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| Kentucky Derby Horses and The Downey Profile® | |
The Road to the Kentucky Derby
Selected Major and Minor Stakes Races Leading to the Kentucky Derby
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March 13 1 1/16 Mile, Grade III TAMPA BAY DERBY, Tampa Bay Downs ($300,000) 1 1/16 Mile, Grade II REBEL STAKES, Oaklawn Park ($300,000) 1 1/16 Mile, Grade II SAN FELIPE STAKES, Santa Anita ($150,000) PREVIOUS ROAD RACES Jan. 23 1 Mile 40 Yards, Grade III LECOMTE STAKES, Fair Grounds ($100,000) 1 Mile, Grade III HOLY BULL STAKES, Gulfstream Park ($150,000) Jan. 30 1 Mile, WEBN STAKES, Turfway Park ($50,000) Feb. 6 1 1/16 Mile, WHIRLAWAY STAKES, Aqueduct ($100,000) Feb. 13 1 1/16 Mile, Grade II ROBERT B. LEWIS STAKES, Santa Anita ($150,000) 1 1/6 Mile, Grade III SAM F. DAVIS STAKES, Tampa Bay Downs ($225,000) Feb. 15 7 Furlong, Grade II SAN VICENTE STAKES, Santa Anita ($150,000) Feb. 18 About 1 Mile (1,600 Meters), Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas, Meydan Racecourse ($250,000) Feb. 20 1 1/8 Mile, Grade II FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH STAKES, Gulfstream Park ($250,000) 7 Furlong, Grade II HUTCHESON STAKES, Gulfstream Park ($150,000) 1 1/16 Mile, Grade II RISEN STAR STAKES, Fair Grounds ($200,000) 1 1/8 Mile, Grade III EL CAMINO REAL DERBY, Golden Gate Fields ($150,000) 1 Mile, Grade III SOUTHWEST STAKES, Oaklawn Park ($250,000) Feb. 27 1 1/16 Mile, JOHN BATTAGLIA MEMORIAL STAKES, Turfway Park ($100,000) March 4 About 1 3/16 Mile (1,900 Meters), AL BASTAKIYA, Meydan Racecourse ($250,000) March 6 1 1/16 Mile, Grade III GOTHAM STAKES ($250,000) 1 1/8 Mile, Grade III SHAM STAKES, Santa Anita ($150,000) UPCOMING ROAD RACES March 20 7 Furlongs, Grade II SWALE STAKES, Gulfstream Park ($150,000) 1 1/8 Mile, Grade I FLORIDA DERBY, Gulfstream Park ($750,000) March 27 1 1/8 Mile, Grade II LOUISIANA DERBY, Fair Grounds ($750,000) 1 1/8 Mile, Grade II LANE’S END STAKES, Turfway Park ($500,000) About 1 3/16 Mile (1,900 Meters), Group 2 UAE DERBY, Meydan Racecourse ($2,000,000) March 28 1 1/8 Mile, Grade III SUNLAND DERBY, Sunland Park ($800,000) April 3 1 1/8 Mile, Grade I WOOD MEMORIAL, Aqueduct ($750,000) 1 1/8 Mile, Grade I SANTA ANITA DERBY, Santa Anita ($750,000) 1 1/8 Mile, Grade III ILLINOIS DERBY, Hawthorne Race Course ($500,000) April 10 1 1/8 Mile, Grade I TOYOTA BLUE GRASS STAKES, Keeneland ($750,000) 1 1/8 Mile, Grade I ARKANSAS DERBY, Oaklawn Park ($1,000,000) April 17 1 1/16 Mile, Grade II COOLMORE LEXINGTON STAKES, Keeneland ($300,000) March 13: 1 1/16 Mile, Grade III TAMPA BAY DERBY Tampa Bay Downs ($300,000) http://www.tampabaydowns.com Entries
Links to Entries: Gleam of Hope, Odysseus, Schoolyard Dreams, Super Saver, Uptowncharlybrown. Morning Line to Super Saver: It's Not a Lock By Dick Downey The Downey Profile Posted March 10, 2010 Super Saver is the 2-1 morning line favorite in the Grade III Tampa Bay Derby, but he has close company in the morning line. Unraced since winning the Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club in stakes-record time under Calvin Borel last November at Churchill Downs, Super Saver gets the services of New York rider Ramon Dominguez on Satuday. Dominguez has ridden Super Saver once in his four-race career, helping break the colt's maiden second time out at Belmont Park. Sent into the Grade I Champagne Stakes off that win, Super Saver and John Velazquez, who isn't riding in the Tampa Bay Derby, went to the lead only to fall back to a fourth-place finish behind Homeboykris, Discreetly Mine and Aspire. Super Saver has taken the early lead in all his races except the first. Owner WinStar Farm will try to sweep the graded 3-year-old stakes at Tampa with Super Saver after winning the Grade III Sam F. Davis with Rule. Both horses were also bred by WinStar. One entry that's unlikely to contest Super Saver in the early going is Uptowncharlybrown. Although he adds blinkers for the Tampa Bay Derby, Uptowncharlybrown has a stalking or closing style that's unlikely to radically change. Connections, will, however, want him closer to the early pace than he was in the Davis, when he finished third to Rule and Schoolyard Dreams. Trainer Alan Seewald again enlists Daniel Centeno to ride locally-owned and trained Uptowncharlybrown, who's 5-2 on the morning line. At 3-1 is Schoolyard Dreams. From the barn of Derek Ryan, who campaigned Musket Man to a win in this race a year ago, Schoolyard Dreams attended the pace set by Rule in the Davis before losing ground to him in the stretch. Schoolyards Dreams, a May 8 foal, has put in two bullet works at Tampa since the Davis. Jeremy Rose will become the fifth jockey to ride Schoolyard Dreams in as many races, succeeding Cornelio Velazquez in the saddle. Highly regarded but largely untested is the 7-2 Odysseus, a son of Malibu Moon trained by Tom Albertrani. He comes into the Tampa Bay Derby off a visually impressive, 15-length win against overmatched competition in a Feb. 17 allowance at the track. Sent off at 1-2 odds that day, Odysseus put in time of 1:44.37 in the 1 1/16-mile race, only 22/100 second slower than Rule was clocked in winning the Davis four days earlier. Rajiv Maragh has the return engagement. Among the three outsiders in the race, Gleam of Hope exits a nice turf allowance win at the track--just 13 days before the Tampa Bay Derby in his first start of the year. Gleam of Hope has his work cut out for him on paper, at least. In his final race of 2009, Gleam of Hope was defeated 16 1/4 lengths by Super Saver in the Kentucky Jockey Club, finishing eighth of nine. Trainer Tony Reinstedler conditions Gleam of Hope but has also entered 20-1 shot Slammy Boy, a maiden winner from four starts. Coming in off three turf starts from four total outings, Slammy Boy doesn't look like one who's intended to contest the pace. So far in his brief career, he's been without early speed but has shown late interest in his races. Nick Zito, who sends an occasional presence to Tampa, has put in Tuvia's Force. Winner of one race in four starts, Tuvia's Force last raced in a one-mile allowance at Gulfstream Park where he ran into a buzzsaw named Wildcat Frankie in his first race this year. By Mineshaft out of a Dixieland Band mare, Tuvia's Force has room to improve in his second race off the layoff. Jose Lezcano, who's ridden him in three of his fourt starts, travels from Gulfstream Park to ride. March 13: 1 1/16 Mile, Grade II REBEL STAKES Oaklawn Park, $300,000 http://www.oaklawn.com/racing Leading Rebel Probables: Cardiff Giant (Christian Santiago Reyes), Dublin (Corey Nakatani), Lookin at Lucky, (Garrett Gomez), Noble's Promise, (Robby Albarado), Pleasant Storm (Jon Court), Uh Oh Bango (Glenn Corbett). Dublin is a son of Afleet Alex and the second-place finisher in the recent Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn. The chestnut runner was flying at the end of the one-mile Southwest and just failed to catch Conveyance. Winner of the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga last summer, Dublin is expected to improve with distance. His Southwest Stakes effort came after surgery for an entrapped epiglottis. He continues to train well. Dublin, will face, among others, two of the most highlyly-respected members of last year's 2-year-old crop--each of them unraced in 2010--Lookin at Lucky and Noble's Promise. Lookin At Lucky comes from the barn of Bob Baffert, who has scored with both of the horses he has sent to Oaklawn for stakes events this far this year, Conveyance in the Southwest and Freedom Star in the Azeri. The bay son of Smart Strike, who also sired former Oaklawn champion Curlin, has won five of six outings, losing in a photo to Vale Of York in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Baffert has expressed a desire to give Lookin at Lucky a chance to prove himself on conventional dirt. All his previous efforts have been on synthetic tracks in California. Blinkers are added for the first time in the Rebel. Garrett Gomez, a former regular at Oaklawn, will be back in the saddle for Looking At Lucky on Saturday. Noble's Promise, trained by another former Oaklawn regular, Ken McPeek, has hopes of gaining a measure of revenge, having suffered losses in his last two races to Lookin At Lucky. The bay son of Cuvee followed a win in Keeneland's Grade I Dixiana Breeders' Futurity with a third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, then second to Lookin At Lucky in Hollywood Park's Grade I Cash Call Futurity. His record now shows three wins from six starts and earnings over $700,000. Like Lookin At Lucky, all his success has been on synthetic tracks, so trainer McPeek has put him in a solid test on a conventional dirt track to help measure his assault on the Triple Crown races. March 13: 1 1/16 Mile, Grade II SAN FELIPE STAKES Santa Anita ($150,000) http://www.santaanita.com Entries
Links to Entries: American Lion, Caracortado, Dave in Dixie, Interactif, Sidney's Candy. Blue Collar to Meet More Blue Blood in San Felipe Posted March 12, 2010 Seven were entered in the Grade II San Felipe with Caracortado, a blue-collar favorite, high-weighted at 119 pounds. Not only is he a California-bred gelding by little known sire Cat Dreams, but Caracortado is trained and co-owned by breeder Mike Machowsky, who has a small, but efficient stable, and he is ridden by Paul Atkinson, who had all but fallen off racing’s radar screen--and never had been prominent on it--at the age of 40. After Caracortado won the Grade II Robert B. Lewis Stakes in 1:41.75, Machowsky was led to say, “I read what everybody writes about him, that he is kind of off-bred, not a blueblood, but he’s honest. You can’t knock that. I think using a low-profile rider probably has kept him flying under the radar, but if he’s under the radar now, he shouldn’t be.” Each of Caracortado’s five wins has been accomplished with authority. The winning margin in each has been either 1 1/2 or 1 3/4 length. The Lewis provided Atkinson with his biggest career victory. And should Caracortado indeed reach the Kentucky Derby, Atkinson will be there. Both Machowsky and his partner, Don Blahut, are pledged to that. “I’m a firm believer that loyalty means something, and Paul has ridden him flawlessly every time,” said Machowsky. “It’s everybody’s dream to get to the Derby, and Paul deserves as much chance as a guy like Garrett Gomez or Mike Smith.” An earner of $199,200, Caracortado’s victims in the Lewis included Tiz Chrome and American Lion, who were early choices among many early top 10 Kentucky Derby prospects. American Lion will seek vengeance in the San Felipe after fading to third, one-half length behind Dave in Dixie, in the Lewis. Julien Leparoux, who found himself in a spirited pace duel with favored Tiz Chrome, will be back aboard the WinStar Farm’s homebred son of Tiznow. Trained by Eoin Harty, American Lion has won two of four starts, including Hollywood Park’s Grade III Hollywood Prevue. He'll be equipped with blinkers for the first time on Saturday. Dave in Dixie, a son of Dixie Union owned by Ike and Dawn Thrash, is a stretch-running sort who turned in his best effort of three starts in the Lewis. Joel Rosario will be back aboard for trainer John Sadler as Dave in Dixie seeks his first stakes victory. Trainer Todd Pletcher, deep in 3-year-old talent again this year, will be represented by Palm Meadows-based Interactif, a winner of a pair of Grade III turf stakes in the East who ran a close third to Pounced--and one spot ahead of Awesome Act--in the Grade II Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last November. Wertheimer & Frere’s Interactif, who has posted a 3-1-1 record in six starts for earnings of $288,250, brings the biggest bankroll into the San Felipe. Rafael Bejarano will take over in the saddle from Florida-based Kent Desormeaux as Interactif tries a synthetic surface for the first time. Sidney’s Candy, the Craig Family Trust’s highly promising son of Candy Ride, will be racing around two turns for the first time with regular rider Joe Talamo in the irons. Trained by John Sadler, Sidney’s Candy regained his luster with a 4 1/2-length triumph in Santa Anita’s Grade II San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs on Feb. 10 after a troubled but dull fourth-place effort as the 3-5 favorite in an allowance event on Dec. 30. His uneven four-race career began with a second-place debut before a sizzling four-length maiden win at Del Mar last summer that cast Sidney’s Candy as the local “buzz horse” among Derby prospects. --Edited from track release Atkinson: 'Best Is Yet to Come' Posted March 10, 2010 Paul Atkinson says he thinks the best is yet to come for California-bred Caracortado. The jockey whose name isn't exactly a household word and the formerly nondescript horse have surprised the racing world, winning all five starts from a $40,000 maiden claiming race going a half-mile at Fairplex Park to the Grade II Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita. On Saturday, the duo hopes to move a step closer to the Kentucky Derby when they run in the San Felipe. “He surprised me when I worked him three-quarters here (in 1:12.40 on Jan. 31), but from then on, he’s pretty much run as I expected,” the 40-year-old Atkinson said of Caracortado, a gelding bred by Machowsky, who also owns a share of the horse. “It doesn’t seem like distance will be a problem for him, either,” Atkinson said. “Like in the Lewis, he just waited, and sitting on him, it was kind of like, ‘Can we go now? How about now? Are we ready yet?’ When I let him go, he just turns it on and gives you everything he’s got.” Asked if he underestimated Caracortado by starting him in a $40,000 maiden claiming race at four furlongs, Machowsky said: “I thought he’d be a good price (laughter), it was Fairplex, and I knew he was fast. And he is fast, but he also can run all day.” Since Caracortado won the Lewis, Machowsky has been fielding questions from a suddenly piqued turf media about the horse he calls “M.C.” around the barn. “It stands for mentally challenged,” the trainer said. “He was a pain in the ass when I first got him, but now he’s a pro. Lately, a bunch of guys are calling all the time asking about the horse. I’ve done quite a few interviews, which is great. Hopefully, it will keep going.” Caracortado paid $21.60 when he won at Fairplex. Atkinson said he ran like a 1-5 shot, and has ever since. Not only that, he’s been a gem of consistency. He’s won every race but one by the identical margin of a length and three-quarters. The lone exception came on Dec. 6, when he won by a length and a half. Since he began his career 25 years ago, Atkinson has never ridden in the Kentucky Derby, although he has experienced the day first hand. “I just remember that I rode Memo in a stakes race at Churchill Downs on Derby day one year,” he said, “and it was a mad house.” PREVIOUS ROAD RACES Jan. 23: 1 Mile 40 Yards, Grade III LECOMTE STAKES Fair Grounds ($100,000) http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com Ron the Greek Blows by Field in Lecomte By Dick Downey The Downey Profile Posted Jan. 23, 2010 Racing down the backstretch, James Graham could have used binoculars to spot the leaders in the Grade III Lecomte Stakes, but by the time they got to the finish line at Fair Grounds, all he needed was a rear view mirror. Ron the Greek and Graham passed all but one horse in the stretch run of the 10-horse Lecomte to win going away. In the early going, Ron the Greek was 16 lengths behind pacesetter Maximus Ruler. The one mile, 40 yards was timed in 1:40.09. Maximus Ruler, the betting choice at 2-1, finished second after leading through fractions of :23.42, :46.80 and 1:12.27. Ron the Greek was sent off at 7-1 odds and paid $17.60 to win, $8.20 to place and $5.60 to show. The pair of 3-year-olds produced a $2 exacta payoff of $75.80. Letsgetitonmon, at 18-1, hit the wire third after also coming from well back in the field, and was beaten two lengths, followed another 1 1/4 length back by Cool Bullet. Worldly, Turf Melody, Citrus Kid, Depaul, B'wanagoldmine and Rock Hard completed the order of finish. Callide Valley was scratched. Citrus Kid, bet at 7-2 off an 8-1 morning line after a pair of bullet works at Palm Meadows, did not appear to enjoy the track and was never placed better than fifth as the route was run. Worldly, the second betting choice at 3-1, was in striking position from the start to the top of the stretch, but he flattened out. Tom Amoss trains Ron the Greek and may have tipped the horse when he said yesterday, “This is a very interesting horse. We’ve always known he wanted a route of ground, and in that last race at Remington, he came from last place and then had to check after beginning his run. He’s a bigger horse than most, and he makes quite a presence in the paddock.” That last race was the $200,000 Springboard Stakes at Remington Park. In the one-mile race, Ron the Greek launched his bid from 16-length deficit before finishing fourth, beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Turf Melody. Ron the Greek won his first pair of 2-year-old races, first at Hoosier Park and then at Delta Downs, where he made up over nine lengths to win. The Springboard was his third and final race of 2009, and Amoss had him taken to Fair Grounds where Ron the Greek went right to work. A son of Full Mandate, who's by A.P. Indy, Ron the Greek is out of Flambe`, by Fortunate Prospect. He was bred in Florida by his owner, Jack Hammer. Hammer told a TwinSpires.com audience after the race that it was his first trip to Fair Grounds. Equibase chart Connections Quotes “He has a big kick,” winning jockey Graham said of Ron the Greek. “He does what you tell him to do. If you want to go he’ll wait until you pull the trigger.” “We really thought he had a good chance today," winning trainer Tom Amoss said. "For the horseplayers that like to examine the horses in the paddock he really does look the part. He’s a very, very good-looking horse. He’s a one-run horse, period. Let’s hope he always has some pace up front. “I certainly think (the Risen Star would be next). It’s another seventy yards. The Risen Star would be a tremendously flattering race to win, not only for myself but for Mr. Hammer. We’ll let him tell us, but that’s certainly what we’re thinking.” Francisco Torres (Maximus Ruler, second): “He broke well. He relaxed and placed himself on a very comfortable lead. He responded to my urging and kept driving. I was pleased with his effort. When I called on him, he exploded. I don’t think he saw the winner, he was so far away from him. First time going around two turns, he has a lot of room to improve.” Trainer Clark Hanna (Maximus Ruler): “I thought it was a great effort. I thought he was hooked for most of the way around there, and obviously he was fresh being on the front end like he was. He got tested every step of the way. He took on all foes except for one. Maybe the trainer didn’t have him fit enough coming off the layoff, but he cooled out well, and if all’s well tomorrow, we’ll be looking to come back in a few weeks in the next one.” Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan (Letsgetitonmon, third): “He finished really well. He was a little bit further back early on, but when I asked him down the lane, I had to weave my way through traffic and he really finished up well. I think he’s a three-year-old that each time they lead him over here he keeps getting better and better. He’s moving in the right direction and he tries hard.” Scott Blasi, assistant trainer (Letsgetitonmon): “Letsgetitonmon is another horse who moved forward yesterday. With 3-year-olds at this time of year, if they keep performing well and showing improvement each time, you just let them keep doing that until they find their level. “For instance, take a horse like Soul Warrior last year,” said Blasi. “He kept improving and went on to win the $750,000 West Virginia Derby. There’s nothing wrong with that. The point is, at this time of year, you just have to let them show you what they can do.” Brian Hernandez Jr. (Cool Bullet, fourth): “He ran huge for first time going two turns. I think he’ll step up the next time.” Trainer Steve Margolis (Cool Bullet, fourth): “He had a great trip. Brian rode a great race, a good stalking trip. He tired a little bit at the end, but I wouldn’t call it quitting; I think it’s maybe the lack of the two-turn experience kind of caught up to him. I’m not disappointed. You want to win every time, but I think for a horse coming off a five-and-a-half and a three-quarters race, he ran a legitimate race. “I don’t know what well do next time; I’ll have to talk to the owners. He ran a hard-trying race, and if you could go buy every horse like this for $4,000 you’d be in good shape.” Robby Albarado (Worldly, fifth): “I had a beautiful trip. I sat right behind the lead horses. I was content the whole way. I had a great rail trip turning for home, just didn’t have enough horse to go on.” Jose Valdivia Jr. (Turf Melody, sixth): “Actually I had a great trip. My horse was pulling a little bit in the early stages of the race. Once he got down the backside, he settled really nicely. I was following the three (Worldly) around there and I thought I was in a great spot. When we turned for home I thought he would give me that other gear, and he just never did. He ran very even through the lane. I really thought he’d give me that other gear, but he just stayed where he was. No excuses; it’s just one of those things.” Miguel Mena (Citrus Kid, seventh): “He was a little nervous in the post parade. Other than that no excuses.” Jan. 23: 1 Mile, Grade III HOLY BULL STAKES Gulfstream Park ($150,000) http://www.gulfstreampark.com Winslow Homer Cuts Through Field to Take Holy Bull By Dick Downey The Downey Profile Posted Jan. 23, 2010 Winslow Homer laid off the early pace, got in the mix on the turn and found a seam in the stretch to get by the inside of Jackson Bend--through tight quarters--and win the race. He was timed in 1:35.97. Jan. 23, Grade III Holy Bull Stakes, Gulfstream Park, One Mile. Winslow Homer laid off the early pace, got in the mix on the turn and found a seam in the stretch to get by the inside of Jackson Bend and win the Grade III Holy Bull Stakes. He was timed in 1:35.97. Winslow Homer, trained by Anthony Dutrow and ridden by Ramon Dominguez, returned $9.60 to win, $4.60 to place and $3.60 to show as the 7-2 second choice in the wagering. His morning line was 6-1. Jackson Bend, the 8-5 favorite, was always prominent in the race on the outside after breaking from post 9. He stayed on for second, beaten three-quarters of a length, while William's Kitten (12-1) came on late and wide for third, another 3 1/4 lengths back. It was tight for fourth, with Thank U Philippe (15-1) edging out Homeboykris (5-1) and beaten six lengths for all of it. The order of finish was completed by Aikenite, Wild Lime, Litigation Risk and Piscitelli. After a very abbreviated runup to the timer after the break, Piscitelli, Aikenite, Homeboykris and Jackson Bend slugged it out for the lead and went the first quarter-mile in :23.86. Thank U Philippe, never far back, joined that fray with the half timed in :45.76. Meanwhile, Piscitelli dropped out of contention. Rounding the turn, Thank U Philippe, then Homeboykris, grabbed a short lead as Aikenite backed out of it with six furlongs run in 1:09.66. But Winslow Homer was about to begin making his move in earnest. By the time the field reached the furlong marker, Winslow Homer had knifed through the pack and led by a head. Dutrow, with owner Rick Porter of Fox Hill Farm at his side after the race, said Winslow Homer would be pointed next to the Grade II Fountain of Youth at the track on Feb. 20. Bred in Kentucky by Overbrook Farm, Winslow Homer is by Unbridled's Song, out of the Summer Squall mare Summer Raven. The Holy Bull was the 3-year-old debut of Winslow Homer. In 2009, Winslow Homer won two of three races. In his last outing of the year, Winslow Homer came off a three-month layoff to race at Philadelphia Park and won the one-mile race on Nov. 20 by 12 1/2 lengths. Connections Quotes: Anthony Dutrow, trainer of Winslow Homer: “I came here today without any particular expectations, just hoping he would keep his place in line (on the Derby trail). Naturally, I have to be very pleased with the way he ran. Mr. Porter and I decided we might be in business with a good horse after we watched him work one morning at Delaware Park in about late June, and he hasn’t disappointed us yet. "We’ll look ahead now to the Fountain of Youth if all goes well. He’s actually bred for two turns. The goal is the Kentucky Derby.” Ramon Dominguez, Winslow Homer: “There is always a little concern when you are up on the inside covered up, especially with a young horse like him, but I was hoping that somewhere along the line things would open up because I felt like I had a lot of horse. And when the hole barely opened up, he squeezed through horses, and did it very professionally. "When he made the lead, he started to come back to me, so I had to encourage him a little to keep going, but he’s a professional, and he’s just improving tremendously with each race.” Jeremy Rose, aboard Jackson Bend: “My horse ran his race. I had him positioned right where I wanted him, but when the winner split horses and made his move, he had a little more left. But my horse is a good horse. He ran well.” Equibase chart Jan. 30: 1 Mile, WEBN STAKES Turfway Park ($50,000) http://www.turfway.com Kera's Kitten Breaks Well, Finishes the Job By Dick Downey The Downey Profile Posted Jan. 30, 2010 Kera's Kitten (Just In Case) broke well and led from start to finish under Thomas Pompell to win the WEBN Stakes at Turfway Park. Under mild pressure in the second turn but never seriously threatened, Kera's Kitten (5-1 fourth choice off a 4-1 morning line) won by 2 1/2 lengths over Slewzoom (19-1), followed by Lucky Chuck (3-1 favorite), who was the one applying moderate pressure to Kera's Kitten before giving way. Twelve ran. Behind Lucky Chuck came 31-1 Pathoki, Fish, Patti’s Kitten, In the Paint, Mickejoe, Justamatteroftime, Big Bruin, Proud of Midway, and Rockin’ Rockstar, who broke poorly. Outclass did not draw in from the also-eligible list and was scratched. In the Turfway Prevue on Jan. 2, Kera's Kitten stumbled at the start and lost all chance. He finished seventh, beaten 21 1/2 lengths. Early splits were :24.25, :48.56 and 1:13.88, with a final time of 1:41.21. Bred and owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Kera's Kitten is trained by Mike Maker. He's a son of the Ramsey stallion Kitten's Joy and is out of Mrs. K, by Dixieland Band. It was the third win in five starts for Kera's Kitten. Last year, he broke his maiden in his debut at Kentucky Downs and went on to win the El Joven Stakes at Retama Park on soft turf, clearing by five lengths. Connections quotes: Mike Maker: “Well, he runs a lot better when he breaks good." Thomas Pompell: "Mike told me I had the speed. He didn’t break real well, but I kind of got after him and got him to the lead and settled him down from there. On the final turn, they came up to me and I let mine out a little bit, seeing as how I had horse, but there was really no challenge.” Equibase chart Feb. 6: 1 1/16 Mile, WHIRLAWAY STAKES Aqueduct ($100,000) http://www.nyra.com/index_aqueduct.html Bedlam in Whirlaway By Dick Downey The Downey Profile Posted Feb. 6, 2009 With 1-5 favorite Eightyfiveinafifty bolting on first turn, things turned upside down in the 1 1/16-mile Whirlaway Stakes and led to a win by Peppi Knows in 1:47.10 on a track rated fast. Jorge Chavez was unseated from Eightyfiveinafifty when he crashed into the outer rail of the turn; Chavez was taken to North Shore University Hospital for evaluation. After the race, trainer Gary Contessa said Eightyfiveinafifty was OK except for a two-inch cut in his right-hind leg, and that he didn't have any idea what went wrong. After breaking from the rail, a rank Eightyfiveinafifty took the early lead with Three Day Rush pursuing him from the outside. When the pair hit the first turn, Eightyfiveinafifty started throwing his head and ran toward the outer rail. Three Day Rush and David Cohen changed course and went to the inside of Eightyfiveinafifty, leaving Papa's Nice Cat, Three Day Rush and Peppi Knows to contend for the lead. Peppi Knows and Richard Migliore had siezed the lead by the time the field was a short distance into the second turn; Papa's Nice Cat had backed off, and Three Day Rush was chasing the leader. Afleet Again had been trailing the decimated field--Turf Melody was a scratch, and the incident with Eightyfiveinafifty left only four running--but he overtook Three Day Rush in the stretch to get within a length of Peppi Knows at the finish line, with Three Day Rush a half-length back of the runner-up. Papa's Nice Cat finished fourth, beaten 23 1/4 lengths. There were bridge jumpers wagering on Eightyfiveinafifty in this race, with an inverted show payoff resulting. Peppi Knows paid $17.40 to win, $5.60 to place and $7.70 to show. Afleet Again paid $8.40 to place and $9.80 to show. Peppi Knows, a gelded son of Stephen Got Even, is trained by Tim Kreiser and is owned by Philip J. Messina. He was bred in Kentucky by G. Watts Humprey. In his most recent outing, Peppi Knows was runner-up to Buddy's Saint in the Grade II Remsen Stakes on the main track at Aqueduct late in November. The Whirlaway was run on Aqueduct's inner dirt track. Timothy Kreiser, winning trainer: “Everything went well, obviously what happened with (Eightfiveinafifty), I don’t know. It helped things, I guess, maybe it didn’t. It would have been nice to see that horse run just to see what we had there. We can’t do anything about that, he ran his race, and we’re really happy. The rider did everything perfect. He didn’t rush him, he just settled him down. With that horse out --that’s what all the talk was about--so if he’s out of it, you think you have a heck of a chance. We took advantage of it.” Richard Migliore, winning jockey: “It worked out real good for us. We got to save ground when the other horse didn’t make the turn. He’s just a real nice handy little horse. He’s not a whole lot to look at, but he has a big heart. Anytime he felt the presence of the other horse, he ran on a little more. I just hope Jorge’s alright.” Gary Contessa, trainer of Eightyfiveinafifty: “The horse is okay. He has a two-inch cut on his right hind leg, and he’ll need a couple of stitches, but he was walking sound. I’m completely mystified as to what happened. I don’t know if it was the horse, the jockey, or an equipment malfunction. The bit was broken and the rein was shredded--the equipment was in shambles--but I don’t know if that happened during the race or after he bolted. He’s handled the turns fine in the mornings. I have no idea what happened.” Equibase chart Feb. 13: 1 1/16 Mile, Grade II ROBERT B. LEWIS STAKES Santa Anita ($150,000) http://www.santaanita.com Caracortado Extends Streak in Robert B. Lewis By Dick Downey The Downey Profile Posted Feb. 13, 2010 Caracortado is now undefeated in five starts after winning the Grade II Robert B. Lewis Stakes, defeating Dave in Dixie by 1 3/4 length. A gelding by an obscure sire, Caracortado isn't a blueblood, but he established himself as America's best blue-collar 3-year-old. The off-the-pace win was aided by a pace duel led by Tiz Chrome and American Lion. Tiz Chrome wnt through the opening quarter-mile in :23.27 and the first half in :47.11, with American Lion on his right flank. In the meantime, Caracortado was sitting in a pocket in third, alone, whille Tango Tango and Dave in Dixie and tracked in the rear, less than six lengths separating the field. Ziz Chrome and Amerian Lion geve up the lead to Caracortado near the top of the stretch, and the winner scampered off to an easy win, timed in 1:41.75. Davie in Dixie made a strong late run to caputre second, edging out Ameican Lion by a half-length. Tiz Chrome settled for fourth, beaten 4 1/2 lengths. Tango Tango completed the order of finish. Paul Atkinson has ridden Caracortado in all his starts for trainer Mike Machowsky. Caracortado, whose name means “Scarface” in Spanish, paid $11.00, $4.60 and $2.60 as the 9-2 fourth choice in the field of five. Caracortado is a California-bred by the Cat Dreams, a son of Storm Cat. He's out of Mons Venus, by Maria's Mon. The winning owners are Mr. and Mrs. Don Blahut, who races as Blahut Racing, and Machowsky, who races as Hi Racing. Paul Atkinson: “This horse is very mature, he acts like an older horse. You can do anything with him. You can put him on the lead or he’ll relax off the pace like he did today. Going down the backside, I was sitting behind the frontrunners, and I really wanted to wait a little longer with him today, but those two horses that were on the lead are good horses, and I didn’t want to let them get away from me. Leaving the quarter pole, I asked my horse to go, and he went. He finished up like a really nice horse.” Mike Machowsky: “He had an advantage in recency and already going two turns successfully. Some of the others were coming off a longer layoff than he was. We’ll look at the San Felipe next (on March 13) and see if Lookin At Lucky comes at us. I think my horse will love the dirt, but I’m not anxious to ship him right now.” "Every time I ask him, he does what I want. I read what everybody writes about him, that he’s kind of off-bred, not a blueblood, but he’s honest. You can’t knock that.... If he’s under the radar now, he shouldn’t be. “Paul rode him flawless. He’s given this horse flawless rides every time. It shows that jocks need stock under them, and trainers need stock. It doesn’t matter if Bob Baffert, Charlie Whittingham or Rich Mandella has Caracortado, or Mike Machowsky. It’s 80 percent the horse, maybe 10 percent the trainer and 10 percent the jock. We all need the horses. I’ve never hesitated to have Paul on this horse. Equibase chart Feb. 13: 1 1/6 Mile, Grade III SAM F. DAVIS STAKES Tampa Bay Downs ($225,000) http://www.tampabaydowns.com Rule Leads Throughout in Sam F. Davis By Dick Downey The Downey Profile Posted Feb. 13, 2010 While a dramatic ending threatened to break out in the Grade III Sam F. Davis, it never materialized, and Rule and John Velazquez led from gate to wire to capture the race as the even-money favorite. Rule, who broke from post 1, faced Middle of the Nite as his first challenger while the pair led the field through opening fractions of :23.71 and :47.72. Down the backstretch, Schoolyard Dreams, at 9-1, chased those two, never far back, while Uptowncharlybrown, the 3-2 second choice, trailed the field of six Rounding the second turn, Middle of the Nite began to tail off and Schoolyard Dreams, four wide, mounted a challenge to Rule's outside with the first six furlongs in the books in 1:12.36. Going into the stretch, those two separated themselves from the rest of the six-horse field as Uptowncharlybrown finally began to pick up the pace and make a final run. But neither Schoolyard Dreams nor Uptowncharlybrown could sustain an effort sufficient to the task. Rule prevailed over Schoolyrd Dreams by three lengths, with Uptowncharlybrown another length back in third. They were followed by Silver Craft, Middle of the Nite and Tristen's Mambo. African Moon was scratched. The winner was timed in 1:44.15, barely over a second off the track record set by Street Sense in the 2007 Tampa Bay Derby. The race was the first for Rule, a son of Roman Ruler, since he won the Grade III Delta Jackpot on Dec. 4. The winner's share of $120,000 increased Rule's graded stakes earnings to $570,000. Rule has now won four consecutive races since breaking his maiden in his third start. Rule paid $4.00 to win, $2.80 to place and $2.20 to show. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Rule is Kentucky a homebred owned by WinStar Farm LLC. He's out of Rockcide, by Personal Flag. Todd Pletcher: “It just what we were hoping for. He finished up very gamely with his ears pricked at the wire. He’s probably not going to come back for the Tampa Bay Derby; we’re probably going to make his next start in a Grade I. But I will bring something here (for the Tampa Bay Derby.)” Winning Jockey John Velazquez: "This is a colt with a lot of natural talent, and this race will do him a lot of good. I thought the inside was running good today, but I really didn't want him to get away from the field until I was ready. I want him to learn to run with other horses, so when he took that challenge from the outside getting to the turn, it was what I wanted. Then I asked him in the turn, and he came away nicely, and I didn't have to do much with him in the stretch." Doug Cauthen President of WinStar: “It was great first effort for the year; I think he learned a lot. Johnny was saying that he started looking around when he got to the lead and just messed around a little bit. That’ll be information that he and Todd use--to use blinkers or whether it’s just waiting a little bit longer. But it was a great first start of the year, and we’re excited, because he’s one of several that we hope are going to keep improving. We talked about (rating him today), and we hoped that there was going to be a chance, and we’d go for it; but he broke and (Johnny) said if he leads me there, I’ll let him take me. But they went :23.3, almost :23.4, so he just had to hold his position. I think Johnny honestly made the right move, because he had to hold that spot, because if he had to go back, he could have got into trouble. It looked like speed was holding, like it was a fair track, and you could be on the lead or be behind it. The next thing is that he was right there with the pressure, and he wasn’t nervous or anything. He handled it. So he did rate; he just rated beside a horse instead of being two or three lengths behind. Cauthen on Rule’s next start: It’s a little early to say. Hopefully he comes back good and Todd and Eliot (Walden, WinStar Racing Manager) will think about it. I know that the Florida Derby would be one of the options, and obviously coming back here would be one of the options, but a lot of it would have to do with where our other horses go as well, and just how races shape up and how he’s training. He’s got the earnings, so he can make a decision that fits the horse. There’s no pressure to get any more earnings. The main thing is getting the year off to a good start. It looks like he’s progressing physically, and so we’re happy. Daniel Centeno, jockey on Uptowncharlybrown: "I took him back, and he seemed comfortable with that; it was his first time doing two turns, so we had to learn some things. The leaders got away from us in the upper stretch, but getting to the wire he seemed to pick it up again, and he finished up well. I would like to have won this one, but it there are lots of races ahead for a colt with this much ability." Equibase chart Feb. 15: 7 Furlong, Grade II SAN VICENTE STAKES Santa Anita ($150,000) http://www.santaanita.com Sidney's Candy Finds Redemption in San Vicente By Dick Downey The Downey Profile Posted Feb. 15, 2010 Sidney's Candy found redemption in the Grade II San Vicente Stakes after disappointing last time out. Sidney's Candy, a son of Candy Ride, blew 'em away, opening up in the stretch to win by 4 1/4 lengths. He led all the way, clipping off fractions of :22.77, :45.50 and 1:08.62, with a final time in a quick 1:20.91 under Joe Talamo. Sidney's Candy was a well-regarded winner at Del Mar last summer, but he came down with a couple of sore shins and was off for awhile. In his return to the races in a Dec. 30 allowance at Santa Anita,. he broke slowly, rushed up, and faded to finish fourth of five runners, defeated seven lengths by Tiny Woods. The San Vicente was just the third career start for Sidney's Candy. Tiny Woods was second throughout in the San Vicente. Classical Slew, third at most points in the race checked in third. Runaway Bandido, Quiet Invader, Gilligan and Raging Wit rounded out the order of finish. Sidney's Candy, the favorite, returned $6.20, $3.40 and $2.60. John Sadler trains Sidney's Candy, a Kentucky-bred out of Fair Exchange, by Storm Cat. He's owned by The Craig Family Trust and was bred by Jenny Craig and the late Sidney H. Craig. Joe Talamo: “I was confident he’d bounce back with a good effort today. John told me to just get a good start and go from there. At the three-eighths, I just kind of clucked to him and he got right into the bridle. They’ve done a great job with this horse. I just basically sat on him today and I couldn’t believe that final time, that’s awesome. It’s very exciting to have a horse of this caliber.” John Sadler: “In his last start, he had been off four or five months, he was a little heavy and he didn’t break. He’s kind of a free-running horse, so when he got out of his game the other day, it didn’t surprise me that he didn’t run well. "We want him to do what he does, which is kind of bouncing around a little bit with some natural speed. Once I saw him get rhythmic today, I knew we were going to be fine. The plan today was to get him back on the lead. "I don’t know what’s next yet. We’re going to look at all the different races. The reason I didn’t want to go into an allowance race is because of the graded earnings for the big stuff. He’ll be going around two turns next time, that’s for sure. Which one of those races it is, we don’t know yet." In the winner's circle immediately after the race, Sadler said, "I think he'll run a mile, mile and an eighth." Equibase chart Feb. 18: About 1 Mile (1,600 Meters), Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas Meydan Racecourse ($250,000) http://www.meydan.ae/racecourse Musir Draws Off to Win UAE 2000 Guineas Posted Feb. 18, 2010 Musir was the handy winner of the Group 3 UAE 2000 Guineas under Christophe Soumillon. Breaking from the outside post, Musir, a Southern Hemisphere-bred colt, ran toward the rear of the field early. He gradually moved up on the outside before Soumillon let him go at the top of the stretch. Musir was sent off at 3-5 odds at TwinSpires.com. Frozen Power ran second at 7-1, while Della Barba claimed third at 50-1. It was Musir’s second win at the Dubai Racing Carnival. Trainer Mike de Kock confirmed the Group 2 UAE Derby as Musir's next start, according to RacingPost.com. Musir is not eligible for the Kentucky Derby. While he's a 3-year-old under Dubai racing rules, he's a 4-year-old under North American rules. “He has been showing us that he’s a bit special, and on that performance the longer trip of the Derby will not be a problem. I told Chris to see what we had tonight, and it was good performance,” the trainer said. "He is a really nice colt and has a lot of class," Soumillon said. "His cruising speed is so high that he just pulled me into the race. How far he will stay I do not know, but he was impressive. I had been worried about the wide draw." Although he was among the top 14 horses by Official Rating in the early declarations for the Group 3 2000 Guineas, Tahitian Warrior wasn't entered in the race. A full field of 14 was named, with four on the Reserve list. Tahitian Warrior was purchased by Godolphin after a scintillating 4 3/4-length win in his debut at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 3. He was timed in 1:09.96 under E. T. Baird. Tahitian Warrior's Official Rating was 100. Of the 18 entries, which included those on the reserve list, eight had an Official Rating less than 100. Feb. 20: 1 1/8 Mile, Grade II FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH STAKES Gulfstream Park ($250,000) http://www.gulfstreampark.com Eskendereya Dominant in Fountain of Youth  By Dick DowneyThe Downey Profile Posted Feb. 20, 2010 Not only did Eskendereya run a sub-1:49 nine furlongs, he and John Velazquez destroyed the field by 8 1/2 lengths in the Grade II Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes. Always in contention, Eskendereya tracked early fractions set by Lost Aptitude of :23.72 and :47.92. Eskenderereya had taken command by the time the field was early into the second turn, with six furlongs run in 1:12.41. From there, he got the mile in 1:36.54 and finished in 1:48.87. Jackson Bend was second. He and Jeremy Rose had moved into fourth after a half-mile and were second about the time Eskendereya grabbed the lead. From that point, Eskendereya opened up and widened his lead. Aikenite broke well from post one, rated, and made a move entering the far turn after recovering from a bump. He finished three-quarters of a length behind Jackson Bend, followed closely a length by Pleasant Prince, who was sent off at 50-1 odds. The remaining order of finish was Ice Box--at 45-1--Pulsion, Positive Split, Prince Will I Am, Buddy's Saint and Lost Aptitude. Buddy's Saint, the crowd favorite at 9-5, was jostled and taken up entering the first turn and lost ground that he could not make up. Eskedereya, the third betting choice at 7-2, returned $9.80, $4.20 and $3.00. The winner was last seen shrugging off competition to win a one-mile allowance at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 7. A troubled trip in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November, when he finished ninth, was preceded by an impressive off-the-pace win in the off-the-turf Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park. Eskendereya earned $150,000 with the win, helping him along on the road to the Kentucky Derby should he remain healthy and sound. He joins Rule and Discreetly Mine as recent stakes winners for trainer Todd Pletcher. Rule captured the Grade III Sam F.Davis the preceding Saturday, while Discreetly Mine took the Grade II Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds minutes after the Fountain of Youth. Bred in Kentucky by Sanford Robertson, Eskendereya is by Giant's Causeway and is out of Aldebaran Light, by Seattle Slew. He's owned by Zayat Stables, LLC. Todd Pletcher: “You’ve got to be excited when they perform like that in these kind of races at this time of year. I was particularly pleased with the way he finished. I don’t think we’ve ever gotten to the bottom of him. "We threw a lot at him in the Breeders’ Cup in just his third start and first on synthetic. In the first turn, I knew he had no chance. He was jostled badly and sandwiched between horses. At one point, I don’t think any of his feet were touching the ground. He’s had two wins over the track here now, so the Florida Derby would seem logical for him, but we will consider all the options.” John Velazquez: “I didn’t want to take too good a hold of him out of the gate, and I got to a point early on the backstretch where I started to move forward with him. I was hoping that I didn’t take too much out of him. Obviously I didn’t, because he went on, and did it very well. It was great feeling when he kicked in and accelerated away from them. He galloped out really well, and I hope he can learn to relax just a bit more in the first part of the race. If he does, I don’t think he’ll have any trouble going further.” Jeremy Rose, aboard Jackson Bend: “My horse ran his heart out. The two-horse (Buddy’s Saint) never got in our way, he sort of just bounced off the rail but we stayed clear of that.” Jose Lezcano, aboard Buddy’s Saint: “The other horses came in like nothing. I was already in a spot, and they came in and killed my horse; put him into the rail. He came back a little bit to run, but I was out of the race by then because of what happened.” Equibase chart Feb. 20: 7 Furlong, Grade II HUTCHESON STAKES Gulfstream Park ($150,000) http://www.gulfstreampark.com D' Funnybone Takes Hutcheson in 2010 Debut Florida Derby Considered Next By Dick Downey The Downey Profile Posted Feb. 20, 2010 D' Funnybone made the chalk bettors happy by scoring in the Grade II Hutcheson Stakes, and the Dutrow brothers pulled off a formful exacta. After the race, winning trainer Rick Dutrow said the Grade I Florida Derby would be considered for D' Funnybone. Sent off at even money under Edgar Prado, D' Funnybone broke well and rated outside Wildcat Frankie and Hear Ye Hear Ye, who ran through the first quarter-mile in :22.37 and :45.10. In the turn, D' Funnybone took command while A Little Warm, who had been in a rearward placement under Jeremy Rose, was gaining widest of all. D' Funnybone shook loose of the field in upper stretch. While A Little Warm made a late run at him, and finished second by a length, he did not challenge for the win as the 2-1 second choice. D' Funnybone was timed for the seven furlongs in 1:22.14. A seven-furlong maiden race for 3-year-olds run two races before the Hutcheson was timed in 1:24.02. The winner returned $4.20, $2.80 and $2.40. The Dutrow exacta, with Richard on top and Anthony on bottom, paid $10.80 on a $2 wager. Ibboyee did well to finish third after being bumped at the start and being rushed up the inside on the backstretch. Hear Ye Hear Ye, a 35-1 longshot, finished fourth, followed by City Trooper, Wildcat Frankie and Sum Champ. Radiohead, from the barn of Rick Dutrow, was scratched. D' Funnybone was making his first start of 2010 after finishing last in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Nov. 7. He had put in seven workouts over the track since Jan. 11. Before Breeders' Cup, D' Funnybone won the Grade II Saratoga Special at 6 1/2 furlongs and the seven-furlong, Grade II Futurity at Belmont Park using much the same running style that was employed in the Hutcheson. A son of D'Wildcat out of Elbow, by Woodman, D' Funnybone was bred in Florida by Harold J. Plumley. He was purchased by Paul Pompa, Jr. in June after one victory and a second at Calder Race Course. Rick Dutrow: “I’m happy to get him back and run so well off the layoff. He’s our next little Benny the Bull. He’s a lot like him except for his color. We’ll definitely consider the Florida Derby. "At this point, I’m not ready to concede that his race in the Breeders’ Cup was attributable to the distance, but rather the track. I don’t think it was as bad as it may have looked because Edgar did the right thing and didn’t push on him after a certain point. Like any 3-year-old at this time of the year, you think about the (Kentucky) Derby, so unless something develops to change mind, the Florida Derby is likely where he’ll go next.” Edgar Prado: “He was training very steady for this race, and we were very confident going in. He broke good, and I was always very comfortable. We had a nice outside post, so he was in a good attacking position down the backside, and it was just a matter of turning him loose in the stretch. And when I did, he just took off.” Jeremy Rose, aboard A Little Warm: “I had a beautiful trip today, but I knew Edgar’s horse was the one to beat.” Equibase chart Feb. 20: 1 1/16 Mile, Grade II RISEN STAR STAKES Fair Grounds ($200,000) http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com Discreetly Mine Wires Risen Star Field  By Dick DowneyThe Downey Profile Posted Feb. 20, 2010 Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Eclipse Sportswire Discreetly Mine led from gate to wire, perceived as an unusual feat going two turns at Fair Grounds, to win the Grade II Risen Star Stakes. Dictating a moderate pace in the 1 1/16-mile race, Discreetly Mine (seen heading toward the first turn) and Javier Castellano were timed in 1:44.48 after setting fractions of :24.60, :48.75, 1:13.44 and 1:38.17. Tempted to Tapit, who like Discreetly Mine shipped from South Florida for the Risen Star, finished second by 1 1/2 length after stalking the winner in that position. Northern Giant, a 53-1 longshot, was a neck back in third after the trio ran the circuit in merry-go-round fashion. Northern Giant was followed another neck back at the wire by 2-1 post-time favorite Drosselmeyer, another Florida shipper, who was in fourth position about halfway into the race. Discreetly Mine was made the second choice at 5-2 and paid $7.00, $4.20 and $3.80. He picked up a check for $180,000 with the win. Tempted to Tapit was 8-1 and paid $8.00 and $6.00. The remaining horses in finish order were Stay Put, Ron the Greek, Worldly, Letsgetitonmon, Mountain Justice, Hotep, Random Move and Bravo Whiskey. Ron the Greek, the third wagering choice at 7-2, had won the Grade III Lecomte with a last-to-first run after quicker early fractions than he saw in the Risen Star, when he was again reserved early but came up 4 1/4 lengths short. Discreetly Mine, who had been working well at Palm Meadows for trainer Todd Pletcher, was successful in his first race around two turns. The win followed a bumpy fourth in the six-furlong Spectacular Bid Stakes on sloppy ground at Gulfstream Park in early January. Last year, Discreetly Mine was consistent in graded races, finishing second in both the seven-furlong, Grade II Futurity and one-mile, Grade I Champagne, both at Belmont Park. Discreetly Mine is a son of Mineshaft bred in Kentucky by the owner, E. Paul Robsham. He's out of the Private Account mare Pretty Discreet. Javier Castellano, aboard Discreetly Mine: “I’m so blessed. I expected him to be in the lead. He broke well out of the gate, and he looked happy galloping along. I appreciate the opportunity for the chance to ride him back. “I’m very satisfied with the way the race developed; this course tends to favor those that come from behind. We got a position, relaxed, made a move on the backstretch and just continued to the wire. He’s a speed horse, and the fractions he did today were very lovely. I’ve been getting on the horse in the morning, so I know him well enough..... I’m the pilot and wherever they want to send me I’ll be available.” Todd Pletcher assistant Ginny DePasquale: “This horse gives 110 percent every time he runs. We’re very pleased with the outcome of this race.” David Cohen, aboard Tempted to Tapit: “My horse didn’t break too fast, which isn't his kind of his style. I was behind horses in the first time and then got him outside, and he seemed to relax very well. We were going a pretty easy pace, and he ran good. He finished very strong and held of those other challengers for second.” Kent Desormeaux, aboard Drosselmeyer: “It was just a slow pace. He was trying hard at the end and we just couldn’t catch up. It was very encouraging the way he galloped out. He has a good turn of foot, and I’m very pleased.” James Graham, aboard Ron the Greek: “The pace was so slow. A little speed in the next one will definitely help.” Equibase chart Feb. 20: 1 1/8 Mile, Grade III EL CAMINO REAL DERBY Golden Gate Fields ($150,000) http://www.goldengatefields.com Connemara Goes Last to First in El Camino Real Derby Posted Feb. 20, 2010 Russell Baze won the Grade III El Camino Real Derby for the fifth time in six years when he guided 6-to-5 favorite Connemara from last to first. The Santa Anita Derby may be next for Connemara. Connemara, who has a history of breaking slowly from the gate, overcame a deficit of 7 3/4 lengths with 5/8 mile left in the 1 1/8-mile race. Connemara’s 1 1/4-length triumph over 25-to-1 long shot Haimish Hy capped a big day for both Baze, who won five races, and the Todd Pletcher training operation, which also won the Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes with Eskendereya and the Grade II Risen Star Stakes with Discreetly Mine. Connemara was timed 1:51.26. He paid $4.60, 3.20 and $2.80 as the 6-5 favorite. Haimish Hy, who was flying late under Michael Martinez, took second by a length over an unlucky Posse Power, who was sent off at 10-1. Posse Power was trapped behind horses for much of the race. Fog Alert, early pacesetter Ranger Heartley, Thomas Baines, Very Fair, Bert 'N the Group and Our Minesweeper completed the order of finish. Connemara was coming off a second-place finish to Ranger Heartley in the California Derby, a 1 1/16-mile contest in which he raced inside of horses most of the way after breaking from post position two. Connemara broke from post eight in the El Camino Real Derby and had clear sailing from start to finish although he had to go four wide to win. Connemara steadily picked up horses on the far turn and drew even with the leaders in midstretch. Connemara surged away from his rivals in the final sixteenth to collect his third victory in four career starts. Connemara earned $90,000 for the El Camino Real Derby win. A Kentucky-bred son of Giant’s Causeway, Connemara is out of the Mr. Leader mare Satin Sunrise. He was bred in Kentucky by Commonwealth and is owned by perennial Triple Crown forces Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith. Russell Baze: “When I saw the draw, I knew he’d be tough. There was no way he was going to get stuck inside like he was last time. He felt good the whole way. He was on the bit but not charging. He was just waiting for me to ask him. “He finished strong. He’s still a little green. He hung a little bit when he got to the leaders, but when I hit him left-handed, he responded. He’s progressing mentally. His mind was much better today than last time. He’s improving with every race, and extra distance won’t hurt this colt at all.” Assistant trainer Mike McCarthy: “In the Cal Derby, he got a little rank down on the inside. Today it was textbook; he really relaxed. I think he moved up in our rankings. We’ll probably look at the Santa Anita Derby.” --Edited from track notes Equibase chart Feb. 20: 1 Mile, Grade III SOUTHWEST STAKES Oaklawn Park ($250,000) http://www.oaklawn.com/racing Conveyance Gets Over, Gets Win in Southwest 
By Dick Downey Gulfstream Park ($150,000) http://www.gulfstreampark.com March 20: 1 1/8 Mile, Grade I FLORIDA DERBY Gulfstream Park ($750,000) http://www.gulfstreampark.com The Florida Derby used to be seven weeks before the Kentucky Derby until moved five weeks out in 2005. Since then, two Florida Derby winners, Barbaro and Big Brown have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby. This year, the Florida Derby is six weeks before the Kentucky Derby. Gulfstream officials said when the Florida Derby date change was announced that they didn't want to compete for handle with the Grade II Louisiana Derby on March 27. Eskendereya Leads 92 Nominated to Florida Derby Posted March 10, 2010 Eskendereya, runaway winner of the Grade II Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes, is among 92 nominated for the Grade I Florida Derby on March 20. Trainer Todd Pletcher has previously confirmed it is the next logical start for the Derby Future Wager Pool 2 individual favorite. The $750,000, 1/18-mile Florida Derby will highlight South Florida's biggest day of racing, which also includes renewals of the Grade II Swale Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs, the Grade II Bonnie Miss Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, Grade II Rampart Stakes for fillies and mares and Grade III Appleton Stakes (G3) on turf. Eskendereya’s victory in the Fountain of Youth under John Velazquez makes him a solid favorite. The son of Giant’s Causeway is one of more than a dozen of the nominees from the Pletcher stable. Zayat Stables owns Eskendereya. In addition to Eskendereya, the probable/possible field for the Florida Derby currently includes Radiohead (owned by IEAH Stables and partners), Pulsion (Flying Zee Stables and partners), Ice Box (Robert LaPenta), Pleasant Prince (Ken and Sarah Ramsey), First Dude (Donald Dizney) and Game On Dude (Kuehne Stable). Contenders listed for the Swale, which took 35 nominations, include D’Funnybone (Paul Pompa, Jr.), winner of the Grade II Saratoga Special and Grade II Futurity at Belmont Park last year, and the Grade II Hutcheson Stakes earlier this meet for trainer Rick Dutrow; and A Little Warm (Edward P. Evans), winner of the Spectacular Bid Stakes in early January and runner-up in the Hutcheson for trainer Anthony Dutrow. Link to Florida Derby nominations Link to Swale nominations --Edited from track release March 27: 1 1/8 Mile, Grade II LOUISIANA DERBY Fair Grounds ($750,000) http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com  Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots raised the purse of the Grade II Louisiana Derby from $600,000 to $750,000, increased the distance from 1 1/16 mile to 1 1/8 mile, and moved the race later in the schedule than in the past to March 27, five weeks prior to the Kentucky Derby.For the first time, the $25,000 starter fee for the Kentucky Derby will be waived for any horse that starts in the Risen Star and the Louisiana Derby and finishes among the top three in either race. March 27: 1 1/8 Mile, Grade II LANE’S END STAKES Turfway Park ($500,000) http://www.turfway.com  The Lane's End Stakes, which has been run six weeks before the Kentucky Derby for years, was originally set for the same timetable this year. Later, it was rescheduled to be staged five weeks before the Kentucky Derby, on the same day as the Louisana Derby.Nominations Nominations PP's --Posted Feb. 28, 2010 March 27: About 1 3/16 Mile (1,900 Meters), Group 2 UAE DERBY Meydan Racecourse ($2,000,000) http://www.meydan.ae/racecourse Trainer Bob Baffert and co-owner Mike Pegram have nominated Lookin at Lucky (Looking Good) to the Group 2 UAE Derby in Dubai. Baffert has said he'll run Lookin at Lucky either at Santa Anita in March or "out of town," but this is the first time the UAE Derby has been publicly indicated as an option. Whether this is a serious nomination remains to be seen. The newly-opened Meydan Racecourse has a synthetic surface, and of course Lookin at Lucky has excelled on various synthetics. In 2001, Pegram and Baffert won the Group 1 Dubai World Cup with Captain Steve, earning $3,600,000 in purse money for the winner's share. The UAE Derby is worth $2,000,000 overall. It will be run at 1,900 meters, or about 1 3/16 mile, for the first time this year. Unsurprisingly, Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor has nominated Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Vale of York (Looking Good) among 18 from his stable. His group also includes Tahitian Warrior (Worth Watching), a horse bought by Godolphin earlier this year after a strong debut win going six furlongs. Vale of York was taken to Dubai after his Juvenile win. Fans of Tahitian Warrior are still waiting word on his shipping plans--or perhaps a lack thereof--following two recent stateside works. Meanwhile, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin went on the record to say, following the first of those two workouts, that he was just "babysitting" the horse pending travel plans. For a full list of the 173 nominations to the UAE Derby, please click here. The would-be runners come from 16 countries. --Posted Feb. 1, 2010 March 28, 1 1/8 Mile, Grade III SUNLAND DERBY Sunland Park ($800,000) http://www.sunland-park.com/index.php The Sunland Derby was elevated to Grade III status this year, and so for the first time, earnings from the race will count toward eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. The purse was raised from $600,000 to $800,000. Mine That Bird competed in this race in 2009 before winning the Kentucky Derby. April 3: 1 1/8 Mile, Grade I WOOD MEMORIAL Aqueduct ($750,000) http://www.nyra.com/index_aqueduct.html April 3: 1 1/8 Mile, Grade I SANTA ANITA DERBY Santa Anita ($750,000) http://www.santaanita.com April 3: 1 1/8 Mile, Grade III ILLINOIS DERBY Hawthorne Race Course ($500,000) http://www.hawthorneracecourse.com The Illinois Derby was demoted from Grade II to Grade III status this year. April 10: 1 1/8 Mile, Grade I TOYOTA BLUE GRASS STAKES Keeneland ($750,000) http://www.keeneland.com/default.aspx Toyota Blue Grass Draws 162 Nominations  Posted Feb. 26, 2010Champion Lookin At Lucky and Eskendereya, an 8 1/2-length winner of the Grade II Fountain of Youth, are among 162 three-year-olds nominated to Keeneland’s Grade I Toyota Blue Grass Stakes to be run April 10. The 1 1/8-mile Toyota Blue Grass is one of the country’s richest Kentucky Derby prep races. Nineteen horses, including most recently Street Sense in 2007, have used the Blue Grass as a steppingstone to victory in the Derby. This year, NBC will broadcast the Toyota Blue Grass as part of a new series in partnership with Churchill Downs called The Road to the Kentucky Derby. The show will air live from 5:00-6:00 ET. Lookin At Lucky is one of 10 Toyota Blue Grass nominees trained by Bob Baffert. Baffert also nominated Zabeel Racing International’s undefeated Conveyance, winner of the Grade III San Rafael and Grade III Southwest. Zayat Stables’ Eskendereya is among 13 Toyota Blue Grass nominees from the stable of Todd Pletcher, whose other nominees include WinStar Farm’s Super Saver, winner of the Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club, and Rule, winner of the Grade III Sam F. Davis; E. Paul Robsham Stable’s Discreetly Mine, winner of the Grade II Risen Star; Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s Connemara, winner of the Grade III El Camino Real Derby; and Wertheimer et Frere’s Interactif, winner of the Grade III Bourbon on the track's turf course. D. Wayne Lukas also is represented by 13 nominees, among them being Robert Baker and William Mack’s Dublin, winner of last year’s Grade I Hopeful and recently second in the Southwest. Other accomplished 3-year-olds nominated to the Toyota Blue Grass are Chasing Dreams Racing 2008 LLC’s Noble’s Promise, winner of Keeneland’s Grade I Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity; Goldmark Farm’s Backtalk, winner of the Grade II Sanford and Grade III Bashford Manor; and WinStar Farm’s American Lion, winner of the Grade III Hollywood Prevue. “This is an outstanding group of Toyota Blue Grass nominees which include many of this year’s leading Triple Crown contenders,” said Keeneland Director of Racing Rogers Beasley. “We greatly appreciate the strong support of our horsemen.” A complete list of nominations to the 86th running of the Toyota Blue Grass is available at the www.toyotabluegrassstakes.com section of Keeneland.com or by clicking here. --Edited from track release April 10: 1 1/8 Mile, Grade I ARKANSAS DERBY Oaklawn Park ($1,000,000) http://www.oaklawn.com/racing The Arkansas Derby was elevated to Grade I status this year. April 17: 1 1/16 Mile, Grade II COOLMORE LEXINGTON STAKES Keeneland ($300,000) http://www.keeneland.com/default.aspx |
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