Best Eleven No.7, 8, 9, 10, & 11

My Best Eleven No. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 shakes off Pyro and War Pass, as both have raised doubts. Smooth Air and El Gato Malo get positions No.7 and No.9.

This week's bottom half of my Best Eleven eliminates Pyro and War Pass, both of whom have shown too much vulnerability in the last three weeks.

I'm liking Smooth Air, who has won for 70-year-old trainer Bennis Stutts, Jr. (Hutcheson Stakes) and placed second (Florida Derby), beating off the third place finisher, Tomcito, a star from South America, by over 7 lengths. So he's moving into my No.7 spot today.

War Pass has lost twice. Pyro has lost three times to War Pass, and he failed mysteriously, if not miserably, in the Blue Grass Stakes last weekend.

Trainers Nick Zito (War Pass) and Steve Asmussen (Pyro) really can't explain the wretched performances of their colts, although Zito was pleased with War Pass's Wood effort.

I don't know why. War Pass likes the front, but is showing he might not be able to defend a lead long enough. Pyro might be the better of the two at this point in time, if jockey Shaun Bridgmohan can rate him in the TC series. At any rate, both colts are Derby bound.

Cowboy Cal (Todd Pletcher) got his earnings together finishing second in the Blue Grass Stakes, where Pyro failed. El Gato Malo remains on the earnings bubble, but has shown consistency. They rate No.8 and No.9, and with Georgie Boy off the trail, I still like that Holy Bull boy, Liberty Bull, winner of the Smarty Jones Stakes in January and the March WinStar Derby.

Pyro's roomie, Z Fortune, still turns my fancy over Cool Coal Man. Liberty Bull is No.10, and Z Fortune is No.11.