The Kentucky Derby still needs a favorite.
A major Derby prep once again produced an unexpected result when 30-1 long shot Castledale won the Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, leaving racing fans wondering who's the horse to beat at Churchill Downs on May 1.
Castledale, a colt bred in Ireland who just started running on dirt in America, beat top Derby prospects Wimbledon, St Averil and Imperialism in the final major prep on the West Coast.
After the race, co-owner Frank Lyons couldn't believe his good fortune.
"To go to the Kentucky Derby, the greatest race in the world, with a chance, is unbelievable," he said. "There's no standout this year, that's why we're here."
This week's Derby Prospects list reflects that thinking, which is why Master David -- trainer Bobby Frankel's colt who hasn't raced since February -- moves in at No. 1 this week, replacing trainer Bob Baffert's Wimbledon.
Master David, winner of the Sham Stakes on Feb. 5 and never off the board in six starts, is set to run in Saturday's Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
While Louisiana Derby winner Wimbledon could have stamped himself the clear-cut favorite with a victory Saturday -- he was fifth -- the Santa Anita Derby still has produced three of the last seven Kentucky Derby winners.
As many as six of the seven 3-year-olds from Saturday's race could end up in Louisville -- Castledale, Imperialism, Rock Hard Ten, Quintons Gold Rush, Wimbledon and St Averil.
Imperialism was in position to win Saturday's 1 1/8-mile race, but Rock Hard Ten drifted inside during the stretch run and forced 21-year-old trainer Kristin Mulhall's colt to check hard before finished third. A stewards' inquiry, though, disqualified Rock Hard Ten and placed him third; Imperialism was moved up to second.
Joining the prospects list for the first time is Pollard's Vision, a two-length winner in Saturday's Illinois Derby. The colt trained by Todd Pletcher is named for Seabiscuit jockey Red Pollard. Like Pollard, Pollard's Vision cannot see out of his right eye.
Two years ago, War Emblem won the Illinois Derby before his surprise win in the Kentucky Derby.
The biggest prep weekend arrives Saturday, with the Blue Grass, Wood Memorial and Arkansas Derby. Then there's the Lexington Stakes on April 17, a race trainer D. Wayne Lukas has used to produce 1999 Derby winner Charismatic and 2002 runner-up Proud Citizen.
Lukas hasn't been on the Derby trail this year, but he's trying. The Hall of Famer will send out Hasslefree in the Arkansas Derby.
Probables for the Blue Grass include San Felipe winner Preachinatthebar, 2-year-old champion Action This Day, Champagne winner Birdstone and Hollywood Futurity winner Lion Heart.
The Wood will feature Master David, Value Plus, Eddington and Sinister G, and the Arkansas Derby boasts unbeaten Smarty Jones.
Eurosilver is off the Derby trail with a gland infection.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The top 10 prospects:
1. Master David (Bobby Frankel, trainer; Edgar Prado, jockey) -- Must win Wood to stay here ... Worked six furlongs in 1:12.60 at Hollywood Park last week ... Travels from Hollywood to New York early this week ... Derby future wager odds (pool 3): 18-1.
2. Friends Lake (John Kimmel, Richard Migliore) -- Still biding time at Payson Park in Florida before shipping to Churchill Downs in a few weeks ... Won Florida Derby on March 13 at odds of 37-1 ... Next start: Kentucky Derby ... Odds: 22-1.
3. Value Plus (Todd Pletcher, John Velazquez) -- Pletcher nominated record 35 horses for Triple Crown races, and this could be his best ... Florida Derby runner-up ... Next start: Wood ... Odds: 27-1.
4. Read the Footnotes (Rick Violette Jr., Bailey) -- Fourth in Florida Derby after going all out to win Fountain of Youth four weeks earlier on Feb. 14 ... Still training at Palm Meadows in Florida ... Next start: Kentucky Derby ... Odds: 14-1.
5. Birdstone (Nick Zito, Jerry Bailey) -- Mary Lou Whitney's colt needs string effort in Blue Grass to remain on list ... Worked five furlongs in 1:00.81 at Keeneland on Sunday, second fastest of 25 going the same distance ... Odds: 15-1.
6. Preachinatthebar (Bob Baffert, Javier Santiago) -- Rounding into form at the right time for owner Mike Pegram, who won the 1998 Derby and Preakness with Real Quiet ... Impressive winner of San Felipe on March 14 ... Next start: Blue Grass. ... Odds: 22-1.
7. Imperialism (Kristin Mulhall, Victor Espinoza) -- Did nothing to hurt his status in Santa Anita Derby ... Closer did well to find room along the rail before being cut off by Rock Hard Ten ... Next start: Kentucky Derby ... Odds 14-1.
8. Pollard's Vision (Pletcher, Eibar Coa) -- Beware the Illinois Derby winner ... Win comes after solid third-place effort in Louisiana Derby ... Coa replaced regular rider Velazquez for Illinois Derby ... Next start: Kentucky Derby ... Odds: 7-1 (mutuel field).
9. Wimbledon (Baffert; Santiago) -- Baffert said big, gray colt was too close to pace in Santa Anita Derby ... Still headed to Churchill despite fifth-place finish ... Next start: Kentucky Derby ... Odds: 12-1.
10. Smarty Jones (John Servis, Stewart Elliott) -- This guy is undefeated -- 5-for-5 ... Has yet to win graded stakes, but coming off win in Rebel at Oaklawn Park ... Next start: Arkansas Derby ... Odds: 10-1.
Keep in mind: Action This Day, Castledale, Eddington, Lion Heart, The Cliff's Edge.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin
http://www.kentuckyderby.com
A major Derby prep once again produced an unexpected result when 30-1 long shot Castledale won the Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, leaving racing fans wondering who's the horse to beat at Churchill Downs on May 1.
Castledale, a colt bred in Ireland who just started running on dirt in America, beat top Derby prospects Wimbledon, St Averil and Imperialism in the final major prep on the West Coast.
After the race, co-owner Frank Lyons couldn't believe his good fortune.
"To go to the Kentucky Derby, the greatest race in the world, with a chance, is unbelievable," he said. "There's no standout this year, that's why we're here."
This week's Derby Prospects list reflects that thinking, which is why Master David -- trainer Bobby Frankel's colt who hasn't raced since February -- moves in at No. 1 this week, replacing trainer Bob Baffert's Wimbledon.
Master David, winner of the Sham Stakes on Feb. 5 and never off the board in six starts, is set to run in Saturday's Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
While Louisiana Derby winner Wimbledon could have stamped himself the clear-cut favorite with a victory Saturday -- he was fifth -- the Santa Anita Derby still has produced three of the last seven Kentucky Derby winners.
As many as six of the seven 3-year-olds from Saturday's race could end up in Louisville -- Castledale, Imperialism, Rock Hard Ten, Quintons Gold Rush, Wimbledon and St Averil.
Imperialism was in position to win Saturday's 1 1/8-mile race, but Rock Hard Ten drifted inside during the stretch run and forced 21-year-old trainer Kristin Mulhall's colt to check hard before finished third. A stewards' inquiry, though, disqualified Rock Hard Ten and placed him third; Imperialism was moved up to second.
Joining the prospects list for the first time is Pollard's Vision, a two-length winner in Saturday's Illinois Derby. The colt trained by Todd Pletcher is named for Seabiscuit jockey Red Pollard. Like Pollard, Pollard's Vision cannot see out of his right eye.
Two years ago, War Emblem won the Illinois Derby before his surprise win in the Kentucky Derby.
The biggest prep weekend arrives Saturday, with the Blue Grass, Wood Memorial and Arkansas Derby. Then there's the Lexington Stakes on April 17, a race trainer D. Wayne Lukas has used to produce 1999 Derby winner Charismatic and 2002 runner-up Proud Citizen.
Lukas hasn't been on the Derby trail this year, but he's trying. The Hall of Famer will send out Hasslefree in the Arkansas Derby.
Probables for the Blue Grass include San Felipe winner Preachinatthebar, 2-year-old champion Action This Day, Champagne winner Birdstone and Hollywood Futurity winner Lion Heart.
The Wood will feature Master David, Value Plus, Eddington and Sinister G, and the Arkansas Derby boasts unbeaten Smarty Jones.
Eurosilver is off the Derby trail with a gland infection.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The top 10 prospects:
1. Master David (Bobby Frankel, trainer; Edgar Prado, jockey) -- Must win Wood to stay here ... Worked six furlongs in 1:12.60 at Hollywood Park last week ... Travels from Hollywood to New York early this week ... Derby future wager odds (pool 3): 18-1.
2. Friends Lake (John Kimmel, Richard Migliore) -- Still biding time at Payson Park in Florida before shipping to Churchill Downs in a few weeks ... Won Florida Derby on March 13 at odds of 37-1 ... Next start: Kentucky Derby ... Odds: 22-1.
3. Value Plus (Todd Pletcher, John Velazquez) -- Pletcher nominated record 35 horses for Triple Crown races, and this could be his best ... Florida Derby runner-up ... Next start: Wood ... Odds: 27-1.
4. Read the Footnotes (Rick Violette Jr., Bailey) -- Fourth in Florida Derby after going all out to win Fountain of Youth four weeks earlier on Feb. 14 ... Still training at Palm Meadows in Florida ... Next start: Kentucky Derby ... Odds: 14-1.
5. Birdstone (Nick Zito, Jerry Bailey) -- Mary Lou Whitney's colt needs string effort in Blue Grass to remain on list ... Worked five furlongs in 1:00.81 at Keeneland on Sunday, second fastest of 25 going the same distance ... Odds: 15-1.
6. Preachinatthebar (Bob Baffert, Javier Santiago) -- Rounding into form at the right time for owner Mike Pegram, who won the 1998 Derby and Preakness with Real Quiet ... Impressive winner of San Felipe on March 14 ... Next start: Blue Grass. ... Odds: 22-1.
7. Imperialism (Kristin Mulhall, Victor Espinoza) -- Did nothing to hurt his status in Santa Anita Derby ... Closer did well to find room along the rail before being cut off by Rock Hard Ten ... Next start: Kentucky Derby ... Odds 14-1.
8. Pollard's Vision (Pletcher, Eibar Coa) -- Beware the Illinois Derby winner ... Win comes after solid third-place effort in Louisiana Derby ... Coa replaced regular rider Velazquez for Illinois Derby ... Next start: Kentucky Derby ... Odds: 7-1 (mutuel field).
9. Wimbledon (Baffert; Santiago) -- Baffert said big, gray colt was too close to pace in Santa Anita Derby ... Still headed to Churchill despite fifth-place finish ... Next start: Kentucky Derby ... Odds: 12-1.
10. Smarty Jones (John Servis, Stewart Elliott) -- This guy is undefeated -- 5-for-5 ... Has yet to win graded stakes, but coming off win in Rebel at Oaklawn Park ... Next start: Arkansas Derby ... Odds: 10-1.
Keep in mind: Action This Day, Castledale, Eddington, Lion Heart, The Cliff's Edge.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin
http://www.kentuckyderby.com
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by trytrytry:
Should not be a problem getting a fair price on Derby Day on any decent horse. The longershots are all way over bet and that makes for decent value on all the top 6 choices. Cliffs Edge has a real shot.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
great post trytry... I agree
Should not be a problem getting a fair price on Derby Day on any decent horse. The longershots are all way over bet and that makes for decent value on all the top 6 choices. Cliffs Edge has a real shot.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
great post trytry... I agree
Dante Read The Footnotes is a great pick, I like him & Wimbledon! These had poor races which brings them into the derby as a price! I'm sure their connections don't want to go into the Derby as a favorite! Quite a few times horses who figured strong as Derby contenders have poor prep races and go off at big odds and run a great race and win the Derby! Don't give up on your pick buddy!Also box whoever Lucas, Baffert and Pletcher run separate or with your horse too!
I like so many of the horses this year! I'll probably do a tri box of Smarty Jones, Read the Footnotes, Lionheart, and Castledale!
I've played the derby every year since I was 18 and I've only had the winner once, so that race is definitely not my speciality! In fact last year was the first time I had the Derby Tri, I wheeled Empire Maker first and second with 5 other horses and I think it paid pretty decent when he got second and Funnycide got first at 12/1. But this year, there are so many good horses, I'd have to do a 12 horse wheel! And I think that Action This Day still has a good shot. He looked great in the Juvenile last fall. I'm wondering what happened to Cuvee, who was the favorite in the Juvenile, but finished poorly. I haven't heard of him since!
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Jockey: Jerry Bailey
Foaling Date: 3-1-2001
Dosage Profile: 10-2-9-1-0
Dosage Index/CD: 3.00 0.95
DUAL QUALIFIER
2003 Record: 6 starts 4-0-1 $360,704
Pedigree: Carson City - Christmas Star by Star de Naskra
Note: Winner of the Kentucky Breeders' Cup and Saratoga Special Stakes finished dead last in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Currently in training at the Fair Grounds. Finally had his first workout for 2004 on March 1st, so getting him ready for the Derby will be questionable.
Jockey: Jerry Bailey
Foaling Date: 3-1-2001
Dosage Profile: 10-2-9-1-0
Dosage Index/CD: 3.00 0.95
DUAL QUALIFIER
2003 Record: 6 starts 4-0-1 $360,704
Pedigree: Carson City - Christmas Star by Star de Naskra
Note: Winner of the Kentucky Breeders' Cup and Saratoga Special Stakes finished dead last in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Currently in training at the Fair Grounds. Finally had his first workout for 2004 on March 1st, so getting him ready for the Derby will be questionable.
