ITM Plus - The Grade 1 Turf Classic

Horse by Horse Analysis and Strategy from PTF

Yesterday was an absolute blast! We’ve been producing content Daily-for-Derby for a while now, but we have reached the stage where it’s truly banger after banger as the kids say.

We’ve got another one on tap, in just a few hours. You can view the live stream below or, if you’re in the area, join us IRL at The Galt House today at 5:30PM ET.

The day kicked off with a fun chat with Randy Moss and Jerry Bailey. The video we recorded is on pace to break records for the In the Money Media YouTube channel so if you haven’t seen it yet, what are you waiting for? This is the video you can share with your casual fan friends.

Then last night we did our fifth annual Final Answers show with our friends at Taylor Made/Medallion racing and I think it was the best one yet. Maggie Wolfendale Morley was a great addition to the team, and Philip and JK were their usual excellent selves.

After a great dinner at The Manchester Inn, it was back out to the farm for the Annual Pro Players’ show, where Duke and Paul Matties brought the goods. A MUST listen for any serious horseplayer.

Over at At the Races, all three of my horse-by-horse previews are now. Click on over if you want to check them out: Kentucky Oaks - Kentucky Derby - American Turf

While I wanted to highlight a few things, we’ve also debuted a proper Kentucky Derby Landing Page where you can (hopefully!) be linked to all of the amazing content from the team. As we keep producing, we’ll update that page…So keep it handy!

Later today, we’ll send out (to ITM Plus Subscribers) the ever-popular ITM Picks Grid for ALL of the Stakes Races on Oaks and Derby Day.

In yesterday’s newsletter, I previewed the war that is the G1 Churchill Downs, and I have decided I have one more horse by horse preview in me.

Before we go there, however, I want to point out to our free subs that supporting ITM Plus will get you tons of extra content around Derby and all year long. Our full Derby package includes proprietary speed figures, grid picks from the team, plus coverage of every race Friday and Saturday. Plus subs also help support all the FREE content we’re doing. . .

Let’s dive into the Turf Classic.

#1 INTEGRATION is a divisive horse and a lot of sharp players I know are a bit tired of his act. Having said that, I like him in here. I’m intuiting that the last run had the look of a prep. I believe the flat mile is inadequately short for him and that effort should sharpen him up for this mile-and-an-eighth test. Trip wise I think he can get a good midpack sit from this inside position and hopefully quicken from there. He’s a contender.

#2 GOLD (FLIPPIN’) PHOENIX is such a cool horse and one who holds a special place in podcast history. He hasn’t had success away from his southern California base but it’s not like he’s tried and failed a bunch. And it would be a little harsh to hold his run in the ’22 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland against him. He should improve in his second run of the season and has a shot on his best form. I am leaving out of my main picks below only because this field is so deep and just like a few others more, but in a perfect world, he’d be on there too.