On the road to the 2012 Kentucky Derby

[Glimmerglass]

A fair number of Derby starters are poised to arrived at Churchill Downs now. Union Rags, Dullahan and Hansen are there. Monday there is a flight that will deliver Bodemeister, Secret Circle, and Sabercat,

It looks like El Padrino will be poised to sit on the wait-list with his $250k in graded money. Depending upon the list that is approx #23 but we still don’t know if Wrote and/or Daddy Long Legs will ship in from Europe.

In Palm Meadows training are El Padrino as well as assured Derby starters Gemologist (who will be ridden by Javier Castellano) and Take Charge Indy.

[Glimmerglass]

Video: Union Rags ‘An American Love Story’ (high production value, length 1 min 50 sec)

As noted before on this thread with UR’s saga:

At the urging of her accountant, Phyllis Wyeth reluctantly sold the promising Union Rags to IEAH Stables for $145,000 to prove to the IRS that she was running a business rather than a much more taxable hobby. Regret set in immediately and she began to consider the recovery of her beloved horse.

Video of that pinhook sale by IEAH at Saratoga with buying UR - Hip #192 - at Fasig Tipton

It looks like there will be a series of videos regarding the team behind the horse.

[Glimmerglass]

News on other runners who were in the Blue Grass Stakes - including a possible no-go with the Kentucky Derby despite having the $$:

Norman Casse, assistant trainer of sixth-place finisher Prospective*, said the John Oxley-owned colt “came out of the race in good order.”

Stabled at Churchill Downs, Prospective added $1,875 in graded money to his bankroll and now has $367,327 in graded stakes earnings — more than enough to rank among the top 20 of horses under consideration for the Kentucky Derby on May 5. “Right now, we are kind of on the fence (about the Derby),” Casse said.

Trainer Jonathan Sheppard said that Ever So Lucky came out of his 10th-place finish fine. “We are going to regroup,” Sheppard said. “We will get our heads together and come up with something.”

(*Currently at #17 is Prospective with that $367,327 in graded earnings)

And the horse that isn’t Derby bound but could’ve been a Preakness possible … the 109-1 winner of the Louisiana Derby: Hero of Order (finished dead last at 13th) more head scratching remarks from his trainer …

Gennadi Dorochenko said that Russian Greek (11th) and Hero of Order (13th) came out of the race fine. “They didn’t like the Polytrack,” said Dorochenko, who plans to race at Arlington Park, which also has Polytrack, this summer.

"There are plenty of other racetracks,” Dorochenko said. “We will give it a couple of days and see (what’s next).”

Larry Jones trained and on-the-bubble with $$ Derby starter Mark Valeski* will be vanned up to Churchill Downs - along with Havre de Grace - from Keeneland on Thursday.

(*Currently at #22 is Mark Valeski with $260,000)

[Glimmerglass]

Presently with $220,000 in graded earnings (so on the bubble) Reveron is not going to run in next Saturday’s Coolmore Lexington Stakes after all.

The connections instead will roll the dice and see if, with defections, they’ll get in.

Thus it almost assures no Derby starter will be among the 10 runners expected to race in that 31st edition Grade 3 $200,000 Coolmore Lexington. Doubtful too the Jerome (G2) in NY or the Derby Trial (G3) at Churchill although Don’t Get Mad got in by winning the latter.

[Glimmerglass]

Someone recent cited Alpha as one to watch … an update today doesn’t sound great just a few weeks out from the Derby. From late Monday April 16th

… his connections remain optimistic the multiple stakes winner can still make the Kentucky Derby…

Alpha was treated last week for an infection that came as a result of his suffering a few cuts on his left shin during the early stages of the April 7 Wood Memorial.

An ultrasound performed over the weekend didn’t reveal any structural problems and Alpha was scheduled to resume regular training on Tuesday at Belmont Park.

McLaughlin said Alpha will likely do all of his training – and perhaps work only once – at Belmont before being flown to Churchill on April 30.

As an aside Kiaran’s father, Ray McLaughlin, passed away Saturday night

[CVPeg]

I cannot make up my mind this year! Often will be behind one or two by now, then back them up with a couple of obvious choices. Am tempted to start naming names, but then think, “can’t forget this one”, or “liked that one!”.

So no clear leader as far as I’m concerned. Very impressive efforts by Bodemeister and Gemologist, but would feel better with more substance in the schedule ahead of the Derby. Dullahan cannot be overlooked. Union Rags is my heart guy. Several others certainly have the chance!

Think I’ll be looking at the prep reruns, taking notes, and visiting a psychic!

[vineyridge]

Really dumb question.

I live in a state that doesn’t allow gambling on racing. But I’m going to be in Lexington for Rolex next week. The starting field for the Derby isn’t decided yet, but will it be by the end of the Keeneland meet?

Could I go to Keeneland on Friday and bet on the Derby? And if I made some money on my bet, how would I go about collecting?

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=vineyridge;6260305]
Could I go to Keeneland on Friday and bet on the Derby? And if I made some money on my bet, how would I go about collecting?[/QUOTE]

On the closing day of the Keeneland Spring Meet you can and should wager on the races there and a wide variety of other tracks. However you cannot wager on the Kentucky Derby as its too early. The final field and post positions will not be chosen by then.

The earliest wagers have been the Thursday afternoon before the Saturday race - but that likely in 2012 will be disturbed because of the AE system reintroduced this year. Meaning the field could change by 9am EST on Friday. I suspect only after that deadline passes wagers can be taken.

I still find it amazing they have drive-through betting windows at Keeneland

To the point of placing a bet on the Derby I’d don’t believe outside of the Vegas casinos anyone offers effectively an on-going “future” wager up until the start of the Derby.

[danceronice]

I find it so annoying I’m not allowed to bet on-line. Yes, I could go up to MPM and simulcast, but sheesh.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=vineyridge;6260305]
But I’m going to be in Lexington for Rolex next week. [/QUOTE]

A follow up on that point - aside from the fact I am too - is that maybe next year Rolex will get pushed back a week to capitalize on this change : Gambling coming to the Kentucky Horse Park for Oaks, Derby

Keeneland plans to open drive-through betting kiosks at the Kentucky Horse Park on Ironworks Pike and at its Thoroughbred Training Center on Paris Pike to offer pari-mutuel betting on Oaks and Derby days, May 4-5.

… the move would help Keeneland satisfy bettors who don’t want to wait in long lines and could alleviate some traffic congestion around the track.

As for the G3 $200,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes (with $120k in graded $$ to the winner) I said that with the defection of Reveron there was no entry expected who is trying launch into the Derby. Well 24-hours that it looks like there will be two runners doing so

Castaway, owned by Coolmore team of Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith and trained by Baffert is being entered. He’ll be ridden by a different jock this time - Shaun Bridgmohan.

Victory in the Lexington would give Castaway a total of $282,000 – sufficient to make the Derby, as things stood Tuesday – if the colt reverses form and wins Saturday.

Baffert said Tuesday from California that he was not sure whether the Coolmore team would want to run back in the Derby if the colt wins Saturday. “We’re just trying to make some money,” he said.

Morgan’s Guerrilla, owned by a partnership headed by the father-son team of Tom and Jack Conway and trained by Mike Maker. Last time he was ridden by Rosie Napravnik at Hawthorne Park in the IL Derby its unclear if she will retain the mount.

A win would give Morgan’s Guerrilla a total of $220,000 in graded earnings, actually tying him with Reveron for 21st, but Reveron would get the nod over him because of higher earnings in stakes (including ungraded), which is the next tie-breaker in the eligibility criteria. Reveron won the ungraded, $100,000 Gulfstream Park Derby on New Year’s Day.

[Glimmerglass]

Contrary to some public musings about not going to the Derby it appears Prospective ‘is a definite to run for the roses’ as of April 18th

Tampa Bay Derby winner Prospective is definite for the Kentucky Derby, trainer Mark Casse told The Courier-Journal.

Prospective ran sixth in last Saturday’s $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, but Casse said that wasn’t a complete surprise because he has felt all year the colt is better on dirt than Polytrack.

Previously …

News on other runners who were in the Blue Grass Stakes

[quote]Norman Casse, assistant trainer of sixth-place finisher Prospective*, said the John Oxley-owned colt “came out of the race in good order.”

Stabled at Churchill Downs, Prospective added $1,875 in graded money to his bankroll and now has $367,327 in graded stakes earnings — more than enough to rank among the top 20 of horses under consideration for the Kentucky Derby on May 5. “Right now, we are kind of on the fence (about the Derby),” Casse said.
[/QUOTE]

[Glimmerglass]

A larger than expected field for Saturday’s Grade $200,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland - which is streamed for free on-line - which should again make for very large crowds and solid wagering:

Note that Julien Leparoux will be riding Guerrilla for a second time. They finished 2nd together in his racing debut at Gulfstream; then Ramon Dominguez rode him to victory at Aqueduct and then Rosie in the Illinois Derby with a narrow 2nd.

Race 9 Saturday APR 21 - Coolmore Lexington S.

PP. Horse. (Jockey, weight)

1. Morgan’s Guerrilla (Leparoux, 118 pounds)
2. Summer Front (Ramon Dominguez, 120)
3. Johannesbourbon (Garrett Gomez, 118)
4. Skyring (Jon Court, 118)
5. Golden Ticket (Cruz, 118)
6. Holiday Promise (Junior Alvarado, 118)
7. Castaway (Bridgmohan, 120)
8. Hammers Terror (Robby Albarado, 118)
9. All Squared Away (Julio Garcia, 118)
10. News Pending (Desormeaux, 118)
11. Gold Megillah (John Velazquez, 118)

[CVPeg]

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;6258459]
Video: Union Rags ‘An American Love Story’ (high production value, length 1 min 50 sec)

As noted before on this thread with UR’s saga:

Video of that pinhook sale by IEAH at Saratoga with buying UR - Hip #192 - at Fasig Tipton

It looks like there will be a series of videos regarding the team behind the horse.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for these. Going through the first right now. They show just a few seconds of Phyllis Wyeth’s family’s Devil’s Bag running, my horse’s grandsire, and before they said his name, I thought, “looks just like B!”

Have kept Union Rags as my emotional favorite - guess he’ll stay there on top!

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=CVPeg;6263431]
… Devil’s Bag running, my horse’s grandsire …[/QUOTE]

I didn’t know where his name originated and now I do Sports Illustrated 1983

Devil’s Bag’s owner, James P. Mills of Middleburg, Va., wrote a letter to Lucille Stephens, the trainer’s wife, explaining that the colt got its unusual name from a televised adaptation of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

“You may recall the story,” Mills wrote. “A new schoolmaster came to the village and was appalled by all the superstition among the villagers. As he entered his schoolroom the first day, he bumped his head on an evil-smelling sack hanging from the door lintel. He learned from the students that this little bag had great power and must not be removed, as the articles contained therein warded off misfortune from the school. The schoolmaster tore the bag down to illustrate the folly of yet another superstition. Immediately the wood stove in the middle of the room exploded and the school burned. One might deduce from all this that the devil’s bag, as the sack was called, was a highly potent force with which to deal; and that’s how the name came about for my Halo colt.”

I’m glad they got the second video in the series up and running.

[vineyridge]

Unless Badminton changes its dates, it’s unlikely that Rolex will move. The Europeans are big draws, and if the likes of William Fox-Pitt and Mary King and Andrew Nicholson and Andrew Hoy have to chose where to compete, you can bet that Badminton will win out. Besides the FEI would never allow two HSBC events on the same weekend.

If you’re coming to Rolex and there is a COTH gathering, might you care to be notified?

[fish]

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;6263574]
I didn’t know where his name originated and now I do Sports Illustrated 1983

I’m glad they got the second video in the series up and running.[/QUOTE]

What a great story! Thanks so much for sharing.

[CVPeg]

@Glimmerglass;6263574

I didn’t know where his name originated and now I do Sports Illustrated 1983

Thanks for this, GG! Love it.

[Mali]

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;6263574]
I didn’t know where his name originated and now I do Sports Illustrated 1983

I’m glad they got the second video in the series up and running.[/QUOTE]

Parts 3 & 4 will be up today, and on Friday, the whole enchilada

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=vineyridge;6263726]
Unless Badminton changes its dates, it’s unlikely that Rolex will move. [/QUOTE]

The suggestion was more tongue in cheek Sure keep me in the loop with any Lexington plans. I’ll be at Keeneland closing day then Rolex for XC and SJ. Although I may be doing some work at the media center.

Never say never with a D. Wayne Lukas trained horse making the Kentucky Derby. Lukas still hoping Optimizer makes Derby field.

He has $184,708 in graded earnings - despite the 9th place finish in the Arkansas Derby - which puts him in the low 20’s with the would-be Derby contenders. He’s owned by Bluegrass Hall, LLC (Brad Kelley) the soon-to-be owner of Calumet Farm.

Dr. Hansen’s blog (4-16-12) congratulates Dullahan which is positive.

[Glimmerglass]

This Saturday’s other graded stakes race in New York doesn’t appear to have any Derby bubble horses and the winner’s share won’t have much of an impact. However perhaps a Preakness Stakes aimed horse maybe in there such as Stirred Up - shipping from California.

$200,000 Grade 2 Jerome Stakes
Aqueduct Race Course @ 1 mile

PP. Horse (Jockey) _ML Odds

1. The Lumber Guy (M. Luzzi) _ 5-2
2. Brigand (C. Nakatani) _4-1
3. Stirred Up (M. Garcia) _2-1
4. Dan and Sheila (R. Napravnik) _12-1
5. Right To Vote (A. Solis) _5-1
6. Adirondack King (K. Carmouche) _12-1
7. Term Loan (A. Garcia) _8-1