Kentucky Derby Trail: Seeing Through the Slop

[two gun sid]

From The Bloodhorse:
What could have been a revealing weekend at Gulfstream Park was instead a muddy mess that left us with just as many questions as we had going in. We also had to try and digest some huge performances by former claimers in lesser races and several defeats that may have outshone the victories.

With the top spot in the 3-year-old division now vacant following Stevie Wonderboy's injury, it's not an easy task trying to come up with a worthy successor. Frankly, there isn't a horse right now that looks like a standout Derby favorite. Brother Derek, First Samurai, and Barbaro all appear to have the credentials, but all still have a few questions to answer, while Private Vow, Bluegrass Cat, and Your Tent or Mine have yet to make their 3-year-old debuts. Your Tent or mine, in fact, has not even had a workout.

The Holy Bull (gr. III) victory by Barbaro and the second-place finish by First Samurai in the Hutcheson Stakes (gr. III) certainly solidified those colts' credentials and stamped them as leading contenders for the Run for the Roses. But Barbaro still has not run on a fast track and First Samurai has never been two turns. And Brother Derek still has to show he's not a one-dimensional speed horse.

Because of Saturday's sloppy track, it's still difficult to get a good gauge on Hutcheson winner Keyed Entry, who is as fast a 3-year-old as we've seen this year, and the Holy Bull second, third, and fourth-place finishers Great Point, My Golden Song, and Flashy Bull, neither of whom has won a stakes, but look to have promising futures

http://tcm.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=32091

[Justpat]

1. The Florida Derby is in April this year.

Stronach moved it just to make it more visible as a Derby prep
and to keep the better outfits from shipping north when they
usually do.

I wish he'd leave things alone.

[two gun sid]

3. Didn't Magna threaten to move the Preakness?

We horse people are constantly changing things and it is seldom for the betterment of the product. We need to start working together.

[Justpat]

4. Yes, he threatened to move it to Gulfstream.

That is just what young three year olds need - ship from FL or CA to KY,
then back to FL, then 1500 miles to NY. Yeah, thats the way to go.
It is hard enough to hold their immune sytems together throughout the
campaign without adding an additional 1500 -2000 miles to the experience.

[Justpat]

2. On another matter -

It seems the Hall of Fame people have finally seen fit to at least nominate
Billy Turner to the Hall of Fame.

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=62242&subsec=1

[two gun sid]

5. Is this the first time he has been nominated?

The only trainer of a undefeated TC winner? He should be in the HOF. He should have been in long ago.

[Justpat]

6. I think so.

[two gun sid]

7. Unbelievable!

He is also the only living trainer of TC winner. I remember seeing him and hearing him interviewed in '77. Seemed like a pretty well spoken guy. The kind of guy that an industry would like to have as a spokesperson and authority on what it takes to win a TC. When Smarty won the Derby I think I saw one article in one of the trade mags that had some quotes from him.

[Justpat]

8. He is a brilliant horseman.

Right now he is stuck in a rut where he needs to
get some new owners who want to participate in the
business on more than a casual level.

But even if he never accomplished anything else in his life,
he is still the only person in the history of our sport to
train an undefeated TC winner.

I will keep my eye on Barbaro to see if he is in the
same class as Slew.
Matz is a nice guy and a good horseman. I'll be rooting for
him.

[Awsi Dooger]

9. Good for Billy Turner

Class guy. Too bad the Taylors and the Hills got on a power trip after the Belmont and accepted that illfated trip to the Swaps Stakes, after Turner correctly planned to give Slew a long layoff. He'd even been taken out of training before the money lured the owners to make the trip West.

Then Turner was dumped in favor of Doug Peterson. Another lousy move. Peterson was very young and inexperienced. He generally trained aggressively but had Slew very short for the night race at the Meadowlands that Dr. Patches won. Cruguet said the horse was so short for that race he didn't even want to take the saddle. Then after a couple of dominant races in the Marlboro Cup and Woodward, Peterson had Slew so keyed up for the Jockey Club Gold Cup he bolted through the gate and ran almost a furlong before being reigned in and brought back to the gate. Billy Turner said it was ridiculous to have the horse so much on edge before a mile and a half race, especially since he was so superior to the competition.

[Justpat]

12. Slew showed he was a good horse right from the start

but I really believe if he had been started in anyone else's hands he would not have
been a great horse. He would have ended up a cheap speed horse.

He was difficult to manage because of his fiery, explosive temperment. But that
temperment properly channeled enable him to do great things.

When Bill was getting Slew ready for the Belmont he worked Slew a mile twice in time
between the Preakness and the Belmont. They were not track scorching miles but were
enough to take the edge off and have him go the first 3/4 in 1:14. The race was
over right there.

[two gun sid]

10. Kentucky Derby Trail: Lurking in the Wings

From The Bloodhorse:
Allowance horses -- This group is made up of horses who have already defeated or fared well against winners, but have not yet run in a stakes.

Music School -- This is one of the buzz horses after his successful comeback from an eight-month layoff. The son of A.P. Indy caught people's attention with his gutsy debut last June, in which he stumbled badly a few strides out of the gate, almost going down, and then showed his courage by battling back in the stretch to win by a nose. Most horses making their first start would not have recovered from such a traumatic experience, but he went about his business as if nothing had happened. He's a magnificent-looking horse, who appears to have tons of class, and he had no problem stretching out to a mile off one 5 1/2-furlong race and a long layoff. The only drawback is that he missed his prep for the Southwest, and unless trainer Neil Howard decides to run him right back, he is looking at only two more starts (four lifetime) before the Derby.

Point Determined -- The son of Point Given was so highly touted after his maiden victory he was sent off at 18-1 in the first Future Wager pool, and then promptly went out and was beaten in a one-mile allowance race. But he was dropping back in distance and gained valuable experience, getting stuck behind the erratic-running winner, One Union, in the stretch. He should keep getting better as he matures. He's been entered in a one-mile allowance race at Golden Gate on Friday.

Barbican -- We'll find out if he can duplicate his explosive move on the far turn in his resounding Jan. 15 allowance victory when he makes his stakes debut in the Feb. 20 Southwest. Trainer Eoin Harty had him ranked behind more precocious colts, A.P. Warrior and Barcola, mainly because of his unwillingness at times in the mornings. But the son of A.P. Indy turns into a tiger in the afternoons. In his last start, when Chris DeCarlo reached back and cracked him once at the three-eighths pole, he jumped right into the bit and blew by his opponents before drawing off to a 4 1/2-length score in 1:35 4/5 for the mile.

http://tcm.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=32185

[two gun sid]

11. Prominent Owner Bob Lewis Dead; Services Set for Thursday

From The Bloodhorse:
Bob Lewis, whose upbeat personality in winner's circles nationwide showed Thoroughbred racing in its best light throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, died at his Newport Beach, Calif., home Friday at 2 a.m. PST. Funeral services have been scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 23.

Lewis, 81, died of heart failure. He had been in declining health for some months, and missed last month's Eclipse Awards in Los Angeles because of complications from kidney dialysis treatments.

"He went very peacefully," said his son, Jeff Lewis. "We brought him home (from the hospital) last Saturday. He wanted to come home; he didn't want to spend his final days in the hospital. He was resting comfortably and peacefully. He just ran out of gas. He just couldn't go on any longer.

"He had his family around him when he passed away. He had a wonderful life, and we'll miss him tremendously." Besides Jeff, Bob Lewis is survived by his wife, Beverly, and two other children, Nancy and Jimmy

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=32234


Roy Chapman, Owner, Breeder of Smarty Jones Dies

Roy Chapman, who campaigned dual Classic winner and champion Smarty Jones with his wife, Pat, died Feb. 17 in Pennsylvania.

"He was a great guy and a great competitor," said trainer John Servis. "He went out in style, I'll give him that. He had a great couple of years with Smarty. In the short time I trained for him I enjoyed it; he was a great guy to train for.

"My favorite moment was at the press conference at the (Kentucky) Derby when he said 'Be careful what you ask me because I'm a used car salesman and I'm from Philadelphia.'"

Known affectionately as 'Chappy', the 79-year-old suffered from emphysema and was tethered to an oxygen tank and wheelchair while making the rounds in 2004 at Churchill Downs, Pimlico Race Course, and Belmont Park, but he never let the disease get the best of him while watching his homebred son of Elusive Quality make the run toward the Triple Crown.

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=32238

[aaronbees]

13. Bluegrass Cat wins...

Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs.

http://tcm.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=32249

Bluegrass Cat Scratches Out Sam Davis Win
by Jack Shinar
Date Posted: 2/18/2006 5:49:23 PM
Last Updated: 2/18/2006 8:45:05 PM

WinStar Farm's homebred Bluegrass Cat kicked off his 3-year-old campaign with a dogged victory over 63-1 shot Deputy Glitters in the $121,000 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs Saturday.
A leading candidate for the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), Bluegrass Cat won his fourth straight race since losing his debut start in June. The son of Storm Cat-She's a Winner (A.P. Indy) won the Nashua (gr. III) at Belmont Park and the Remsen (gr. II) at Aqueduct to wrap up his 2-year-old season.

Ridden by John Velazquez for trainer Todd Pletcher, the 7-10 favorite bid three wide coming off the far turn in the 1 1/16-mile test, got a short lead in upper stretch, and held off the stubborn Deputy Glitters for a 1 1/4-length triumph. The final time was a solid 1:44.17, less than a second off the track record.

**snip**

and Point Determined (Bob Lewis colt) wins at Golden Gate

http://tcm.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=32244

Point Determined Wins One for Lewises
by Blood-Horse Staff
Date Posted: 2/18/2006 1:43:52 PM
Last Updated: 2/18/2006 7:54:57 PM

The 3-year-old colt Point Determined, whose prominent owner, Bob Lewis, died earlier in the day, gave an indication of his value as a $750,000 investment with a victory in the feature race at Golden Gate Fields Friday.

Lewis, one of the most successful owners in Thoroughbred racing, died of heart failure Friday morning at the age of 81 at his home in Newport Beach. Although still green at this juncture, Point Determined is a candidate for this year's Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). Lewis captured the Derby in 1997 with Silver Charm and in 1999 with Charismatic.

Lewis, who shared ownership of racehorses with his wife, Beverly, bought Point Determined as a 2-year-old for $750,000. Point Determined earned his second win in four starts when he overcame a slow start and a wide trip to win Friday's one-mile allowance test for 3-year-olds in 1:36.12 on a track rated wet-fast.

**snip**

[u4ic]

14. Sam Rubin, John Henry's owner, dies

Sam Rubin, who raced two-time Horse of the Year John Henry, died Feb. 13 in Palm Beach, Fla. He was 91.

Rubin, a bicycle importer who was raised in New York City, privately bought John Henry in 1978 for $25,000 at a time when the gelding was racing for claiming prices and earned millions with him. By the time John Henry finished his career in 1984, he had won 39 of 83 races and a record $6,591,860.

A member of the 1975 crop that also included Affirmed and Alydar, John Henry raced for Rubin and wife Dorothy in the name of Dotsam Stable and was Horse of the Year in both 1981 and 1984. The 1981 season was marked by his thrilling win over The Bart in the inaugural Arlington Million. John Henry also was voted champion grass male and top older male that year.

Rubin was honored by the New York Turf Writers Association as the "Person Who Did Most for Racing" and "Outstanding Owner" in 1981.

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=32284


Lawyer Ron's owner found dead

James T. Hines Jr., who was looking forward to the spring classics with his homebred colt Lawyer Ron, was found dead Feb. 21 in the indoor swimming pool at his home near Owensboro, Ky. He was 69. Foul play is not suspected, according to the Daviess County coroner.

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=32287

[two gun sid]

16. Sorry to hear about Mr. Rubin...

He was always a very humorous guy and really enjoyed owning John.

[u4ic]

17. Wouldn't we all have loved to

own John? ;)

[two gun sid]

18. Sorry to keep the Sam Rubin thread going but, I wanted to post...

his letter to Ron McAnally, that he made public, on John Henry's retirement. I think it shows what a class guy he was.

"This is a personal and public thank you, thank you, thank you. You have been more than a trainer - you have been a dear friend, and truly John Henry grew because of you. You are a true lover of animals, and I have never seen anyone display more feelings for animals than you. Your staff who dedicated themselves to John's well being, too, have earned our respect and admiration. You can now rent out the spare room at your home. John will not be coming home on weekends."

[u4ic]

19. Thanks for posting that, sid

A class act indeed. Both Rubin and McAnally.

[two gun sid]

15. Kentucky Derby Trail: Cat and Cotton Tales

From The Bloodhorse:
So far, Todd Pletcher has been probing the enemy forces with his second- and third-stringers, with and without success. But this week it was time to get serious and bring out the heavy ammo. He hit his target with Bluegrass Cat on Saturday and now gets ready to fire off his second round with High Cotton on Wednesday.

Bluegrass Cat had exactly the kind of first race back you want to see, winning the Sam F. Davis Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths. Over a quirky surface that some horses don't take to, he was in complete control every step of the way, did everything perfectly in the stretch, and was under only a hand ride by John Velazquez, coming home his final sixteenth in a sharp :06 2/5.

Some may question his effort, in which he defeated the longest priced horse in the field -- 63-1 shot Deputy Glitters. But this was far from his best performance, which is the way it's supposed to be first time out. And Deputy Glitters is a better horse than his odds indicated. He was put in a $65,000 maiden claiming race in his career debut at Saratoga and destroyed his field by nearly 14 lengths in 1:10 4/5. That prompted owner Joseph LaCombe, of Favorite Trick fame, to switch trainers, and he sent him to Tom Albertrani. As misplaced as the colt was in his first start, he was even more misplaced in his second start, the Champagne Stakes (gr. I), in which finished way up the track over a sloppy surface he did not handle at all.

In his next two races, he resented being stuck in between horses and took himself out of the race, although he did regroup to finish fifth of 12 behind Barbican in the second of the two races. With instructions to keep him in the clear in the Sam Davis, Jose Lezcano rode him the way he wants to be ridden and he responded with a gutsy second-place finish.

http://tcm.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=32275

[two gun sid]

20. Lawyer Ron makes it four in a row with Southwest triumph

From Thoroughbred Times:
Lawyer Ron may be 0-for-7 on turf and Turfway Park's Polytrack, but no one can fault his record on the dirt, which now stands at five-for-five after a front-running score on Saturday in the $250,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

The highly anticipated Southwest, originally scheduled for February 20 but postponed when Oaklawn officials cancelled five days of racing because of icy conditions, attracted a field of ten three-year-olds, including Music School, undefeated in his only two starts; the highly regarded Steppenwolfer; and Mark of Success, second to Lawyer Ron in the Risen Star Stakes (G3) at Louisiana Downs.

Lawyer Ron, heavily favored at 0.50-to-1 and set to become an early favorite for the Kentucky Derby with a victory, was hustled out of the gate by regular rider John McKee to assume his preferred position at the front of the pack, zipping along through fractions of :23.29 and :48.02.

Longshot Travelin Leroy tried to keep pace but never could get closer than a couple of lengths. Mark of Success then took up the chase, but failed to offer a serious challenge as the field ventured into the stretch.

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=62405&subsec=2

[aaronbees]

21. Updated Derby poll

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060226/SPORTS08/302260011/1037

Horse Owner Trainer LW
1. Private Vow Mike McCarty Steve Asmussen 3
2. Barbaro Lael Stables Michael Matz 1
2. Brother Derek Cecil Peacock Dan Hendricks 4
4. Bluegrass Cat WinStar Farms Todd Pletcher 2
5. First Samurai Bruce Lunsford and Lansdon Robbins III Frank Brothers 6
6. Lawyer Ron Estate of James T. Hines Jr. Bob Holthus 5
7. Bob and John Stonerside Stable LLC Bob Baffert 6
8. Achilles of Troy Paraneck Stable Jennifer Pedersen 9
9. Your Tent Or Mine Anthony Speelman Neil Drysdale -
10. Keyed Entry Starlight Stables, Saylor & Lucarelli Todd Pletcher 8

*snip*


It's interesting that at the top is an unraced 3 year old in Private Vow.

[u4ic]

22. SIXTEEN MILLION???!?!!?

The unimaginable happened Tuesday afternoon in the paddock at Calder Race Course.

Everyone knew that Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds's bold bay colt by Forestry out of Magical Masquerade, by Unbridled, was going to top the 2006 edition of the Fasig-Tipton Calder sale of selected two-year-olds in training. Many were predicting he would break the record price for a two-year-old of $5.2-million set last year at the same sale.

No one, however, imagined that the all-time auction record for a Thoroughbred of $13.1-million set in 1985 by the yearling subsequently named Seattle Dancer would be even remotely challenged.

Instead, the consignor's ultimate dream came true. The two biggest buyers in the market, Demi O'Byrne, who represents the partnership that includes Michael Tabor and John Magnier, and John Ferguson, who represents Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, hooked up in a mano a mano duel at $3-million that did not stop until O'Byrne had bid $16-million.

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=62460&subsec=4

It's obvious even before reading that it was Coolmore or Godolphin with the winning bid, but...sixteen million! :wow:

Insane.

[aaronbees]

23. Good lookin' colt!

I'm not wise enough in pedigree matters to know whether he'll be worth it. Sixteen million does seem a touch insane to me ... looks like the money's in breeding these days. :(

[u4ic]

24. Nothing spectacular in the pedigree as far as I can see

his dam is a half to Magicalmysterycat, but nothing like Seattle Dancer (13.1 mil, still an insane amount) was...a half to Seattle Slew, by Nijinsky.

Combine the feud between Coolmore and Godolphin, a 9.4 split, and a very nice looking horse...but the first part is the key, I think. :-)

[two gun sid]

25. From what I understand he is a helluva an individual...

conformation wise but, what really sold him, was his super fast breeze under tack for the sale and his liquid smooth action. I believe he worked a full .5 sec faster than the nice Buddha yearlings at the sale.

Any of you guys want to pinhook some yearlings this year? LOL.

Isn't First Sam in this weekend? I think it's his first two turns race.

[aaronbees]

27. Working 2 year olds that fast

just seems crazy to me -- a real risk ... I'll be keeping my eyes on FirSam; if he looks groovin at two turns he may leapfrog Bro Derek into my top spot. :D

[two gun sid]

29. The pinhookers that sold him had never worked him for speed...

prior to the sale. They were as surprised as everybody else.

It seems like every year at these 2 YO in training sales you read about some poor horse suffering a catastrophic breakdown while being worked. It's a tough and unforgiving business and I guess you do what you have to but, it seems like a helluva risk to still open knees to me.

[aaronbees]

26. It does seem to be an ego trip

amongst horsemen. I dunno, I'd rather have 40 Afleet Alex-type horses than one of these pretty ponies. But maybe that's just me :)

[two gun sid]

28. And a price like that will insure he'll never race beyond his 3 YO...

year. You gotta win a helluva lot of races to get your investment back. Much easier to let him flash some ability on the track then send him to the breeding shed.

[Justpat]

30. I'll see if this link works.

If it does, here is his pedigree. Coolmore and the Arabs would never pay much for any horse without any pedigree.


http://www.fasigtipton.com/catalogs/2006/0228/153.pdf


The second dam was a good runner and produced a good stakes filly, but I don't see much else in there.
People just go nuts when they breeze that fast.

Hartley/DeRenzo had a hell of a night. A few minutes later they sold another one for 2.2 million.

Anyone want to get a partnership going? :)

[two gun sid]

31. Pletcher to Train $16 Million 2-Year-Old Colt

From The Bloodhorse:
Todd Pletcher is to train the 2-year-old colt who recently sold at auction for a world record $16 million.

Pletcher, the nation's leading trainer, said Saturday he expects the unraced colt to be under his care in Kentucky by April 1.

Asked about the pressure of working with the most expensive horse, Pletcher said: "I'd rather train him than run against him."

Demi O'Byrne, an agent, bought the colt Tuesday at the Fasig-Tipton sale at Calder Race Course for a team led by Coolmore managing partner John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derek Smith.

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=32445

I would not like to be in Pletcher's shoe over the next couple of years.