Will this race be televised?
[QUOTE=Montanas_Girl;6105948]
Will this race be televised?[/QUOTE]
Live - HRTV has the rights to Gulfstream Park. TVG will air it on delay most likely via a courtesy exchange but maybe an hour later. Of course it will pop up on youtube within a couple hours as well as be available within article links off DRF, BloodHorse and Thoroughbred Times articles by the evening.
Thanks! No HRTV or TVG for me, so it looks like it will be YouTube after the fact.
Sloppy track at Gulfstream Park today … hopefully the video replay will be posted on youtube for Race 7: $53k Allowance a 1 1/16-mi which featured several Derby-trail runners. Both 1-2 should continue on the Derby trail
1st El Padrino (a Pletcher trainee)
2nd Take Charge Indy … then a country mile to the rest of the field
Found live video on the DRF site just in time for the Holy Bull!
Impressive winning effort for Algorithms. I am a Hansen fan, though, and hated to see him beat.
I thought it was a mixed bag for Hansen. Obviously he got beaten, didn’t look 100% comfy with the track, and he wasn’t about to settle down behind other horses as he went out on the lead.
But on the positive side he recovered quickly and adeptly from the bobbled start. And there is a gritty quality about him that I like, which he displayed in the Juvenile last fall - at the top of the stretch today I swear he shot the hairy eyeball at the other horses coming up on him.
He’ll continue to be very interesting to watch develop in the coming months.
Video (youtube) Grade 3 $400k Holy Bull Stakes 1-29-12
Mike Maker didn’t sound (if you saw the HRTV quick interview) before the race like he was expecting a victory for Hansen nor thought it was necessary. Excuses a plenty - off track, insane fractions he put in, bobbled start, and I though a poor spot off the rail that Ramon picked to put him in - looked like a few more feet over was the winning spot.
Video replay of the aforementioned El Padrino’s victory
El Padrino, who was ridden to victory by Javier Castellano, completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.68. His final time was the fastest at the distance during the meet and more than two seconds faster than Revron’s final clocking winning the Gulfstream Park Derby on New Year’s Day.
“He broke his maiden over a sloppy track during a snowstorm at Aqueduct so we figured he’d handle it fine although I’d have preferred to have had a dry track today,” said Pletcher. “We could keep him here for the Fountain of Youth or take him to Tampa.”
The following rankings, et al related to the road to the Derby were before the running of the Holy Bull.
Here is a very wide cast net for naming would-be runners:
Jan 28, 2012 Chart: 50 leading Derby contenders, plus 100 to watch
1-28-12 Courier-Journal Panel: Top 10 Contenders
An abridged list - the panelist top pick:
- Rousing Sermon: Jennie Rees (Courier Journal)
- Union Rags: John Asher (Churchill Downs)
- Union Rags: Cayton Bredar (HRTV)
- Liaison: Jill Byrne (Churchill Downs)
- Union Rags: David Grening (DRF)
- Union Rags: Mike Penna (HRRN)
- Liaison: Jeremy Plonk (ESPN/HorsePlayer)
- Union Rags: Gary West (ESPN)
- Out of Bounds: Jon White (HRTV)
Saratogian Jan 28, 2012 “Michael Veitch: Ranking the classics contenders”
Veitch’s second ranking (abridged) top 10
- Ever So Lucky
- Union Rags
- Hansen
- Liaison
- Sky Kingdom
- Discreet Dancer
- Out of Bounds
- Creative Cause
- Maritimer
- Casual Trick
As pointed out in this article its rather premature to assume we’ve seen the Derby winner in all his/her glory already in an effort - some 95 or so days away from that 1st Saturday in May :
But consider that Smarty Jones had won only a $75,000 stakes at this same stage, War Emblem (2002) was no better than fifth in his first two stakes; Funny Cide (2003) was fifth in the Holy Bull, his first graded stakes after racing against New York-breds; Big Brown (2008) had only raced once, a big turf maiden win at Saratoga; Mine That Bird (2009) was training in New Mexico, and Animal Kingdom had a maiden victory over Keeneland’s Polytrack.
For those interested here were some of the connections remarks regarding Hansen’s second place in the Holy Bull Stakes:
“He has a lot of speed,” Dominguez said, "and he might have been a little bit fresh today too, which is why we went a little faster than I was looking for.
"He stumbled coming out of the gate and he picked himself up pretty quickly, but sometimes that scares a horse a little bit, and they go a little fast. The stumble probably didn’t help, but it’s not an excuse.
“I’m not happy that he didn’t win, but I’m not totally disappointed. When he got passed, he really dug in and he galloped out really well.”
Trainer Michael Maker echoed Dominguez’s comments.
“Ramon said pretty much after he stumbled he popped up and jumped right into the bit and was a little headstrong and fresh,” Maker said, “but other than that it was a good effort and he galloped out strong. We’re pleased.”
Jonathan Sheppard has confirmed Ever So Lucky as starting in the Grade 2 $150k 7-Furlong Hutcheson Stakes Feb. 11th at Gulfstream.
Sheppard said Ever So Lucky, who is owned by George Strawbridge’s Augustin Stable, would have one more five-furlong work, scheduled for next Monday, prior to the Hutcheson.
“He’s sort of an in-between horse in my estimation as far as distance is concerned,” Sheppard said. “He’s cut out to be a high-class miler, but because of his relaxed style he can stretch out, although I wouldn’t call him an out-and-out stayer. We’ll just take things one race at a time and see how he progresses. I don’t have any huge obsession to run in the Derby. It would be fun if we do, but I’m not going to run just for the sake of being there. I’m not going to sacrifice the horse to do that, and I think both I and Mr. Strawbridge feel the same way.”
Damn, that’s the attitude you wish ALL owners had!
Up next for a graded stakes race to test the would-be Derby crowd - the enriched with slots money Grade 3, $200,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct.
The field will be announced tomorrow. By the way the Withers replaced the Whirlaway on the New York Racing Association stakes calendar. Expect Kiaran McLaughlin trained Alpha (winner last out in the Count Fleet Stakes) to be the big gun in this race.
Equibase - field for the Grade 3 Withers Stakes $200,000 - Race 9 on Saturday Feb 4th
Distance: 1 1/16th miles
PP. Horse. Jockey . Weight. Trainer
- Hakama __ J Pimentel __ 118 __ M J Trombetta
- Speightscity __ D Cohen __ 118 __ G C Contessa
- Swag Daddy __ J Alvarado __ 120 __ R E Dutrow, Jr.
- King Kid __ M J Luzzi __ 116 __ D L Romans
- How Do I Win __ C H Velasquez 116 __ T A Pletcher
- Tiger Walk __ H Karamanos 118 __ I Correas, IV
- Alpha __ R A Dominguez __ 120 __ K P McLaughlin
Interesting that Repole Stable’s ‘How Do I Win’ is next to Sagamore Farm’s ‘Tiger Walk’ when it was disclosed that Mike Repole’s latest beverage venture is called “Body Armor” where as Sagamore is Kevin Plank, CEO/Founder of “Under Armour”.
What did Dr. Kendall Hansen think of Hansen’s 1st effort this year with second place?
It would have been great to go into the Derby undefeated, but Algorithms is the real deal too. And I expected Algorithms to run strong second race off his fall lay off. And I met their owners in Beverly Hills at the Eclipse awards and they were VERY confident in him. Most important, Hansen is fine and did not seem to strain any body parts with the stumble.
Most know race horses get blinkers put on them by their trainers to help focus and often to start with more speed ………and although Hansen has had only small or narrow blinkers, Mike said they are definitely coming off next race.
Mike is going to give the lead pony an extra rope to go over Hansen’s nose for the next post parade so he chills a bit more.
What did Wynn Las Vegas think about the Hansen loss in the Holy Bull? (pdf) latest Future Odds here (1/31/12)
Algorithms plunges to 8-1; Hansen up to 15-1 after Holy Bull.
Jockey Club’s release “2011 Experimental Free Handicap”
The Experimental Free Handicap, published annually in late January by The Jockey Club since 1935, is compiled for a hypothetical race for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on dirt. To be eligible for weighting, a 2-year-old must have finished in the top four in a graded or listed stakes race run in the continental United States. Listed stakes in 2011 were those with a value of $75,000 or more available to all starters, and no restrictions other than age or sex.
Hansen and Union Rags are the co-leaders for males @ 126-lbs; My Miss Aurelia leads the fillies @ 124-lbs.
Creative Cause (124-lbs) is next for males, then Wrote (IRE) at (121-lbs) with all others 120-lbs or less. E.g, Ever So Lucky (113-lbs); for the fillies after My Miss Aurelia is Grace Hall (120-lbs) co-weighted with Stephanie’s Kitten (120-lbs).
Easy as pie for Alpha in the Withers and clean out of the gate, too.
[QUOTE=Flashy Gray VA;6122656]
Easy as pie for Alpha in the Withers and clean out of the gate, too.[/QUOTE]
He certainly looked the 1-9 favorite although I think he was up against a less than stellar field. Not exactly testing his mettle but he’ll kept in NY for either Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham on March 3 or the Grade 1, $1 million Wood Memorial on April 7.
Per the DRF: Alpha (who is a relatively smaller colt) earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure for his Withers victory, a five-point improvement from his win in the Count Fleet over the inner track on Jan. 7.
NYRA video replay: Race 9, 2-4-12 Grade 3, $200,000 Withers
On the West Coast it was a day of jocks getting tossed and the presumptive Baffert steamroller getting derailed. If you thought Hansen looked dubious in his 3-yr old debut then Liaison (another future wager short price) looked about as potent as a Budweiser Clyde entered in the same race for fun!
Video replay: Grade 2, $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes; 2-4-12
Yep that’s a 43-1 runner taking the big prep race. Although he was 12-1 morning line and better public was sucked into the Baffert fixation.
On a fast main track, I’ll Have Another completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.84. The win was the second in four starts for I’ll Have Another, a colt by Flower Alley. He earned a first prize of $120,000 Saturday.
I’ll Have Another was one of the top 2-year-olds on the West Coast into the early summer last year. He won his debut at Hollywood Park in July, then was second to the talented Creative Cause in the Best Pal at Del Mar. He then was sent to Saratoga, but floundered on a sloppy track in the Hopeful Stakes, finishing sixth of 10 while beaten by 19 lengths.
He had not run since, owing to sore shins, so the Lewis was his first race in nearly five months, and his first start around two turns.
With Tamp Bay and the Grade 3 $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes it was success with the very well known ownership of Tabor/Magnier (although oddly, no Smith) and their Battle Hardened. They had the first time services (on this colt) of Julien Leparoux aboard.
Video replay of the Sam F. Davis (Feb 4, 2012) inside this DRF article
Trainer Eddie Kenneally said there’s a good chance he will bring Battle Hardened back to Tampa for the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 10.
2012 Triple Crown Nominations (1st round) at 397
In alpha order the data is broken out by: Horse, Sire, Owner, Trainer, State Bred, Best Beyer Speed Figure. These horses were submitted with a $600 fee by the Jan. 21st deadline. Horses can still be nominated, but for $6,000, at a second deadline on March 24. There are usually about “a dozen horses” nominated at the second deadline.
Where does the current potential Derby starting field look like from a graded-stakes earnings perspective as of today (2-6-12)?
Here is the present tally - via DRF with Hansen as the only horse over $1M @ $1,160,000.
Currently the cut-off 20th horse is the aforementioned Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) winner from Tampa: Battle Hardened @ $120k.
It’s still unclear if the Euro runner Wrote (IRE), trained by Aidan O’Brien, and ranked 4th from an earnings perspective will cross the pond again (he won the BC JV Turf at Churchill) for the Derby. The Magnier/Tabor/Smith ownership group owns him and he was nominated to the Kentucky Derby.
Speaking of Hansen, as cited on the Paulick Report, but originating from Dr. Hansen’s blog on the Courier-Journal, there is a potential contest to dye his mane and tail a color chosen by a fan for the KY Derby.
In the mean time, if I read this correctly, they will recolor him for his next race:
Next race he will have a bright BLUE TAIL and a BLUE/YELLOW mane to match his silks. I have talked this over with Mike Maker and he is on board.
Odd, if you ask me.
Not sure if its illegal although some states do ban the dying of animal fur (dogs, rabbits, cats) but I haven’t seen any such rules. Then again I’d assume any coloring of a horse’s natural color could be banned under some wagering language as this goes back to the old, old days of sending in a ringer, colored to look like another horse. The language might unintentionally eliminate the ability to “accent” a horse.
A possible non-Fountain of Youth runner in Discreet Dancer? From a DRF tweet 2-6-12
Discreet Dancer missed scheduled work this a.m. due to slight temperature. May put planned Fountain of Youth start in jeopardy. #gulfstream
I hope he makes it as the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on Feb 26th at 1 1/16 miles is expected to see Union Rags, Hansen, and Algorithms in the mix so a very fascinating race.
[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;6126788]
Speaking of Hansen,
In the mean time, if I read this correctly, they will recolor him for his next race:
Odd, if you ask me. [/QUOTE]
I’m kind of speechless at the thought. Racing is getting bad enough with so many owners who haven’t got a clue - it’s enough the guy names his horse after himself.
OK, but maybe it would be ok, if his owner dyed himself as well!!
:rolleyes:
What a dingdong.
[QUOTE=CVPeg;6127527]
I’m kind of speechless at the thought.[/QUOTE]
And the proposal gets admonished by Paul Moran
Amazing that the 1st Derby Future Pool (run by Churchill Downs) kicks off this Friday - Feb 10th: The field of 23-named and 1-“all others” hasn’t been released yet.
This Saturday (11th) will see the very promising Augustin Stables runner, Ever So Lucky, making his 3-yr old debut in the Grade 2 Hutcheson Stakes - he put in his last work yesterday with Julien up - despite him being ill and off all mounts:
Ever So Lucky breezed five-eighths in 1:01.60 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.40 over a sloppy surface under jockey Julien Leparoux, according to track clocker John Nichols.
Off-topic for this year’s Derby contenders but I see that a horse which was one tough road-warriors from last year [and banked more money than Uruguay’s national treasury could cobble together] who was purported retired prior to the Kentucky Derby is back: Gourmet Dinner runs in a $60k optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream. Remember him? He’s been unseen since he took second in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth more than 11 months ago. I thought he was a solid pick for the Kentucky Derby if only he made it there …
