[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;5543988]
87th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.[/QUOTE]
The video of the selection itself - in case you wanted to see how its done
thanks for post
Crazy speed on tap for Oaklawn.
Today’s $1Million Grade Arkansas Derby looks to be a suicide speed race in the making. Bob Baffert keeps reiterating the speed with The Factor and how there is only one way to ride him - his pace, fast:
“The break is so important with him,” Baffert said. “He has to break clean. I can’t really worry about the pace with him, because he is the pace. There’s nothing I can do. He’s a fast horse. I can’t slow him down.
“He has that cruising speed that is just so brilliant.”
Mix with that five horses will be adding blinkers for this race - J P’s Gusto, Sway Away, Brethren, Elite Alex, and J W Blue – and a new runner, Dance City, comes in having just won a 1-mile sprint at Gulfstream Park.
Maybe the smart bet would be on a closer who can take advantage of a sprint up front resulting in so many horses kicked before the final stretch?
As an aside, mentioned early on this thread was UK runner - Frankel - so named for the late trainer Bobby Frankel. He crushed a field today in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury.
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;5549485]
Today’s $1Million Grade Arkansas Derby looks to be a suicide speed race in the making. Bob Baffert keeps reiterating the speed with The Factor and how there is only one way to ride him - his pace, fast.[/QUOTE]
And he wasn’t a Factor in the end 
Congrats to the good guys for making it to the Kentucky Derby!
1st - Archarcharch (paying $52.40 for the win with a $2 wager)
2nd - Nehro
3rd - Dance City
Seeing Jon Court in the Derby will be a nice, plus I made some solid money on picking them to take the Arkansas Derby. It reaffirms his 3rd place in the last race (after being spooked by the cast horse in the gate next to him) and victory before that was no fluke. No Elite Alex so as I suggested before absent of that ride I wouldn’t be shocked if you see Calvin on Master of Hounds. Otherwise most other Derby entries will have a regular rider aboard.
Video - $1M Grade 1 Arkansas Derby 2011 before 62,364
(Today concluded the race meet which was won by trainer D. Wayne Lukas)
Archarcharch earned $600,000 for his win in the Arkansas Derby, which was his third from six career starts. Further the was the second consecutive Derby for Court (who is trainer Fires’s son-in-law) - he won year’s Arkansas Derby on the front end with Line of David.
The rest of the field after Archarcharach and Nehro was Dance City in third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Nehro. Sway Away finished fourth, followed by Alternation, J W Blue, The Factor, J P’s Gusto, Elite Alex, Saratoga Red, Brethren, Caleb’s Posse, and Truman’s Commander.
So do we think that Arch is the Roberto grandson tail male who has established himself as a premier sire?
The updated graded earnings list as produced by the DRF 4-17 so its only colts/geldings, however I don’t see any fillies likely to enter this year.
Not how Archarcharch vaulted up to #3 as he banked his 3rd Rebel and 1st place Southwest Stakes money as well.
# Horse Trainer Graded Earnings
- Uncle Mo … Todd Pletcher … $1,360,000
- Dialed In … Nicholas Zito … $840,000
- Archarcharch … William Fires … $780,000
- Comma to the Top … Peter Miller … $671,000
- Toby’s Corner … H. Motion … $625,000
- Pants On Fire … Kelly Breen … $623,000
- Midnight Interlude …Bob Baffert … $600,000
- J P’s Gusto … Joseph Petalino … $544,000
- Soldat … Kiaran McLaughlin … $540,000
- Brilliant Speed … Thomas Albertrani … $450,000
- Master of Hounds … Aidan O’Brien … $441,884
- Nehro …Steven Asmussen … $400,000
- Twice the Appeal … Jeff Bonde … $400,000
- Mucho Macho Man … Katherine Ritvo … $370,000
- Decisive Moment … Juan Arias … $301,000
- Animal Kingdom … H. Motion … $285,000
17. Astrology … Steven Asmussen … $281,893 - The Factor … Bob Baffert … $272,500
- Stay Thirsty … Todd Pletcher … $260,000
- Jaycito … Bob Baffert … $250,000
- Santiva … Eddie Kenneally … $242,397
- Watch Me Go … Kathleen O’Connell … $235,500
- Shackleford … Dale Romans … $212,000
- Twinspired … Michael Maker … $197,500
- Silver Medallion … Steven Asmussen … $184,334
I had read that Astrology was likely going to go to the Preakness instead but of course Derby fever might nixed that plan.
It’s really nice to see so many different trainers this time.
If the TV media could get it right, probably lots of intersting tales behind several - would rather hear those, than see fashion or Hollywood names, but that’ll never happen.:eek:
And the Euro-based runner Master of Hounds is a go for Churchill
A spokesman for Coolmore Stud confirmed April 18 that Mrs. John Magnier’s Master of Hounds is being pointed for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
Again I’d like to think with Calvin Borel without a Derby mount might get some interest with this horse. However this second bit of news (below) would seemingly make that a dim possibility as Tabor/Smith/Magnier would bring in a solid Euro jockey if both these stars are shipped in:
Per that article - Jan Vermeer - might also be shipped to the US race to race the same day (May 7th) in the $500000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. (G1) at Churchill Downs.
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;5552606]
And the Euro-based runner Master of Hounds is a go for Churchill
Again I’d like to think with Calvin Borel without a Derby mount might get some interest with this horse. However this second bit of news (below) would seemingly make that a dim possibility as Tabor/Smith/Magnier would bring in a solid Euro jockey if both these stars are shipped in:
Per that article - Jan Vermeer - might also be shipped to the US race to race the same day (May 7th) in the $500000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic S. (G1) at Churchill Downs.[/QUOTE]
I would say probably a US based jockey, as Coolmore doesn’t have a big name stable jockey at the moment and seem content to use whoever is available. The last time O’Brien had runners in the KY Derby, in 2002, Gary Stevens and Jerry Bailey got the leg(s) up on Johannesburg and Castle Gandolfo. O’Brien has shown a fondness for using Johnny V in the past and has also used Gomez a number of times, though both are spoken for at the moment.
Their decision to run MoHs in the Kentucky Derby was probably made easier after the performance of the Frankle-stein monster on Sat, looks like he would only be running for place money if he went to the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Interestingly he will probably be the only horse in the field that has run close to 10f.
[QUOTE=Drvmb1ggl3;5552768]
I would say probably a US based jockey, as Coolmore doesn’t have a big name stable jockey at the moment and seem content to use whoever is available.[/QUOTE]
It would be an interesting sight to have Calvin (if that came to fruition) aboard Jan Vermeer. I tried to hunt down the video of Frankel from this weekend - TVG aired the race on replay - but its seems to be hard to come by.
As for Animal Kingdom (#16 currently by graded earnings) his starting in the Derby will “purportedly” depend upon his work at Churchill Downs this Sat (23rd). If the synthetic runner takes to it, then its a go. Otherwise Team Valor will choose another path. IMHO short of him falling down I think they’ll say its a success and go to the Derby.
If anyone thinks a partnership is going to skip the biggest chance to promote their name you must be kidding. Keep in mind this same story of a showdown with the track surface has been going around since at least March 28th. Which makes one wonder if they really have been sitting on their hands just wondering if he can run on dirt for 3 weeks
Interesting to note the closing of Nehro in the Arkansas Derby, where The Factor, well, was not.
I was surprised to see ArchArchArch at such a ling price for the AK Derby. I thought he should have been alot shorter than he was, and I was really pleased to see him do so well. he’s definitely going to be in the top 5 for me Derby day.
Am I the only one who wants to shake the horses names out of the Oaklawn announcer? Every race I watch with him I find myself screaming, “COME ON!!” I could name them off faster than he can. It annoys the hades out of me.
[QUOTE=MightyBobbyMagee;5553059]
Am I the only one who wants to shake the horses names out of the Oaklawn announcer? Every race I watch with him I find myself screaming, “COME ON!!” I could name them off faster than he can. It annoys the hades out of me.[/QUOTE]
You aren’t alone. Terry Wallace is getting older and called 20,191 consecutive races (until Jan 28, 2011) after which he was widely praised for such a feat. However anyone watching this Spring meet can tell he struggles often at picking out who is who and the action.
I feel for the man as there is little “upside” and more often then not criticism with a bad race call. The Southwest wasn’t great nor was the Rebel, however agreed the Arkansas Derby was just a horrible call. TVG’s Frank Mirahmadi was retained as Oaklawn’s backup announcer for the 2011 but I think was used only a couple of times. It’s a shame Frank wasn’t used for such a showcase race.
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;5551440]
I had read that Astrology was likely going to go to the Preakness instead but of course Derby fever might nixed that plan.[/QUOTE]
DRF 4-18: "Astrology, one of last year’s elite 2-year-olds, was withdrawn from consideration.
Astrology will now run in Grade 2, $150,000 Jerome Stakes for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct April 23rd and (assuming he does well) will reappear in the Preakness.
Also in varying degrees of doubt with starting:
Those near or just below the bubble will be keenly watching developments with horses such as J P’s Gusto and The Factor, who are currently in the top 20 and have yet to be officially ruled out of the race, though neither is expected to run. More significantly, both Uncle Mo and Jaycito have had issues to deal with recently. If they were to come out, that would open up more spots.
Also in the top 20 is Watch Me Go, whose status is uncertain following a poor try in the Illinois Derby.
As for the jocks and who is without a mount - so far:
Several other riding assignments are in flux. Santiva will need a new rider, since Julien Leparoux rides Dialed In. Comma to the Top would likely need a new rider if he runs, since Corey Nakatani is expected to stick with Nehro.
Among those still available are Calvin Borel, who has won the Derby three times in the last four years, and Ramon Dominguez, last year’s Eclipse Award winner.
[QUOTE=NMK;5552946]
Interesting to note the closing of Nehro in the Arkansas Derby, where The Factor, well, was not.[/QUOTE]
I took note as well…he was nowhere near done.
[QUOTE=MightyBobbyMagee;5553059]
Am I the only one who wants to shake the horses names out of the Oaklawn announcer? Every race I watch with him I find myself screaming, “COME ON!!” I could name them off faster than he can. It annoys the hades out of me.[/QUOTE]
TG it’s not just me - he’s like nails on a chalk board - great feat of so many consecutive calls, but if I had a horse in the race, I’d like to have heard his name at least once. Don’t believe he ever called past 4th or 5th.
I was at Oaklawn Saturday, and the announcer was driving me bananas. I tried to tune him out and just watch the jumbotron. You got a better idea of the races that way.
I was very surprised that Archarcharch was 25-1, as he started out lower and looked awesome in the paddock.
My Derby horses (subject to change) at this point: Midnight Interlude, Nehro.
DRF APR 19, 2011 “Under the Radar: Master of Hounds”
A snippet of the article
There are plenty of question marks surrounding Master of Hounds. He has yet to race on dirt, and many feel that the Tapeta surface played more to his strengths as a turf performer than to his potential as an American classic aspirant on dirt. With only one win – in a very weak maiden field – from seven starts, Master of Hounds has yet to display killer instinct in better-class races. Also, European horses have a tendency to break poorly when racing in North America. If that were to happen to Master of Hounds in the Kentucky Derby, he would likely have to weave his way through a bulky field while getting dirt kicked in his face for the first time.
In other activites …
DRF 4-19-11 “Jaycito’s Lexington status in doubt”
Jaycito originally had been scheduled to travel to Kentucky on Tuesday, but that has been delayed until at least Thursday. Bob Baffert, his trainer, on Tuesday said he would “make the call” on Wednesday regarding Jaycito’s participation in the Lexington.
However, Baffert already has told Martin Garcia, Jaycito’s rider, to be at Hollywood Park on Saturday, rather than Keeneland.
There is already some doubt Jaycito will go to the Kentucky Derby - regardless of his banked earning - so we’ll see what happens.
And the ever changing in then out and then in the picture again which happens every year in modern Derby racing:
… the connections of Anthony’s Cross have re-evaluated their position on the Derby. Anthony’s Cross had been dropped from Derby consideration after finishing fifth in the Santa Anita Derby. But on Tuesday, his trainer, Eoin Harty, said Anthony’s Cross “will run in the Derby if he gets in.”
