Kentucky Oaks/Derby 2012 Info
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Alpha didn't ship to Churchill Downs today as he as come down with an infection after clipping heels in the Wood. Suffered lacerations and is going to need meds to clear up, at this time still on the Ky Derby trail.
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"He came out of the race in good order, but we are still discussing whether to run in the Derby," trainer Mark Casse said. "Right now I would say we are 50-50 on whether or not to run."
Casse is unsure when a final decision will be made for the dark bay son of Malibu Moon regarding the May 5 Run for the Roses.
"The most important thing is how he trains," Casse said. "But even if he trains well, we won't definitely go (to the Derby). I've been talking it over with Mr. Oxley and we could make the decision not to run as early as tomorrow (Tuesday). However, the decision that he would run wouldn't come until after his next work, which will be about a week out from the race."
Prospective's final work will take place at Churchill Downs, where he has been stabled since March 18. The Kentucky-bred colt was the first potential Kentucky Derby starter to arrive at the Louisville track.
"Right now I'm 85 percent not going to the Derby," Parbhoo said on Sunday morning. "But I could reach 100 percent pretty soon. The way the horse is feeling right now, he's doing so well, I don't want to run him over his head. He's a nice three-year-old with so many options the rest of the year. I don't want to ruin him."
While those future options could include such races as the Grade 2 Woody Stephens at Belmont Park on June 9 and the Grade 1 King's Bishop at Saratoga August 25, the next option for the recent Grade 3 Bay Shore winner could be the Grade 3 Derby Trial at Churchill Downs, run at the distance of one mile on April 28.
"We'll work him some time between the 18th and the 20th, and then we'll look at the Derby Trial as the next logical spot," Parbhoo said. "I think the one-mile distance of that race is perfect for him. And it's a way to stretch him out a bit, without asking too much of him."
"I think he will run well on dirt," Romans said of the half-brother to 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird. "He ran a big race in the Breeders' Cup (Juvenile) last fall (when fourth) and he is better this year. He should handle the surface."
Btw, here's an update for you..........Fly Lexis Fly still hasn't recorded a single workout . What a debacle that was.
Stablemate and Grade 1 king Stay Thirsty (Bernardini) prepared for his four-year-old bow off an unplaced finish in the Breeders' Cup Classic with a four-furlong move in the same time.
I was told Stay Thirsty was the better two of the wokers and finished ahead by 1 1/12 after the official clocking!!!!
Glad you mentioned Dullahan. Now here's something we can discuss. Thought he looked real good finishing in the Blue Grass, which is definitely what you want to see heading into the Derby. However, he had probably the worst gallop-out i've ever seen in my life (at least by any horse winning a major Derby prep, anyway). I literally thought he might collapse with a heart-attack or heat-exhaustion or something. It wasn't pretty. Go look at the replay and you'll see what i mean. Kind of flies in the fcae of the way he finished the actual race, but it DEFINITELY caught my eye. Will not back this horse @ 1 1/4 miles, no way. Interested to hear what you guys think on this one.........
It was by design from Romans, he instructed Kent D to pull up quick after the wire as this horse has a bad tendency to run off as it happend in the moring during a workout to Kent D. Don't read too much into it.
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I heard it was a sub par work and there wasn't anything positive to it in the least. I had heard he was having issues and this solidifies it. i won't touch him come Derby day at all.
Where did you hear that from?
On Saturday, our table was next to Mr. Bartollozo, who has several real good ones with TAP, and alot of them in Florida with JJ TAP, getting broke and learning their lessons. They are good sports who did not look at STAT's Derby run as anything more than proof that STAT will be a damn good miler. His early numbers in the Arkansas Derby were solid and he is definitely one to watch as he cuts back in distance.
I either read it on the Keeneland site on Sunday moring on quotes after the race or another site. I will try and find it for you.
Regarding the breeding, I don't think you can knock him on that. Even The Score was a good middle distance horse who could carry his speed 9f. He's a half to Mine That Bird. No way would I toss him on the breeding. I'd toss him for other reasons.
Barring anything crazy happening in the Lexington (What are the chances crazy DWL runs Optimizer on one week of rest in order to try and get him the graded earnings?) I'd guess we have a Derby where Union Rags and Bodemeister vie for favoritism. At this point I think Bode might be the slightest of favorites, with UR the second choice and Gemologist third choice.
Alpha 9/1
Battle Hardened 75/1
Bodemeister 5/1
Castaway 100/1
Creative Cause 7/1
Daddy Long Legs 45/1
Daddy Nose Best 22/1
Done Talking 40/1
Drill 50/1
Dullahan 8/1
El Padrino 20/1
Gemologist 7/1
Hansen 8/1
I'll Have Another 8/1
Isn't He Clever 100/1
Liasion 35/1
Mark Valeski 60/1
News Pending 100/1
Optimizer 75/1
Prospective 50/1
Reveron 60/1
Rousining Sermon 50/1
Sabercat 30/1
Secret Circle 15/1
Take Charge Indy 9/1
Trinniberg 75/1
Union Rags 4/1
Went The Day Well 25/1
Wrote 40/1
wow do all those prices suck or what..AVOID!
Trainer Doug ONeill will saddle one of the favorites for this years Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) in Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Ill Have Another.
But ONeillalong with trainers and owners of other top Derby contendersfound cause for concern last Saturday afternoon.
Watching from the sidelines, it was like uh-oh, ONeill said of Bodemeisters romp in the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.
Making just his fourth career start in the Arkansas Derby, Bodemeister, trained by Bob Baffert, led at every point of call under Mike Smith and widened his margin through the stretch to win by 9 ½ lengths. In doing so, he accumulated the necessary graded earnings to secure a berth in the Kentucky Derby, which is capped at 20 horses and determined by graded stakes earnings. The Empire Maker colt also put himself into the conversation for Derby favoritismand earned a healthy dose of respect from the connections of the horses he is expected to face on May 5 at Churchill Downs.
The Arkansas Derby showed how good Bodemeister is, ONeill said, adding that he believes Bodemeister should be the Derbys morning-line favorite. Hes lightly raced but getting better with each run, and hes got Hall of Fame connections, which doesnt hurt, either.
The way Bodemeister ran, if he were to repeat that, I think everybody else would be running for second.
About half an hour before Bodemeisters breakout victory, owner Jerry Crawford of Donegal Racing and trainer Dale Romans sent out Dullahan to capture the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Race Course. Despite their own colts powerhouse performance, they expressed similar admiration for what Bodemeister accomplished on Saturday.
If I had to pick one horse to be concerned about, I would pick Bodemeister, Crawford said. With Empire Maker on the top and Storm Cat on the bottom, hes got the genes to keep on going.
Team Valor International Chief Executive Officer Barry Irwin sent out Animal Kingdom to win last years Kentucky Derby. He believes his contender this year, Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (G3) winner Went The Day Well, faces a taller order.
This crop looks like its deeper than last year for sure, Irwin said. The horse that impressed me the most was Bodemeister.
Union Rags and Bodemeister are the A horses. Gemologist and Hansen would be B+ horses. Dullahan, I dont know what to make of him on the dirtobviously, on the Polytrack, hes as good as it gets.
Romans, who won last years Preakness Stakes (G1) with Shackleford, echoed Irwins assessment of this three-year-old crop.
This is an extremely good crop of horses, he said.
Nicole Russo is internet content editor for Thoroughbred Times
That's what i like to hear. Big fan of this horse, and think he rates a solid chance. Perfect running style for the Derby, too.