Podcast Final Kentucky Derby 2025 Prep Picks: Blue Grass Stakes, Wood Memorial, and Santa Anita Derby | Blinkers Off 713
Race Recaps Cruise and Danze waltzes home in $100K Ruthless January 26, 2020 Race Recaps Cruise and Danze waltzes home in $100K Ruthless January 26, 2020 By: Curtis "Magic" Kalleward twitteremail Share: share on facebook share on twitter share on linkedin email this article SOUTH OZONE PARK, NY – Haymarket Farm homebred Cruise and Danze utilized a pace-pressing trip to capture Sunday’s $100,000 Ruthless, a seven-furlong test for sophomore fillies at Aqueduct Racetrack. ( Content Continues Below Ad ) Trained by Jeremiah O’Dwyer, the dark bay daughter of Danza broke sharply under Eric Cancel and settled just outside of frontrunner Panthera Onca through an opening quarter-mile in 23.16 on the main track rated good. Bay Jewel, who broke last of eight, rushed up the rail on the backstretch to race inside a tightly-packed tracking group of Well Brush Mytooth, Wiggle and Jiggle and Miss Marissa, while Panthera Onca and Cruise and Danze were heads apart through a half-mile in 47.06. Cruise and Danze took command midway through the turn as Miss Marissa launched a wide bid and Panthera Onca seemingly stalled along the rail. Cruise and Danze continued to find more down the lane and scurried home a 2 ¼-length winner under light handling from Cancel in a final time of 1:25 flat. A resurgent Panthera Onca rallied up the rail to nose out Miss Marissa for the exacta. “I had a wonderful trip. My filly is very quick and tactical,” said Cancel. “She could be on the lead or coming from off the pace, but today I decided to keep her a little bit closer. Speed was carrying pretty good today and she responded very well. They brought her ready and it worked out very well.” Wiggle and Jiggle, Wicked Amber, Well Brush Mytooth, Bay Jewel and The New Miami rounded out the order of finish. Love of My Heart was scratched. Cruise and Danze graduated at second asking in a Laurel Park maiden sprint but was off-the-board next out in the Warrior’s Reward Smart Halo in her stakes debut at Laurel. She arrived at the Ruthless from a narrow nose defeat in an optional-claiming tilt on December 14 contested on a sloppy Aqueduct main track. O’Dwyer said he was pleased to see Cruise and Danze handle the stretch out to seven furlongs. “I always liked this filly. I was a little concerned about the seven furlongs because she’s very fast,” said O’Dwyer. “Eric gave her a lovely ride. She’s very rateable. She jumped well and just sat off [Panthera Onca] on the inside.“She’s very straight-forward. She was well-educated when she came to us,” he added. “We were just taking a step back and getting her to relax instead of just jump and go. [Exercise rider] Dylan Smith rides her every day and they get along great. She does everything right for us.” The victory marked the second stakes score for O’Dwyer at the Big A, having saddled Kentucky Derby hopeful Shotski to a half-length win here in the Grade 2 Remsen in December. Shotski is expected to return to Aqueduct on Saturday for the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers, offering 10-4-2-1 qualifying points for the first Saturday in May. The Kentucky-bred Cruise and Danze banked $55,000 in victory while improving her record to 2-1-0 from five starts. She returned $7.90 for a $2 win ticket.
Final Kentucky Derby 2025 Prep Picks: Blue Grass Stakes, Wood Memorial, and Santa Anita Derby | Blinkers Off 713 The Racing Dudes preview the final three major 2025 Kentucky… Read More
Santa Anita Preview & FREE Pick 5 Bets | The Magic Mike Show 585 The Magic Mike Show guys preview Santa Anita Park on… Read More
Wood Memorial, Blue Grass Stakes, Santa Anita Derby, and Final 4 PICKS | Dudes Who Bet Sports 233 Aaron and Papa Dude give their picks for the Wood… Read More
Kentucky Derby 2025 Prep Picks: Florida Derby & Arkansas Derby | Blinkers Off 712 The Racing Dudes preview the two major 2025 Kentucky Derby… Read More
Florida Derby, Arkansas Derby, and Sweet 16 PICKS | Dudes Who Bet Sports 232 Aaron and Papa Dude give their picks for the Arkansas… Read More
Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial & Blue Grass Stakes Picks | TWO Betting Bibles, ONE Monster Weekend Get the 2025 Santa Anita Derby Betting Bible, featuring the EXACT race-by-race wagering… Read More
Aqueduct FREE Win Picks and Star Plays | April 5, 2025 Get our FREE win picks at Aqueduct on April 5,… Read More
Santa Anita FREE Win Picks and Star Plays | April 5, 2025 Get our FREE win picks at Santa Anita Park on… Read More
Oaklawn Park FREE Win Picks and Star Plays | April 5, 2025 Get our FREE win picks at Oaklawn Park on April… Read More
Final Kentucky Derby 2025 Prep Picks: Blue Grass Stakes, Wood Memorial, and Santa Anita Derby | Blinkers Off 713 The Racing Dudes preview the final three major 2025 Kentucky… Read More