Pyro and Colonel John are my top two, unless I see the next coming of Curlin at Oaklawn on Saturday, which I doubt.
I can’t support Big Brown. I just can’t. Purely because of the name. Stupid reason, I know.
[QUOTE=olympicdreams04;3132093]
Okay guys, this is my filly. High Resolve, I hear from in-the-know sources, might make a bid. She is 5-5-0-0 and has made $187,000 which would put here 17th or 18th on the Derby trail. Take a look at her.[/QUOTE]
Ah, another Harry Aleo owned and Greg Gilchrist trained runner out of Bay Meadows 
A couple of problems: (1) the earnings while $187,100 none appear to be graded stakes earnings and (2) from what I can see High Resolve (f) is not nominated to the Triple Crown thus far.
They could try to do the supplemental nomination but its expensive and doesn’t guarantee a gate in the Derby:
Per the conditions book for the Kentucky Derby:
Supplemental nominations may be made upon payment of $200,000 and in accordance with the rules set forth. Starters shall be named through the entry box on Wednesday, April 30, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (“the Closing”). The maximum number of starters shall be limited to twenty (20).
Supplemental Nominees will be allowed to enter but will not have preference over any Original Nominee and will not be allowed to start in the Race if the maximum number of starters has otherwise been reached by Original Nominees prior to or at the Closing.
You know how owners like to buzz. I have seen wonderful things from her though, and they dream BIG. They certainly have the money to nominate but I’m sure they’re also considering BC though she’s not nominated there either, currently. I think really it’s sort of a case of a horse that did a lot better in the afternoon than she ever did in the morning and has surprised her connections pleasantly. I am nearly 100% sure she does have GS earnings, though I couldn’t tell you where. Just a buzz name to keep and ear to.
As cited Todd Pletcher is possibly going to watching this year’s Kentucky Derby from home on tv - or so to speak 
Times Union 4-9-08 “Pletcher is facing a dark Derby day”
“We are struggling right now,” Pletcher said.
Last Saturday, Pletcher watched three of his other horses finish up the track in major Derby preps. Spurrier was sixth and Texas Wildcatter eighth in the Wood Memorial. On The Virg was sixth in the Santa Anita Derby.
“We had a lot of horses we projected in December and January for the Derby and we are going to need them to improve a lot to get there,” Pletcher said. “None of them ran well enough (last weekend) to get excited about. The (Blue Grass) is very important for us, and we still have the Lexington,” April 19 at Keeneland.
Poor Todd. (not! :lol:)
Feast or famine I guess.
What a diverse and tough field for the Grade 1 Kentucky Bluegrass Stakes!
In PP order:
1 - Cool Coal Man
2 - Kentucky Bear
3 - Cowboy Cal
4 - Stevil
5 - Monba
6 - Big Truck
7 - Pyro
8 - Stone Bird
9 - Manjool
10 - Miner’s Claim
11 - Halo Najib
12 - Visionaire
I don’t have anything against Todd Pletcher, but I’m not crazy about him either. I’m glad Nick Zito will probably have a couple of horses in the Derby. I like Nick. :yes:
Is Stone Bird a Marylou Whitney horse (trained by Wayne Lukas)?
It is interesting to see Big Truck here.
Poor Visionaire keeps drawing the parking lot!
[QUOTE=ravenclaw;3134073]
Is Stone Bird a Marylou Whitney horse (trained by Wayne Lukas)?[/QUOTE]
Yep, although he defected from the Arkansas Derby for this race. He’s based at Oaklawn. With it coming up so tough I don’t know if that was the best. He was doing well with his progression, but pulled up in an effort and just hasn’t been the same.
Stone Bird to be ridden by Corey Lanerie. Morning Line odds: 50-1
The first time I’ve seen this with regards to Tomcito and getting in to the Kentucky Derby:
Tomcito: Peruvian import may be No. 21 ($151,292), but if things look tight for the Florida Derby third, trainer Dante Zanelli indicates he’ll run in the Lexington Stakes to gather potential earnings next week. Don’t count him out, literally.
The Coolmore Lexington Stakes (G2) will be held April 19 at Keeneland.
Hey Byrn is also running this weekend in the GIII Holy Bull at Gulfstream. It’s do or die for him and his chance at the Kentucky Derby. Looks to be an otherwise blase field IMO:
10th (6:00)
Holy Bull S. (G3)
1 3/16 Miles | Open | 3 Year Olds Stakes | Purse: $150,000
Post # Horse Jockey Weight Claim Price Equip. Med.
1 Famous Patriot Castro E 118 L
2 Hey Byrn Lopez C C 118 L
3 Chief Bear Madrid S O 116 L
4 Bipolar Express Ramgeet A R 116 L
5 Nathan Ridge Nunez E O 116 L
6 Dream Maestro Cruz M R 118 L
7 Web Gem Bravo J 118
Seriously the JC allowed a horse with the name of “Bipolar Express”? Now that’s bad!
Tomcito is based at Keeneland although he was shipped up to Churchill Downs for a workout this morning (Apr 9) …
“We wanted him to just recognize the track and know where the finish line was,” Zanelli said in a release. "We wanted to do an easy three-quarters, and that’s exactly what he did.
“He finished strong – he finished 11-and-three the last eighth and he galloped out well. He’s really moving forward big time. He’s improving every day and he’s doing it really well.”
Five furlongs in 1:01.40; six furlongs in 1:14.60
[QUOTE=Texarkana;3134966]
Hey Byrn is also running this weekend in the GIII Holy Bull at Gulfstream. It’s do or die for him and his chance at the Kentucky Derby.[/QUOTE]
Hey Byrn has $50,000 in graded money from his Florida Derby effort. Plesa said that qualifying for the Derby field is not his primary consideration, although if Hey Byrn were to win the Holy Bull and amass enough graded earnings to get into the field, they would likely go.
Not exactly a shock - although you never know with Derby fever - but Salute the Sarge most likely to skip the Derby:
Salute the Sarge, the winner of three sprint stakes, including the San Miguel Stakes on March 29, remains on course for the $325,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 19, but is doubtful for the Kentucky Derby on May 3, trainer Eric Guillot said on Wednesday.
Guillot said he would like to start Salute the Sarge in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 17, the second leg of the Triple Crown, if the colt runs well in the Grade 2 Lexington Stakes over 1 1/16 miles.
By the way for the Bluegrass Stakes - if you can watch it live on TVG you might want to vs. the tape delay on ESPN. Why? Becuase TVG is going to have 24 - yes twenty-four - cameras on the course for the race. Only the Kentucky Derby has that many views covered!
The line up for Oaklawn and the Grade 2 $1M Arkansas Derby for Sat April 12:
On ESPN Saturday, April 12, 2008 @ 5:30 PM ET
PP, Horse, Weight, Jockey
- Victory Pete, 118, Clinton Potts
- Tres Borrachos, 118, Tyler Baze
- Shekinah, 118, Christopher Emigh
- King’s Silver Son, 118, Luis Quinonez
- Gayego, 122, Mike Smith
- Isabull, 118, Timothy Doocy
- My Pal Charlie, 118, Julien Leparoux
- Blackberry Road, 118, Calvin Borel
- Liberty Bull, 122, Eusebio Razo, Jr.
- Golden Yank, 122, Larry Sterling, Jr.
- Ablaze With Spirit, 122, M. Clifton Berry
- Z Fortune, 122, Robby Albarado
- Indian Sun, 118, Richard Migliore
- Jazz in the Park, 118, Miguel Mena
Per Oaklawn’s data sheet for the race, the graded money from the race is as follows:
Guaranteed of which $600,000 to the owner of the winner, $200,000 to second,
$100,000 to third, $50,000 to fourth, $30,000 to fifth and $20,000 to sixth.
Just a completely random tidbit I spotted checking out the undercard at Oaklawn on Saturday:
Country singer Toby Keith’s 3 y/o, Sebastian County, is running in the ungraded Northern Spur Stakes.
My money is still on Ablaze With Spirit for the Arkansas Derby!!!
Bad weather in Lexington and if it should get worse for Saturday, then Barclay Tagg has stated in the press that Big Truck would be scratched from the Bluegrass Stakes.
BloodHorse’s video of the Bluegrass preview dinner last night with comments from the trainers …
On TV Saturday April 12
ESPN’s telecast features live coverage of the Arkansas Derby and the Holy Bull Stakes from Gulfstream and tape delay the Bluegrass Stakes from Keeneland.
ESPN’s 90-minute show begins at 5:30 p.m. Eastern.
TVG and their 24-camera crew (4 times as many normally) with jocks hooked up with “All-Access” wireless microphones plus the on-screen graphics of the race [“Trakus” system] will be airing live coverage from 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm EST
This Toyota Bluegrass field of 12-starter is the largest since Play Fellow won the 1983 Bluegrass Satkes, assuming, of course, that all start Saturday.
