2010 Arkansas Derby Offers Big Bucks for 9 Runners
By GREG MELIKOV
Noble’s Promise is the only horse in the 74th Arkansas Derby guaranteed a spot in the Kentucky Derby entries list no matter where he finishes on Saturday.
The son of Cuvee is No. 2 in graded stakes earnings behind the horse beat him three times no more than three-quarters of a length any race. Noble’s Promise, with $708,000 in the bank, last lost to Lookin at Lucky by a head in the Rebel at Oaklawn Park on March 13…
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Blue Grass Stakes Is a Wide Open Horse Race
By GREG MELIKOV
Most of the 3-year-olds running in the 86th Blue Grass Stakes need to win or run second to make the Kentucky Derby field in America’s Race on May 1.
It’s a simple case of money talks and losers walk. The $2 million Kentucky Derby 2010 has been restricted to 20 Kentucky Derby starters since 1975 while graded stakes earnings accumulated in major preps have determined who gets in since ’86.
Keeneland‘s 1 1/8-mile contest, worth $450,000 to the winner and $150,000 for second, is truly a wide-open horse race.
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Greg Melikov’s Top 10 Kentucky Derby Contenders 2010
Here’s the updated list of my Top 10 Kentucky Derby contenders 2010 from bottom to top Dave Letterman style:
Rule: Trainer Todd Pletcher horse had his four-in-a-row streak stopped in the Florida Derby finishing third after setting a very fast pace. Experts called it a tightener. Louisville awaits him. Next race: Kentucky Derby 2010.
Conveyance: One of trainer Bob Baffert’s stars tasted defeat for the first time in the Sunland Derby at 1 1/8 miles…
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Sidney’s Candy Wins The Santa Anita Derby April 3
Jenny Craig’s Sidney’s Candy led all the way to win the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby by 4 1/2 lenghts at Santa Anita Park on Saturday giving 20-year-old jockey Joe Talamo a Kentucky Derby starter a year after his mount I Want Revenge was scratched as the early Kentucky Derby favorite the morning of the race.
Trained by John Sadler, Sidney’s Candy covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.00 and paid $9.60, $5.40 and $3. Setsuko, under jockey Rafael Bejarano, placed second and returned $10 and $4.80. Lookin At Lucky with jockey Garrett Gomez aboard came in third and paid $2.10 to show.
The Santa Anita Derby is West Coast’s major prep for the May 1 Kentucky Derby 2010.
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Eskendereya Wins The Wood Memorial at Aqueduct April 3
Zayat Stables’ horse betting favorite Eskendereya, one of the leading Kentucky Derby horses, won the $750,000 Wood Memorial by 9 3/4 lengths on Saturday at Aqueduct April 3.
Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by jockey John Velazquez, Eskendereya covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.97 and paid $3, $2.30 and $2.10. Jackson Bend, under jockey Calvin Borel, placed second and returned $3.90 and $2.60. Awesome Act with jockey Julien Leparoux aboard came in third and paid $2.20 to show.
Eskendereya earned $450,000 in the Wood Memorial to lift his graded stakes earnings to $600,000, which easily qualifies him for the Kentucky Derby field.
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Eightyfiveinafifty Wins The Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack April 3
Harold Lerner, et al’s Eightyfiveinafifty, ridden by New York’s leading jockey Ramon Dominguez, won Saturday’s $196,000 Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack April 3.
The Bay Shore Stakes is one of 2 Kentucky Derby 2010 prep races held at Aqueduct this Saturday.
Trained by Gary Contessa, Eightyfiveinafifty covered 7 furlongs in 1:21.89 and paid $3.20, $2.60 and $2.10. Hurricane Ike, under jockey Calvin Borel, placed second and returned $3.20 and $2.80. Remand with jockey John Velazquez aboard came in third and paid $3.40 to show.
Read full story: "Eightyfiveinafifty Wins The Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack April 3"...
American Lion Wins The Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Race Course April 3
WinStar Farm’s candidate for the Kentucky Derby field, American Lion, ridden by jockey David Flores, won the $500,000 Illinois Derby (gr. III) at Hawthorne Race Course on Saturday, April 3.
Trained by Eoin Harty, American Lion covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.31 and paid $8.60, $3.80 and $2.80. Yawanna Twist, under jockey Edgar Prado, placed second and returned $2.80 and $2.20. Backtalk with jockey Miguel Mena aboard came in third and paid $3 to show.
The Illinois Derby is one of the prep races for the Kentucky Derby 2010.
Read full story: "American Lion Wins The Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Race Course April 3"...
Wood Memorial Features ‘Classic’ Eskendereya
By GREG MELIKOV
Eskendereya, the leading thoroughbred in trainer Todd Pletcher’s stable of Kentucky Derby hopefuls, is the odds-on morning line 4-5 favorite in Saturday’s 86th Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
The son of Giant’s Causeway is taking a different path to the Kentucky Derby 2010 than most 3-year-olds have in recent memory after winning the Fountain of Youth (FOY) Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Five of the past 15 FOY winners went on the capture the Florida Derby en route to Louisville: Quality Road, ’09…
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It’s Lookin at Lucky’s Santa Anita Derby to Lose
By GREG MELIKOV
Lookin at Lucky will be heavily favored to record his sixth stakes victory in the 73rd Santa Anita Derby on Saturday.
The son of Smart Strike leads all 3-year-olds in graded stakes earnings ($1.39 million) that determine the 20 Kentucky Derby starters.
Speculation over where Lookin at Lucky would race ended Monday when race horse trainer Bob Baffert decided the colt will stay in his backyard instead of returning to Oaklawn Park for the Arkansas Derby April 10.
Read full story: "It’s Lookin at Lucky’s Santa Anita Derby to Lose"...
2010 Louisiana Derby’s 13 Seek Share of $750,000 Purse
By GREG MELIKOV
Discreetly Mine is likely favorite in the 97th Louisiana Derby Saturday when the historic stakes race is staged for the fourth year since Hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans area.
The premier Fair Grounds stakes contest, canceled in 2006 for the first time since World War II, was bumped up $150,000 from a year ago to $750,000.
The Grade 2, richest race ever run in the state, attracted a full field going 1 1/8 miles, a bit farther than the Risen Star won by Discreetly Mine. The colt closed out his juvenile campaign with a pair of second places at Belmont in the Futurity and Champagne for trainer Stanley Hough.
Read full story: "2010 Louisiana Derby’s 13 Seek Share of $750,000 Purse"...
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