2008 Triple Crown Early Picks
Court Vision, War Pass, Pyro Earn First Looks In 3-Year-Old Class
War Pass, the 2008 Experimental Free Handicap leader, his chief rival Pyro, and Court Vision are early choices to excel in this season's classic competition.
Two-Year-Old Champion Colt War Pass, a Nick Zito trainee, leads the field in the early hunt for the Triple Crown races. He is expected to be chased by Steve Asmussen's Pyro and Bill Mott's Court Vision for 2008 honors.
War Pass got the Experimental Free Handicap nod at 127 pounds. His impost was seven pounds heavier than the second placing for Dixie Chatter, who is already off the TC trail.
Although War Pass, a Cherokee Run--Vue by Mr. Prospector prospect, seems to be the immediate favorite for the first Saturday in May, many eyes are also on Court Vision. War Pass excelled in the Breeders' Cup in 2007 as a two-year-old after fashioning an undefeated season.
The Blood-Horse expert Steve Haskins gives Court Vision, a Gulch--Weekend Storm by Storm Bird colt, an early lead in the TC field, by a hair. But he also likes the strides made by War Pass, Pyro, and Monba, a Todd Pletcher schoolee.
Barclay Tagg is back with a colt named Tale of Ekati, a Tale of the Cat--Silence Beauty by Sunday Silence entry. Haskins also gives this colt high marks.
Trainers Mott, Zito, and Richard Mandella all have two strong contenders in this new three-year-old season. Besides Court Vision, Mott has Majestic Warrior, sired by the great A.P. Indy. His dam is Dream Supreme by Seeking the Gold.
Zito, in addition to War Pass, has Anak Nakal in training. Anak Nakal is a Victory Gallop--Misk by Quiet American colt. Mandella leads with Crown of Thorns, Repent--Crowning Touch by Thunder Gulch, and Into Mischief, Harlan's Holiday--Leslie's Lady by Tricky Creek. Crown of Thorns is steadily picking up fans.
Asmussen's Pyro, Pulpit--Wild Vision by Wild Again, finished second to War Pass twice in 2007. Second in 2007's champion trainer voting, Asmussen also enters 2008 with a colt named Kodiak Kowboy, who won accolades as a two-year-old, and Z Fortune, a Siphon--Fortunate Faith by Fortunate Prospect trainee.
Todd Pletcher's Monba, a Maria's Mon--Hamba by Easy Goer colt, is one of three entries the 2007 Trainer of the Year has in the running. Pletcher's other contenders are Atoned and Cowboy Cal, both of which have been ridden by John Velazquez, Pletcher's favorite jockey.
Other hopefuls on the 2008 Triple Crown trail include Kiaran McLaughlin's Etched, Richard Schosberg's Giant Moon, Greg Fox's Slew's Tiznow, Bennie Stutts Jr.'s Smooth Air, Eoin Harty's Colonel John, and Craig Dollase's El Gato Malo.
For those who remember the TC battles of Sunday Silence and Easy Goer, a rivalry between Tale of Ekati and Monba would be riveting.
