2009 KY Derby 135th edition; final post-position/odds p28

[Glimmerglass]

Oh not so much … Vineyard Haven was a very well beat 4th place (and backing up) in the 1 mi race and looking not just rusty but down right unimpressive.

That said the winner was Desert Party (KY), as son of Desert Cry, with Frankie D. up and they have been doing very well in Dubai since shipping from the US. Since the loss in the Hopeful Stakes, shipping to Dubai, he’s won at Nad al Sheba on Jan 22nd and now this big win also at Nad al Sheba.

Desert Party last year won the Sanford Stakes (G2) at Saratoga. He was purchased for $2.1 Mas a 2-yr old in Training at Fasig-Tipton Calder

He originally sported the Darley Stable silks and began his career with trainer Eoin Harty at Arlington Park, taking a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight by 3 3/4 lengths on June 22. The bay colt was immediately stepped up in class for his next race and responded with a 3 1/4-length decision in the six-furlong Sanford. Desert Party suffered his first loss when sixth in the Hopeful S. (G1) in his juvenile finale.

TVG remarked that reports have been that Midshipman’s ‘doing as well as Vineyard Haven in Dubai’ so if that was VH’s effort here in Feb I don’t forsee either in the KY Derby as a serious contender.

[Glimmerglass]

Video replays:

NYRA: Feb 7, 2009 2009 Whirlaway Stakes as won by Haynesfield

The UAE 2000 Guineas from today was on youtube.com 20 minutes ago but has been pulled down Another user I’m sure will be post it

[Glimmerglass]

And the odds explode … Derby Future Wager odds (live) Pool 1

Vineyard Haven was pegged with a M/L of 12-1 and (after that loss in the UAE) he’s at 88-1

Interestingly Old Fashioned was at 10-1 initially but as of this afternoon it’s moved out to 26-1

[Drvmb1ggl3]

Replay of the UAE Guineas. The fact that Dettori picked the ride on Desert Party over Vineyard Haven was pretty telling.
Definitely a horse to keep an eye on.

[justalittlex]

Looking at the odds you mentioned, Glimmerglass, my favorite horse The Pamplemouss has (perhaps just for a minute) the lowest odds! at 13.

[DMK]

My Derby updates seem to be different from yours Glimmer…

BloodHorse.com Breaking News

The Godolphin Racing duo of Desert Party and Vineyard Haven finished first and second Feb. 12 in the Two Thousand Guineas (UAE-III) at Nad al Sheba in Dubai as both colts continued on the road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).

and after watching the race, I guess we should trust you!

[Glimmerglass]

So he was wasn’t doing well in the morning, Frankie skipped on riding him well before that morning, and they ran him anyhow … interesting.

Associated Press 2-13-09 “Derby hopeful Vineyard Haven loses 2009 debut”

Vineyard Haven, a top 2-year-old who won the Hopeful Stakes and the Champagne Stakes, was purchased for a reported $12 million in November and sent to Dubai to train for the Derby in Louisville, Ky., on May 2.

“I am disappointed with Vineyard Haven,” trainer Saeed bin Suroor said. “He did not show up well this morning, and we were hoping he will be better this evening. That was not the case.”

From the Daily Racing Form this additional bit on the Dubai contingent of horses:

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.”

Further details on Indygo Mountain being off the trail (already cited) Star-Telegram 2-13-09

Indygo Mountain injured

Indygo Mountain chipped a knee while finishing seventh in Saturday’s Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds. He’ll have surgery today, said his trainer, Bret Calhoun.

“He should make a complete recovery,” Calhoun said. “And hopefully in the fall we’ll see him become the kind of horse we think he can be.”

[Glimmerglass]

Pretty neat to have: Churchill Downs provided free Lifetime Past performancess for '09 KY Derby nominees (they go up to Feb 10, 2009)

Old Fashioned had odds (in the future wager pool #1) swing from 10-1 at opening to 24-1 in mid afternoon to now 12-1 this morning

Brisnet offered some interesting bits on Old Fashioned’s personality from Larry Jones

"When it is work time, he’s ready, but after that it’s naptime," the horseman said. "Naptime is leave me alone time for Old Fashioned.

“Old Fashioned is a neat horse. It’s hard not to love him. Bringing him up here from Fair Grounds it was just me and him, it was bonding time. It was like I will focus on you, and you will focus on me.”

Wednesday’s bullet workout was his last before Monday’s Southwest Stakes (Grade 3) and it didn’t take anything out of him. They’ll just keep him occupied and stretched out between now and then:

“He’s ready to go,” Jones reported. "He acted like there was nothing to it. He came back to the barn and barely was blowing and didn’t drink but a gallon of water.

“We will gallop a mile or mile and a half on Friday, and then Saturday and Sunday give him an easy five-eighths gallop,” he added. “We are excited and ready.”

[VirginiaBred]

That’s so nice about Old Fashioned.

[DMK]

interesting - as a FL bred I wouldn’t think the Dubai heat would get to Vineyard Haven, especially as he broke his maiden at Calder. I wonder if he is a poor air traveler? If so, maybe they should get him back to the US and training with Bobby Frankel?

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=DMK;3878842]
interesting - as a FL bred I wouldn’t think the Dubai heat would get to Vineyard Haven, especially as he broke his maiden at Calder. I wonder if he is a poor air traveler? If so, maybe they should get him back to the US and training with Bobby Frankel? :D[/QUOTE]

Well VH better start singing for his supper or else that $12M debt will land him in jail before he gets to leave the country At least according to the New York Times yesterday:

With Dubai’s economy in free fall, newspapers have reported that more than 3,000 cars sit abandoned in the parking lot at the Dubai Airport, left by fleeing, debt-ridden foreigners (who could in fact be imprisoned if they failed to pay their bills). Some are said to have maxed-out credit cards inside and notes of apology taped to the windshield.

Maybe Desert Party will lend him a few bucks

[War_Admiral]

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;3874435]
As assumed the horse Mr. Fantasy (owned by West Point Thoroughbreds) is named for the 1967 album by Traffic. [/QUOTE]

…which was produced by my dear friend the late great Jimmy Miller. So I guess that’ll be MY sentimental pick this year… :sadsmile:

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=justalittlex;3877569]
Looking at the odds you mentioned, Glimmerglass, my favorite horse The Pamplemouss has (perhaps just for a minute) the lowest odds! at 13.[/QUOTE]

The Pamplemousse is being pointed for the Grade 3 $200,000 Sham Stakes over 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on Feb. 28.

[Glimmerglass]

Updates on the El Camino Real Derby entries

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;3876316]
Valentine’s Day at Golden Gate Field’s …[/QUOTE]

$200,000 El Camino Real Derby - Grade 3 - Saturday

PP 5: Merus Miami (KY) was scratched today from racing in the El Camino. The West Point TB owned colt previously won the $75,000 Gold Rush Stakes (ungraded) Dec 20, 2008.

A small abscess in his left front foot is the culprit. His connections said they would likely point the colt to the Grade 3, $200,000 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 28.

PP 3: Axel Foley (KY), with Michael C. Baze has been privately sold today to Jeff Singer but will remain with trainer Doug O’Neill. Axel will have blinkers on tomorrow for the first time which could seriously improve his effort.

He’s only been off the board once in his life (a Grade 1 race) just after he was shipped back to the US from England. So look for a possible wicked good effort

[jennywho]

I was happy to see Imperial Council return victorious in an allowance at Gulfstream today. I’m not sure I’ll really be on his bandwagon until he proves that he can stretch out. Looks like he’ll be a pretty nice colt regardless.

[Glimmerglass]

A very nice effort and 3 1/2 length win by an otherwise off the Derby radar General Quarters who is a Tampa Bay Downs based horse. With that upset in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (Grade 3) today it should almost ensure him enough graded money ($120,000) to get a starting gate at Churchill - but there are no guarantees.

The final time for 1 1/16 miles on the main track was 1:43.54.

General Quarters - owned by Thomas McCarthy and trained by Mark Miller

[Glimmerglass]

The field and post positions for Monday’s Southwest Stakes (Grade 3)

$250,000 Southwest Stakes - Grade 3
Oaklawn Park - Race 9 @ 5:02 p.m. CST
Diatnce: 1 Mile on dirt

PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey

1. Retap (KY), 117, Luis S. Quinonez
2. Loch Dubh (KY), 117, Jon K. Court
3. Silver City (KY), 117, Miguel Mena
4. Gresham (KY), 117, Calvin H. Borel
   5. Old Fashioned (KY), 119, Ramon A. Dominguez
5. Buzzin and Dreamin (FL), 115, Israel Ocampo
6. Flat Out (FL), 119, Julio A. Garcia
7. Professor Z (KY), 117, Christopher A. Emigh
8. Poltergeist (TX), 117, Quincy Hamilton
9. Silver Bayer (KY), 115, Terry J. Thompson
10. Kick On (FL), 119, Ken S. Tohill

fyi - Old Fashioned in Pool 1 for the CDI’s run KY Derby Future is now (2/14 6pm CST) at an astoundingly low 6-1

DE News Journal Feb 14, 2009 “Old Fashioned has Jones, Dominguez feeling good”

“He is so fast out of the gate,” said Dominguez. “He’s a very fast horse, period, and we should be able to fill into a good position early and stay out of trouble. In the Remsen, when I asked him, he just left the competition behind late in the race. The size of a field can cause problems, but I’m confident and believe we will have a good trip.”

[VirginiaBred]

Right smack in the middle.

Silver City is in the three slot…I think he’ll have to run well to beat Old Fashioned…

[jennywho]

I just read that former $20K claimer General Quarters is owned by his groom. How cool is that?

[Glimmerglass]

It was a win by Chocolate Candy at Golden Gate Fields yesterday - but not by much. I’m not sure if that was worthy of praise as he dug in to take the victory or a sign he’s not on peer with the East Coast runners who are more dominant over luke-warm fields. Axel Foley was a contender in lock step with 'Candy until the pace killed his run and he was out of it by the last turn.

Next step: Chocolate Candy to be pointed to the April 4 Santa Anita Derby, but also maybe try the March 14 San Felipe at Santa Anita as well.

Chocolate Candy the son of Candy Ride out of the Seattle Slew mare Crownette earned $120,000 to lift his career earnings to $382,500. He now has $220,000 in graded stakes earnings, the determining factor if the Kentucky Derby overfills.