Kentucky Derby 2011

[Glimmerglass]

Looking ahead to the lead up to the Preakness there will be a few interesting female connected races part of the Black Eyed Susan Day (Friday) in connection with the Susan G. Koman Foundation.

See LadyLegends For the Cure Race II™ which will be aired live on NBC Sports affiliate Verses network.

In addition to the reprise of the 8 jockeys for the LadyLegends group - which will now feature Abby Fuller in lieu of an injured Gwen Jocson, there will be a female jockey challenge with points for final position over 4 designated races.

Female Jockey Challenge - will have six participants:

Vicky Baze; Forest Boyce; Rosie Napravnik; Chantal Sutherland; UK’s Hayley Turner; and Emma-Jayne Wilson

I think this will be the first time Hayley has ridden in the US and maybe the same goes for Canadian jockey Emma-Jayne. Anna Napravnik is absolutely on fire down at Fair Grounds this meet (and leading the standings) so I’d say she is comming in already the strongest of all.

[MadeYaLook]

Is Vicky Baze o.k.?- she took quite a spill yesterday in a race and unfortunately I couldn’t continue watching to find out if she was alright. You are right in that is a neat challenge for the lady jocks and hats off for tying it in with the Susan Komen Foundation.

[Third_Glance]

[QUOTE=MadeYaLook;5455149]
Is Vicky Baze o.k.?- she took quite a spill yesterday in a race and unfortunately I couldn’t continue watching to find out if she was alright. You are right in that is a neat challenge for the lady jocks and hats off for tying it in with the Susan Komen Foundation.[/QUOTE]

She rode the next day.

[Third_Glance]

[QUOTE=MadeYaLook;5455149]
Is Vicky Baze o.k.?- she took quite a spill yesterday in a race and unfortunately I couldn’t continue watching to find out if she was alright. You are right in that is a neat challenge for the lady jocks and hats off for tying it in with the Susan Komen Foundation.[/QUOTE]

She did go to the hospital after that spill, but was riding the next day – and yesterday got her 2000th win!

http://www.drf.com/news/jockey-vicky-baze-rides-her-2000th-winner-turf-paradise

[Glimmerglass]

Looks like Pletcher is making sure (with other clients horses) that the Timely Writer Stakes gets filled so ‘Mo’ will run in that instead of the TB Derby. No shock there.

DRF Mar 2, 2011 “Pletcher nominates Uncle Mo, 12 others to Timely Writer”

A neat and clean resource for Derby prep races - charts, winner, distance, and the replays too: 2011 Kentucky Derby Prep Schedule and Results

The next graded stakes race on the road to the Kentucky Derby: The 53rd running of The Gotham (Grade 3) -for $225,000 - March 5th at Aqueduct.

A field of 9 horses will go the post for the 1 1/16th mi race

PP. Horse; Jockey

1. The Fed Eased; Jose Valdivia, Jr.
2. Nacho Saint; Joe Bravo
3. Starship Caesar; Eurico Rosa Da Silva
4. Toby’s Corner; Eddie Castro
5. Stay Thirsty; Ramon A. Dominguez
6. Isn’t He Perfect; Jaime Rodriguez
7. Preachintothedevil; Junior Alvarado
8. Norman Asbjornson; Julian Pimentel
9. Dawly; Cornelio H. Velasquez

An aside: the last winner of the Gotham to win the Kentucky Derby? No winner of the Gotham has won the Kentucky Derby since Secretariat in 1973. Ouch.

[Glimmerglass]

With Uncle Mo skipping the Tampa Bay Derby for his 3-yr old debut and most likely the Timely Writer Stakes going ahead its opened the door for others to go to the TBD. Although it is surprising that Robert LaPenta would consider it after his War Pass was humiliated there several years ago.

Owner LaPenta Leaning Toward TB Derby for Dialed In

That leaves two options: train Dialed In up to the April 3 Florida Derby (gr. I) or go back to the Tampa Bay Derby next weekend.

“We were hoping the allowance races would fill this weekend, but it doesn’t look like that will happen,” LaPenta said. "I’ll have to sit down with Nick and talk to him, but I’m thinking seriously about the Tampa Bay Derby. I’d say I’m about 60-40 right now.

“Obviously, I had a bad experience there with War Pass and don’t really want to go back. I hate shipping him too, but what can we do? The horse wants to run, he’s kicking down the barn. He had a great work the other day and he’s ready. What are we going to get out of the Timely Writer? We won’t learn anything from it.”

[Galileo1998]

Dialed In is entered in an Allowance Optional Claimer at Gulfstream on Sunday, obviously without a tag :D. I think there are only four other entries, Gulfstream got the race to go and he should get a paid workout around two turns I would think. :yes:

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Galileo1998;5461010]
Dialed In is entered in an Allowance Optional Claimer at Gulfstream on Sunday, obviously without a tag :D. I think there are only four other entries, Gulfstream got the race to go and he should get a paid workout around two turns I would think. :yes:[/QUOTE]

You have to love the wording on the race: it was open to horses [who] Have Never Won Two Races Other Than Maiden, Claiming Or Starter.

The most important - if not shocking aspect - he’s running against potentially 3 four year old horses.

http://equibase.com/static/entry/GP030611USA-EQB.html#RACE4

Wow!

[Glimmerglass]

Stay Thirsty won the Gotham Stakes over a lackluster field. Not to get down on him, but I cannot say I’m terribly impressed with the eeked out win. Then again I don’t think his ‘superstar’ stablemate Uncle Mo will win the Kentucky Derby let alone break the absense of a TC winner.

Replay: 59th Grade 3 $250,000 Gotham Stakes

Dialed In’s 2nd place against older horses in today’s Gulfstream Allowance was nothing to write home about whatsoever. Crawling fractions and he couldn’t get it done over a drifting runner who still won easily. Eh, not great but I’m sure Nick will move upwards.

Replay: Gulfstream March 6, 2011 @ 1 1/8-mile allowance

[Glimmerglass]

The latest graded stakes list:which puts @ #80 Chef Bobby Flay’s Sensational Slam with $400 (graded) in 80th place.

While the big graded competitions are fast approaching there is still a lot of room with the sad but inevitable injury and unexpected upset win to move a wide range of horses up quickly. Reshuffling the deck for earnings slots 15 - 20 with 60-days to go is par for the course. The 20th slot is currently at $120,000 which can be relatively quickly snagged.

I still think that a Elite Alex @ 39th with $25k can move up and maybe get in. As too can Carl Nafzger trainee Beamer at #57 with $10k.

From Maryland (despite the the woeful absence of graded 3yr old stakes races) you have Rodney Jenkins trained Bandbox (with $10k graded) and from Sagamore Stables (the former Vanderbilt-owned Maryland showplace now with Under Armour clothing founder Kevin Plank) Monzon at # 58th with $9k.

The race is still interesting …

[Glimmerglass]

It’s a go with Uncle Mo in the ungraded $100k stakes race at Gulfstream Park Saturday March 12th at 4:25pm EST now that the race filled.

Race 8 GP Timely Writer Stakes at 1-mile

Field of 6 including Uncle Mo (123-lbs vs. 117 for most others) breaks from PP 1. HRTV, with their exclusive airings rights with MEC-owned tracks, will have the race live. Odds obviously will be something crazy like 1-9 by post time.

In Tampa will be the next big graded stakes race the same day about 1-hour later:

Race 11 Tampa Bay Derby (Grade 2) for $350k at 1 1/16th miles

Field of 9 horses (Uncle Mo is cross entered but won’t go) up for the challenge: from position 1 outwards will be Striding Ahead, Economic Summit, Beamer, Uncle Mo [scratched], Too Experience, Crimson Knight, Free Entry, Moonhanger, Watch Me Go, Brethren. The race goes off at 5:20pm EST and will only be aired live on TVG.

Go Beamer!

Also from Tampa Bay on Saturday will be the the Grade 3, $150,000 Hillsborough Stakes on the turf and the $75,000 Suncoast Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the dirt.

[Glimmerglass]

The last rule of thumb that still is ‘in place’: DRF - trend continues to stand the test of time

But there is one big one out there, the Moby-Dick of rules, the one that has stood the test of time. For nearly 130 years, since Apollo in 1882, no horse has won the Derby without racing as a 2-year-old. It will be the last rule to fall, and it’s putting up a hell of a fight.

Since 1944, 55 horses have competed in the Derby without starting at 2. Just six of them have finished in the money. The two who came closest to winning were Strodes Creek, who was second in 1994, and Coaltown, who finished second in 1948, suffering the misfortune of being born the same year as his stablemate, Citation.

Who (among many under the radar) is cited as potential Derby starter who didn’t race at 2? Grade 2, $250,000 San Felipe Stakes starters Albergatti and Runflatou plus Machen. The latter is among assorted Top 20 Derby lists.

Another Derby implcation prep race from Santa Anita for Saturday March 12th. Will be aired on HRTV: San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 Miles for $250,000

Race 8 at SA Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes off at 4:07pm PST - field of 10

Baffert’s Jaycito will be the big gun in the field.

PP. Horse. <> Jockey

1. Albergatti.<> G. Gomez
2. Runflatout. <> J. Rosario
3. Surrey Star (IRE). <> J. Talamo
4. Awesome Patriot. <> R. Bejarano
5. Comma to the Top. <> C. Nakatani
6. Premier Pegasus. <> A. Quinonez
7. Bench Points. <> D. Flores
8. Jakesam. <> P. Valenzuela
9. Jaycito. <> M. Garcia
10. Quail Hill. <> M. Pedroza

[Glimmerglass]

Tomorrow’s Timely Writer Stakes with Uncle Mo very well may get hit with a few defections. As noted by the DRF 03-11-11

It is unclear how many of the five 3-year-olds entered in the Timely Writer will actually be in the gate at post time. Madman Diaries is almost certain to give Uncle Mo a pretty good target to chase if he starts, having been on or near the lead in all seven previous outings.

“It looks like we’re the only speed in the field, but I’m not so sure I want to waste a race with my horse against the champ,” said Wesley Ward, who trains and is part owner of Madman Diaries. “I have other options I’m considering for him, so there is a good chance I still might not run him in this spot.”

Maybe Uncle Mo will be scared by Rattlesnake Bridge? The horse just broke his maiden Feb 12 and couldn’t find an allowance race for his 2nd start so running against Mo seemed like a good idea. Eh, yea.

[Glimmerglass]

No spoiler here by saying Uncle Mo won the Timely Writer Stakes.

The Tampa Bay Derby was however a head-bobbing victory at the wire not involving a favorite like Brethren, rather he finished 3rd and Beamer 4th.

No, win and show was between Watch Me Go (at about 42-1) and Crimson Knight who went off at around 81-1 odds. Crimson Knight was just recently acquired as a $16k claimer You’ve gotta love this game as that’s why they run them. No guarantees!

The $2 exacta paid: $2,194.20!

[Glimmerglass]

Video replay - Tampa Bay Derby (G2) 03-12-11

Video replay - Timely Writer Stakes 03-12-11 at Gulfstream

What’s up with Gourmet Dinner? An interesting bit of news (something wrong?) regarding his movement with just over two weeks before his next slated start. DRF news on the likely FL Derby starter:

The Gulfstream Park stall office reported Saturday that Gourmet Dinner, runner-up in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes here on Feb. 26 and a possible candidate for the Grade 1 Florida Derby on April 3, shipped off the grounds early Friday evening with the destination on the transit slip listed as Ocala, Fla.

Neither trainer Steve Standridge or owner Bill Terrill returned calls on Saturday regarding the reason for Gourmet Dinner leaving Gulfstream Park which has been his home throughout the winter.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;5476403]
Race 8 at SA Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes off at 4:07pm PST - field of 10[/QUOTE]

From the West Coast today an absolute crushing victory by Premier Pegasus with Jaycito a very distant 2nd in the San Felipe Stakes.

[WhiteCamry]

Going OTT for a moment … did anyone notice the 7th at Aqueduct on 3/12? It was a an unremarkable 6f claiming race, won by Viable, an unremarkable 5yo Ontario-bred gelding by Vindication out of Belle Breesing by Southern Halo, ridden by Jaime Rodriguez and trained by John Hertler.

What was remarkable about him was the silks he carried: he’s owned by Karen & Mickey Taylor.

[WhiteCamry]

@Glimmerglass;5478739

No, win and show was between Watch Me Go (at about 42-1) and Crimson Knight who went off at around 81-1 odds.

Pedantry alert: win and place.

[CVPeg]

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;5478842]
From the West Coast today an absolute crushing victory by Premier Pegasus with Jaycito a very distant 2nd in the San Felipe Stakes.[/QUOTE]

Very impressive indeed - had him as one of my 3 picks - the others weren’t on the board… and his time much better than Uncle Mo’s in the Timely Writer. He really blew the rest of them away, and could have gone on and on.

Also saw that $2000+ exacta - game duel down the stretch -both will need to be supplemented to the Triple Crown for $6000. Wonder where everyone is lining up earnings wise.

Fun weekend of watching!

Visiting Keeneland next month, and would love to see the Blue Grass, but doesn’t fit sig other’s schedule - Bah! Humbug!

[lizathenag]

Premier Pegasus

He has been my derby pick since last year when I learned his second dam was Glimmerglass!