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Undefeated Big Brown is smelling the roses as he won the $2-million Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs May 3, Saturday.
Trained by Richard Dutrow, Jr. and ridden by jockey Kent Desormeaux, Big Brown raced 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.82 and paid $6.80, $5 and $4.80. Almost 5 lengths behind, Eight Belles with jockey Gabriel Saez aboard returned $10.60 and $6.40. Denis of Cork under jockey Calvin Borel is 3 1/2 lengths back at third showing $11.60.
About a quarter mile past the finish line, the lone filly in the 2008 Kentucky Derby field, Eight Belles, collapsed with both front ankles broken. Eight Belles could not be saved and was euthanized on the track.
See the 2008 Kentucky Derby Payouts.
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By GREG MELKOV
Hours of research on the 134th Kentucky Derby failed to single out a horse that I feel comfortable betting to win. This is the first time in years that I must throw a dart at the bullseye on the wagering board.
However, I have come up with several 3-year-olds I believe have the best chance to hit the board. Here are the thoroughbreds I’ll be using in exactas, trifectas and a Pick 3.
If any Kentucky Derby contender has a big shot to win it all, it’s Colonel John. The son of Tiznow, who won the first of his two Breeders’ Cup Classics in 2000 at Churchill Downs, captured both preps at 1 1/8 miles. In six career starts, he never was more than three lengths behind in the stretch and won four times and was runner-up twice.
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By GREG MELIKOV
A filly will try her luck in the Kentucky Derby for the first time in nine years. Eight Belles attempts to become the fourth to visit the winner’s circle since Regret in 1918.
Regret lived up to her odds and was the only female favorite to whip the boys. She immediately went to the lead, never looked back and defeated 15 challengers by two lengths.
In ‘80, Genuine Risk took command in the stretch and triumphed by neck over a dozen runners. In ‘88, Winning Colors lived up to her name, broke on top from the inside post and led all the way over 16 rivals to win by a neck.
Unlike those two, Eight Belles has never faced males or traveled 1 1/8 miles. However, her speed figures have been comparable to the colts, which prompted her connections to try the 2008 Kentucky Derby instead of the Kentucky Oaks.
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By GREG MELIKOV
The morning line 3-1 favorite in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby will break from the outside post position. It won’t be the first time Big Brown has done so in his brief racing career.
The son of Boundary roared out of post 12 in the Florida Derby on March 31 and won by five lengths recording the fastest 1 1/8 miles since 1996 – 1:48. The undefeated 3-year-old made the lead by the first call.
The 3-year-old’s connections, selecting 16th following a draw earlier Wednesday to determine the order in which posts would be selected, went for 20.
That’s a bad omen. Only one horse breaking from that post won in 133 runnings: Clyde Van Dusen in ‘29.
“We prefer just to break on the outside, trainer Richard Dutrow said. “We get assured of a clean trip. If he breaks good, we figure it’s to our advantage. We had a few good choices and felt we took the best shot.”
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A full field of 20 three-year-old horses will be racing in the $2-million Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 3, Saturday.
Raced at 1 1/4 miles, the 2008 Kentucky Derby entries with jockeys, weight and morning line odds are:
- Cool Coal Man ridden by jockey Julien Leparoux carries 126 lbs. with odds of 20-1
- Tale of Ekati ridden by jockey Eibar Coa, 126 lbs., 15-1
- Anak Nakal ridden by jockey Rafael Bejarano, 126 lbs., 30-1
- Court Vision ridden by jockey Garrett Gomez, 126 lbs., 20-1
- Eight Belles ridden by jockey Gabriel Saez, 121 lbs., 20-1
- Z Fortune ridden by jockey Robby Albarado, 126 lbs., 15-1
- Big Truck ridden by jockey Javier Castellano, 126 lbs., 50-1
- Visionaire ridden by jockey Jose Lezcano, 126 lbs., 20-1
- Pyro ridden by jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, 126 lbs., 6-1
- Colonel John ridden by jockey Corey Nakatani, 126 lbs., 4-1
- Z Humor ridden by jockey Rene Douglas, 126 lbs., 30-1
- Smooth Air ridden by jockey Manoel Cruz, 126 lbs., 20-1
- Bob Black Jack ridden by jockey Richard Migliore, 126 lbs., 20-1
- Monba ridden by jockey Ramon Dominguez, 126 lbs., 15-1
- Adriano ridden by jockey Edgar Prado, 126 lbs., 30-1
- Denis of Cork ridden by jockey Calvin Borel, 126 lbs., 20-1
- Cowboy Cal ridden by jockey John John Velazquez, 126 lbs., 20-1
- Recapturetheglory ridden by jockey E. T. Baird, 126 lbs., 20-1
- Gayego ridden by jockey Mike Smith, 126 lbs., 15-1
- Big Brown ridden by jockey Kent Desormeaux , 126 lbs., 3-1
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By GREG MELIKOV
The 134th Kentucky Derby is difficult to handicap for several reasons ranging from speed figures to varying track surfaces.
For instance, a dozen contenders won 14 key preps from February through April. The only two-time winners, Pyro and Colonel John, haven’t posted a triple-digit figure this year.
Pyro ran a dismal 10th in the Blue Grass on Keeneland’s Polytrack. The son of Pulpit and six other colts finished fifth or worse in their final prep. The last horse to triumph at Churchill Downs after running that poorly or worse in the final prep was Iron Liege, fifth in ‘57.
Colonel John is yet to run on the dirt. Nearly half of the prospective field had one or more preps on synthetic surfaces.
So what’s a handicapper to do? One key to success just might lie in the speed figures posted in preps regardless of surfaces.
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With Behindatthebar not running in the Kentucky Derby this Saturday, it paved the way for Denis of Cork to be part of the 2008 Kentucky Derby entries.
Todd Pletcher, who trains Behindatthebar, said Monday that after talking it over with owners Satish and Sasha Sanan, “We all thought 16 days between two races was a lot of pressure to put on a horse.”
Behindatthebar, winner of the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 19, was 17th on the 2008 Kentucky Derby’s graded-stakes earnings list, which determines who runs in the race if more than 20 are entered. Denis of Cork, fifth in the Illinois Derby in his last start, was 21st on the list.
Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren Jr.’s Denis of Cork, who won his first 3 races before his only defeat, would be horse trainer David Carroll’s first Kentucky Derby starter. Jockey Calvin Borel will be taking the mount on the 2008 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
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Behindatthebar, the winner of Coolmore Lexington Stakes, will not run in Saturday’s 2008 Kentucky Derby to be held at Churchill Downs.
Horse trainer Todd Pletcher officially announced the decision Monday after discussing the situation with Behindatthebar owners Satish and Sasha Sanan.
Todd Pletcher claimed Behindatthebar will train to run in the 2008 Preakness Stakes on May 17 at Pimlico.
Aside from Behindatthebar, Todd Pletcher still has 2 Kentucky Derby entries, Blue Grass Stakes winner Monba and runner-up Cowboy Cal.
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By GREG MELIKOV
My list of Top 10 contenders for the 134th Kentucky Derby has changed a bit as the 3-year-olds begin to arrive in Louisville. So Dave Letterman style, from the bottom, here we go again.
10. Denis of Cork/Cowboy Cal: Southwest Stakes winner Denis of Cork joins rankings off bullet breeze of a minute for five furlongs at Churchill Downs, the fastest of 23 clockings on Monday. Horses that work well at the track do well on the first Saturday in May. Jockey Calvin Borel, aboard in his debut victory last year at the track, won with Street Sense in ‘07 after a bullet work. Cowboy Cal recorded another bullet breeze, 1:00 2/5 for five furlongs. He might do as well on dirt as he has on grass and synthetic surfaces.
9. Smooth Air: Ran second to the Florida Derby winner after finishing third in the Tampa Bay Derby. If you love Big Brown, then you should like the steadily improving son of Smooth Jazz to hit the board.
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By GREG MELIKOV
I’ve found over the years that it’s better to leisurely handicap the Kentucky Derby for at least a week than start researching on the eve of the first Saturday in May.
Sometimes I take more time when the race appears wide open. Well, this year’s 134th edition is just that.
First, I seclude myself in the quiet confines of my home office after assembling files, which include key preps that I’ve saved along the Road to the Roses dating back to February.
Secondly, I don’t try to assimilate so much information that it confuses rather than helps me. I stick to my general handicapping toolbox that includes speed figures, key races, running styles, distances and track surfaces, plus a couple of new wrinkles each year. I also keep abreast of so-called Kentucky Derby curses.
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