will be tested by stablemate Why Tonto (if he even runs), and the Wesley Ward trained Cannonball,
I’ll use Cowboy Cal to win. Underneath I’ll use Why Tonto if he runs, along with Cannonball. If Why Tonto scratches I’ll substitute Moral Compass. I might toss in Gibber’s Gold for show honors as well.
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