THRU THE BINOCULARS

By: John Piesen

Big Money At Belmont On Wednesday!
John hits 2 of 3...
R7: It's Not For Love WON $12.60
R8: Sapphire Sky WON $8.50

POST TIME

The only time during the racing year when the subject of post positions rears its ugly head seems to come the first week of May when many trainers would promise to sell their first-born rather than draw inside for the Kentucky Derby.

You'll recall such was the case this year when Lookin at Lucky drew the one-hole, almost causing Prince Robert to abdicate. Of course post one has won more Derbies than any other starting position, but keep in mind that in olden times.the field was five or six rather than or 20.

That is why when I chose to put the four inside horses on top of my John Piesen Hot Line (888 612 2283) Derby selections, the general attitude was that I was this side of a nut job.

So what happened?

After the Derby smoke had cleared, those four finished 1-2-5-6 in the field of 20 for a 152.40 exacta. Moreover, the #3 (Noble's Promise) made a clear lead at 25-1 entering the home stretch, before fading to fifth, beaten a grand total of five lengths.

(And, for those keeping score at home, Super Saver was first identified as jockey Borel's Derby rider in this space last October, and he was a regular and frequent member of the John Piesen Top Ten as far back as November.

That's about the time that Jerry Hissam, Borel's long-time agent Jerry Hissam and good friend to me that Super Saver was going to be Calvin's 2010 Derby mount..

"I told Todd(trainer Pletcher) back than that I would be the one to break his Derby jinx," Hissam told me, only half-jokingly, during a phone conversation on Tuesday, "but as it developed, I needed a lot of luck."

Why?

1) Borel/Hissam lost the mount to Ramon Domingues for the Tampa Bay Derby in March because Hall was in New Orleans that day to ride Rachel Alexandra in her losing prep for the Apple Blossom.

2) If Super Saver had won that day, Dominguez in all likelihood would have kept the mount. That's how the game is played.

3) The Toddster was torn between the Wood and Arkansas Derby on April 13. Since Borel was committed to Jackson Bend for the Wood, that would have effectively eliminated Borel as Super Saver's Derby rider.

But Pletcher chose the Arkansas Derby, and that meant Borel got the call. And a rousing second on Super Saver in Hot Springs clinched the deal. Down in that part of the country, Borel is known more for being Mr. Oaklawn Park as he is for Mr. Churchill Downs.

Super Saver wound up dismissed at 15-1 on the CD Morning Line, yet when the early bird line was posted on Derby Eve, SS was the 7-1 favorite -- due only to the presence in the saddle of one Mr. Borel, the same Borel who has ridden 4,7000-plus winners while lacking the traditional eighth-grade reading and writing skills.

"To ride a Derby winner was always a dream," Hissam said. "To ride three of four is a mission impossible."

ON KENTUCKY DERBY DAY WE GOT THE MONEY AT CHURCHILL & BELMONT NOW IT'S ON TO THE PREAKNESS ON MAY 15 I've had many, many big racing day scores in my lifetime. But Derby Day 2010 was the ultimate 'dream day' for any handicapper. The facts speak for themselves. Here's the breakdown of results from the two tracks I released full card selections at. Even a $2 Bettor playing both tracks won THOUSANDS, if they wagered every combination I released. **Churchill Downs 5 Winners 3 Exactas 1 Daily Double 1 Trifecta The $152.40 Derby exacta! **Belmont Park 6 On Top Winners 6 Exactas 2 Daily Doubles 3 Trifectas 1 Pick 3 Those who took my Derby and Churchill Downs selections WON BIG! But clients who took my advice and played both tracks WON BIGGER! SO I AM VERY CONFIDENT WE WILL HAVE BIG PAYOFFS ON MAY 15 IN THE PREAKNESS AND ON THE CARDS AT PIMLICO AND BELMONT! I have had a great record at Pimlico, winning 12 of the last 16 Preakness Stakes, including long shot Bernardini, listed above, and... 2007 2004 2003 #4 Curlin WON 8.00 #7 Hard Spun 3rd Trifecta $50.00 #8 Street Sense 2nd Exacta $23.20 Smarty Jones WON! $3.40 Rock Hard Ten 2nd Exacta Paid $24.60 Funny Cide WON! $5.80 Midway Road 2nd Exacta Paid $120.60 Scrimshaw 3rd Trifecta Paid $684.20 Peace Rules 4th Superfecta Paid $1,584.40 Now I am set to score on the Preakness, the Undercard and at Belmont too May 15. AND I HAVE SEVERAL WINNING OFFERS FOR YOU.... Click here to learn more

Fact is of the last seven Classics, the Borel-Hissam team has managed to pull off four firsts, two seconds and a third. One would think such a feat would have earned at least a finalist berth for an Eclipse Award, or earn him the respect of the national media.

But, for example, one New York columnist last week referred to Borel as a one-track wonder, pointing out that at Saratoga last year, Borel went 2-for-45.

"But," the writer failed to mention that one of those wins came in the Woodward," said Hissam, "and he forgot to mention that in a single previous Saratoga meeting, Calvin knocked off the Travers, Alabama, Sword Dancer and Jim Dandy."

During his three Derby wins, Calvin passed a total of one horse from the outside. There are 20-horse fields we are talking about, and he won the Preakness on Rachel Alexandra from post 13.

After Super Saver's Derby, one reporter asked Borel if Calvin thought he "could figure out" Pimlico, the site of the Preakness.

"Yeah, I can figure Pimlico," Calvin said. "I figured it out last year, so we'll be all right."

While pulling up Super Saver after the Derby, Borel yelled into the outrider's mike that SS is a cinch to win the Triple Crown.

"That's Calvin's eighth grade education talking," said Hissam. "He got carried away with the moment. He meant to say that he's got a good chance to win the Triple Crown. We all know it won't be easy. But my horse is very good right now. And he's very fresh. He has a chance."

Two events occurred Monday morning that certainly won't damage Super Saver's chances.

1) With Borel aboard, Super Saver skipped three furlongs over the Pimlico track in 36 3/5, and galloped out an easy half mile, pleasing both rider and trainer. Many Derby winners don't even work before the Preakness, taking no chances.

2) A very talented speed horse named A Little Warm scratched from the Preakness, leaving Super Saver as potentially the controlling speed. Don't be surprised if Super Saver, who rallied from sixth in the Derby, go right to the top in the Preakness. Don't forgot that Conveyance and Sidney's Candy, who put up a :46 half in Louisville, are sitting out Baltimore.

Thanks for tuning in. Please check back this weekend for another Preakness column, and don't forget to check out my selections on-line and on the Piesen Hot Line (888 612 2283).

2010 Preakness Stakes
Post	Horse	Jockey	Odds
1	Aikenite	J. Castellano	20-1
2	Schoolyard Dreams	E. Coa	15-1
3	Pleasant Prince	J. Leparoux	20-1
4	Northern Giant	T. Thompson	30-1
5	Yawanna Twist	E. Prado	30-1
6	Jackson Bend	M. Smith	12-1
7	Lookin At Lucky	M. Garcia	3-1
8	Super Saver	C. Borel	5-2
9	Caracortado	P. Atkinson	10-1
10	Paddy O'Prado	K. Desormeaux	9-2
11	First Dude	R. Dominguez	20-1
12	Dublin	G. Gomez	10-1