I have been told right before the race leading up to the gate Daner to Society had a very bad case of diarrhea not a regular bowel movement, let's see if McPeek comes back says this one is sick.
Kentucky Derby (G1) hopeful DANGER TO SOCIETY (Harlan's Holiday) has been transferred to Richard Dutrow. A smart 3 1/2-length victor in a 1 1/8-mile allowance at Gulfstream Park on January 8, the Lansdon Robbins III-owned colt suffered his first career setback when finishing seventh as the 9-5 favorite in Saturday's Holy Bull S. (G3). Formerly trained by Kenny McPeek, Danger to Society moved into Dutrow's shedrow on Monday.
"I'm glad to have him in the barn," Dutrow told kentuckyderby.com's Jill Byrne. "We don't have a next spot picked out for him. We haven't discussed it."
Dutrow, who trains other horses for Robbins, adds Danger to Society to a growing roster of Kentucky Derby prospects. He recently gained Canadian stakes winner PATENA (Seeking to Gold), who was sold to IEAH Stables and transferred to Dutrow following his runner-up finish in the Lecomte S. (G3) at Fair Grounds.
By Brad Free
ARCADIA, Calif. - If he is not the top 3-year-old in California, he is the top one missing from the Kentucky Derby early nominations list. Mr. Hot Stuff's convincing maiden win Sunday in his fifth start catapulted the full brother to Colonel John onto the Derby trail, even if the first deadline for Derby nominations has come and gone.
"When you're into February, and you're still a maiden . . ." trainer Eoin Harty said, figuring it was pointless to nominate. After all, Mr. Hot Stuff had lost his first four starts, and his career-high Beyer Speed Figure was a mere 72. Not exactly Derby material.
But 3-year-olds can improve overnight.
"The light switch went on, finally," Harty said.
Mr. Hot Stuff rallied from last to first Saturday, drawing away by 1 1/4 lengths and earning a 95 Beyer after running the mile in a quick 1:35.82. By comparison, The Pamplemousse earned a 96 Beyer winning the San Rafael Stakes in 1:35.31. Mr. Hot Stuff and The Pamplemousse are headed for a showdown Feb. 28 in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes.
A strategy shift led to the turnaround by Mr. Hot Stuff. "The difference was in the race before when Corey [Nakatani] took him back and let him finish," Harty said, adding that the Jan. 17 third-place finish changed him. "You could see the difference at the barn."
A moody colt usually found hiding at the back of his stall, Mr. Hot Stuff underwent a personality shift.
"He became confident, and would stand at the front of the stall," Harty said.
It appeared he wanted to run again, and Harty wheeled him back just two weeks later.
A former run-off, Mr. Hot Stuff performed Sunday like a seasoned pro. He dropped the bit into the first turn, rating comfortably at the back until Nakatani asked him coming off the far turn. Mr. Hot Stuff poured it on with a final quarter-mile in about 23.30 seconds.
WinStar Farm owns Mr. Hot Stuff, whose pedigree and running style suggests he wants farther than a mile. Late nominations for the Kentucky Derby close in March.
The clubhouse turn will be everything for Brother Keith, who will set the pace Saturday in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis. And if he turns left this time, he could be gone. Brother Keith was rank and drifted out badly on the first turn of the Grade 3 one-mile San Rafael Stakes on Jan. 17, losing all chance while making just his second career start.
Trainer Bobby Frankel believes it was an isolated incident, and expects Brother Keith to improve with experience. After considering an out-of-town race, Frankel opted to keep Brother Keith home and see if jockey Tyler Baze can steer him to a wire-to-wire victory in the 1 1/16-mile Lewis. One thing is certain - the son of Johar loves the Pro-Ride surface.
"He worked in [59.40] on Monday like it was nothing," Frankel said.
It was the second Pro-Ride workout for Brother Keith since he raced, and Frankel said Brother Keith got enough conditioning from his fourth-place San Rafael effort to improve.
After blowing the first turn, Brother Keith dropped out by 15 lengths, made a mid-race move, then went evenly to lose by 11. Frankel said Garrett Gomez "rode him enough to get a race into him."
Gomez on Saturday will ride Pioneerof the Nile, a nose winner of the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity in his most recent start Dec. 20. I Want Revenge, runner-up in the CashCall, also will start. Others expected include Shafted, Papa Clem, Oil Man and Bittel Road.
By Mary Rampellini
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Old Fashioned rolled into the Oaklawn Park backstretch at 1:55 p.m. Tuesday, and Rachel Alexandra had a significant work here Sunday, signs that the track's first two major stakes for 3-year-olds are right around the corner.
Old Fashioned, an early favorite for the Kentucky Derby, is targeting the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest on Feb. 16. Rachel Alexandra, one of the top candidates for the Kentucky Oaks, put in a five-furlong drill in preparation for the $50,000 Martha Washington on Feb. 15.
Old Fashioned vanned up from New Orleans, with his trainer, Larry Jones, at the wheel. The horse's arrival was delayed a day, mostly because of some wet roads in Louisiana on Monday.
"He's precious cargo," said Jones, who wanted the best travel conditions possible for the nine-hour haul to Hot Springs.
Old Fashioned could have a breeze here Thursday, depending on the weather, Jones said.
Rick Porter, who owns the undefeated horse, said that Ramon Dominguez has the mount for the Southwest. Dominguez rode Old Fashioned to victory in the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct in his last start Nov. 29.
"The reason that (Old Fashioned's recent work was so fast (breezed five from the gate in :58.80 (1/26) at FG on Jan. 29) was the gate is at the head of the stretch for the A.M. drills. The works finished on the backstretch. All the other five-furlong works were from the five-furlong pole. So the others who didn't work from the gate weren't running over the same portion of the track. I am not saying he isn't fast--he is fast--just explaining the aberration in the five-furlong work times."
At Santa Anita, San Rafael S. (G3) victor THE PAMPLEMOUSSE (Kafwain) worked a bullet four furlongs in :46 3/5 on the Pro-Ride. Julio Canani is preparing his charge for the February 28 Sham S. (G3).
"Julio wanted to go :48, but that was as easy as I could go," said regular rider Alex Solis, who was aboard for the move. "I told Julio, 'How do you stop a train?'"
Paul Reddams Square Eddie, winner of the Lanes End Breeders Futurity (gr. I) and runner-up in the Bessemer Trust Breeders Cup Juvenile (gr. I), will be sidelined for about 30 days with a sore left shin, Reddam said Thursday.
Square Eddie was scheduled to make his dirt debut in the Feb. 16 Southwest Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park.
He was supposed to ship to Oaklawn today (Thursday) and yesterday he came up with a shin, Reddam said. The vets are looking at it today. Its just something where you have to stop on them. We were all wound up to go to Oaklawn. He worked on Monday and they said it was his best work ever; everyone was doing handstands. He was fine on Tuesday, and yesterday the groom said something wasnt quite right. Doug felt the shin and when he squeezed on it the horse flinched. He walked sound, but when he jogged him up the road he could see there was something off, and we cant take the chance of making it worse.
This horse was training like no horse weve ever had. Doug said we can still try and make the Derby if we can get a prep in him. We were talking about giving him about 30 days, which makes it very tough. We just dont know at this point. Hes just been so sound, but this is how it goes. Its what makes winning the Derby so special. You need the road to go very well. We need to do the prudent thing and see how he is. Poor Doug, he was so amped up on this horse. Hes just broken up over this. Yesterday, it was the owner trying to keep the trainer mentally up. Its supposed to be the other way around.
Square Eddie was purchased privately by Reddam following a second-place finish in the Sirenia Stakes (Eng-III) on Polytrack at Kempton Race Course in England. The son of Smart Strike -- Forty Gran, by El Gran Senor was bred in Ontario by Kinghaven Farms.
In his first start in 2009, Square Eddie finished second in the San Rafael Stakes (gr. III).
Vinery Stable and Fox Hill Farms' FRIESAN FIRE (A.P. Indy) has exited his two-length triumph in Saturday's Risen Star S. (G3) in good order, and plans call for the Larry Jones pupil to remain at Fair Grounds for the $600,000 Louisiana Derby (G2) on March 14. Friesan Fire was one of two big winners on the day for the Jones barn, with the five-year-old Honest Man (Unbridled's Song) romping by 4 1/4 lengths in the Mineshaft H. (G3) and looming as a top contender for the March 14 New Orleans H. (G2).
"We're very proud of both of them," said Cindy Jones, wife of the trainer, "and we're looking forward to those next races here."
There was also a final Cindy Jones update on the status of the rotating colors of Friesan Fire's dual ownership. The colt carried the Vinery silks when finishing second in a December 18 allowance, but in his past two outings, he has sported the red and white colors of Fox Hill Farm en route to victories in the Lecomte S. (G3) and Risen Star.
"You know, as long as the horse keeps winning, the colors worn for the latest win aren't supposed to be rotated," she said, "so we were kidding (Vinery principal) Tom Ludt after the race yesterday, saying, 'Now you're going to have to start rooting for the horse to lose.'"
The trainer's wife also commented on the disappointing Risen Star performance of IT HAPPENED AGAIN (Proud Citizen), who set the pace before retreating to 10th.
"Concerning It Happened Again, Larry thinks that he may not have liked the surface here," she said. "Larry is almost always right about things like that, especially when they don't train that well over it. He said the same thing about Hard Spun at Oaklawn two years ago, and the same thing about Just Jenda (Menifee) at Delta Downs this winter, and he was right both times, so It Happened Again will be sent somewhere else for his next race.
"As for Just Jenda (who finished third as the even-money favorite in Saturday's Silverbulletday S. [G3]), we're not sure what happened to her yesterday," said Cindy, who also owns the three-year-old filly. "We haven't figured that one out yet."
In other postscripts from Saturday's Fair Grounds action, Ralph Nicks, conditioner of Risen Star runner-up FLYING PEGASUS (Fusaichi Pegasus), cheerfully accepted congratulations from Fair Grounds' assistant racing secretary Jon Anthony Martin Sunday morning and at the same time he allowed himself an opportunity for a gentle rib.
"If you hadn't thrown me on the outside like that (referring his unfortunate draw of post 12 in the 13-horse field)," Nicks said with a wink at Martin, "we might have won the whole thing."
Nicks was kidding, of course, but Flying Pegasus' excellent run Saturday after being away from competition since a second-place finish in Belmont's Futurity S. (G2) last September, left Fair Grounds with another solid candidate for the upcoming Louisiana Derby. Was that in the plans?
"We'll let him tell us that," Nicks said. "We'll see what he says after a few days. That's one of the plans. He came back good."
Virginia Tarra Trust's GIANT OAK (Giant's Causeway), who went off as the 2-1 favorite in the Risen Star, closed belatedly to get up for fifth after multiple traffic problems.
"It appears he came out of the race all right," trainer Chris Block reported by telephone Sunday morning, "but he had a nightmare trip yesterday. It was just what I was afraid of with a big field like that."
Giant Oak, who was forced five wide around the field in his previous start when second in Churchill's Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) last November 29, encountered more serious traffic problems Saturday.
"We were just building momentum when they started coming back to us yesterday," Block said. "That's when we started having trouble. We ran into a logjam. It was frustrating. I don't feel bad for myself. I feel bad for the horse. But I'm proud of him. He finally got to run at about the eighth-pole or maybe inside of that, but he closed very well after that.
"As for the Louisiana Derby," Block added, "I don't know right now. I love the surface here, but it's a narrow track, and with another large field we might run into the same kinds of problems. If there's a smaller field likely for the Louisiana Derby, it would help us make a decision to come back. I want to run right here."
One Risen Star alumnus definitely not going on to the Louisiana Derby is seventh-place finisher INDYGO MOUNTAIN (A.P. Indy), who has been declared off the Triple Crown Trail. The Clarence Scharbauer Jr. colorbearer came out of the race well, but trainer Bret Calhoun has concluded that the colt needs more time to develop.
"We have no excuses," Calhoun said Sunday morning. "We had a good trip yesterday. We just need to regroup with this horse. He had some problems earlier this winter and we need to take some time with him now. It doesn't look like he'll be ready for the big dance. He needs to freshen up a little bit. Luckily, Mr. Scharbauer has the other horse to keep his hopes alive this spring."
Calhoun was referring to SILVER CITY (Unbridled's Song), a smashing winner of the Dixieland S. who will reappear in the February 16 Southwest S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park.
Pioneerof the Nile was seven lengths behind the leader after a half-mile of the Grade II Robert B. Lewis, but at the end, he was first after a scintillating stretch run to nail Papa Clem and I Want Revenge.
Timed in 1:41.90, the son of Empire Maker prevailed by a half-length. I Want Revenge was another length back in third.
The pace was set by Brother Keith, who set initial fractions of :23.28, :47.11 and 1:12.18. Papa Clem sat behind him, followed by I Want Revenge, who, as the 2-1 second choice, seemed to have a dream trip setting up in front of him.
At the head of the stretch, I Want Revenge took a narrow lead, only to give it up to Papa Clem in the late going. But both were overtaken by Pioneerof the Nile in the final strides.
We had a Kentucky Derby-type trip," Garrett Gomez said. "The first half mile was great and the second half was a nightmare. Everything was fine going by the half mile pole and then going to the three eighths, Jose (Valdivia, aboard Charlies Moment) dropped down on top of me and I was in a jackpot around the turn. Coming to the eighth pole I was thinking I might be a bad third and all of a sudden he kicked it in. Hes a big, long-striding horse and its nice to see that he faced some adversity today and he overcame it.
Trainer Bob Baffert was pleased. Today, he ran the way we wanted to see him run. Thats his style. We wanted to take him back. Thats the way he wants to run.
"In the Hollywood Futurity, he took off a little early, and he was a little mixed up then," said Baffert. "Hes changed so much since then. Hes matured. He was great going into the gate, great saddling, his minds getting better.
"I probably need to school him in the winners circle. He got a little upset in there. We know his style now, we know hes a good horse, and he beat a nice horse. Papa Clems a nice horse, and there were some other good ones in there. Were excited to be in this spot."
Baffert said he intends to keep Pioneerof the Nile, who's never raced on dirt, in California for the Santa Anita Derby. I think Im going to leave him here, because he likes it here and he trains well here. If he likes the dirt, hell like the dirt. I cant force him to like the dirt, but I think hes going to like it, the way he moves over it, and the way he ran at Hollywood, thats more of a dirt course, anyway.
"A really good horse can run on both. With the trip he had, Garrett said he should have run third, but he overcame a lot, which is good. This is what you want. A good horse will overcome things. Hes learning how to run, and he was very well-behaved today in the paddock and everywhere else . . . I just have to keep him happy and healthy.
He ran really good. He tried hard," Rafael Bejarano said of runner-up Papa Clem. "I was in perfect position. I had to use my horse a little bit to keep my position from the three-eighths pole to the quarter-pole, and then to the wire. I think that cost me a little bit, because my horse was flying at the end. I had to let him run from the three-eighths. Yes, for sure, I was surprised at how well he ran after coming out of a maiden race. Hes going to be a good horse.
Joe Talamo, aboard I Want Revenge, had no excuses. Around the turn, I thought it was going to be a matter of how far he would win by. It was funny. We decided to put blinkers on him. I think that helped him out a lot. It made him a little bit more focused. But I cant really give him any excuse. He was laying so good right outside those two early leaders. At the top of the lane, I kind of let him go, but the other two got us late. Still, he galloped out real nice. I think hell get a lot out of this race.
Pioneerof the Nile, who won the Grade I CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park in December, earned $120,000 of the $200,000 Lewis purse and improved his record to three wins in six starts.
Bred in Kentucky by the owner, Zayat Stables, LLC, Pioneerof the Nile was a late foal born on May 5, 2006. Assuming he makes it to the Kentucky Derby, he'll be 72 hours shy of his birthday on the first Saturday in May. He's out of Star of Goshen, by Lord at War.
At Santa Anita, San Rafael S. (G3) victor THE PAMPLEMOUSSE (Kafwain) worked a bullet four furlongs in :46 3/5 on the Pro-Ride. Julio Canani is preparing his charge for the February 28 Sham S. (G3).
"Julio wanted to go :48, but that was as easy as I could go," said regular rider Alex Solis, who was aboard for the move. "I told Julio, 'How do you stop a train?'"
Is it possible this horse is still improving? That would be sweeeeeet.
Pioneerof the Nile, winner of the Robert Lewis Stakes for 3-year-olds last Saturday, resumed main-track training Thursday, jogging at Santa Anita.
One of the top California-based contenders for the Kentucky Derby, Pioneerof the Nile ended his 2-year-old season in December with a win in the CashCall Futurity.
Trainer Bob Baffert said he has been impressed with the way that Pioneerof the Nile has handled his campaign so far, especially his appetite after his races.
"He's an eating" sonofagun, Baffert said. "They've got to be tough, but they've got to eat that night."
Desert Party moved past Vineyard Haven in Godolphin's Kentucky Derby plans at Nad Al Sheba on Thursday night as he thrashed the Champagne Stakes winner in the UAE 2000 Guineas, the first of three Derby preps that will be run in Dubai this winter.
A one-mile Group 3 contest worth $250,000, the Guineas was supposed to be Vineyard Haven's reintroduction to the winner's circle following a four-month vacation since his Champagne victory. But his Saeed bin Suroor-trained stablemate Desert Party stole the show, drawing clear for a 4 3/4-length victory over a third Godolphin entrant, Regal Ransom.
Vineyard Haven, a bit wide in third or fourth into the stretch, faded into fourth, beaten 12 lengths by the winner, who was clocked in 1:37.62, the slowest time for the race in the last four years.
Frankie Dettori gave Desert Party a ground-saving ride along the rail, angling him out as they entered the stretch, where Regal Ransom took the lead from eventual third-place finisher Redding Colliery. Desert Party found his best stride approaching the eighth pole and drew clear for the victory. The winner of the six-furlong Sanford Stakes - in which Vineyard Haven was third at Saratoga last summer - Desert Party next finished sixth behind Vineyard Haven in the one-mile Champagne at Belmont Park last October. A Godolphin trainee since his first-out maiden score on the Arlington Park Polytrack in June, Desert Party beat Regal Ransom in a seven-furlong allowance at Nad Al Sheba on Jan. 22. He has been much improved since arriving in Dubai in November, while Vineyard Haven appears to be going in the opposite direction.
A son of Street Cry, Desert Party will go next in the 1 1/8-mile UAE Derby on Dubai World Cup night, March 28, according to Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford.
"We're really pleased with the way Desert Party ran tonight," Crisford said, "but we're not so pleased about Vineyard Haven. Truth to tell, Vineyard Haven has had a rough time of it here this winter. We knew he was going to need the race."
Crisford also said that one or another of Godolphin's seven Triple Crown nominees might run in a Kentucky Derby prep in the United States.
"They will be nominated for the big Derby trials in the States," he said. "Midshipman, who will run in the Al Bastakiya, a 1 1/8-mile listed race here on March 5, could also run in something like the Blue Grass Stakes, but no decision will be made until much later."
With the defection of one anticipated entry, a field of 11 will contest the Grade III Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday.
Expected to lead interest among fans are Atomic Rain (Worth Watching), Free Country (Worth Watching) and A. P. Cardinal (Worth Watching), three shippers from Gulfstream Park.
A. P. Cardinal, owned by Rick Pitino and Ed Glasscock, comes into the Davis off a second-place finish to Danger to Society in a well-regarded 1 1/8-mile allowance race at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 8. Since then, he's put in three works at his Palm Meadows base for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. His sole outing in a stakes race led to a ninth-place finish in the Grade I Champagne Stakes last October.
Free Country makes only his third career start in the Davis after an impressive allowance win on that Jan. 8 card at Gulfstream. He also raced at 1 1/8 mile, running his record to two-for-two after cutting the corner leaving the second turn and coming up the inside to run down Atomic Rain. He's from the barn of Ken McPeek, who's leading the trainer standings at Gulfstream Park. Like A. P. Cardinal, Free Country has three workouts under his belt since last racing.
Atomic Rain is trained by Kelly Breen, who also conditions West Side Bernie. The Jan. 8 loss to Free Country was his first start since finishing second to Old Fashioned in the Grade II Remsen Stakes in November. He's also worked three times since his allowance race, but unlike A. P. Cardinal and Free Country, his final pre-race move came at Tampa Bay Downs.
John Velazquez travels from Miami to ride back on Atomic Rain, and Kent Desormeaux does the same for Free Country. On A. P. Valentine, Joe Bravo replaces Alan Garcia, who stays at Gulfstream Park to ride Primary Witness, Duke of Homberg, and Evolutionist, all 3-year-olds, in the last three races of the day.
Three are in the Davis from its traditional prep, the Pasco Stakes--winner Musket Man (Just In Case)--the third morning line choice at 9-2--and General Quarters and Medaglia d'Onore, a close second and a distant fifth in that race. Top Seed, the winner of the Inaugural Stakes, which precedes the Pasco on Tampa's schedule, is in the Davis as well, and may earn respect at the windows.
Invading from New York is Cliffy's Future, who's faced the likes of Beethoven, West Side Bernie and Professor Z in his seven-race career. Sumo, a son of Fusaichi Pegasus, comes into the Davis off an allowance win over the track.
Obligingly (Worth Watching) was expected for the Davis but has not made the trip from his Palm Meadows base for trainer Todd Pletcher.
This is the first time the Davis will be run as a graded stake, and the upgrade is well-deserved with such recent winners as Bluegrass Cat and Any Given Saturday.
California Derby winner Chocolate Candy (Looking Good) will try to remain on the road to the Kentucky Derby when he faces six opponents Saturday in the Grade III El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields.
On an ordinary Saturday, Chocolate Candy would be the favorite because he has excellent racing credentials. But he'll attract extra betting money on Saturday--it's Valentines Day. Chocolate Candy has recorded three wins and a third in his last four starts, and two of the victories were in stakes.
Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer and owned by Jenny Craig, Chocolate Candy broke his maiden in a one-mile race at Santa Anita on Oct. 4 and then captured the 1 1/16-mile Real Quiet Stakes at Hollywood Park on Nov. 8. Chocolate Candy rallied to finish third in the Grade 1 $750,000 CashCall Futurity on Dec. 20 at Hollywood and then made a winning 2009 debut in the California Derby on Jan. 17 at Golden Gate Fields.
Chocolate Candy rallied from sixth in a field of seven to win the California Derby by 1 3/4 length over Axel Foley and Merus Miami, two colts hell face again Saturday.
Chocolate Candy, a son of Candy Ride, will stretch out in the 1 1/8-mile El Camino Real. The California Derby and CashCall Futurity, in which Chocolate Candy was beaten just 1 1/2 length by Pioneerof the Nile, were both run at 1 1/16-mile.
Candy Ride set a Del Mar track record for 1 1/4-mile (1:59 flat) while winning the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar in 2003. Candy Ride won all six of his career starts before chronic ankle problems prompted his retirement from racing.
Chocolate Candy has finished in the money in five of his seven races and enters the El Camino Real Derby with $262,500 in earnings. Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze has the call.
A $200,000 event, the El Camino Real Derby is Northern Californias premier 3-year-old race. In 27 runnings, the race has produced a Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year (Charismatic, 1999), two Kentucky Derby runners-up (Cavonnier, 1996 and Casual Lies, 1992), five Preakness Stakes winners (Charismatic, 1999; Tabasco Cat, 1994; Snow Chief, 1986; Tanks Prospect, 1985; and Gate Dancer, 1984), a Belmont Stakes winner (Tabasco Cat, 1994), and a Belmont Stakes runner-up (Ten Most Wanted, 2003).
El Camino Real Derby graduates have made it to Triple Crown races each of the past three years. Cause to Believe, the 2006 El Camino Real Derby winner, finished thirteenth in the Kentucky Derby. Bwana Bull, the 2007 El Camino Real Derby victor, ran fifteenth in the Kentucky Derby. Tres Borrachos, the third-place finisher in the 2008 El Camino Real Derby, ran ninth in the Preakness Stakes.
Break Water Edison to Move Forward on Derby Trail. After finishing last of six runners in his first start of the year in the Grade II Hutcheson Stakes on Jan. 30, Break Water Edison's (Worth Watching) trainer said he's encouraged by a workout this morning at Gulfstream Park and that the son of Lemon Drop Kid is still pointing to the Grade II Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes on Feb. 28.
Besides the bad performance, everything has gone fine, said John Kimmel after the move, five furlongs in 1:00 (5/18), handily. He looks well. Hes trained well. He just didnt run well. I thought todays breeze was great.
Kimmel said he was especially happy with the fractions posted in the workout, the last quarter-mile in 23 1/5 seconds, according to his stopwatch. Break Water Edison was ridden by former jockey George Martens and went in company with 4-year-old colt Freedom Bay.
He even had to go wide at one point because the two of them came up on another horse and Georgie had to take him pretty well out there on the track," Kimmel said.
Martens has plenty of experience. He won the 1981 Belmont Stakes aboard Summing and was the exercise rider for the late Scotty Schulhofer. He and Kimmel say they are pretty sure the inside post hurt Break Water Edison in the Hutcheson.
Every time hes drawn inside he hasnt run really well, said Kimmel. Georgie used to gallop Lemon Drop Kid, and he said he was always an inconsistent horse until they put blinkers on him--and he hated to be down inside. If I drew the rail again Id have to look at other options.
Kimmel said he's not concerned about the likely competition from Notonthesamepage (Worth Watching) and This Ones for Phil (Worth Watching), each with gaudy speed figures earned in sprint races this season.
Big speed figures earned in sprint races mean nothing to me, he said. Its good for me, because it means there will be a lot of speed in the race, and the pace scenario should be pretty good. The main thing I want to see in this race is for him to keep his focus, finish up and stay tuned to what were trying to do.
Break Water Edison has yet to race around two turns.
On Sunday, Stardom Bound (Looking Good) breezed five furlongs Sunday at Santa Anita in 1:01.40 (34/76) for Saturdays Grade I Santa Anita Oaks. Goncalino Almeida was aboard the gray filly, who could possibly move on to face males in the Santa Anita Derby on April 4 if all goes well.
A small field is likely for the Oaks. In addition to Stardom Bound, who will be ridden by Mike Smith, the only other probables now listed by Santa Anita officials include Beltene, Joel Rosario; Nan, Corey Nakatani; and Will O Way, Russell Baze.
Pioneerof the Nile (Looking Good) worked six furlongs under Gomez in 1:12.60 (3/16), handily, for the Grade II San Felipe Stakes on March 14. He galloped out in 25 and three, Bob Baffert said. He went nice and easy. He just cruised around there.
I Want Revenge (Looking Good), prepping for Saturdays Grade III Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, worked five furlongs on Hollywood Park in :59.20 (2/26).
At Calder, Big Drama (Looking Good) worked for the second time since missing the Grade III Holy Bull on Jan. 31. He went five furlongs in 1:00.80 (2/20), handily.
At Gulfstream Park, Danger to Society (Just In Case) breezed five furlongs in 1:02.20 (10/26) for new trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr. It was the second work for the colt since being transferred out of the Ken McPeek barn after a poor race in the Holy Bull as the favorite.
Munnings (Worth Watching), unraced this year, worked for the seventh time since Jan. 17 at Palm Meadows. He breezed five furlongs in 1:02.00 (10/37) for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Also at Palm Meadows, Bear's Rocket (Worth Watching), runner-up in the Holy Bull, worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 (7/37), handily, and Cribnote (Worth Watching) worked four in :48.60 (4/51), handily.
Pletcher Says Affirmatif Probable for Stakes. But where? We reported yesterday on Affirmatif (Worth Watching), a son of Unbridleds Song that, in his career debut on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, ran a one-mile maiden turf race in under 1:35. The time was four hundredths of a second faster than that run by 5-year-old Pletcher-trained stablemate Twilight Meteor two races earlier in the Grade III Canadian Turf Stakes.
That was very impressive, said trainer Todd Pletcher. He had been training really well, and we were optimistic, but you can never really know with a first-timer going long. He was bred to run long, and he was training like he was going to run long. I wouldnt have any problem running back in a stakes after that.
Without getting into an all-inclusive list, Pletcher has in his Gulfstream barn Florida Derby-probable Dunkirk (Looking Good), a two-time starter, and he has Take the Points (Worth Watching), second in the Grade III Sham Stakes, stationed in California. Checklist (Worth Watching) is also in Florida, and Pletcher has a couple of probables for Saturday's Grade III Gotham in New York, Masala and Naos.
But this is Pletcher, and he'll find an answer. Perhaps the Grade II Lane's End Stakes on synthetic track for the turf-friendly Affirmatif? The Lane's End is on March 21, just three weeks away, so we'll see. If not that, perhaps on synthetic for the Grade I Toyota Blue Grass on April 11?
Notonthesamepage, who ran mid-pack before a seventh-place finish in the Fountain of Youth, from Worth Watching. Notonthesamepage suffered pulmonary bleeding during the race and will be sent to a hyperbaric chamber and pointed to shorter races in the future.
I told them lets see if he can take back, but it now looks like that put stress on him, owner Ken Ramsey said. Weve studied why horses bleed like this, and its always the stress. We thought maybe we could take him back and send him a signal when it was time to go, but instead it just stressed him out. It was bad timing.
He bled pretty bad, said trainer Wesley Ward on Sunday. Its something weve been fighting with him, and it came out again yesterday. Its unfortunate, but I think weve got the makings of a pretty good miler. Thats where we will look from here.
Dutrow Says Patena Working Through Issues. Trainer Rick Dutrow said yesterday that he's been working Patena (Worth Watching) through different ailments since receiving the colt in his barn in January.
Patena had an easy six-furlong workout at Gulfstream Park Saturday that Dutrow said would keep him on task for the Grade II Louisiana Derby on March 14. Exercise rider/jockey Mario Madrid was aboard for the breeze which Gulfstream clockers caught in 1:15.60 (2/3). The fastest work at the distance went to Zee Zee in 1:13.00.
The son of Seeking the Gold has been in training with Dutrow at Gulfstream Park since January. When we got him here, we wanted to go to work on some hind-end issues and try to help him put some weight on, said Dutrow. He had been coughing for about 10 days. (Saturday) was the first day he scoped completely clean. Weve been clearing different issues, and it seems to all be coming together.
Mario told me that he pulled him to every pole this morning, said Dutrow. He was very happy with him. Weve got one more breeze to go here, and then we will fly to New Orleans on the 12th. Im under the impression we are right on target.
As of Jan. 24, Patena was being pointed either to the Grade II Fountain of Youth and Grade I Florida Derby, or the Fountain of Youth and the Grade I Wood Memorial, according to IEAH's Michael Iavarone.
But that later changed, and connections said on Feb. 5 he'd probably go to the Grade II Louisiana Derby on March 14 and possibly the Grade I Toyota Blue Grass on April 11.
They also considered just going straight to the Florida Derby on March 28, hoping he'd amass enough graded earnings there to get to the Kentucky Derby. On Jan. 21, PATENA breezed five in 1:01.80 (10/21) at FG.
On Feb. 1, PATENA breezed four in :52.20 (29/33) at GP.
On Feb. 16, PATENA breezed five in 1:04.00 (15/16) at GP.
On Feb. 22, PATENA breezed six in 1:14.40 (1/1) at GP.
Patena was the winner of Woodbines Display Stakes last December and the runner-up in the Grade III Lecomte Stakes in his last start on Jan. 10 while trained by Josie Carroll. Patena was switched to the Dutrow barn after IEAH Stables bought an interest in him.
Aegon Turf Sprint III Open 3 & Up 5 f
Turf $100,000a
Louisville Distaff*
II F & M 3 & Up 1 1/16 Dirt $350,000a
Crown Royal American Turf III Open 3YO 1 1/16 Turf $150,000a
Kentucky Oaks I Fillies 3YO 1 1/8 Dirt $500,000a
Saturday, May 2, 2009, KENTUCKY DERBY DAY
Race Grade Sex Age Distance Surface Purse
Eight Belles (frmly La Troienne) III Fillies 3YO 7 1/2 f Dirt $100,000a
Churchill Downs II Open 4 & Up 7 f Dirt $250,000a
Churchill Distaff Turf Mile II F & M 3 & Up 1mile Turf $200,000a
Humana Distaff I F & M 3 & Up 7 f Dirt $300,000a
Woodford Reserve Turf Classic I Open 3 & Up 1 1/8 Turf $500,000a
Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands I Open 3YO 1 1/4 Dirt $2,000,000g
Road to the Kentucky Derby TV Coverage
Date Network* Time (ET)
Races Track
March 21
ESPN2 5-6:00 Lane's End Stakes; Rushaway Stakes Turfway Park
March 28 ESPN 5-6:00 Florida Derby; Swale Stakes Gulfstream Park
April 11 ESPN2 6-7:00 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (tape delay); Arkansas Derby Keeneland
April 18 ESPN2 5-6:00 Coolmore Lexington Stakes Keeneland
April 29
ESPN
5-6:00
Kentucky Derby Post Position Draw
Louisville
May 1 ESPN2 4:30-5:30 Triple Crown Special Churchill Downs
May 2
NBC 5:00-6:30 Kentucky Derby
Churchill Downs
*ESPN and ESPN2 reserve the right to switch programming between networks.
Kentucky Derby Purse Structure
$2,000,000 guaranteed. The winner shall receive $1,240,000 guaranteed, second place $400,000, third $200,000, fourth $100,000 and fifth $60,000.
Value of 2008 Derby was $2,211,800. The winner received $1,451,800; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000.
Kentucky Derby Post Position Draw
The Kentucky Derby Post Position Draw will take place on Wednesday, April 29 at 5:00 ET.
So far, the stars of the Kentucky Derby prep season are a horse named after a grapefruit and a trainer who is a lovable fruitcake.
Jockey Alex Solis rode The Pamplemousse around Santa Anita's mile-and-an-eighth course Saturday like a guy driving to the grocery store at midnight. Nobody in front, nobody to the side. No sweat.
He won the $200,000 Grade III Sham Stakes by six lengths and it appeared as if The Pamplemousse wanted to go around again.
"I've never ridden anything quite like this," Solis said, "and I've ridden lots of pretty good horses."
Garrett Gomez, the jockey aboard runner-up Take The Points, who did everything short of setting a firecracker off in his horse's ear to try to catch Solis as they turned for home, probably summed it up best, after The Pamplemousse merely shrugged and went to yet another gear.
"The winner looks like he's the real deal," Gomez said.
There are two months to go before the big show May 2 under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs, and lots can, and does, happen in that time. But were they to run the race next week, The Pamplemousse would be front and center.
And, everybody in horse racing, including those who write and broadcast about it, would be giddy. Talk about story lines.
The horse was picked out at auction for its owners, and is partially owned, by Alex Solis II, the son of the rider. His dad will turn 45 next month, has won many big races, but never a Kentucky Derby, and is likely to be elected into the Hall of Fame next month, an honor he badly wants and has eluded him several times.
If voters had forgotten about Solis, they remember now.
The owners, along with Solis II, are Carol Bienstock and Ann Winner of Encino, as well as William Strauss of Del Mar, whose brother, Jeff, is the chef at a restaurant they own in Del Mar, across from the racetrack. The name of the restaurant is the Pamplemousse Grille, named by Jeff Strauss for his favorite French word, which means grapefruit.
And those aren't the best story lines.
The trainer is a racetrack legend named Julio Canani, who did not become a legend because of his winning ways. Canani is legendary for, well, being Canani.
He arrived in 1963 from Peru and is in his 70s, but nobody is sure how deep into his 70s.
Recently, he has been listed as being exactly 70, but after the race Saturday, he said he is really 72, that the immigration people got it wrong. One veteran reporter said that will be 75 by Friday.
Canani should speak Spanish, or English. But he speaks neither. His language of choice is a touch of Spanglish, with a Portuguese and Italian accent, flavored by German syntax and Norwegian verb forms.
In other words, nobody knows what it is, especially Canani.
During Saturday's gathering with the media in the winner's circle, Canani said (we think):
* He didn't care about what time his horse ran. "Time only counts when you are trying to get out of jail."
* He didn't have Derby fever. "I maybe catch a cold. I have no temperature."
* The thought of the Kentucky Derby was huge pressure, so he just ignores it. "Maybe I go to Kentucky Fried Chicken. Want some fries?"
* He wasn't educated, he wasn't a good student. "I spent four years in fourth grade."
* He wore the same shirt Saturday as he did six weeks ago, when The Pamplemousse won the San Rafael Stakes here, and he didn't launder it. "If you don't like that, that's your problem."
* He is not sure if he is training the horse or the horse is training him. "He runs times in the morning I don't want him to. But I can't stop him. Alex can't stop him, either."
He talked about how it used to be easier for immigrants to get green cards, about how he came from nowhere and used to feed his family selling carrots at the tracks, and about being very superstitious.
Throughout, he had a feminine-looking handbag tucked under his arm and explained that, at the races recently, he had been carrying the computer case of the daughter of a friend because he thought it was too heavy for her. His horses won, so he decided to carry her computer case for The Pamplemousse's race.
Every angle was tried with Canani, who tries to scowl at some questions and can't quite get there, because he is having so much fun.
His horse has won wire to wire in both the San Rafael and the Sham, posing the question of whether The Pamplemousse might have trouble being tucked in behind another horse for part of a race. Was Canani worried about that?
"Who cares?" he giggled.
The Kentucky Derby is an eighth of a mile longer than Saturday's race. Did it worry Canani that maybe his horse couldn't go that distance?
"I should shoot myself in the head," he said.
So, if form holds for two more months and The Pamplemousse continues to show well, including his likely next outing in the April 4 Santa Anita Derby, the state of Kentucky and the world of horse racing won't quite know what hit them.
They'll be putting grapefruit squares in the mint juleps.
New Hall of Famer Alex Solis will be doing interviews about changing the diapers of one of the horse's owners.
Japanese journalists will be interviewing Julio Canani.
The last Saturday in November is NYRAs farewell to grade I and grade II racing, with the running of the Cigar Mile (gr. I) and the grade II Remsen and Demoiselle Stakes for 2-year-olds. But last year, there was a buzz in the air that had nothing to do with any of those three races.
I gotta big tip on Quality Road in the fourth, said one patron. One of the jocks valets came up to the pressbox to say that Quality Road cant lose the fourth, said a member of the press. Richie Migliore has been working with Quality Road for the last month and said he will win first time out, a local horseman said just prior to the fourth race.
Sure enough, Quality Road, sent off at 3-1 in the 13-horse field, charged out of the gate, fought off pressure for the first half-mile, then drew off under Alan Garcia to win by 2 3/4 lengths in a sharp 1:16 flat for the 6 1/2 furlongs that would earn him a lofty 101 Beyer speed figure.
I just wish Richie had been on this horse, trainer Jimmy Jerkens said in the winners circle. Hes worked so closely with him and knows him so well.
But Migliore had been committed to ride his Breeders Cup Turf Sprint winner Desert Code in the Hollywood Turf Express Handicap (gr. IIIT) the same day. Unfortunately, the horse got sick and was forced to miss the race, but Garcia had already been assigned the mount.
Quality Road showed up next at Gulfstream Park in a contentious seven-furlong allowance race. After breaking slowly, he was rushed to the lead, set blazing fractions while going head and head with Todd Pletchers runaway maiden winner Obligingly, and was unable to hold off the late charge of Theregoesjojo. Quality Road developed a cough soon after that race, and the consensus opinion was that he was brewing the infection on race day. Jerkens told Chris Baker, farm manager for owner Edward P. Evans Spring Hill Farm in Casanova, Va., that the colts coat was a bit off going into the race, making him believe he already was showing signs of the bug that was going through his barn.
Quality Road began training like gangbusters, prepping for the Fountain of Youth with a bullet :58 2/5 work six days before the race. This time, the colts coat was resplendent, and it was just a matter of how he would handle the wicked pace that was expected, and the lack of experience.
With John Velazquez aboard this time, Quality Road broke sharply, but rated kindly in second, tracking the front-running This Ones For Phil. When Velazquez asked him, Quality Road accelerated and blew right by the leader at the head of the stretch. What was supposed to be one of the most contentious races of the year turned into a one-horse show, as Quality Road drew off to win by 4 1/4 lengths in 1:35 flat for the mile. What was visually impressive was the way he drew away from Theregoesjojo, an exciting stretch runner with a brilliant turn of foot who had rallied from seventh with an eye-catchng move on the turn and was himself drawing clear of the pack, finishing four lengths ahead of third-place finisher Beethoven. Theregoesjojo is a serious horse with a ton of ability, and although he was running a winning race, Quality Road, after pressing a :45 2/5 half, was actually opening up on him at the end.
Migliore, watching from the jocks room at Aqueduct, knew at the five-eighths pole Quality Road was going to win.
Although hes got speed, hes not a horse that wants to be rushed, Migliore said. When he got off slowly in his first start this year it was a perfect opportunity to take hold of him and let him get in stride, but he was gunned out of there. Today, Johnny was able to get him into that rhythm and I knew there was going to be a lot of horse there when he turned for home.
He definitely touted himself early on. I worked a lot with him starting from September, so it was disappointing I couldnt ride him. A real good horse is a combination of several things. Obviously they have that kind of stride thats so big and efficient; they have size but are very light on their feet; they cover so much ground theyre always going faster than you feel like theyre going; and theyre very intelligent. He was all four of those things. He was extremely intelligent. Something would happen that would spook 90% of the horses and he would just stop and look at it with a quizzical look, and then drop his head and go on. Thats something you cant teach; its something the good horses seem to possess. To me, from the first time I got on him I thought he was the complete package.
Despite Quality Road being by the mile specialist Elusive Quality , Migliore has no doubt the colt will stay.
He definitely has the ability and I know he can go as far as he needs to go, he said. Thats not even a question in my mind. Its only his third start of his life, but theyve been breaking all these Derby rules lately, so maybe there arent any hard rules anymore. If anyone is going to get him there with a light race schedule its Jimmy. Hes just like his dad (Hall of Famer Allen Jerkens), and I have so much faith in the guy as a horseman. Hes definitely in the right hands. A lot can happen over the next three to four weeks but on Saturday he stamped himself as the horse Jimmy and I always believed him to be.
Baker said Quality Road was one of those young horses who never did anything wrong. A tall, elegant colt, he was striking to look at, and Baker was impressed by the amount of ground he covered while training at Aiken, S.C. Then he was sent to Jerkens, who began to notice the colts talent once he stretched out his works.
Jimmys not a vocal guy, but when he started working him a half and five-eighths he made it clear this horse can really run, Baker recalled. And when Jimmy says that you need to listen.
So, once again, we have to ask ourselves, just how special is this horse, will he be as effective going two turns, and is he capable of winning the Derby off only four career starts? Remember, he was in receipt of 6 to 8 pounds from every horse in the field but one, and that was the runner-up, who carried two pounds more.
Quality Roads sire, Elusive Quality, although a miler/sprinter, has already sired a Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner in Smarty Jones , and Quality Roads female family is loaded with class and stamina through broodmare sire Strawberry Road, and tail-female influences Alydar and Bold Bidder. Strawberry Roads sire, Whiskey Road, is by Nijinsky out of the champion filly Bowl of Flowers, winner of the Coaching Club American Oaks. Perhaps most important, Quality Roads dam, Kobla, is a full-sister to champion Ajina, winner of the grade I Breeders Cup Distaff, CCA Oaks, and Mother Goose, and runner-up in the grade I Alabama and Beldame.
Speaking of the Fountain of Youth, the one-mile distance drew a great deal of criticism for its placement on the schedule. Instead of a natural progression from the seven-furlong Hutcheson Stakes (gr. III) to the one-mile Holy Bull (gr. III) to the 1 1/8-mile Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby (gr. I), the 3-year-olds who had already run nine furlongs in the Holy Bull (gr. III) or in allowance races were asked to go a flat mile against a number of exceptionally fast horses stretching out from six furlongs. That scenario was rejected by most trainers, and as a result, only one horse -- Beethoven, whose pedigree is more geared toward a mile made the drop back in distance.
Instead of providing a chance for much-needed graded earnings going two turns, the Fountain of Youth draw a field made up in good part of horses coming off huge Beyer numbers in sprints This Ones For Phil 116, Notonthesamepage 114, Taqarub 103, and Capt. Candyman Can 101. And Quality Road had run a 101 in his career debut.
While that made for a wide-open, contentious race, there was a question whether it would actually serve as a useful prep for legitimate Kentucky Derby horses. As a result, several of the top horses based in South Florida changed course for the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III), Gotham (gr. III), or Louisiana Derby (gr. II), with one even going to California for the Sham Stakes (gr. IIII). That raises a second question: who will be left to run in the Florida Derby, a race that likely will be headed by Dunkirk, coming off only a maiden and an allowance victory? Jerkens said he is seriously considering the Wood Memorial (gr. I) for Quality Roads next start, but hasnt ruled out the Florida Derby. And well have to see where Kenny McPeek goes with Theregoesjojo, who could be one of the real sleepers for the Derby.
There is one other note regarding Gulfstream. It is time to simply ignore the fractions in one-mile races run out of the chute. In order to give horses as much room as possible behind the gate for safety reasons, the gate is moved up, so instead of having a run-up before the teletimer is triggered, the timing starts as soon as the horses break. As a result, the opening quarter in the Fountain of Youth was a sluggish :23 4/5, while the half was run in :45 2/5. That means the second quarter was run in :21 3/5 after a :23 4/5 first quarter. Sorry, but horses simply do not do that, so pay no attention to the fractions of this race.
Wild Bull of the Pamplemousse
Apologies to all those who have never heard of the noted heavyweight fighter of the 1920s, Luis Firpo, who was nicknamed Wild Bull of the Pampas, but the description was too good to pass up. Firpo, lacking the grace and natural skills of a Jack Dempsey, would come charging at his opponents like a bull, flailing away with wild haymakers. He once knocked Dempsey to the canvas seven times in the first round, one time knocking him clear out of the ring.
Anyone who has seen The Pamplemousse run and the way he charges at his opponents with legs going off in all directions can understand the comparison. Of course, both Firpo and The Pamplemousses trainer, Julio Canani, were born in South America, so there is another admittedly offbeat and useless connection.
The Pamplemousse does not possess the smooth, graceful strides you look for in a Derby contender. But his strides, as rough around the edges as they are, are enormous and allow him to seemingly lope along on the lead at an easy clip, when in reality he is rattling off rapid fractions and running his opponents into the ground. He comes charging right at you from the start, and no one is going to want to challenge him when hes taking one stride to their two. He takes so little out of himself, he has plenty left in reserve and is able to draw away from his foes with relative ease.
With a pedigree laced with speed in his tail-male and tail-female families, one has to wonder where this reserve comes from. His sire, Kafwain , was a tenacious bulldog on the track, and Kafwains sire, Cherokee Run , has sired a number of hard-knocking horses.
In any event, The Pamplemousse looks to be a horse you do not want to tangle with, especially in races with no early speed, as was the case in Saturdays 1 1/8-mile Sham Stakes (gr. III). Other than the second- and third-place finishers, Take the Points and Mr. Hot Stuff, respectively, the Sham was a pretty weak group. Take the Points traveled cross-country, arriving two days before the race after his original flight was canceled, and was running on a synthetic surface for the first time. Mr. Hot Stuff, although impressive in his previous start, still was coming off a maiden race, in which the proverbial light bulb finally went on after four mediocre-to-dismal performances.
While The Pamplemousses time of 1:47 4/5 earned him a strong 103 Beyer, the track was producing fast times all afternoon in sprint races. So there are no distance races to use as a comparison. As mentioned earlier, The Pamplemousse has a stride that from a head-on view makes him look like a car in need of a wheel alignment. He swings both his front legs way to the left, with his right front lined up between his back legs and his left front out in another path. But with that said, it hasnt affected his performances, and from the side, where most people see him, hes actually quite entertaining to watch, with that big high leg kick and bounding stride. If you like watching horses who are different from other horses, then The Pamplemousse is your kind of horse. And if you like trainers who are different from other trainers then youll have two reasons to root for him.
There are several interesting videos of the horse on Youtube, where you can get a good look at him in action and just walking to and from the track. If he and the colorful Canani make it to Churchill Downs, he will be an instant fan favorite, especially with the Alex Solis Sr. and Jr. connection and the often-told story of his name, which is French for The Grapefruit and the name of a popular eatery across from Del Mar.
In the meantime, if anyone has hopes of beating this horse in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), they better come prepared to double-team him or hope someone on a kamikaze mission shows up.
Credit must be given to Take the Points, who not only had to travel thousands of miles to face the rampaging bull, he found himself in a no-win situation having to chase him the whole way on a foreign surface after breaking from the outside post. He was able to put in a strong, but short-lived, run to move into close contention at the head of the stretch, but everything caught up with him in the final furlong and he became a bit leg weary. Still, he was able to finish second, nearly two lengths ahead of Mr. Hot Stuff, and should get a lot out of the race. His effort was similar to Giacomo s 6 1/2-length drubbing by the speedy Consolidator in the 2005 San Felipe (gr. II), run in a blistering 1:40 flat. Giacomo was able to use that race as a step toward Kentucky Derby glory. Well see if Take the Points can do the same.
It is not known at this time whether he will remain in California, where hed have to look at that big gray butt again, or head back to the friendlier dirt confines back east.
Mr. Hot Stuff, a full-brother to Colonel John, ran well enough in his first start against winners and is at least moving in the right direction. But hell have his work cut out for him in the Santa Anita Derby.
This seasons class of 3-year-olds is starting to look as if it could be outstanding. Its too early, of course, to reach any conclusions those will probably have to wait until the fall but unless Old Fashioned, Dunkirk and Quality Road dont improve a step, something thats very unlikely, this group should prove to be very deep in talent.
And beyond the top trio, of course, there are horses such as Pioneerof The Nile, whose ability on dirt will remain an unknown until Derby Day, and Imperial Council, whose best efforts could come around two turns, and Giant Oak, whose talents are just begging for a good trip.
Anyway, Quality Road was nothing less than sensational in winning todays Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park. Making only the third start of his career, the big very big colt stalked This Ones For Phil, who got away with fractions that were probably softer than expected 23.84 (?) for the quarter-mile and 45.55 for the half. After six furlongs in 1:09.40, Quality Road moved to the leader and then, in the stretch, took control, drawing clear to win by more than four lengths, completing the mile in 1:35.01.
To put that final time in some sort of context, early in the day at Gulfstream, a group of older maidens, a few of them having flashed some ability, completed the same distance in 1:38.36. And just a couple races prior to the Fountain of Youth, Pictural won a seven-furlong allowance race in 1:23.19. And so Quality Roads final clocking was indeed outstanding by any measure.
Afterwards, his trainer, Jimmy Jerkens, as if trying to contain his enthusiasm and restrain anybodys potential runaway exuberance, pointed out that a one-turn mile is very different from any two-turn race. Thats why, of course, this modern mutation of the Fountain of Youth lacks the Triple Crown significance of earlier editions, specifically for those 51 races that were run around two turns at 1 1/16 miles. Still, this one-turn, one-mile version was vastly superior in every way to the most recent incarnations at 1 1/8 miles.
And Quality Road gave a performance that ranks, in my estimation, among the best by any 3-year-old this year. Moreover, there was nothing about his victory that suggested a mile will be the border of his ability. After some bumping early, he rated behind the pacesetter and responded powerfully when asked.
Theregoesjojo rallied to be second. In doing so, he insisted he deserves to be included among the potential Triple Crown noisemakers. And Beethoven, who looked a little uncomfortable in the post parade and trailed for three-quarters of a mile, made some headway in the lane and finished third.
Quality Road was not among the original 401 horses nominated to the Triple Crown. (Thats why I dropped him out of the top 20 after having him No. 6 in the original list of top 100 potential Triple Crown noisemakers. He was, quite simply, one of the best youngsters I saw in all of 2008.) But that oversight, Jerkens said, will soon be corrected.
As for Quality Roads next start, Jerkens said he had no definite plans. But he did mention the Florida Derby on March 28 at Gulfstream and the Wood Memorial on April 4 at Aqueduct.
Also today, The Pamplemousse led from the start to win the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita, drawing clear to finish six lengths ahead of Take The Points, with Mr. Hot Stuff third. Unbeaten now in three races around two turns, The Pamplemousse set a solid pace (46.51 for the half) and just kept rolling, completing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.86. It may be worth noting that Mr. Hot Stuff, Colonel Johns little brother, actually galloped out beyond the winner.
And so heres the latest top-20 shuffle of potential Triple Crown noisemakers.
1. Old Fashioned
2. Dunkirk
3. Quality Road
4. Hello Broadway
5. Friesan Fire
6. Pioneerof The Nile
7. Imperial Council
8. Giant Oak
9. Patena
10. Flying Pegasus
11. The Pamplemousse
12. Theregoesjojo
13. Mr. Fantasy
14. Beethoven
15. West Side Bernie
16. Haynesfield
17. Midshipman
18. Desert Party
19. Mr. Hot Stuff
20. General Quarters
By Marcus Hersh
Highly regarded 3-year-old Giant Oak missed three days of exercise this week, but his trainer, Chris Block, said the colt's apparently minor setback should not affect plans to start in the March 14 Louisiana Derby.
Giant Oak, a vastly troubled fifth in the Risen Star Stakes, his 3-year-old debut, suffered some sort of mouth injury last Sunday, the day after he worked five furlongs.
"He had either an abscess or a puncture in his mouth," Block said. "Sunday, he was just not himself, not eating the way we want him to, and he carried a low-grade temperature. We thought he might be getting sick, but within 24 hours we started to see some drool in his mouth. On the lower branch of his gum, on the left side, there was a sliver, maybe something from his grain."
The object was removed, Giant Oak's temperature returned to normal, and the colt went back to the track for a one-mile jog on Friday. Giant Oak still shows slight signs of discomfort while eating, but the injury is improving. Block said he would postpone a work that had been scheduled for Saturday, but gallop Giant Oak strongly over the next week.
"We'll put in a very good breeze next Saturday, and if everything went good there, we'd still be right on target," said Block. "You don't want to miss any days, but cautiously, I think we've got it under control."
Giant Oak, who was ridden by Edgar Prado in the Risen Star, will have a new jockey for the Louisiana Derby, Block said, but as of Friday no final decision had been made about who would ride the horse.
NEW YORK - Over the last three years, many of the rules that seemed to govern the Kentucky Derby have crumbled faster than Tokyo under Godzilla's wrath.
In 2006, Barbaro became the first horse in 50 years to win the Derby off a layoff of five weeks or more, posting the largest winning margin (6 1/2 lengths) in 60 years. In 2007, Street Sense became the first in 24 years to win off only two prep races at 3, the first 2-year-old champion in 28 years to win, and the first Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner to win in the Cup's 23-year history. And last year, Big Brown became the first in 93 years to win the Derby in only his or her fourth career start and the first in 79 years to win from post 20.
Many of the old Derby rules were grounded in such time-tested assets as fitness and seasoning. These are still important assets, but they don't seem to be as all-important as they once were. The same is true with pedigree. A stout pedigree used to be a major requirement. In recent years, however, not so much. Such horses as Big Brown and Smarty Jones (in 2004) won the Derby with miler's pedigrees.
Those of us who weren't quick adapting to these changes have managed to come around. For example, yours truly was against Barbaro and skeptical of Street Sense but had no reservations about Big Brown. Recognizing just what role the Derby rules play, if any, is important because new historical factors are threatening to come into play.
This year, we might see Stardom Bound attempt to become the first filly in 21 years and only the fourth filly ever to win the Derby. We might see the most serious threat yet by a colt trying to be the first to win the Derby after prepping in Dubai. Among the candidates are the reigning 2-year-old champion, Midshipman; the hot Desert Party; and Vineyard Haven, should he recapture his best form.
And we might see a strong challenge to the granddaddy of all Derby rules. The last Derby winner who did not race at 2 was Apollo in 1882. That's 1882, as in 127 years ago.
But anyone who saw Dunkirk win last Thursday at Gulfstream Park probably can't help but wonder if this Derby rule might not be the next one to fall.
Dunkirk was awesome. That he ran away from a loaded allowance field by almost five lengths going 1 1/8 miles and earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure only begins to tell the story. Dunkirk was caught ridiculously wide on the first turn and was only a little less wide the rest of the way. He lost so much ground it looked like he ran a sixteenth of a mile farther than anyone else.
But Dunkirk did not race at 2. In fact, he did not debut until Jan. 24, when he was a stylish winner. So questions arise. Is Jan. 1 really a firm cut-off date, or is it largely arbitrary because it coincides with the Thoroughbred birthday? Who are the Derby winners since Apollo with the latest racing debuts? When did Apollo make his racing debut?
Unfortunately, getting answers is difficult. For source material, I had to settle on a copy of past performances of all Kentucky Derby entrants from 1955 through 2000 that I received from the National Turf Writers Association in 2001. After reviewing those past performances, here are some partial answers:
Of the last 54 Kentucky Derby winners, the ones with the latest racing debuts were Fusaichi Pegasus (2000 Derby winner), who debuted on Dec. 11; Majestic Prince (1969), who debuted on Nov. 28; and Smarty Jones (2004), who made his first career start on Nov. 9. Sunday Silence, the 1989 Derby winner, is next in line with an Oct. 30 debut.
It's interesting that two of the top three were from 2000 on, which is emblematic of the evolving philosophy among trainers of good horses that infrequent racing is better, and I suppose Dunkirk fans can take this as a sign of hope. On the other hand, it was surprising that only three of the last 54 Derby winners made their first starts after October and that there is a 44-day gap between Fusaichi Pegasus's debut and Dunkirk's. That is substantial, and not encouraging if you're a Dunkirk fan.
But as we have learned, what used to be critical factors in identifying Derby winners aren't as important anymore. I have a theory on that. Back when the Derby rules mattered, there was a greater depth of quality in Kentucky Derby fields, so rules that put an emphasis on factors like fitness and seasoning were helpful in distinguishing between horses of comparable ability. These days, there isn't as much depth of quality in Derby fields, so the premium has shifted to talent, as in, how many can really run? And in that regard, Dunkirk does not fall short.
Imperial Council Tops Off Preparation for Gotham. Yesterday at Payson Park, Imperial Council (Worth Watching) put in his final work for Saturday's Grade III Gotham Stakes, breezing four furlongs in a bullet :48.20 (1/21). Connections were fortunate to still have Imperial Council in Florida; bad weather closed the tracks at Aqueduct and Belmont Park yesterday. As of this posting, Haynesfield still needed to get in his final Gotham work off his most recent one on Feb. 23.
Comments
FB
Kentucky Derby (G1) hopeful DANGER TO SOCIETY (Harlan's Holiday) has been transferred to Richard Dutrow. A smart 3 1/2-length victor in a 1 1/8-mile allowance at Gulfstream Park on January 8, the Lansdon Robbins III-owned colt suffered his first career setback when finishing seventh as the 9-5 favorite in Saturday's Holy Bull S. (G3). Formerly trained by Kenny McPeek, Danger to Society moved into Dutrow's shedrow on Monday.
"I'm glad to have him in the barn," Dutrow told kentuckyderby.com's Jill Byrne. "We don't have a next spot picked out for him. We haven't discussed it."
Dutrow, who trains other horses for Robbins, adds Danger to Society to a growing roster of Kentucky Derby prospects. He recently gained Canadian stakes winner PATENA (Seeking to Gold), who was sold to IEAH Stables and transferred to Dutrow following his runner-up finish in the Lecomte S. (G3) at Fair Grounds.
Danger to Society owns a 3-2-0-0 career line.
ARCADIA, Calif. - If he is not the top 3-year-old in California, he is the top one missing from the Kentucky Derby early nominations list. Mr. Hot Stuff's convincing maiden win Sunday in his fifth start catapulted the full brother to Colonel John onto the Derby trail, even if the first deadline for Derby nominations has come and gone.
"When you're into February, and you're still a maiden . . ." trainer Eoin Harty said, figuring it was pointless to nominate. After all, Mr. Hot Stuff had lost his first four starts, and his career-high Beyer Speed Figure was a mere 72. Not exactly Derby material.
But 3-year-olds can improve overnight.
"The light switch went on, finally," Harty said.
Mr. Hot Stuff rallied from last to first Saturday, drawing away by 1 1/4 lengths and earning a 95 Beyer after running the mile in a quick 1:35.82. By comparison, The Pamplemousse earned a 96 Beyer winning the San Rafael Stakes in 1:35.31. Mr. Hot Stuff and The Pamplemousse are headed for a showdown Feb. 28 in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes.
A strategy shift led to the turnaround by Mr. Hot Stuff. "The difference was in the race before when Corey [Nakatani] took him back and let him finish," Harty said, adding that the Jan. 17 third-place finish changed him. "You could see the difference at the barn."
A moody colt usually found hiding at the back of his stall, Mr. Hot Stuff underwent a personality shift.
"He became confident, and would stand at the front of the stall," Harty said.
It appeared he wanted to run again, and Harty wheeled him back just two weeks later.
A former run-off, Mr. Hot Stuff performed Sunday like a seasoned pro. He dropped the bit into the first turn, rating comfortably at the back until Nakatani asked him coming off the far turn. Mr. Hot Stuff poured it on with a final quarter-mile in about 23.30 seconds.
WinStar Farm owns Mr. Hot Stuff, whose pedigree and running style suggests he wants farther than a mile. Late nominations for the Kentucky Derby close in March.
Trainer Bobby Frankel believes it was an isolated incident, and expects Brother Keith to improve with experience. After considering an out-of-town race, Frankel opted to keep Brother Keith home and see if jockey Tyler Baze can steer him to a wire-to-wire victory in the 1 1/16-mile Lewis. One thing is certain - the son of Johar loves the Pro-Ride surface.
"He worked in [59.40] on Monday like it was nothing," Frankel said.
It was the second Pro-Ride workout for Brother Keith since he raced, and Frankel said Brother Keith got enough conditioning from his fourth-place San Rafael effort to improve.
After blowing the first turn, Brother Keith dropped out by 15 lengths, made a mid-race move, then went evenly to lose by 11. Frankel said Garrett Gomez "rode him enough to get a race into him."
Gomez on Saturday will ride Pioneerof the Nile, a nose winner of the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity in his most recent start Dec. 20. I Want Revenge, runner-up in the CashCall, also will start. Others expected include Shafted, Papa Clem, Oil Man and Bittel Road.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Old Fashioned rolled into the Oaklawn Park backstretch at 1:55 p.m. Tuesday, and Rachel Alexandra had a significant work here Sunday, signs that the track's first two major stakes for 3-year-olds are right around the corner.
Old Fashioned, an early favorite for the Kentucky Derby, is targeting the Grade 3, $250,000 Southwest on Feb. 16. Rachel Alexandra, one of the top candidates for the Kentucky Oaks, put in a five-furlong drill in preparation for the $50,000 Martha Washington on Feb. 15.
Old Fashioned vanned up from New Orleans, with his trainer, Larry Jones, at the wheel. The horse's arrival was delayed a day, mostly because of some wet roads in Louisiana on Monday.
"He's precious cargo," said Jones, who wanted the best travel conditions possible for the nine-hour haul to Hot Springs.
Old Fashioned could have a breeze here Thursday, depending on the weather, Jones said.
Rick Porter, who owns the undefeated horse, said that Ramon Dominguez has the mount for the Southwest. Dominguez rode Old Fashioned to victory in the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct in his last start Nov. 29.
On Feb. 2, BEAR'S PROSPECTOR breezed five in 1:02.00 (5/13) at PMM.
On Feb. 2, THEY'RE LATE breezed three in :38.00 (9/12) at PMM.
On Feb. 2, DUMAR worked breezed four in :51.20 (38/49) at FG.
On Feb. 2, FRIESAN FIRE breezed five in 1:04.40 (25/26) at FG.
On Feb. 2, UNO MAS breezed four in :49.80 (21/49) at FG.
On Feb. 2, I WANT REVENGE worked five in :59.40 (3/39) at HOL.
On Feb. 2, SQUARE EDDIE worked five in :58.80 (1/39) at HOL.
On Feb. 2, BROTHER KEITH worked five in :59.40 (2/48) at SA.
On Feb. 2, CONGOR BAY worked five in 1:00.60 (21/48) at SA.
On Feb. 2, MAYOR MARV worked four in :46.60 (1/47) at SA.
On Feb. 1, PATENA breezed four in :52.20 (29/33) at GP.
On Feb. 1, PRESSURE POINT breezed five in 1:01.20 (1/14) at GP.
On Feb. 1, PRIMARY WITNESS breezed five in 1:03.40 (3/6) at PAY.
On Feb. 1, OBLIGINGLY worked five in :59.60 (1/38) at PMM
On Feb. 1, MUSKET MAN breezed five in 1:05.20 (26/29) at TAM.
On Feb. 1, AU MOON breezed five in 1:03.40 (21/39) at FG.
On Feb. 1, GIANT OAK breezed five in 1:00.40 (1/39) at FG.
On Feb. 1, LYIN' HEART breezed five in 1:02.80 (16/39) at FG.
On Feb. 1, FLAT OUT breezed five in 1:06.00 (73/80) at OP.
On Feb. 1, GRESHAM breezed five in :52.00 (63/88) at OP.
On Feb. 1, LOCH DUBH breezed five in 1:01.00 (1/80) at OP.
On Feb. 1, BITTEL ROAD worked five in 1:01.20 (32/58) at SA.
On Feb. 1, HEADACHE worked four in :49.40 (24/41) at SA.
On Feb. 1, PIONEEROF THE NILE worked five in :59.40 (4/58) at SA.
On Feb. 1, SHAFTED breezed four in :47.20 (4/41) at SA.
On Feb. 1, STARDOM BOUND worked five in 1:02.00 (48/58) at SA.
On Feb. 1, TRIUMPHANT FLIGHT worked four in :51.80 (41/41) at SA.
On Feb. 1, MERUS MIAMI worked five in 1:01.00 (8/49) at GG.
FB
"The reason that (Old Fashioned's recent work was so fast (breezed five from the gate in :58.80 (1/26) at FG on Jan. 29) was the gate is at the head of the stretch for the A.M. drills. The works finished on the backstretch. All the other five-furlong works were from the five-furlong pole. So the others who didn't work from the gate weren't running over the same portion of the track. I am not saying he isn't fast--he is fast--just explaining the aberration in the five-furlong work times."
"Julio wanted to go :48, but that was as easy as I could go," said regular rider Alex Solis, who was aboard for the move. "I told Julio, 'How do you stop a train?'"
Square Eddie was scheduled to make his dirt debut in the Feb. 16 Southwest Stakes (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park.
He was supposed to ship to Oaklawn today (Thursday) and yesterday he came up with a shin, Reddam said. The vets are looking at it today. Its just something where you have to stop on them. We were all wound up to go to Oaklawn. He worked on Monday and they said it was his best work ever; everyone was doing handstands. He was fine on Tuesday, and yesterday the groom said something wasnt quite right. Doug felt the shin and when he squeezed on it the horse flinched. He walked sound, but when he jogged him up the road he could see there was something off, and we cant take the chance of making it worse.
This horse was training like no horse weve ever had. Doug said we can still try and make the Derby if we can get a prep in him. We were talking about giving him about 30 days, which makes it very tough. We just dont know at this point. Hes just been so sound, but this is how it goes. Its what makes winning the Derby so special. You need the road to go very well. We need to do the prudent thing and see how he is. Poor Doug, he was so amped up on this horse. Hes just broken up over this. Yesterday, it was the owner trying to keep the trainer mentally up. Its supposed to be the other way around.
Square Eddie was purchased privately by Reddam following a second-place finish in the Sirenia Stakes (Eng-III) on Polytrack at Kempton Race Course in England. The son of Smart Strike -- Forty Gran, by El Gran Senor was bred in Ontario by Kinghaven Farms.
In his first start in 2009, Square Eddie finished second in the San Rafael Stakes (gr. III).
"We're very proud of both of them," said Cindy Jones, wife of the trainer, "and we're looking forward to those next races here."
There was also a final Cindy Jones update on the status of the rotating colors of Friesan Fire's dual ownership. The colt carried the Vinery silks when finishing second in a December 18 allowance, but in his past two outings, he has sported the red and white colors of Fox Hill Farm en route to victories in the Lecomte S. (G3) and Risen Star.
"You know, as long as the horse keeps winning, the colors worn for the latest win aren't supposed to be rotated," she said, "so we were kidding (Vinery principal) Tom Ludt after the race yesterday, saying, 'Now you're going to have to start rooting for the horse to lose.'"
The trainer's wife also commented on the disappointing Risen Star performance of IT HAPPENED AGAIN (Proud Citizen), who set the pace before retreating to 10th.
"Concerning It Happened Again, Larry thinks that he may not have liked the surface here," she said. "Larry is almost always right about things like that, especially when they don't train that well over it. He said the same thing about Hard Spun at Oaklawn two years ago, and the same thing about Just Jenda (Menifee) at Delta Downs this winter, and he was right both times, so It Happened Again will be sent somewhere else for his next race.
"As for Just Jenda (who finished third as the even-money favorite in Saturday's Silverbulletday S. [G3]), we're not sure what happened to her yesterday," said Cindy, who also owns the three-year-old filly. "We haven't figured that one out yet."
In other postscripts from Saturday's Fair Grounds action, Ralph Nicks, conditioner of Risen Star runner-up FLYING PEGASUS (Fusaichi Pegasus), cheerfully accepted congratulations from Fair Grounds' assistant racing secretary Jon Anthony Martin Sunday morning and at the same time he allowed himself an opportunity for a gentle rib.
"If you hadn't thrown me on the outside like that (referring his unfortunate draw of post 12 in the 13-horse field)," Nicks said with a wink at Martin, "we might have won the whole thing."
Nicks was kidding, of course, but Flying Pegasus' excellent run Saturday after being away from competition since a second-place finish in Belmont's Futurity S. (G2) last September, left Fair Grounds with another solid candidate for the upcoming Louisiana Derby. Was that in the plans?
"We'll let him tell us that," Nicks said. "We'll see what he says after a few days. That's one of the plans. He came back good."
Virginia Tarra Trust's GIANT OAK (Giant's Causeway), who went off as the 2-1 favorite in the Risen Star, closed belatedly to get up for fifth after multiple traffic problems.
"It appears he came out of the race all right," trainer Chris Block reported by telephone Sunday morning, "but he had a nightmare trip yesterday. It was just what I was afraid of with a big field like that."
Giant Oak, who was forced five wide around the field in his previous start when second in Churchill's Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) last November 29, encountered more serious traffic problems Saturday.
"We were just building momentum when they started coming back to us yesterday," Block said. "That's when we started having trouble. We ran into a logjam. It was frustrating. I don't feel bad for myself. I feel bad for the horse. But I'm proud of him. He finally got to run at about the eighth-pole or maybe inside of that, but he closed very well after that.
"As for the Louisiana Derby," Block added, "I don't know right now. I love the surface here, but it's a narrow track, and with another large field we might run into the same kinds of problems. If there's a smaller field likely for the Louisiana Derby, it would help us make a decision to come back. I want to run right here."
One Risen Star alumnus definitely not going on to the Louisiana Derby is seventh-place finisher INDYGO MOUNTAIN (A.P. Indy), who has been declared off the Triple Crown Trail. The Clarence Scharbauer Jr. colorbearer came out of the race well, but trainer Bret Calhoun has concluded that the colt needs more time to develop.
"We have no excuses," Calhoun said Sunday morning. "We had a good trip yesterday. We just need to regroup with this horse. He had some problems earlier this winter and we need to take some time with him now. It doesn't look like he'll be ready for the big dance. He needs to freshen up a little bit. Luckily, Mr. Scharbauer has the other horse to keep his hopes alive this spring."
Calhoun was referring to SILVER CITY (Unbridled's Song), a smashing winner of the Dixieland S. who will reappear in the February 16 Southwest S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park.
Pioneerof the Nile was seven lengths behind the leader after a half-mile of the Grade II Robert B. Lewis, but at the end, he was first after a scintillating stretch run to nail Papa Clem and I Want Revenge.
Timed in 1:41.90, the son of Empire Maker prevailed by a half-length. I Want Revenge was another length back in third.
The pace was set by Brother Keith, who set initial fractions of :23.28, :47.11 and 1:12.18. Papa Clem sat behind him, followed by I Want Revenge, who, as the 2-1 second choice, seemed to have a dream trip setting up in front of him.
At the head of the stretch, I Want Revenge took a narrow lead, only to give it up to Papa Clem in the late going. But both were overtaken by Pioneerof the Nile in the final strides.
We had a Kentucky Derby-type trip," Garrett Gomez said. "The first half mile was great and the second half was a nightmare. Everything was fine going by the half mile pole and then going to the three eighths, Jose (Valdivia, aboard Charlies Moment) dropped down on top of me and I was in a jackpot around the turn. Coming to the eighth pole I was thinking I might be a bad third and all of a sudden he kicked it in. Hes a big, long-striding horse and its nice to see that he faced some adversity today and he overcame it.
Trainer Bob Baffert was pleased. Today, he ran the way we wanted to see him run. Thats his style. We wanted to take him back. Thats the way he wants to run.
"In the Hollywood Futurity, he took off a little early, and he was a little mixed up then," said Baffert. "Hes changed so much since then. Hes matured. He was great going into the gate, great saddling, his minds getting better.
"I probably need to school him in the winners circle. He got a little upset in there. We know his style now, we know hes a good horse, and he beat a nice horse. Papa Clems a nice horse, and there were some other good ones in there. Were excited to be in this spot."
Baffert said he intends to keep Pioneerof the Nile, who's never raced on dirt, in California for the Santa Anita Derby. I think Im going to leave him here, because he likes it here and he trains well here. If he likes the dirt, hell like the dirt. I cant force him to like the dirt, but I think hes going to like it, the way he moves over it, and the way he ran at Hollywood, thats more of a dirt course, anyway.
"A really good horse can run on both. With the trip he had, Garrett said he should have run third, but he overcame a lot, which is good. This is what you want. A good horse will overcome things. Hes learning how to run, and he was very well-behaved today in the paddock and everywhere else . . . I just have to keep him happy and healthy.
He ran really good. He tried hard," Rafael Bejarano said of runner-up Papa Clem. "I was in perfect position. I had to use my horse a little bit to keep my position from the three-eighths pole to the quarter-pole, and then to the wire. I think that cost me a little bit, because my horse was flying at the end. I had to let him run from the three-eighths. Yes, for sure, I was surprised at how well he ran after coming out of a maiden race. Hes going to be a good horse.
Joe Talamo, aboard I Want Revenge, had no excuses. Around the turn, I thought it was going to be a matter of how far he would win by. It was funny. We decided to put blinkers on him. I think that helped him out a lot. It made him a little bit more focused. But I cant really give him any excuse. He was laying so good right outside those two early leaders. At the top of the lane, I kind of let him go, but the other two got us late. Still, he galloped out real nice. I think hell get a lot out of this race.
Pioneerof the Nile, who won the Grade I CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park in December, earned $120,000 of the $200,000 Lewis purse and improved his record to three wins in six starts.
Bred in Kentucky by the owner, Zayat Stables, LLC, Pioneerof the Nile was a late foal born on May 5, 2006. Assuming he makes it to the Kentucky Derby, he'll be 72 hours shy of his birthday on the first Saturday in May. He's out of Star of Goshen, by Lord at War.
Is it possible this horse is still improving? That would be sweeeeeet.
One of the top California-based contenders for the Kentucky Derby, Pioneerof the Nile ended his 2-year-old season in December with a win in the CashCall Futurity.
Trainer Bob Baffert said he has been impressed with the way that Pioneerof the Nile has handled his campaign so far, especially his appetite after his races.
"He's an eating" sonofagun, Baffert said. "They've got to be tough, but they've got to eat that night."
Desert Party moved past Vineyard Haven in Godolphin's Kentucky Derby plans at Nad Al Sheba on Thursday night as he thrashed the Champagne Stakes winner in the UAE 2000 Guineas, the first of three Derby preps that will be run in Dubai this winter.
A one-mile Group 3 contest worth $250,000, the Guineas was supposed to be Vineyard Haven's reintroduction to the winner's circle following a four-month vacation since his Champagne victory. But his Saeed bin Suroor-trained stablemate Desert Party stole the show, drawing clear for a 4 3/4-length victory over a third Godolphin entrant, Regal Ransom.
Vineyard Haven, a bit wide in third or fourth into the stretch, faded into fourth, beaten 12 lengths by the winner, who was clocked in 1:37.62, the slowest time for the race in the last four years.
Frankie Dettori gave Desert Party a ground-saving ride along the rail, angling him out as they entered the stretch, where Regal Ransom took the lead from eventual third-place finisher Redding Colliery. Desert Party found his best stride approaching the eighth pole and drew clear for the victory. The winner of the six-furlong Sanford Stakes - in which Vineyard Haven was third at Saratoga last summer - Desert Party next finished sixth behind Vineyard Haven in the one-mile Champagne at Belmont Park last October. A Godolphin trainee since his first-out maiden score on the Arlington Park Polytrack in June, Desert Party beat Regal Ransom in a seven-furlong allowance at Nad Al Sheba on Jan. 22. He has been much improved since arriving in Dubai in November, while Vineyard Haven appears to be going in the opposite direction.
A son of Street Cry, Desert Party will go next in the 1 1/8-mile UAE Derby on Dubai World Cup night, March 28, according to Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford.
"We're really pleased with the way Desert Party ran tonight," Crisford said, "but we're not so pleased about Vineyard Haven. Truth to tell, Vineyard Haven has had a rough time of it here this winter. We knew he was going to need the race."
Crisford also said that one or another of Godolphin's seven Triple Crown nominees might run in a Kentucky Derby prep in the United States.
"They will be nominated for the big Derby trials in the States," he said. "Midshipman, who will run in the Al Bastakiya, a 1 1/8-mile listed race here on March 5, could also run in something like the Blue Grass Stakes, but no decision will be made until much later."
Expected to lead interest among fans are Atomic Rain (Worth Watching), Free Country (Worth Watching) and A. P. Cardinal (Worth Watching), three shippers from Gulfstream Park.
A. P. Cardinal, owned by Rick Pitino and Ed Glasscock, comes into the Davis off a second-place finish to Danger to Society in a well-regarded 1 1/8-mile allowance race at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 8. Since then, he's put in three works at his Palm Meadows base for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. His sole outing in a stakes race led to a ninth-place finish in the Grade I Champagne Stakes last October.
Free Country makes only his third career start in the Davis after an impressive allowance win on that Jan. 8 card at Gulfstream. He also raced at 1 1/8 mile, running his record to two-for-two after cutting the corner leaving the second turn and coming up the inside to run down Atomic Rain. He's from the barn of Ken McPeek, who's leading the trainer standings at Gulfstream Park. Like A. P. Cardinal, Free Country has three workouts under his belt since last racing.
Atomic Rain is trained by Kelly Breen, who also conditions West Side Bernie. The Jan. 8 loss to Free Country was his first start since finishing second to Old Fashioned in the Grade II Remsen Stakes in November. He's also worked three times since his allowance race, but unlike A. P. Cardinal and Free Country, his final pre-race move came at Tampa Bay Downs.
John Velazquez travels from Miami to ride back on Atomic Rain, and Kent Desormeaux does the same for Free Country. On A. P. Valentine, Joe Bravo replaces Alan Garcia, who stays at Gulfstream Park to ride Primary Witness, Duke of Homberg, and Evolutionist, all 3-year-olds, in the last three races of the day.
Three are in the Davis from its traditional prep, the Pasco Stakes--winner Musket Man (Just In Case)--the third morning line choice at 9-2--and General Quarters and Medaglia d'Onore, a close second and a distant fifth in that race. Top Seed, the winner of the Inaugural Stakes, which precedes the Pasco on Tampa's schedule, is in the Davis as well, and may earn respect at the windows.
Invading from New York is Cliffy's Future, who's faced the likes of Beethoven, West Side Bernie and Professor Z in his seven-race career. Sumo, a son of Fusaichi Pegasus, comes into the Davis off an allowance win over the track.
Obligingly (Worth Watching) was expected for the Davis but has not made the trip from his Palm Meadows base for trainer Todd Pletcher.
This is the first time the Davis will be run as a graded stake, and the upgrade is well-deserved with such recent winners as Bluegrass Cat and Any Given Saturday.
California Derby winner Chocolate Candy (Looking Good) will try to remain on the road to the Kentucky Derby when he faces six opponents Saturday in the Grade III El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Fields.
On an ordinary Saturday, Chocolate Candy would be the favorite because he has excellent racing credentials. But he'll attract extra betting money on Saturday--it's Valentines Day. Chocolate Candy has recorded three wins and a third in his last four starts, and two of the victories were in stakes.
Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer and owned by Jenny Craig, Chocolate Candy broke his maiden in a one-mile race at Santa Anita on Oct. 4 and then captured the 1 1/16-mile Real Quiet Stakes at Hollywood Park on Nov. 8. Chocolate Candy rallied to finish third in the Grade 1 $750,000 CashCall Futurity on Dec. 20 at Hollywood and then made a winning 2009 debut in the California Derby on Jan. 17 at Golden Gate Fields.
Chocolate Candy rallied from sixth in a field of seven to win the California Derby by 1 3/4 length over Axel Foley and Merus Miami, two colts hell face again Saturday.
Chocolate Candy, a son of Candy Ride, will stretch out in the 1 1/8-mile El Camino Real. The California Derby and CashCall Futurity, in which Chocolate Candy was beaten just 1 1/2 length by Pioneerof the Nile, were both run at 1 1/16-mile.
Candy Ride set a Del Mar track record for 1 1/4-mile (1:59 flat) while winning the $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar in 2003. Candy Ride won all six of his career starts before chronic ankle problems prompted his retirement from racing.
Chocolate Candy has finished in the money in five of his seven races and enters the El Camino Real Derby with $262,500 in earnings. Hall of Fame jockey Russell Baze has the call.
A $200,000 event, the El Camino Real Derby is Northern Californias premier 3-year-old race. In 27 runnings, the race has produced a Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year (Charismatic, 1999), two Kentucky Derby runners-up (Cavonnier, 1996 and Casual Lies, 1992), five Preakness Stakes winners (Charismatic, 1999; Tabasco Cat, 1994; Snow Chief, 1986; Tanks Prospect, 1985; and Gate Dancer, 1984), a Belmont Stakes winner (Tabasco Cat, 1994), and a Belmont Stakes runner-up (Ten Most Wanted, 2003).
El Camino Real Derby graduates have made it to Triple Crown races each of the past three years. Cause to Believe, the 2006 El Camino Real Derby winner, finished thirteenth in the Kentucky Derby. Bwana Bull, the 2007 El Camino Real Derby victor, ran fifteenth in the Kentucky Derby. Tres Borrachos, the third-place finisher in the 2008 El Camino Real Derby, ran ninth in the Preakness Stakes.
Besides the bad performance, everything has gone fine, said John Kimmel after the move, five furlongs in 1:00 (5/18), handily. He looks well. Hes trained well. He just didnt run well. I thought todays breeze was great.
Kimmel said he was especially happy with the fractions posted in the workout, the last quarter-mile in 23 1/5 seconds, according to his stopwatch. Break Water Edison was ridden by former jockey George Martens and went in company with 4-year-old colt Freedom Bay.
He even had to go wide at one point because the two of them came up on another horse and Georgie had to take him pretty well out there on the track," Kimmel said.
Martens has plenty of experience. He won the 1981 Belmont Stakes aboard Summing and was the exercise rider for the late Scotty Schulhofer. He and Kimmel say they are pretty sure the inside post hurt Break Water Edison in the Hutcheson.
Every time hes drawn inside he hasnt run really well, said Kimmel. Georgie used to gallop Lemon Drop Kid, and he said he was always an inconsistent horse until they put blinkers on him--and he hated to be down inside. If I drew the rail again Id have to look at other options.
Kimmel said he's not concerned about the likely competition from Notonthesamepage (Worth Watching) and This Ones for Phil (Worth Watching), each with gaudy speed figures earned in sprint races this season.
Big speed figures earned in sprint races mean nothing to me, he said. Its good for me, because it means there will be a lot of speed in the race, and the pace scenario should be pretty good. The main thing I want to see in this race is for him to keep his focus, finish up and stay tuned to what were trying to do.
Break Water Edison has yet to race around two turns.
A small field is likely for the Oaks. In addition to Stardom Bound, who will be ridden by Mike Smith, the only other probables now listed by Santa Anita officials include Beltene, Joel Rosario; Nan, Corey Nakatani; and Will O Way, Russell Baze.
Pioneerof the Nile (Looking Good) worked six furlongs under Gomez in 1:12.60 (3/16), handily, for the Grade II San Felipe Stakes on March 14. He galloped out in 25 and three, Bob Baffert said. He went nice and easy. He just cruised around there.
I Want Revenge (Looking Good), prepping for Saturdays Grade III Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, worked five furlongs on Hollywood Park in :59.20 (2/26).
At Calder, Big Drama (Looking Good) worked for the second time since missing the Grade III Holy Bull on Jan. 31. He went five furlongs in 1:00.80 (2/20), handily.
At Gulfstream Park, Danger to Society (Just In Case) breezed five furlongs in 1:02.20 (10/26) for new trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr. It was the second work for the colt since being transferred out of the Ken McPeek barn after a poor race in the Holy Bull as the favorite.
Munnings (Worth Watching), unraced this year, worked for the seventh time since Jan. 17 at Palm Meadows. He breezed five furlongs in 1:02.00 (10/37) for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Also at Palm Meadows, Bear's Rocket (Worth Watching), runner-up in the Holy Bull, worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 (7/37), handily, and Cribnote (Worth Watching) worked four in :48.60 (4/51), handily.
That was very impressive, said trainer Todd Pletcher. He had been training really well, and we were optimistic, but you can never really know with a first-timer going long. He was bred to run long, and he was training like he was going to run long. I wouldnt have any problem running back in a stakes after that.
Without getting into an all-inclusive list, Pletcher has in his Gulfstream barn Florida Derby-probable Dunkirk (Looking Good), a two-time starter, and he has Take the Points (Worth Watching), second in the Grade III Sham Stakes, stationed in California. Checklist (Worth Watching) is also in Florida, and Pletcher has a couple of probables for Saturday's Grade III Gotham in New York, Masala and Naos.
But this is Pletcher, and he'll find an answer. Perhaps the Grade II Lane's End Stakes on synthetic track for the turf-friendly Affirmatif? The Lane's End is on March 21, just three weeks away, so we'll see. If not that, perhaps on synthetic for the Grade I Toyota Blue Grass on April 11?
What a year this is turning out to be.
I told them lets see if he can take back, but it now looks like that put stress on him, owner Ken Ramsey said. Weve studied why horses bleed like this, and its always the stress. We thought maybe we could take him back and send him a signal when it was time to go, but instead it just stressed him out. It was bad timing.
He bled pretty bad, said trainer Wesley Ward on Sunday. Its something weve been fighting with him, and it came out again yesterday. Its unfortunate, but I think weve got the makings of a pretty good miler. Thats where we will look from here.
Patena had an easy six-furlong workout at Gulfstream Park Saturday that Dutrow said would keep him on task for the Grade II Louisiana Derby on March 14. Exercise rider/jockey Mario Madrid was aboard for the breeze which Gulfstream clockers caught in 1:15.60 (2/3). The fastest work at the distance went to Zee Zee in 1:13.00.
The son of Seeking the Gold has been in training with Dutrow at Gulfstream Park since January. When we got him here, we wanted to go to work on some hind-end issues and try to help him put some weight on, said Dutrow. He had been coughing for about 10 days. (Saturday) was the first day he scoped completely clean. Weve been clearing different issues, and it seems to all be coming together.
Mario told me that he pulled him to every pole this morning, said Dutrow. He was very happy with him. Weve got one more breeze to go here, and then we will fly to New Orleans on the 12th. Im under the impression we are right on target.
As of Jan. 24, Patena was being pointed either to the Grade II Fountain of Youth and Grade I Florida Derby, or the Fountain of Youth and the Grade I Wood Memorial, according to IEAH's Michael Iavarone.
But that later changed, and connections said on Feb. 5 he'd probably go to the Grade II Louisiana Derby on March 14 and possibly the Grade I Toyota Blue Grass on April 11.
They also considered just going straight to the Florida Derby on March 28, hoping he'd amass enough graded earnings there to get to the Kentucky Derby. On Jan. 21, PATENA breezed five in 1:01.80 (10/21) at FG.
On Feb. 1, PATENA breezed four in :52.20 (29/33) at GP.
On Feb. 16, PATENA breezed five in 1:04.00 (15/16) at GP.
On Feb. 22, PATENA breezed six in 1:14.40 (1/1) at GP.
Patena was the winner of Woodbines Display Stakes last December and the runner-up in the Grade III Lecomte Stakes in his last start on Jan. 10 while trained by Josie Carroll. Patena was switched to the Dutrow barn after IEAH Stables bought an interest in him.
Friday, May 1, 2009, KENTUCKY OAKS DAY
Race Grade Sex Age Distance Surface Purse
Alysheba III Open 3 & Up 1 1/16 Dirt $150,000a
Edgewood Fillies 3YO 1 1/16 Turf $100,000a
Aegon Turf Sprint III Open 3 & Up 5 f
Turf $100,000a
Louisville Distaff*
II F & M 3 & Up 1 1/16 Dirt $350,000a
Crown Royal American Turf III Open 3YO 1 1/16 Turf $150,000a
Kentucky Oaks I Fillies 3YO 1 1/8 Dirt $500,000a
Saturday, May 2, 2009, KENTUCKY DERBY DAY
Race Grade Sex Age Distance Surface Purse
Eight Belles (frmly La Troienne) III Fillies 3YO 7 1/2 f Dirt $100,000a
Churchill Downs II Open 4 & Up 7 f Dirt $250,000a
Churchill Distaff Turf Mile II F & M 3 & Up 1mile Turf $200,000a
Humana Distaff I F & M 3 & Up 7 f Dirt $300,000a
Woodford Reserve Turf Classic I Open 3 & Up 1 1/8 Turf $500,000a
Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands I Open 3YO 1 1/4 Dirt $2,000,000g
Road to the Kentucky Derby TV Coverage
Date Network* Time (ET)
Races Track
March 21
ESPN2 5-6:00 Lane's End Stakes; Rushaway Stakes Turfway Park
March 28 ESPN 5-6:00 Florida Derby; Swale Stakes Gulfstream Park
April 11 ESPN2 6-7:00 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (tape delay); Arkansas Derby Keeneland
April 18 ESPN2 5-6:00 Coolmore Lexington Stakes Keeneland
April 29
ESPN
5-6:00
Kentucky Derby Post Position Draw
Louisville
May 1 ESPN2 4:30-5:30 Triple Crown Special Churchill Downs
May 2
NBC 5:00-6:30 Kentucky Derby
Churchill Downs
*ESPN and ESPN2 reserve the right to switch programming between networks.
Kentucky Derby Purse Structure
$2,000,000 guaranteed. The winner shall receive $1,240,000 guaranteed, second place $400,000, third $200,000, fourth $100,000 and fifth $60,000.
Value of 2008 Derby was $2,211,800. The winner received $1,451,800; second: $400,000; third: $200,000; fourth: $100,000; fifth: $60,000.
Kentucky Derby Post Position Draw
The Kentucky Derby Post Position Draw will take place on Wednesday, April 29 at 5:00 ET.
Jockey Alex Solis rode The Pamplemousse around Santa Anita's mile-and-an-eighth course Saturday like a guy driving to the grocery store at midnight. Nobody in front, nobody to the side. No sweat.
He won the $200,000 Grade III Sham Stakes by six lengths and it appeared as if The Pamplemousse wanted to go around again.
"I've never ridden anything quite like this," Solis said, "and I've ridden lots of pretty good horses."
Garrett Gomez, the jockey aboard runner-up Take The Points, who did everything short of setting a firecracker off in his horse's ear to try to catch Solis as they turned for home, probably summed it up best, after The Pamplemousse merely shrugged and went to yet another gear.
"The winner looks like he's the real deal," Gomez said.
There are two months to go before the big show May 2 under the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs, and lots can, and does, happen in that time. But were they to run the race next week, The Pamplemousse would be front and center.
And, everybody in horse racing, including those who write and broadcast about it, would be giddy. Talk about story lines.
The horse was picked out at auction for its owners, and is partially owned, by Alex Solis II, the son of the rider. His dad will turn 45 next month, has won many big races, but never a Kentucky Derby, and is likely to be elected into the Hall of Fame next month, an honor he badly wants and has eluded him several times.
If voters had forgotten about Solis, they remember now.
The owners, along with Solis II, are Carol Bienstock and Ann Winner of Encino, as well as William Strauss of Del Mar, whose brother, Jeff, is the chef at a restaurant they own in Del Mar, across from the racetrack. The name of the restaurant is the Pamplemousse Grille, named by Jeff Strauss for his favorite French word, which means grapefruit.
And those aren't the best story lines.
The trainer is a racetrack legend named Julio Canani, who did not become a legend because of his winning ways. Canani is legendary for, well, being Canani.
He arrived in 1963 from Peru and is in his 70s, but nobody is sure how deep into his 70s.
Recently, he has been listed as being exactly 70, but after the race Saturday, he said he is really 72, that the immigration people got it wrong. One veteran reporter said that will be 75 by Friday.
Canani should speak Spanish, or English. But he speaks neither. His language of choice is a touch of Spanglish, with a Portuguese and Italian accent, flavored by German syntax and Norwegian verb forms.
In other words, nobody knows what it is, especially Canani.
During Saturday's gathering with the media in the winner's circle, Canani said (we think):
* He didn't care about what time his horse ran. "Time only counts when you are trying to get out of jail."
* He didn't have Derby fever. "I maybe catch a cold. I have no temperature."
* The thought of the Kentucky Derby was huge pressure, so he just ignores it. "Maybe I go to Kentucky Fried Chicken. Want some fries?"
* He wasn't educated, he wasn't a good student. "I spent four years in fourth grade."
* He wore the same shirt Saturday as he did six weeks ago, when The Pamplemousse won the San Rafael Stakes here, and he didn't launder it. "If you don't like that, that's your problem."
* He is not sure if he is training the horse or the horse is training him. "He runs times in the morning I don't want him to. But I can't stop him. Alex can't stop him, either."
He talked about how it used to be easier for immigrants to get green cards, about how he came from nowhere and used to feed his family selling carrots at the tracks, and about being very superstitious.
Throughout, he had a feminine-looking handbag tucked under his arm and explained that, at the races recently, he had been carrying the computer case of the daughter of a friend because he thought it was too heavy for her. His horses won, so he decided to carry her computer case for The Pamplemousse's race.
Every angle was tried with Canani, who tries to scowl at some questions and can't quite get there, because he is having so much fun.
His horse has won wire to wire in both the San Rafael and the Sham, posing the question of whether The Pamplemousse might have trouble being tucked in behind another horse for part of a race. Was Canani worried about that?
"Who cares?" he giggled.
The Kentucky Derby is an eighth of a mile longer than Saturday's race. Did it worry Canani that maybe his horse couldn't go that distance?
"I should shoot myself in the head," he said.
So, if form holds for two more months and The Pamplemousse continues to show well, including his likely next outing in the April 4 Santa Anita Derby, the state of Kentucky and the world of horse racing won't quite know what hit them.
They'll be putting grapefruit squares in the mint juleps.
New Hall of Famer Alex Solis will be doing interviews about changing the diapers of one of the horse's owners.
Japanese journalists will be interviewing Julio Canani.
And understanding every word he says.
I gotta big tip on Quality Road in the fourth, said one patron. One of the jocks valets came up to the pressbox to say that Quality Road cant lose the fourth, said a member of the press. Richie Migliore has been working with Quality Road for the last month and said he will win first time out, a local horseman said just prior to the fourth race.
Sure enough, Quality Road, sent off at 3-1 in the 13-horse field, charged out of the gate, fought off pressure for the first half-mile, then drew off under Alan Garcia to win by 2 3/4 lengths in a sharp 1:16 flat for the 6 1/2 furlongs that would earn him a lofty 101 Beyer speed figure.
I just wish Richie had been on this horse, trainer Jimmy Jerkens said in the winners circle. Hes worked so closely with him and knows him so well.
But Migliore had been committed to ride his Breeders Cup Turf Sprint winner Desert Code in the Hollywood Turf Express Handicap (gr. IIIT) the same day. Unfortunately, the horse got sick and was forced to miss the race, but Garcia had already been assigned the mount.
Quality Road showed up next at Gulfstream Park in a contentious seven-furlong allowance race. After breaking slowly, he was rushed to the lead, set blazing fractions while going head and head with Todd Pletchers runaway maiden winner Obligingly, and was unable to hold off the late charge of Theregoesjojo. Quality Road developed a cough soon after that race, and the consensus opinion was that he was brewing the infection on race day. Jerkens told Chris Baker, farm manager for owner Edward P. Evans Spring Hill Farm in Casanova, Va., that the colts coat was a bit off going into the race, making him believe he already was showing signs of the bug that was going through his barn.
Quality Road began training like gangbusters, prepping for the Fountain of Youth with a bullet :58 2/5 work six days before the race. This time, the colts coat was resplendent, and it was just a matter of how he would handle the wicked pace that was expected, and the lack of experience.
With John Velazquez aboard this time, Quality Road broke sharply, but rated kindly in second, tracking the front-running This Ones For Phil. When Velazquez asked him, Quality Road accelerated and blew right by the leader at the head of the stretch. What was supposed to be one of the most contentious races of the year turned into a one-horse show, as Quality Road drew off to win by 4 1/4 lengths in 1:35 flat for the mile. What was visually impressive was the way he drew away from Theregoesjojo, an exciting stretch runner with a brilliant turn of foot who had rallied from seventh with an eye-catchng move on the turn and was himself drawing clear of the pack, finishing four lengths ahead of third-place finisher Beethoven. Theregoesjojo is a serious horse with a ton of ability, and although he was running a winning race, Quality Road, after pressing a :45 2/5 half, was actually opening up on him at the end.
Migliore, watching from the jocks room at Aqueduct, knew at the five-eighths pole Quality Road was going to win.
Although hes got speed, hes not a horse that wants to be rushed, Migliore said. When he got off slowly in his first start this year it was a perfect opportunity to take hold of him and let him get in stride, but he was gunned out of there. Today, Johnny was able to get him into that rhythm and I knew there was going to be a lot of horse there when he turned for home.
He definitely touted himself early on. I worked a lot with him starting from September, so it was disappointing I couldnt ride him. A real good horse is a combination of several things. Obviously they have that kind of stride thats so big and efficient; they have size but are very light on their feet; they cover so much ground theyre always going faster than you feel like theyre going; and theyre very intelligent. He was all four of those things. He was extremely intelligent. Something would happen that would spook 90% of the horses and he would just stop and look at it with a quizzical look, and then drop his head and go on. Thats something you cant teach; its something the good horses seem to possess. To me, from the first time I got on him I thought he was the complete package.
Despite Quality Road being by the mile specialist Elusive Quality , Migliore has no doubt the colt will stay.
He definitely has the ability and I know he can go as far as he needs to go, he said. Thats not even a question in my mind. Its only his third start of his life, but theyve been breaking all these Derby rules lately, so maybe there arent any hard rules anymore. If anyone is going to get him there with a light race schedule its Jimmy. Hes just like his dad (Hall of Famer Allen Jerkens), and I have so much faith in the guy as a horseman. Hes definitely in the right hands. A lot can happen over the next three to four weeks but on Saturday he stamped himself as the horse Jimmy and I always believed him to be.
Baker said Quality Road was one of those young horses who never did anything wrong. A tall, elegant colt, he was striking to look at, and Baker was impressed by the amount of ground he covered while training at Aiken, S.C. Then he was sent to Jerkens, who began to notice the colts talent once he stretched out his works.
Jimmys not a vocal guy, but when he started working him a half and five-eighths he made it clear this horse can really run, Baker recalled. And when Jimmy says that you need to listen.
So, once again, we have to ask ourselves, just how special is this horse, will he be as effective going two turns, and is he capable of winning the Derby off only four career starts? Remember, he was in receipt of 6 to 8 pounds from every horse in the field but one, and that was the runner-up, who carried two pounds more.
Quality Roads sire, Elusive Quality, although a miler/sprinter, has already sired a Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner in Smarty Jones , and Quality Roads female family is loaded with class and stamina through broodmare sire Strawberry Road, and tail-female influences Alydar and Bold Bidder. Strawberry Roads sire, Whiskey Road, is by Nijinsky out of the champion filly Bowl of Flowers, winner of the Coaching Club American Oaks. Perhaps most important, Quality Roads dam, Kobla, is a full-sister to champion Ajina, winner of the grade I Breeders Cup Distaff, CCA Oaks, and Mother Goose, and runner-up in the grade I Alabama and Beldame.
Speaking of the Fountain of Youth, the one-mile distance drew a great deal of criticism for its placement on the schedule. Instead of a natural progression from the seven-furlong Hutcheson Stakes (gr. III) to the one-mile Holy Bull (gr. III) to the 1 1/8-mile Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby (gr. I), the 3-year-olds who had already run nine furlongs in the Holy Bull (gr. III) or in allowance races were asked to go a flat mile against a number of exceptionally fast horses stretching out from six furlongs. That scenario was rejected by most trainers, and as a result, only one horse -- Beethoven, whose pedigree is more geared toward a mile made the drop back in distance.
Instead of providing a chance for much-needed graded earnings going two turns, the Fountain of Youth draw a field made up in good part of horses coming off huge Beyer numbers in sprints This Ones For Phil 116, Notonthesamepage 114, Taqarub 103, and Capt. Candyman Can 101. And Quality Road had run a 101 in his career debut.
While that made for a wide-open, contentious race, there was a question whether it would actually serve as a useful prep for legitimate Kentucky Derby horses. As a result, several of the top horses based in South Florida changed course for the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III), Gotham (gr. III), or Louisiana Derby (gr. II), with one even going to California for the Sham Stakes (gr. IIII). That raises a second question: who will be left to run in the Florida Derby, a race that likely will be headed by Dunkirk, coming off only a maiden and an allowance victory? Jerkens said he is seriously considering the Wood Memorial (gr. I) for Quality Roads next start, but hasnt ruled out the Florida Derby. And well have to see where Kenny McPeek goes with Theregoesjojo, who could be one of the real sleepers for the Derby.
There is one other note regarding Gulfstream. It is time to simply ignore the fractions in one-mile races run out of the chute. In order to give horses as much room as possible behind the gate for safety reasons, the gate is moved up, so instead of having a run-up before the teletimer is triggered, the timing starts as soon as the horses break. As a result, the opening quarter in the Fountain of Youth was a sluggish :23 4/5, while the half was run in :45 2/5. That means the second quarter was run in :21 3/5 after a :23 4/5 first quarter. Sorry, but horses simply do not do that, so pay no attention to the fractions of this race.
Wild Bull of the Pamplemousse
Apologies to all those who have never heard of the noted heavyweight fighter of the 1920s, Luis Firpo, who was nicknamed Wild Bull of the Pampas, but the description was too good to pass up. Firpo, lacking the grace and natural skills of a Jack Dempsey, would come charging at his opponents like a bull, flailing away with wild haymakers. He once knocked Dempsey to the canvas seven times in the first round, one time knocking him clear out of the ring.
Anyone who has seen The Pamplemousse run and the way he charges at his opponents with legs going off in all directions can understand the comparison. Of course, both Firpo and The Pamplemousses trainer, Julio Canani, were born in South America, so there is another admittedly offbeat and useless connection.
The Pamplemousse does not possess the smooth, graceful strides you look for in a Derby contender. But his strides, as rough around the edges as they are, are enormous and allow him to seemingly lope along on the lead at an easy clip, when in reality he is rattling off rapid fractions and running his opponents into the ground. He comes charging right at you from the start, and no one is going to want to challenge him when hes taking one stride to their two. He takes so little out of himself, he has plenty left in reserve and is able to draw away from his foes with relative ease.
With a pedigree laced with speed in his tail-male and tail-female families, one has to wonder where this reserve comes from. His sire, Kafwain , was a tenacious bulldog on the track, and Kafwains sire, Cherokee Run , has sired a number of hard-knocking horses.
In any event, The Pamplemousse looks to be a horse you do not want to tangle with, especially in races with no early speed, as was the case in Saturdays 1 1/8-mile Sham Stakes (gr. III). Other than the second- and third-place finishers, Take the Points and Mr. Hot Stuff, respectively, the Sham was a pretty weak group. Take the Points traveled cross-country, arriving two days before the race after his original flight was canceled, and was running on a synthetic surface for the first time. Mr. Hot Stuff, although impressive in his previous start, still was coming off a maiden race, in which the proverbial light bulb finally went on after four mediocre-to-dismal performances.
While The Pamplemousses time of 1:47 4/5 earned him a strong 103 Beyer, the track was producing fast times all afternoon in sprint races. So there are no distance races to use as a comparison. As mentioned earlier, The Pamplemousse has a stride that from a head-on view makes him look like a car in need of a wheel alignment. He swings both his front legs way to the left, with his right front lined up between his back legs and his left front out in another path. But with that said, it hasnt affected his performances, and from the side, where most people see him, hes actually quite entertaining to watch, with that big high leg kick and bounding stride. If you like watching horses who are different from other horses, then The Pamplemousse is your kind of horse. And if you like trainers who are different from other trainers then youll have two reasons to root for him.
There are several interesting videos of the horse on Youtube, where you can get a good look at him in action and just walking to and from the track. If he and the colorful Canani make it to Churchill Downs, he will be an instant fan favorite, especially with the Alex Solis Sr. and Jr. connection and the often-told story of his name, which is French for The Grapefruit and the name of a popular eatery across from Del Mar.
In the meantime, if anyone has hopes of beating this horse in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), they better come prepared to double-team him or hope someone on a kamikaze mission shows up.
Credit must be given to Take the Points, who not only had to travel thousands of miles to face the rampaging bull, he found himself in a no-win situation having to chase him the whole way on a foreign surface after breaking from the outside post. He was able to put in a strong, but short-lived, run to move into close contention at the head of the stretch, but everything caught up with him in the final furlong and he became a bit leg weary. Still, he was able to finish second, nearly two lengths ahead of Mr. Hot Stuff, and should get a lot out of the race. His effort was similar to Giacomo s 6 1/2-length drubbing by the speedy Consolidator in the 2005 San Felipe (gr. II), run in a blistering 1:40 flat. Giacomo was able to use that race as a step toward Kentucky Derby glory. Well see if Take the Points can do the same.
It is not known at this time whether he will remain in California, where hed have to look at that big gray butt again, or head back to the friendlier dirt confines back east.
Mr. Hot Stuff, a full-brother to Colonel John, ran well enough in his first start against winners and is at least moving in the right direction. But hell have his work cut out for him in the Santa Anita Derby.
And beyond the top trio, of course, there are horses such as Pioneerof The Nile, whose ability on dirt will remain an unknown until Derby Day, and Imperial Council, whose best efforts could come around two turns, and Giant Oak, whose talents are just begging for a good trip.
Anyway, Quality Road was nothing less than sensational in winning todays Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park. Making only the third start of his career, the big very big colt stalked This Ones For Phil, who got away with fractions that were probably softer than expected 23.84 (?) for the quarter-mile and 45.55 for the half. After six furlongs in 1:09.40, Quality Road moved to the leader and then, in the stretch, took control, drawing clear to win by more than four lengths, completing the mile in 1:35.01.
To put that final time in some sort of context, early in the day at Gulfstream, a group of older maidens, a few of them having flashed some ability, completed the same distance in 1:38.36. And just a couple races prior to the Fountain of Youth, Pictural won a seven-furlong allowance race in 1:23.19. And so Quality Roads final clocking was indeed outstanding by any measure.
Afterwards, his trainer, Jimmy Jerkens, as if trying to contain his enthusiasm and restrain anybodys potential runaway exuberance, pointed out that a one-turn mile is very different from any two-turn race. Thats why, of course, this modern mutation of the Fountain of Youth lacks the Triple Crown significance of earlier editions, specifically for those 51 races that were run around two turns at 1 1/16 miles. Still, this one-turn, one-mile version was vastly superior in every way to the most recent incarnations at 1 1/8 miles.
And Quality Road gave a performance that ranks, in my estimation, among the best by any 3-year-old this year. Moreover, there was nothing about his victory that suggested a mile will be the border of his ability. After some bumping early, he rated behind the pacesetter and responded powerfully when asked.
Theregoesjojo rallied to be second. In doing so, he insisted he deserves to be included among the potential Triple Crown noisemakers. And Beethoven, who looked a little uncomfortable in the post parade and trailed for three-quarters of a mile, made some headway in the lane and finished third.
Quality Road was not among the original 401 horses nominated to the Triple Crown. (Thats why I dropped him out of the top 20 after having him No. 6 in the original list of top 100 potential Triple Crown noisemakers. He was, quite simply, one of the best youngsters I saw in all of 2008.) But that oversight, Jerkens said, will soon be corrected.
As for Quality Roads next start, Jerkens said he had no definite plans. But he did mention the Florida Derby on March 28 at Gulfstream and the Wood Memorial on April 4 at Aqueduct.
Also today, The Pamplemousse led from the start to win the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita, drawing clear to finish six lengths ahead of Take The Points, with Mr. Hot Stuff third. Unbeaten now in three races around two turns, The Pamplemousse set a solid pace (46.51 for the half) and just kept rolling, completing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.86. It may be worth noting that Mr. Hot Stuff, Colonel Johns little brother, actually galloped out beyond the winner.
And so heres the latest top-20 shuffle of potential Triple Crown noisemakers.
1. Old Fashioned
2. Dunkirk
3. Quality Road
4. Hello Broadway
5. Friesan Fire
6. Pioneerof The Nile
7. Imperial Council
8. Giant Oak
9. Patena
10. Flying Pegasus
11. The Pamplemousse
12. Theregoesjojo
13. Mr. Fantasy
14. Beethoven
15. West Side Bernie
16. Haynesfield
17. Midshipman
18. Desert Party
19. Mr. Hot Stuff
20. General Quarters
Highly regarded 3-year-old Giant Oak missed three days of exercise this week, but his trainer, Chris Block, said the colt's apparently minor setback should not affect plans to start in the March 14 Louisiana Derby.
Giant Oak, a vastly troubled fifth in the Risen Star Stakes, his 3-year-old debut, suffered some sort of mouth injury last Sunday, the day after he worked five furlongs.
"He had either an abscess or a puncture in his mouth," Block said. "Sunday, he was just not himself, not eating the way we want him to, and he carried a low-grade temperature. We thought he might be getting sick, but within 24 hours we started to see some drool in his mouth. On the lower branch of his gum, on the left side, there was a sliver, maybe something from his grain."
The object was removed, Giant Oak's temperature returned to normal, and the colt went back to the track for a one-mile jog on Friday. Giant Oak still shows slight signs of discomfort while eating, but the injury is improving. Block said he would postpone a work that had been scheduled for Saturday, but gallop Giant Oak strongly over the next week.
"We'll put in a very good breeze next Saturday, and if everything went good there, we'd still be right on target," said Block. "You don't want to miss any days, but cautiously, I think we've got it under control."
Giant Oak, who was ridden by Edgar Prado in the Risen Star, will have a new jockey for the Louisiana Derby, Block said, but as of Friday no final decision had been made about who would ride the horse.
By Mike Watchmaker
NEW YORK - Over the last three years, many of the rules that seemed to govern the Kentucky Derby have crumbled faster than Tokyo under Godzilla's wrath.
In 2006, Barbaro became the first horse in 50 years to win the Derby off a layoff of five weeks or more, posting the largest winning margin (6 1/2 lengths) in 60 years. In 2007, Street Sense became the first in 24 years to win off only two prep races at 3, the first 2-year-old champion in 28 years to win, and the first Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner to win in the Cup's 23-year history. And last year, Big Brown became the first in 93 years to win the Derby in only his or her fourth career start and the first in 79 years to win from post 20.
Many of the old Derby rules were grounded in such time-tested assets as fitness and seasoning. These are still important assets, but they don't seem to be as all-important as they once were. The same is true with pedigree. A stout pedigree used to be a major requirement. In recent years, however, not so much. Such horses as Big Brown and Smarty Jones (in 2004) won the Derby with miler's pedigrees.
Those of us who weren't quick adapting to these changes have managed to come around. For example, yours truly was against Barbaro and skeptical of Street Sense but had no reservations about Big Brown. Recognizing just what role the Derby rules play, if any, is important because new historical factors are threatening to come into play.
This year, we might see Stardom Bound attempt to become the first filly in 21 years and only the fourth filly ever to win the Derby. We might see the most serious threat yet by a colt trying to be the first to win the Derby after prepping in Dubai. Among the candidates are the reigning 2-year-old champion, Midshipman; the hot Desert Party; and Vineyard Haven, should he recapture his best form.
And we might see a strong challenge to the granddaddy of all Derby rules. The last Derby winner who did not race at 2 was Apollo in 1882. That's 1882, as in 127 years ago.
But anyone who saw Dunkirk win last Thursday at Gulfstream Park probably can't help but wonder if this Derby rule might not be the next one to fall.
Dunkirk was awesome. That he ran away from a loaded allowance field by almost five lengths going 1 1/8 miles and earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure only begins to tell the story. Dunkirk was caught ridiculously wide on the first turn and was only a little less wide the rest of the way. He lost so much ground it looked like he ran a sixteenth of a mile farther than anyone else.
But Dunkirk did not race at 2. In fact, he did not debut until Jan. 24, when he was a stylish winner. So questions arise. Is Jan. 1 really a firm cut-off date, or is it largely arbitrary because it coincides with the Thoroughbred birthday? Who are the Derby winners since Apollo with the latest racing debuts? When did Apollo make his racing debut?
Unfortunately, getting answers is difficult. For source material, I had to settle on a copy of past performances of all Kentucky Derby entrants from 1955 through 2000 that I received from the National Turf Writers Association in 2001. After reviewing those past performances, here are some partial answers:
Of the last 54 Kentucky Derby winners, the ones with the latest racing debuts were Fusaichi Pegasus (2000 Derby winner), who debuted on Dec. 11; Majestic Prince (1969), who debuted on Nov. 28; and Smarty Jones (2004), who made his first career start on Nov. 9. Sunday Silence, the 1989 Derby winner, is next in line with an Oct. 30 debut.
It's interesting that two of the top three were from 2000 on, which is emblematic of the evolving philosophy among trainers of good horses that infrequent racing is better, and I suppose Dunkirk fans can take this as a sign of hope. On the other hand, it was surprising that only three of the last 54 Derby winners made their first starts after October and that there is a 44-day gap between Fusaichi Pegasus's debut and Dunkirk's. That is substantial, and not encouraging if you're a Dunkirk fan.
But as we have learned, what used to be critical factors in identifying Derby winners aren't as important anymore. I have a theory on that. Back when the Derby rules mattered, there was a greater depth of quality in Kentucky Derby fields, so rules that put an emphasis on factors like fitness and seasoning were helpful in distinguishing between horses of comparable ability. These days, there isn't as much depth of quality in Derby fields, so the premium has shifted to talent, as in, how many can really run? And in that regard, Dunkirk does not fall short.