THE TURF TEN

By Nick Hahn

Silver Max shown here winning the Transylvania at Keeneland
remains the one to beat in the Virginia Derby.

Nick's picks for the top ten three year old horses in North America with at least one start on the turf in 2012 and perhaps with an inclination of running in the $600,000 Virginia Derby (G2) at Colonial Downs on July 21st.
		Owner	Trainer	Jockey (last start)
1	SILVER MAX	Mark Bacon & Dana Wells	Dale Romans	Victor Lebron
	What does this demon do for an encore?  He smashes the $200,000 Oliver field at Indiana Downs filled with good horses and sets the track record.  In case you missed it last Saturday, Turbo Charger smoked a talented field on the front end at Colonial.  Dale Roman's must have chuckled a bit when he saw that one.
		Owner	Trainer	Jockey (last start)
2	SUMMER FRONT	Waterford Stable	Christophe Clement	Ramon Dominquez
	Undefeated on the turf as a two-year old, we've been waiting to see his first 2012 turf start after two dirt outings seeking a Triple Crown start.  The choice to return to the turf couldn't have come soon enough as the Hill Prince proved despite a tough trip.  Almost overnight, Clement's colt may be the biggest threat to Silver Max.
		Owner	Trainer	Jockey (last start)
3	HOWE GREAT	Team Valor	Graham Motion	Alan Garcia
	The winner of the first major three-year old turf race of the year, the Palm Beach (G3) at Gulfstream Park has hung in with the two above him and remains poised to take advantage of any setback.  He showed in the Hill Prince that not much separates him from Summer Front.
		Owner	Trainer	Jockey (last start)
4	COZZETTI	Albaugh Family Stables, LLC	Dale Romans	Corey Lanerie
	The stablemate of Silver Max glared into the grandstand in the Oliver stretch while running evenly with Silver Max in the last quarter or so.  With Cozenne is his lineage, the Preakness starter relished his return to the turf and is Roman's second horse in the top five.
		Owner	Trainer	Jockey (last start)
5	DULLAHAN	Donegal Racing	Dale Romans	Javier Castellano
	The only thing that may be keeping the show horse in the Run for the Roses from the Virginia Derby is his own barnmates.   With another Donegal interest just below him here and 4 Romans horses in the Turf Ten, you wouldn't think they would all start in the Virginia Derby, would they?
		Owner	Trainer	Jockey (last start)
6	FINNEGAN'S WAKE	Donegal Racing	Dale Romans	Miguel Mina
	Romans' 4th colt in the Turf Ten backed up a sharp performance in the American Turf when he finished 4th with an allowance win at Churchill on June 10th.  I love his Powerscourt (GB) breeding on the top side.  With this colt in the barn and improving, it's less tempting to return stable neighbor Dullahan to the turf.
		Owner	Trainer	Jockey (last start)
7	SKYRING	Bluegrass Hall, LLC	D.Wayne Lukas	Ramon Dominguez
	The wire to wire Murphy winner on the turf went to the Easy Goer dirt and disappointed.  Lukas had considered running him in the Preakness instead of Optimizer.  Lukas acknowledges that it's difficult to win on the turf on the front end, but isn't concerned about going longer with this colt.  Will Lukas switch back to the turf?
		Owner	Trainer	Jockey (last start)
8	EASY CROSSING	Preston Stables, LLC	Christophe Clement	Ramon Dominquez
	One of many English Channel colts that could be on the rise.  Easy Crossing had a horrible trip in the Murphy at Pimlico and still rallied for second to complete the English Channel exacta with Skyring.  Appears to be improving with every start and has been working over the Belmont turf.
		Owner	Trainer	Jockey (last start)
9	FILM SHOT	Donald A Adam	Bill Mott	Edgar Prado
	Look who might return to the Virginia Derby teamed up.  Three time winning trainer Bill Mott and three time winning jockey Edgar Prado (they did win one independent of each other.) Film Maker's dam won the All Along at Colonial twice.  Film Shot's speed may have an impact on the race to go out with Silver Max.
		Owner	Trainer	Jockey (last start)
10	SUMMER HIT	J. Carver & J. Hollendorfer	Jerry Hollendorfer	Russell Baze
	Perhaps owner/trainer Jerry Hollendorfer may have found a turf angle to his Bertrando gelding in the June 9th Silky Sullivan at Betfair Hollywood.  The Sullivan was his first start on the turf besting Stoney Fleece, a talent horse on the west coast.  He now has 4 wins in 6 starts.
EDGED OFF THE TURF TEN - TRAVEL ADVISORY was vanned off after dropping back in the stretch of the Oliver Stakes.  La Puente winner BLINGO ran 5th in the Affirmed Handicap at Hollywood Park on June 3rd over the synthetic.  The Californians were dominant in the Triple Crown on dirt, but there hasn't been a West Coast standout on the turf.  ACHILLES is undefeated in two starts but hasn't made a race since mid-April.  Barbaro bro, MARGANO ran a solid one in the Hill Prince.