2013 Kentucky Derby 139th Edition: congrats to Orb (Shug, Joel, Phipps/Janney)

[Glimmerglass]

Gulfstream Park laments that the FL Derby has thus far few takers but largely that’s due to so many of the leading horses poised to race elsewhere:

[For the FL Derby March 30] only three 3-year-olds confirmed as starters for the race, the highly regarded trio of Shanghai Bobby, Itsmyluckyday, and Orb.

Others …

Verrazano is being pointed to the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 6; Revolutionary, presently on course for the Louisiana Derby, also on March 30; Normandy Invasion (Wood); Delhomme (this weekend’s Rebel at Oaklawn); Overanalyze (Sunland Derby); Palace Malice (Louisiana Derby); Uncaptured (Turfway’s Spiral on March 23); Rydilluc (Keeneland’s Blue Grass on April 13); and Capo Bastone (Spiral).

[Glimmerglass]

Jockey change following a ride that wasn’t without a lot of skepticism

Garrett Gomez will replace Julien Leparoux aboard Flashback for his next start - Santa Anita Derby on April 6.

[Glimmerglass]

Fable - a succinct fictional story. Example:

David Wilkenfeld was “offered at least $3 million” following the Gotham for Vyjack … and turned it down.

Vyjack is a gelding. If a credible offer of $3M was offered by someone having the actual means after just one Derby points awarding prep-race win with a gelding I have a number of financial investments to offer that person.

On the flipside I won’t knock Wilkenfeld making a decision to pass on such an offer [I still say it didn’t happen] as I’m sure he’s having a ball with a strong Derby contender for the moment. He’s already wealthy and enjoys horse racing so why give up being part of the action?

[Glimmerglass]

For those who didn’t think it could happen - D. Wayne Lukas takes 1-2 in the Rebel Stakes and best of all Jon Court takes it after being demoted to Will Take Charge while Mike Smith imports to take Oxbow:

Video: $600,000 Rebel Stakes (Grade 2) at Oaklawn Park.

With the win, Will Take Charge earned 50 points to become the new points leader on the inaugural system that governs Kentucky Derby eligibility if the May 4 race is oversubscribed. Oxbow picked up 20 points, while Den’s Legacy, who finished two lengths back in third in the Rebel, earned 10 points, and fourth-place finisher Texas Bling, 5.

Will Take Charge now has a total of 60 points on the Kentucky Derby leader board, 10 more than Vyjack, Orb, Verrazano, and Hear the Ghost, who each has 50. Oxbow is next on the list, with 36.

BTW finishing last: Delhomme making his 3-yr old debut.

Oaklawn today’s ontrack crowd, with the infield opened up, was: 33,963.

[Mali]

Was Delhomme being pulled up at the end, or did the jockey just realize his tank was empty? It was hard to tell in the video, and they didn’t show him cross the line.

[Glimmerglass]

Official leader board - with Derby Points as of 03/17/13 - pdf

In regards to Delhomme - per the chart: DELHOMME unruly saddling, raced forwardly early, also finished after four furlongs, fell quickly back, distanced. It doesn’t appear he “finished” with a recorded time.

[CVPeg]

Thought Super Ninety-nine also looked like he was finishing up not quite right - after his tussle between two others.
Hope I’m wrong.

Have to say, in replaying the post parade, Will Take Charge looked really ready to run.
And he certainly also has it behind his dam, Take Charge Lady!

[grits]

[QUOTE=CVPeg;6889111]

Have to say, in replaying the post parade, Will Take Charge looked really ready to run.
And he certainly also has it behind his dam, Take Charge Lady![/QUOTE]

Second year in a row she’s had a colt who’s a KD contender. Last year, she had Take Charge Indy.

[Glimmerglass]

Next steps: Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said that Will Take Charge is being considered for the Blue Grass ($750k - April 13;

Oxbow could go in the Arkansas Derby ($1M - also April 13).

Texas Bling, the Rebel’s fourth-place finisher, will also be pointed for the Arkansas Derby.

Delhomme is off the Derby trail per Pletcher

Pletcher said arrangements are being made to have the horse physically evaluated at Rood and Riddle in Kentucky.

“There’s nothing obvious at this point,” Pletcher said.

Jon Court will get the mount on Lukas-trained Channel Isle in the Grade 3, $550,000 Spiral at Turfway on Saturday. Nice see Jon potentially having this year a few Derby mount options.

[Glimmerglass]

Interestingly the Courier Journal has now a devoted blog for Shanghai Bobby:

http://blogs.courier-journal.com/shanghaibobby/

This would be on top of Shanghai Bobby’s twitter feed

Aside - the old band evidently is not getting back together - yet. Gary Stevens was to ride for D. Wayne Lukas aboard Titletown Five in the G3, $800,000 Sunland Derby at Sunland Park. Instead the horse won’t run there.

Titletown Five will now be pointed to the Louisiana Derby which conflicts with the Duabi racing and this Stevens won’t have the mount. Jon Court - Lukas’ go to jockey - will likely get the mount.

[Glimmerglass]

The Downey Profile (3/19) does a far better job than I could with identifying most of the big players aimed towards that First Saturday in May with their next race start.

TVG will air the Grade 3, $550,000 Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes (Vinery didn’t renew being the title sponsor) at Turfway Park live Saturday - 5:48pm EST. There had been 16 entries but four defected to the $75,000 Team Valor Rushaway Stakes on the Saturday undercard.

Kentucky Derby points awarded for finishers 1st through 4th: 50-20-10-5, respectively

$550,000 Horseshoe Cincinnati Casino Stakes (Grade 3)
Race 10 @ approx post time 5:48 p.m. EDT
Distance: 1 1/8 miles, surface: Polytrack

PP, Horse, Jockey, Trainer, ML Odds

1. Balance the Books (KY), J. Leparoux, C. Brown, 7-2
2. Channel Isle (KY), J. Court. D. Lukas, 15-1
3. Uncaptured (ON), M. Mena, M. Casse, 3-1
4. Fear the Kitten (IL), R. Napravnik, M. Maker, 15-1
5. My Name Is Michael (KY), J. Rosario, W. Mott, 10-1
6. For Greater Glory (KY), R. Albarado, S. Hobby, 20-1
7. Mac the Man (KY), N. Arroyo Jr., J. Greenhill, 5-1
8. General Election (KY), A. Jimenez, K. Gorder, 12-1
9. Black Onyx (KY), J. Bravo, K. Breen, 10-1
10. Giant Finish (KY), V. Espinoza, A. Dutrow, 15-1
11. Taken by the Storm (KY), A. Garcia, K. McPeek, 12-1
12. Capo Bastone (KY), J. Velazquez, T. Pletcher, 9-2

All runners carry 123 pounds

[Glimmerglass]

On SUNDAY is the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby at Sunland Park with nine horses going to post.

Kentucky Derby points awarded for finishers 1st through 4th: 50-20-10-5, respectively

$800,000 Sunland Derby (Grade 3)
Race 11 @ approx post time: 5:40pm MST

PP, Horse, (Jockey)

1. Just Win Baby, (Alonzo Quinonez)
2. Abraham, (John Velazquez)
3. Stormdriver, (Ry Eikleberry)
4. Shakin It Up, (David Flores)
5. Saint Prado, (Rafael Bejarano)
6. Dry Summer, (Carlos Madeira)
7. Govenor Charlie, (Martin Garcia)
8. Mudflats, (Edwin Maldonado)
9. Show Some Magic, (Luis Contreras)

[Glimmerglass]

Additionally the final Kentucky Derby future wager pool (from Churchill Downs) will open Thursday and close this Sunday. The opening odds and wagering options are listed as follows …

[b]Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3

No., Horse, Pool 1 final odds, Pool 2 final odds, Pool 3 Opening M/L[/b]

1. Code West, 56-1, 28-1, 30-1
2. Den’s Legacy, 77-1, 68-1, 50-1
3. Falling Sky, 114-1, 79-1, 50-1
4. Flashback, 12-1, 12-1, 12-1
5. Goldencents, 20-1, 24-1, 30-1
6. Hear the Ghost, 3-2(f), 3-1(f), 20-1
7. Itsmyluckyday, 13-1, 13-1, 10-1
8. Java’s War, 3-2(f), 3-1(f), 30-1
9. Mr Palmer, 3-2(f), 3-1(f), 50-1
10. Noble Tune, 3-2(f), 3-1(f), 30-1
11. Normandy Invasion, 15-1, 17-1, 20-1
12. Orb, 3-2(f), 12-1, 10-1
13. Overanalyze, 33-1, 37-1, 30-1
14. Oxbow, 26-1, 31-1, 20-1
15. Palace Malice, 3-2(f), 40-1, 50-1
16. Revolutionary, 13-1, 15-1, 15-1
17. Shakin It Up, 3-2(f), 48-1, 30-1
18. Shanghai Bobby, 14-1, 16-1, 15-1
19. Uncaptured, 40-1, 35-1, 20-1
20. Verrazano, 11-1, 9-1, 7-2
21. Vyjack, 49-1, 11-1, 10-1
22. War Academy, 3-2(f), 3-1(f), 30-1
23. Will Take Charge, 61-1, 3-1(f), 20-1
    24. Field (all others), 3-2, 3-1, 6-1

i – Field entry[/i]

[Glimmerglass]

Here is perhaps Calvin Borel’s one chance mount this year for the Derby. He’ll ride Always in a Tiz - assuming the horse is a go - in the $1 million G1 Wood Memorial on April 6, 2013 for trainer Dominick Schettino.

Always in a Tiz currently has just 2-Derby points (insufficient certainly) and it would appear the Wood is a “win or skip the Kentucky Derby” hail Mary.

A win in the Wood, one of seven heavy hitting points races, grants the victor 100-Derby Points [guaranteed entry effectively], second gets 40-points which maybe with defections/injuries could garner a Churchill gate, but third with just 20-points would require another Derby prep … and there would be just the Lexington and Derby Trial left. Fourth place gets a mere 10-points meaning they could shoot at best for the Preakness perhaps.

[CVPeg]

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;6896775]
Here is perhaps Calvin Borel’s one chance mount this year for the Derby. He’ll ride Always in a Tiz - assuming the horse is a go - in the $1 million G1 Wood Memorial on April 6, 2013 for trainer Dominick Schettino.

Always in a Tiz currently has just 2-Derby points (insufficient certainly) and it would appear the Wood is a “win or skip the Kentucky Derby” hail Mary.

A win in the Wood, one of seven heavy hitting points races, grants the victor 100-Derby Points [guaranteed entry effectively], second gets 40-points which maybe with defections/injuries could garner a Churchill gate, but third with just 20-points would require another Derby prep … and there would be just the Lexington and Derby Trial left. Fourth place gets a mere 10-points meaning they could shoot at best for the Preakness perhaps.[/QUOTE]

I wondered about Schettino’s horse - looked so promising until his last race. Trying, though, to remember how Borel usually fares at Aqueduct…?

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;6894731]

TVG will air the Grade 3, $550,000 Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes [/QUOTE]

Wow, that’s a mouthful!

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=CVPeg;6897439]
I wondered about Schettino’s horse - looked so promising until his last race. Trying, though, to remember how Borel usually fares at Aqueduct…?[/QUOTE]

Looks like Calvin at the Big A is about as a frequent as Bob Baffert saddling at Laurel Park Nothing shows for a single start with 2012, 2011, or 2010 by Calvin there per Equibase. Maybe that’s an advantage?

[Glimmerglass]

CVPeg, with the Grade 3, $550,000 Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes (!) the folks at the Daily Racing Form pointed this out

For those keeping score at home, here is the history of the names for the Turfway showcase race: Spiral Stakes (1972-81); Jim Beam Stakes (1982-98); Galleryfurniture.com Stakes (1999); Turfway Spiral Stakes (2000-01); Lane’s End Stakes (2002-10); Vinery Racing Spiral (2011-12); Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral (2013-?).

For the curious - noted horse race owner “Mattress Mack” does still own the onetime key sponsor “galleryfurniture.com” which reminds me of a sort of Unpainted Arizona from the classic Nicolas Cage/ Cohen Brothers film.

[Glimmerglass]

While TVG airs live the Grade 3, $550,000 Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes with Derby points awarded, also on TV will be NBC’s kick off of the Road to the Derby albeit without any live action

Sat, Mar 23, 6pm ET, NBCSports (nee OLN and later Vs. cable channel) - Road to the Kentucky Derby preview show.

Turfway Park is seeing an influx of top jocks for the big Derby & Oaks prep races on today’s card …

With the Spiral being the richest race this Saturday in North America, Velazquez and Leparoux head an All-Star roster of jockeys in for the day. Garrett Gomez, Rosie Napravnik, Joel Rosario, Robby Albarado, Joe Bravo, and Jon Court are among the others making rare Turfway appearances.

[CVPeg]

Not home to catch it on TVG, so listened to coverage of The Sprial on Sirius in the car - they got up to the gate, and…

…switched to college basketball… arrrrrghhh :mad:

And when I arrived home, the channel I left on TVG had switched to another show. Of course the one carrying the NCAAs was uninterrupted.

Ok, I like March Madness, but only AFTER Derby prep races! Searching for the replay…

[Glimmerglass]

Sorry about the TVG woes and NCAA coverage is everywhere - the madness!

Video replay: 2013 Grade 3, $550,000 Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on synthetic

The video output quality from TP is just terrible. They need to upgrade their in-house cameras

The race with long shot Black Onyx - with “Jersey” Joe Bravo up - takes a solid win by 1 1/2 lengths and vaults himself into the Derby - if they submit the late TC nomination fee in! Tonight is the final TC nomination cut-off (with a $6k check) and per a Tweet from Churchill, they’ve been told he will be nominated.

While trained by Kelly Breen the owner is not George and Lori Hall (who Breen is almost exclusively training for) but rather Sterling Racing which is Miami businessman Sam Herzberg.

Uncaptured, the 3-1 second choice in a full field of 12, finished confidently in second when making his first start in four months. Giant Finish (23-1) and Taken by the Storm (22-1) rounded out the top four.

Rosie on Fear the Kitten finished 5th and thus no Derby points.