Finally, some actually warm weather this spring across the middle swath of the country, great news for racing fans at Keeneland and Oaklawn, which host Saturday’s best racing. Apple Blossom Letruska won this race a year ago by a nose over Monomoy Girl, and she’ll be favored, likely at odds-on. Letruska, who likes to lead, appears to have a significant pace advantage and will widely be expected to return to top form in her second start this season. I’m not convinced it’s that simple and won’t just throw out the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, where Letruska lost by 32 lengths. Yes, the scorching BC Distaff pace collapsed, but do note Shedaresthedevil, who prompted the speed, was beaten less than seven lengths, not more than 30. Letruska is 6. Her career began 3 1/2 years ago in Mexico. She had a strong seven-race 2020 campaign, an epic eight-start 2021 campaign. Does she have another one in her? Maybe, but the Gulfstream comeback race, which she would’ve needed to fall down to lose, offers few clues. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports Ce Ce won the Azeri last month by three-quarters of a length while considerably more dominant than the margin of victory. After making the lead, she pulled herself up, and when rivals closed in, she jumped back into the bridle and edged away. Ce Ce won the BC Filly and Mare Sprint and has plenty of speed to engage Letruska on the far turn; I think she emerges victorious from that battle. Still, I’m taking Clairiere to win the war. I agree with you: Clairiere, like Letruska, dominated overmatched rivals in a comeback start. Look closely at her performance, however. Clariere ran her second quarter mile of that route race in 22.87 seconds, got stuck in a pocket around the far turn, and cruised to the lead when switched outside at the three-sixteenths pole like she was facing toddlers. All the gears – those are new. So is much of the muscle Clairiere carried at Fair Grounds. The filly showed high-level ability from her first start at 2, but only now has she grown into the racehorse she was meant to become. That’s my take, and if I’m right, Clairiere holds all the value Saturday. Elkhorn Just a reminder: Co-owner and principal trainer Hugh Robertson plucked Two Emmys out of a yearling auction for $4,500. After winning the $300,000 Muniz Memorial in March at Fair Grounds, the gelding has banked more than $765,000. That’s a grand slam, not just a homerun. Two Emmys in October lost the Sycamore, like the Elkhorn a 1 1/2-mile Keeneland turf race, because he had to be used from post 11. His draw in the Elkhorn is much better, post 3, but stationed just outside him is a serious pace rival, Phantom Currency; I don’t believe Two Emmys can take sustained pace pressure and prevail. Nor do I believe Channel Maker, the race’s most accomplished entrant, will be ready to win his first start since a fine effort in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Bemma’s Boy is the play, hopefully at odds higher than the published 5-1. Bemma’s Boy didn’t race for the better part of two years, but looked like his pre-layoff self in a pair of Fair Grounds starts over distances well short of his best. This 1 1/2-mile trip is what Bemma’s Boy wants. He beat Zulu Alpha, the best turf distance horse in North America at the time, going 1 1/2 miles in the 2020 Pan American, and in a 1 1/2-mile Keeneland allowance-race win in 2019, Bemma’s Boy got his final quarter mile in 22.87 seconds. He slots into a ground-saving stalking trip from the rail. :: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances – the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures Ben Ali Warrant gave Express Train, one of the better older horses in the country, all he wanted in the Santa Anita Handicap and is the likely favorite over Proxy, who hooked an even better horse (in my opinion) in Olympiad finishing second in the New Orleans Classic. I’ll try Scalding to upset them both. Scalding has gone 3 for 3 in two-turn races and passed a considerable class test last out at Tampa in the Grade 3 Challenger Stakes. Scalding idled after making the lead, and had to beat back a challenge from Cody’s Wish, a much better horse than he’d previously dominated. He did so easily. Ignore the neck margin of victory, as Scalding found another gear as soon as Cody’s Wish came to him, and galloped out far in front. Scalding should love the nine furlongs of the Ben Ali and will be a better horse with a target in front of him into the homestretch, and his win odds will be fair.