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

Racing
#241

Video replay: Grade 1 Wood Memorial (NYRA/TVG)

At the end of the replay you can see the crazy head-on start of the horse on the far end. Whoa!

Regardless Verrazano goes to the KY Derby undefeated and Chad Brown looks to have his Derby starter with Normandy Invasion puttingin a damn fine 2nd … going 1 1/4 mi he could’ve taken down Verrazano.

Article - without video as of yet - Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby. The headline says it all - “Goldencents turns away Flashback” … third was Super Ninety Nine.

(Aside, I cannot stand how Cal racing has such a stupid embargo on video replays. They’ll go after any on youtube and yes you can sign up free on their site but this isn’t 1990 but a far more social society with vid sharing. It is asinine!)

#242

My fav, Power Broker, had a less than stellar race. He finished 5th out of 8! I hate to see what this does to his ranking!

#243

Couldn’t agree more.
Best part of the afternoon for me was Normandy Invasion taking 2nd. :yes:
Doesn’t bother me that he wasn’t the winner. Funny Cide did OK after placing 2nd in The Wood. :wink:

SA Derby was an interesting race also. Plenty of fodder for stories: jockey Kevin Krigger, Doug O’Neill returning to the KD, and Baffert not winning with 3 entries. The horse certainly made one take note.

And Into Mischief is certainly being raised up. In addition to Goldencent’s sire, he’s also Vyjack’s, and Into Mischief is also a half to Beholder, who won the Santa Anita Oaks today.

#244

Interesting article about Vyjack…http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/horse-racing-steve-haskin/archive/2013/03/04/haskin-s-derby-trail-the-unlikely-story-of-vyjack.aspx

#245

CVPeg - add to that with the SA Derby it actually received a bit of a shoutout (amazing) during the CBS coverage with the NCAA playoffs with Louisville’s Coach Rick Pitino owning a chunk of Goldencents. I don’t think that Jim B. at my alma mater has ever expressed a horse interest up in 'Cuse :wink:

#246

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;6927334]
CVPeg - add to that with the SA Derby it actually received a bit of a shoutout (amazing) during the CBS coverage with the NCAA playoffs with Louisville’s Coach Rick Pitino owning a chunk of Goldencents. I don’t think that Jim B. at my alma mater has ever expressed a horse interest up in 'Cuse ;)[/QUOTE]

Thank goodness this one has an okay name, and not Russdiculous. :lol:

#247

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;6927334]
CVPeg - add to that with the SA Derby it actually received a bit of a shoutout (amazing) during the CBS coverage with the NCAA playoffs with Louisville’s Coach Rick Pitino owning a chunk of Goldencents. I don’t think that Jim B. at my alma mater has ever expressed a horse interest up in 'Cuse ;)[/QUOTE]

Definitely noted. Just took a couple of graduate courses there, but the whole family follows them - three of us sisters have, or still live in the area. I had L’ville and the Orange picked for my final.

That was a tough game. Was hoping for a Jason Cipolla 3-pointer. But I digress. Onward to the Derby!

#248

Off the Derby trail - Flashback

Flashback, who finished second to Goldencents in the Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, was found on Sunday afternoon to have a small chip in his right knee, trainer Bob Baffert said Sunday night. He is off the Kentucky Derby trail, but is expected to make a full recovery …

Injured - John Velazquez in Sunday spill at Big A

He fractured a rib on his right side and chipped a bone in his right wrist …Velazquez said he hopes to be back in time to ride the Kentucky Derby.

“I hope so,” Velazquez told two reporters while sitting up in a bed in the emergency room of North Shore University Hospital.

Goodness gracious! I hope JV the best in recovery. Jeeze, first Ramon, now Johnny V!

Daisy Phipps Pulito (with her family’s ownership of ‘Orb’) - was tweeting him all the best. They already were in a battle for JV’s services and him having two big horses to choose from. Now ill they try to lock in say Rosie?

An aside Orb is now tweeting:

https://twitter.com/OrbColt

#249

DRF wades into the Jockey topic with who might ride whom … obviously JV’s injury really puts things into a spin. Interestingly was Todd Pletcher (before the fall) being so confident:

In the winner’s circle following the Wood, Pletcher expressed confidence that Velazquez would choose Verrazano.

“We’ve got a pretty long history and a lot of success together over the years, and I think it would be pretty hard to take off an undefeated horse,” Pletcher said.

Chad Brown, trainer of Normandy Invasion, said he’s willing to give Castellano a few days to decide.

Garrett Gomez became available Sunday when it was revealed that Flashback, who finished second to Goldencents in the Santa Anita Derby, had a chip in a knee and was off the Derby trail.

Should Velazquez choose to ride Verrazano, that could open the door for Joel Rosario to get back on Orb. Rosario was aboard Orb for his first five starts, including two victories, before winding up on Speak Logistics in the Fountain of Youth.

Rosario rode Vyjack to a win in the Gotham and then a third-place finish in the Wood Memorial.

Other high-profile riders seeking Derby mounts include Mike Smith, Rosie Napravnik, Corey Nakatani, and Rafael Bejarano. Smith rides War Academy in Saturday’s Arkansas Derby.

Unmentioned right now - Calvin Borel.

#250

Optimism perhaps JV will be in the saddle Derby day:

In a text sent early Monday evening, Leona Velazquez, John’s wife, wrote that the “fracture is non-displaced so it will heal by itself in three weeks. He will start riding Derby week.”

I guess it begs the question - as an owner and/or trainer - would you want JV riding your horse so soon after an injury? The risk being that perhaps he’s not 100% or his reflexes just slightly compromised.

#251

Also wonder if Gary Stevens a possible contender. And Edgar?

Hate to say it, despite his Preakness win with Bernardini, and his Belmont 2nd place with Stay Thirsty, have always thought Castellano seems to disappoint a little during the TC races. When a horse really needs to get over whatever is in the way, not always sure Javier gets him/her there.

But what a void of good jockeys this year! Really thought Ramon would be knocking on the door.

Can’t imagine Calvin being neglected for the KD, but seems to be up against it this year in the standings.

#252

The question is how long do connections of Derby colts like Orb and Verrazano wait when the regular rider is sidelined for 3 of the 4 weeks leading into the Derby? If he says yes to Todd, when does he do it and does Shug have a contingency plan? If so who? What if he gets a backup only to find that JV has chosen Orb? Todd hasn’t had the smoothest record of getting from the Wood to the Derby, Eskendereya anyone?

Lot’s of side stories with this one…

#253

[QUOTE=Linny;6931995]
Lot’s of side stories with this one…[/QUOTE]

Kevin Krigger will be an interesting story for the Derby this year. Orb was my Derby horse but I might switch to Goldencents because I like his jockey. :smiley: I know some people don’t like Doug O’Neill but I think it’s good that he gives less famous jockeys a chance on his high profile horses.

#254

[QUOTE=Linny;6931995]
The question is how long do connections of Derby colts like Orb and Verrazano wait when the regular rider is sidelined for 3 of the 4 weeks leading into the Derby?[/QUOTE]

Agreed it’s quite the gamble to hold off longer and longer with an assortment of risks.

With 24 horses entered (4 of them to be tagged as AE) there will be certainly many quality “Grade 1” level winning riders to choose from. As such several household riders will be without a Derby horse.

Yet this year its seems like a lot of non-traditional riders who have been with their mounts will continue on to the Derby … e.g. Mylute with Shaun Bridgmohan; Black Onyx with Joe Bravo; Goldencents with Kevin Krigger; Jon Court on some Lukas runner.

My guess is Shug & the Phipps will pick their non-JV rider in the next 24 hours.

Todd will stick with JV for Verrazano. Todd has used David Cohen very effectively in the past in NY and just maybe he’ll be the “safety” just in case?

What of the euro runner - Lines of Battle? Will Aiden O’Brien stick with Mr. Moore or perhaps use a US based rider like Rosie or a Julien Leparoux?

It certainly will be interesting to see the scramble after next weekend. At that time you effectively will have the field.

#255

What do you all think about the Arkansas Derby? I’ll be making my annual pilgrimage on Saturday. Wish it were closer, but it’s the closest track. I don’t like Lukas but do think his horse has a good shot. At this point, I’m tilting toward War Academy.

I need to look up who’s in the Oaklawn Handicap for the older ones, too. They do them on the same day now.

#256

[QUOTE=dressagetraks;6932415]
What do you all think about the Arkansas Derby? I’ll be making my annual pilgrimage on Saturday. [/QUOTE]

It should be a great time and a good field for the Derby. I believe they draw today for it - just like the Blue Grass Stakes - with the anticipated runners: Oxbow (with Gary Steven’s up), Carve, Den’s Legacy, Falling Sky, Frac Daddy, Heaven’s Runway, Looking Cool, Overanalyze, Texas Bling and War Academy.

Just my hunch, but if Oxbow wins the Arkansas Derby and thus goes to the Kentucky Derby I would think Brad Kelley would do all he could to secure back Calumet’s colors for that race. While he races all horses now under that farm banner they continue to use his Blue Grass Hall silks.

#257

Keeneland has drawn for the Blue Grass Stakes which will be aired on NBC Sports this Saturday …

(pdf) 89th running of the Blue Grass Stakes - $750,000, Grade 1
All with 123-lbs and lasix

PP. Horse Jockey/trainer; ML odds

  1. Dynamic Sky; Rosario/Casse; 8-1
  2. My Name Is Michael; Bridgmohan/Mott; 15-1
  3. Undrafted; Nakatani/Ward; 10-1
  4. Java’s War; Leparoux/McPeek; 4-1
  5. Palace Malice; Gomez/Pletcher; 8-1
  6. Channel Isle; Rocco/Lukas; 6-1
  7. Uncaptured; Mena/Casse; 7-2
    8 Charming Kitten; Bravo/Pletcher; 8-1
  8. Tesseron; A. Garcia/J. Carroll; 50-1
    10 Footbridge; Lanerie/Harty; 10-1
  9. Balance the Books; Castellano/Brown; 15-1
  10. West Hills Giant; J. Espinoza/Terranova; 20-1
  11. Rydilluc; Prado/Contessa; 4-1
  12. Fear the Kitten; Napravnik/Maker; 30-1

AE-Divine Ambition; Graham/Miller; 50-1

#258

Orb has tweeted that Joel Rosario will be his rider.

#259

[QUOTE=grits;6933256]
Orb has tweeted that Joel Rosario will be his rider.[/QUOTE]

And Goldencents even tweet a reply, too

#260

JV’s agent and close friend - Angel Cordero Jr. - suggests there was no doubt:

Cordero said Velazquez had been committed to Verrazano before he ever rode Orb, which he did for the first time in the Fountain of Youth.

Cordero said Velazquez would ride at Belmont on May 1-2 and Churchill Downs on May 3-4 but would limit himself to just a few mounts per day.

Vijack is somewhat out of luck with Joel Rosario bailing off him.

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