MattBernier

Appreciate the change, sir. All around nice article.

Not a big deal, but I can't help but notice that some of the analysis for Lines of Battle is exactly what I wrote about him on my blog back on April 2...

(Apologies if this shows up twice)...SWEET 16...Verrazano, Balance the Books, Hear the Ghost, Flashback, Vyjack, Power Broker, Super Ninety Nine, Palace Malice, Orb, Oxbow, Shanghai Bobby, Uncaptured, Itsmyluckyday, Titletown Five, Tiz a Minister, Java's War...ELITE 8...Verrazano, Hear the Ghost, Power Broker, Super Ninety Nine, Orb, Shanghai Bobby, Itsmyluckyday, Tiz a Minister...FINAL 4...Hear the Ghost, Power Broker, Orb, Tiz a Minister...FINALS...Hear the Ghost, Orb...CHAMPION...ORB

Orb breezed 4 furlongs at Payson Park in :48.40 on 3/11/13.

He had all the pace in the world to run at, but Orb ran a fantastic race today. There's a long way to go, but I'm feeling confident about my future bet at 85/1 for the first Saturday in May...

I'm not sure if Orb is quite ready to take down stakes competition just yet, but I'm expecting him to run a very strong race - strong enough to convince Shug and Co. to move on toward the Florida Derby/Kentucky Derby. I was a bit concerned when I heard Rosario was getting off him, but then I found out Johnny V. was picking up the mount (I heard he was a decent rider). I'll key Orb in multi's and play him to win, and I'll be shocked if he doesn't get a piece of it.

Orb breezed 4 furlongs in 49.00 at Payson Park on 2/18/13. He's been entered to run in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Saturday, John Velazquez to ride.

While I think probably three-quarters of the potential starters for the World Cup are more talented, I'll be hard pressed not to select Dullahan to win. I don't know why he seems so average on dirt and turf, but this animal is otherworldly on the synthetic.

Orb breezed 4 furlongs in 49.20 at Payson Park on 2/11/13.

*Odds would be stacked against, but he surely wouldn't be disgraced.