Archive for the 'Kentucky Derby' Category
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By GREG MELIKOV
Seven years ago I wrote: Logic usually doesn’t figure in picking the Kentucky Derby champion. During the past quarter-century, only two horses who figured to romp did: Fusaichi Pegasus, 2000, the first victorious favorite since Spectacular Bid, 1979.
Since ‘01, two lukewarm favorites were victorious: Smarty Jones, 4-1, in ‘04, and Street Sense, 9-2, last year. During a 17-year span, nine favorites won from ‘61 when Carry Back scored to ‘77 when Seattle Slew triumphed.
I also wrote: Winning the final prep before the Run for the Roses isn’t nearly as important as hitting the board.
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By GREG MELIKOV
There’s less than seven weeks to the 134th Kentucky Derby so I guess it’s time to roll out my initial list of the Top 10 for America’s Greatest Race.
Only one thing is certain at this time – no sibling of a Kentucky Derby champ will wind up in the winner’s circle on the first Saturday in May. Quite a few sires of this year’s contenders ran and some were competitive, but all lost.
So here we go, Dave Letterman style, from the bottom:
10. Big Brown: Some handicappers are hailing this son of Boundary as the hot horse after he ran a mile faster than Cool Coal Man and War Pass on the Fountain of Youth (FOY) card last month. The average winning margin is just two starts is a whopping dozen lengths. Gulfstream Park’s Florida Derby will determine his legitimacy.
9. Fierce Wind, Smooth Air and Denis of Cork: All three at the last minute skipped designated preps this month for various reasons. Fierce Wind, winner of the Sam Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, and Smooth Air, the third-place finisher, are scheduled for Gulfstream’s headliner. Southwest Stakes victor Denis of Cork, son of ‘02 Kentucky Derby favorite Harlan’s Holiday that ran seventh, bypassed the Rebel and will point to next month’s Wood Memorial at Aqueduct or the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne.
8. Colonel John or El Gato Malo: They renew their rivalry in April’s Santa Anita Derby after running 1-2 in the Sham. No matter who wins both horses are at a definite disadvantage having only raced on synthetic surfaces en route to Louisville’s dirt track…
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A field of nine Kentucky Derby hopefuls were entered in the $300,000 Rebel Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, March 15.
The Rebel Stakes together with the San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park and the Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs are the major 2008 Kentucky Derby prep races scheduled for Saturday. All three races will be run at 1 1/16 miles.
Three-year-old horses racing in Oaklawn Park’s Rebel Stakes this Saturday with jockeys and weight:
- Isabull ridden by jockey Timothy Doocy carries 115 lbs.
- Sierra Sunset ridden by jockey Christopher Emigh, 119 lbs.
- Stone Bird ridden by jockey Joe Johnson, 117 lbs.
- Sacred Journey ridden by jockey Calvin Borel, 117 lbs.
- Golden Yank ridden by jockey Larry Sterling, Jr., 119 lbs.
- He’s Eze ridden by jockey Luis Quinonez, 117 lbs.
- King’s Silver Son ridden by jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, 115 lbs.
- Anak Nakal ridden by jockey Joe Bravo, 119 lbs.
- Z Fortune ridden by jockey Garrett Gomez, 122 lbs.
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Even though Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Pyro is yet to defeat 2-year-old champion War Pass, horse racing fans made Pyro, one of the top 2008 Kentucky Derby contenders, the 4-1 horse wagering favorite.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Pyro’s performance in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) and the Risen Star Stakes (gr. III) gave him momentum and established him as among the pool’s 24 horse betting interests.
2008 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2 Results
Horse betting interest, Morning Line Odds, Final Odds
- Blackberry Road, 30-1, 45-1
- Bob Black Jack, 30-1, 49-1
- Colonel John, 12-1, 17-1
- Cool Coal Man (new horse wagering interest), 10-1, 26-1
- Court Vision, 12-1, 16-1
- Denis Of Cork, 15-1, 12-1
- El Gato Malo (gelding), 15-1, 15-1
- Elysium Fields (new horse wagering interest), 15-1, 17-1
- Fierce Wind (new horse wagering interest), 20-1, 51-1
- Gayego (new horse wagering interest), 20-1, 99-1
- Georgie Boy (gelding), 20-1, 20-1
- Giant Moon, 20-1, 67-1
- J Be K (new horse wagering interest), 30-1, 53-1
- Majestic Warrior, 20-1, 27-1
- Monba, 30-1, 35-1
- Nikki’sgoldensteed (new horse wagering interest), 50-1, 99-1
- Pyro, 6-1, 4-1
- Smooth Air, 50-1, 99-1
- Take of Ekati, 30-1, 47-1
- Visionaire (new horse wagering interest), 30-1, 19-1
- War Pass, 5-1, 9-2
- Yankee Bravo, 30-1, 41-1
- Z Fortune, 20-1, 33-1
- Mutuel Field “All Others”, 10-1, 6-1
Horse trainer Steve Asmussen also conditions 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin who finished third behind 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, won the Preakness Stakes and placed second in the Belmont Stakes, the last of the Triple Crown races. Curlin is now in Dubai, training for the Dubai World Cup.
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Robert B. Lewis Stakes winner Crown of Thorns suffered an injury in his left front leg and will not be participating in the 2008 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) on May 3 at Churchill Downs.
Dick Mandella, horse trainer for Crown of Thorns, was disappointed saying this injury will sideline him for several months making him miss the rest of the Triple Crown races: the 2008 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) on May 17 at Pimlico Race Course and the Belmont Stakes (gr. I) on June 7 at Belmont Park.
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Winning Colors, the 1988 Kentucky Derby winner who was the last filly to win the race, was euthanized February 17 after a bout with colic. The 23-year-old Caro mare, who was in foal to Mr. Greeley at the time of her death, was buried in Lexington at Greentree Farm, which is now part of Gainesway.
As a 3-year-old, Winning Colors thrilled Kentucky Derby watchers when she led wire to wire under jockey Gary Stevens, defeating Forty Niner. She also won the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) and Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) that year. Her earnings totaled $1,526,837 and a record of 8-3-1 from 19 starts.
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Pyro, who recently won the $300,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds last Saturday, ended up as the 2nd betting choice in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1 with an odds of 5-1.
Eclipse Award and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile champion War Pass is 3rd choice with odds of 6-1. Court Vision was next at 15-1 and was followed closely by El Gato Malo (16-1) Monba (16-1), Majestic Warrior (18-1) and Crown of Thorns (18-1).
The 2008 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1 final results with the Kentucky Derby contenders, morning line odds and final odds:
- Anak Nakal, 20-1 (morning line odds), 33-1 (final odds)
- Blackberry Road, 20-1, 47-1
- Bob Black Jack, 50-1, 58-1
- Colonel John, 30-1, 19-1
- Court Vision, 12, 15-1
- Cowboy Cal, 20-1, 26-1
- Crown Of Thorns, 20-1, 18-1
- Denis Of Cork, 30-1, 46-1
- El Gato Malo (gelding), 15-1, 16-1
- Etched, 15-1, 26-1
- Georgie Boy (gelding), 20-1, 69-1
- Giant Moon, 20-1, 51-1
- Into Mischief, 20-1, 26-1
- Majestic Warrior, 15-1, 18-1
- Monba, 30-1, 16-1
- Pyro, 12-1, 5-1
- Signature Move, 50-1, 99-1
- Smooth Air, 20-1, 99-1
- Tale Of Ekati, 20-1, 33-1
- War Pass, 12-1, 6-1
- Yankee Bravo, 20-1, 48-1
- Z Fortune, 20-1, 37-1
- Z Humor, 15-1, 45-1
- Mutuel Field “All Others”, 5-2, 3-1
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Georgie Boy, ridden by jockey Rafael Bejarano, won the $147,000 San Vicente Stakes by 3 lengths Sunday at Santa Anita Park and put his name on the list of 2008 Kentucky Derby contenders.
The San Vicente Stakes is one of the prep races for the 2008 Kentucky Derby.
After being idle since the Del Mar Futurity on September 5, Georgie Boy, trained by Kathy Walsh for George Schwary, covered 7 furlongs in 1:20.01 and paid $7.80 and $3.20.
Into Mischief, who hasn’t raced since the CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park on December 22, under jockey Victor Espinoza was second and returned $2.60 as the 7-5 wagering favorite. Massive Drama with jockey Garrett Gomez was another length back in 3rd.
Red Hot Flame was fourth. Cardinal Zin was scratched. There was no show wagering because of the small field.
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Nikki’sgoldensteed under jockey Jon Court won the $100,000 Turf Paradise Derby at Turf Paradise on Saturday, February 9.
The Turf Paradise Derby, a 1 1/16 mile test for 3-year-olds, is one of the 2008 Kentucky Derby prep races scheduled for Saturday. The other is the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds.
With a finish time of 1:42.81, Nikki’sgoldensteed, trained by Robert Hess, Jr., paid $7, $3.20 and $2.40. Ez Dreamer with rider Glenn Corbett came second and returned $2.60 and $2.10. Irish-bred Meer Kat ridden by jockey Martin Pendroza came third and paid $2.40 to show.
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Pyro, ridden by jockey Shaun Bridgemohan, won the $300,000 Risen Star Stakes by 2 lengths at Fair Grounds on Saturday, February 9.
The 1 1/16 mile Risen Star Stakes is the final prep race for the Louisiana Derby and also one of the prep races in the 2008 Kentucky Derby.
Trained by Steve Asmussen for Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC, the 3-year-old colt Pyro finished the distance of the Risen Star in 1:44.68 and paid $3.80, $2.60 and $2.20. Pyro’s stablemate, Z Fortune under jockey Garrett Gomez returned $3.40 and $2.60. Visionaire with jockey Jose Lezcano aboard was another three-quarters of a length back in 3rd and paid $3.60 to show.
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