Greg Melikov’s Top 10 Kentucky Derby Contenders 2010
Here’s an updated list of my Top 10 Kentucky Derby contenders 2010 from bottom to top Dave Letterman style:
Drosselmeyer: Fourth place finish less than 1 3/4 lengths back in the Risen Star wasn’t half bad considering it was the son of Golden Ballet’s second outing on dirt after capturing an allowance contest race at Gulfstream Park. Next race: Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds on Saturday…
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Ice Box Wins The Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park March 20
Robert LaPenta’s 20-1 longshot Ice Box, ridden by jockey Jose Lezcano, won the $750,000 Florida Derby by a nose at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, March 20.
Trained by Nick Zito, who trained 2 Kentucky Derby winners, Ice Box covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.19 and paid $43.40, $20.40 and $9.60. Pleasant Prince, under jockey Julien Leparoux, placed second and returned $26.40 and $11.60. Rule with jockey John Velazquez aboard came in third and paid $3.40 to show.
The Florida Derby is one of the major prep races for the Kentucky Derby 2010. Earning the $450,000 Florida Derby winners’ purse assures Ice Box’s spot in the Kentucky Derby entries list on May 1.
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D’ Funnybone Wins The Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park March 20
Paul Pompa, Jr.’s probable contender for the Kentucky Derby field, D’ Funnybone, ridden by jockey Edgar Prado, won the $150,000 Swale Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, March 20.
Trained by Richard Dutrow, Jr., D’ Funnybone covered 7 furlongs in 1:21.98 and paid $3, $2.20 and $2.10. Ibboyee, under jockey John Velazquez, placed second and returned $3.40 and $2.80. Privilaged with jockey Tyler Baze aboard came in third and paid $7.40 to show.
The Swale Stakes, together with the Florida Derby, are prep races for the Kentucky Derby scheduled at Gulfstream Park this Saturday.
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Florida Derby: Short-priced Horses Dominate Lately
By GREG MELIKOV
Favorites in the Florida Derby have dominated in the 21st Century. Eight Florida Derby winners have returned less than $7 on the front end, including five top choices.
During the previous decade only one favorite made the Gulfstream Park winner’s circle: High Fly, which paid $2.80.
In the past 10 renewals, there have been only two double-digit payoffs, both in fields of 10: Friends Lake in ’04 returned $76.80 and Hal’s Hope in ’00 paid $15.80.
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Sidney’s Candy Wins The San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita Park March 13
Sid and Jenny Craig’s Kentucky Derby contender Sidney’s Candy, ridden by jockey Joe Talamo, won the $150,000 San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, March 13.
Trained by John Sadler, Sidney’s Candy raced 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.30 and paid $9.60, $5.20 and $3.20. Interactif, under jockey Rafael Bejarano, placed second and returned $6.60 and $3.20. Caracortado with jockey Paul Atkinson aboard came in third and paid $2.40 to show.
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Lookin At Lucky Wins The Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park March 13
Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman’s Lookin At Lucky, ridden by jockey Garrett Gomez, won the $300,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, March 13, and confirmed his status as one of the top 2010 Kentucky Derby contenders.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Lookin At Lucky covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.06 and paid $4.20, $2.80 and $2.20. Noble’s Promise, under jockey Robby Albarado, placed second and returned $4 and $2.60. Dublin with jockey Corey Nakatani aboard came in third and paid $2.40 to show.
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Odysseus Wins The Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs March 13
Padua Stables’ Odysseus, ridden by jockey Rajiv Maragh, won Saturday’s $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) and earned his first graded stakes win at Tampa Bay Downs.
The 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby is one of the 2010 Kentucky Derby prep races scheduled on March 13.
Trained by Thomas Albertrani, Odysseus covered ran the Tampa Bay Derby distance in 1:44.31 and paid $6, $3.40 and $2.40. Schoolyard Dreams, under jockey Jeremy Rose, placed second and returned $5 and $2.80. Super Saver with jockey Ramon Dominguez aboard came in third and paid $2.40 to show.
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The Florida Derby Proves a Historic Stakes Race
By GREG MELIKOV
Ten Florida Derby winners during the past 54 years have won the Kentucky Derby. The first was Nashua in 1955 and the last was Big Brown in ’08.
But nary a 3-year-old who triumphed in Gulfstream Park‘s premier stakes race, scheduled for March 20, captured the Triple Crown. In ’56, Needles came the closet. The Florida Derby winner, named for being inoculated often as a sickly foal, defeated Fabius by three-quarters of a length in the Kentucky Derby — the first victorious Florida bred.
But Fabius, eighth in the Florida Derby, upset Needles in the Preakness by three-quarters of a length. Needles took the Belmont Stakes while Fabius finished third.
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Greg Melikov’s Top 10 Kentucky Derby Contenders 2010
It appears the Run for the Roses is the Todd and Bob Show as in trainers Todd Pletcher and Bob Baffert. Here are my Top 10 Kentucky Derby contenders 2010 from bottom to top Dave Letterman style:
Super Saver: One of the many Kentucky Derby hopefuls trained by Todd Pletcher. The son of Maria’s Mon has been training well, but is scheduled to debut as a 3-year-old until next month. Next race: Gotham Stakes on March 6 at Aqueduct.
Drosselmeyer: His fourth place finish in the Risen Star was too bad, making up nearly 2 1/2 lengths in the stretch and losing by less than 1 3/4 lengths…
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Early Birds May Catch Big 2010 Kentucky Derby Payoff
By GREG MELIKOV
The first of three Kentucky Derby 2010 future wager pools opens Friday and runs through Sunday for the 136th renewal of America’s Race on the first Saturday in May.
The pools were shortened a day to three because little betting was conducted on Thursdays. Exacta wagering introduced with last year’s second pool will be available in all three along with the standard win bet.
The future wager covers 23 individual 3-year-olds, with some pretty good odds, and a 24th betting interest that includes other runners.
Read full story: "Early Birds May Catch Big 2010 Kentucky Derby Payoff"...
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