Kentucky Derby Blog

February 25, 2009

Kentucky Derby Preps and Entries

5:06 pm

Two full fields of Kentucky Derby prospects go to the post Saturday in Gulfstream’s $250,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes and Santa Anita’s $200,000 Sham Stakes, both Grade II events. Both races attracted a dozen entrants today.

Here are the race details and entries.

Fountain of Youth

Post time: Saturday at 5:14 p.m. EST at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. Purse: $250,000. Distance: mile. Television: HRTV.

PP HORSE (WEIGHT)            JOCKEY     TRAINER
1. Bee Cee Cee (120)         Velasquez  Plesa
2. Theregoesjojo (116)       Desormeaux McPeek
3. Notonthesamepage (120)    Trujillo   W. Ward
4. Take the Points (116)     DeCarlo    Pletcher
5. Jack Spratt (120)         Douglas    M. Maker
6. Rocketing Returns (116)   Lezcano    Zito
7. Beethoven (122)           Borel      J. Ward
8. Break Water Edison (122)  Coa        Kimmel
9. Capt. Candyman Can (122)  Leparoux   Wilkes
10. Taqarub (120)            Garcia     McLaughlin
11. Quality Road (114)       Velazquez  J. Jerkens   Winner
12. This Ones for Phil (120) Prado      Dutrow

The Sham Stakes

Post time: Saturday at 7:38 p.m. EST at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Purse: $200,000. Distance: 1 1/8 miles. Television: HRTV.

PP HORSE (WEIGHT)           JOCKEY       TRAINER
1. Hi Flyin Indy (116)      A. Quinonez  Harty
2. Smart Bid (118)          Bejarano     Motion
3. Tiz True (116)           Gryder       Hofmans
4. Lifeline (116)           T. Baze      Cho
5. The Pamplemousse (118)   Solis        Canani    Winner
6. Balfour Park (116)       Blanc        Lewis
7. Mr. Hot Stuff (116)      Nakatani     Harty
8. Bourbon Bay (116)        Rosario      Drysdale
9. Ventana (116)            Rios         Baffert
10. Mark S the Cooler (116) Talamo       O'Neill
11. Unbridled Roman (116)   Smith        Paasch
12. Take the Points (118)   Gomez        Pletcher

Old Fashioned became Kentucky Derby favorite

4:47 pm

Old Fashioned takes the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes for 3-year-olds at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 16, 2009. By winning the Southwest Stakes last week at Oaklawn Park, Old Fashioned did horse racing a huge favor: he put a name and a face on this year’s Kentucky Derby chase.

Old Fashioned won the one-mile Southwest by 3 1/4-lengths over Silver City with Buzzin and Dreamin third and Flat Out rallying for fourth. The final time for the 44th renewal of the Southwest Stakes was 1:37.41.

Old Fashioned is now undefeated in four career starts, including the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct last November. Trained by Larry Jones, Old Fashioned picks up $150,000 with the President’s Day win to bring his bankroll to $323,280.

Old Fashioned returned $3.00, $2.20 and $2.20. Silver City paid $2.80 and $2.80, and Buzzin and Dreamin paid $8.80 to show.

Evita Argentina beat boys in the San Vicente Stakes

4:42 pm

Evita Argentina became the first filly in 62 years to win the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes, beating the boys by one length Monday at Santa Anita.

Sent off as the 2-1 wagering favorite in the field of 10, Evita Argentina and jockey Garrett Gomez came flying down the middle of the track to hold off Leedstheway.

Evita Argentina ran 7 furlongs in 1:24.30, becoming just the third filly in the race’s 68-year history to win the Kentucky Derby prep for 3-year-olds.

With several speed horses in the field, the Kentucky-bred filly had ample pace to set up her usual come-from-behind move. Evita Argentina, who was last in the early going and then went four horses wide in the stretch, paid $6.60, $3.80 and $2.80. Gato Go Win was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third and returned $3.80. He and Leedstheway, who paid $6.40 and $5, are both trained by Jeff Mullins.

February 16, 2009

First Derby Future Wagering Results

12:59 pm

The opening pool of Churchill Downs’s Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed at 6 p.m. EST on February 15 with few surprises as the mutuel field of all other three-year-olds not individually listed closed as the 2-to-1 favorite.

The field has been the favorite in the first pool for each of the 11 years Churchill has offered the wager.

This year’s initial pool attracted $478,721 in handle, a 9% increase compared with last year but still the second-lowest total since 2001. Total handle for the future wager since its inception in 1999 has now surpassed $13-million.

Impressive performances by Gulf News United Arab Emirates Two Thousand Guineas (UAE-G3) winner Desert Party and runner-up Regal Ransom, Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) winner General Quarters, and allowance winners Captain Cherokee and Imperial Council, coupled with two graded stakes races for three-year-olds scheduled for February 16, probably helped make the field the favorite.

Undefeated Old Fashioned, last year’s Remsen Stakes (G2) winner and a finalist for champion two-year-old male, was entered in the Southwest Stakes (G3) on President’s Day at Oaklawn Park. He closed as the 7-to-1 favorite among the 23 horses listed individually.

Last year’s two-year-old champions, male Midshipman and filly Stardom Bound closed at 19-to-1 and 22-to-1, respectively. The only other horses at less than 23-to-1 were Risen Star Stakes (G3) winner Friesan Fire at 18-to-1, Lecomte Stakes (G3) runner-up (to Friesan Fire) Patena at 22-to-1, and Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) winner Pioneerof the Nile at 13-to-1.

Churchill will offer two other future wagers leading up to the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) on May 2 in Louisville. Pool 2 runs from March 12 through March 15 and Pool 3 runs from April 2 through April 5. Both pools will feature exacta wagering, and Pool 2 also will include a separate pool for future wagering on the Kentucky Oaks (G1), which is slated for May 1.
Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1
Number Wagering interest Final Odds
1. Beethoven 31-1
2. Big Drama 48-1
3. Capt. Candyman Can (g) 25-1
4. Chocolate Candy 28-1
5. Flying Pegasus 28-1
6. Friesan Fire 18-1
7. Giant Oak 24-1
8. Haynesfield 32-1
9. Hello Broadway 30-1
10. I Want Revenge 54-1
11. Midshipman 19-1
12. Notonthesamepage 40-1
13. Old Fashioned 7-1
14. Papa Clem 44-1
15. Patena 22-1
16. Pioneerof the Nile 13-1
17. Silver City 35-1
18. Stardom Bound (f) 22-1
19. Taqarub 46-1
20. The Pamplemousse 29-1
21. This Ones for Phil(g)* 44-1
22. Vineyard Haven 36-1
23. West Side Bernie 40-1
24. Mutuel Field (”All Others”) 2-1

Total wagering: $478,721

(f) - filly, (g) - gelding, * - not nominated to Triple Crown

February 12, 2009

First Derby Pool Future Wager

4:38 pm

Betting on the Derby Future Wager begins at noon Today (February 12th) and concludes at 6 p.m. Sunday.

The wager, a win bet with a $2 minimum, is designed to allow horse players a chance to get better odds on a horse than they might on Derby Day.

There are 23 individual betting interests, with the 24th being the mutuel field that encompasses all other 3-year-olds.

The bet can be placed at any Kentucky thoroughbred track,including Churchill Downs, as well as simulcast outlets across the country and account-wagering platforms such as twinspires.com.

Because of the nature of future wagers, there is no refund if a horse does not make it to the May 2 Derby starting gate. However, during the betting pool, Churchill will suspend wagering on any horse the track documents as being off the Derby trail because of injury or severe illness.

The second pool will be March 12th to 15th, when there also will be the only Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. The final Derby pool is April 2th to 5th.

Here is the complete list of available betting interests for the first Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

1 Beethoven 15-1
2 Big Drama 30-1
3 Capt. Candyman Can (g) 10-1
4 Chocolate Candy 50-1
5 Flying Pegasus 30-1
6 Friesan Fire 12-1
7 Giant Oak 15-1
8 Haynesfield 50-1
9 Hello Broadway 50-1
10 I Want Revenge 50-1
11 Midshipman 12-1
12 Notonthesamepage 30-1
13 Old Fashioned 10-1
14 Papa Clem 20-1
15 Patena 20-1
16 Pioneerof the Nile 12-1
17 Silver City 50-1
18 Stardom Bound (f) 12-1
19 Taqarub 30-1
20 The Pamplemousse 30-1
21 This Ones For Phil (g)* 12-1
22 Vineyard Haven 12-1
23 West Side Bernie 50-1
24 Mutuel Field 5-2

(f) - filly (g) - gelding * - Not nominated to Triple Crown

February 9, 2009

Haynesfield won the Whirlaway Stakes

3:24 pm

Haynesfield moved a step closer to a Triple Crown race, easily winning the $107,600 Whirlaway Stakes for 3-year-olds on Saturday at Aqueduct.

The victory was the fourth straight for the New York-bred chestnut colt trained by Steve Asmussen. Haynesfield has yet to meet top-level competition, but the 6 1/4-length win over Cellar Dweller suggests he is ready for more.

The time was 1:44.48 for the 1 1-16 miles on the fast track as Haynesfield earned $64,560 for the Turtle Bird Stable.

Haynesfield, the 2-5 favorite, paid $2.90, $2.50 and $2.10. Cellar Dweller returned $6.80 and $4.40. Mike from Queens paid $3 to show.

Here is the race replay.

Friesan Fire won Risen Star Stakes

3:16 pm


Friesen Fire won the Risen Star Stakes on Saturday at the Fair Grounds, and will run next in the Louisiana Derby with an eye to the Kentucky Derby. The Risen Star is the final local prep race for the Louisiana Derby on March 14.

Friesan Fire is owned by Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farm and Vinery Stables and adds $120,000 to his bankroll, which totals $243,265. The three-year-old has won both of his 2009 starts and is 3-for-6 in his career.

Friesan Fire returned $7.60, $4.60 and $3.40. Flying Pegasus paid $8.80 and $6.20, and Uno Mas paid $7.20 to show.

Pioneerof The Nile won 2009 Robert Lewis Stakes

3:05 pm

Pioneerof the Nile swept into the stretch under Garrett Gomez and unleashed a powerful, sustained closing bid to reel in runner-up Papa Clem and I Want Revenge in the closing strides and win the $200,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) on Saturday.

Pioneerof the Nile solidified his credentials as a contender for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) and increased his graded stakes earnings to $623,250, which should be more than sufficient to ensure he makes the field for the first jewel of the Triple Crown.

The winner paid $5.40, $3.80 and $2.60 at 8-5 odds. Papa Clem returned $14 and $6.80, while I Want Revenge was another one length back in third and paid $2.60 to show.

February 2, 2009

Saratoga Sinner won the Holly Bull Stakes

1:08 pm

Saratoga Sinner upsets the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 31, 2009.

With graded stakes winners West Side Bernie and Beethoven unable to overcome disadvantageous post positions as well as their 122-pound weight assignments, and 6-5 favorite Danger to Society turning in a disappointing performance, Bear’s Rocket and Saratoga Sinner controlled the 1 1/8-mile Holy Bull from start to finish. Saratoga Sinner, a 12-1 chance ridden by Julien Leparoux, ultimately prevailed by three-quarters of a length over the 33-1 Bear’s Rocket.

All the anticipation surrounding the debut of Barbaro’s baby brother Nicanor here Saturday was, at least for the time being, much ado about nothing.

Nicanor’s appearance in Saturday’s eighth race, a maiden special weight event for 3-year-olds at a mile, created quite a media stir and garnered nationwide attention both within and outside the racing world.

Unfortunately, Nicanor failed to live up to everybody’s lofty expectations. Nicanor finished 10th, some 25 lengths behind race winner Warrior’s Reward, after going off the 5-2 second choice.

Capt. Candyman Can won Hutcheson Stakes 2009

12:39 pm

Highly regarded Capt. Candyman Can, ridden by Julien Leparoux, opened his three-year-old campaign Friday with a solid win in the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The Hutcheson is an important race leading to the Florida Derby on March 28. The time for the seven-furlongs was 1:23.69 on a fast track.

Capt. Candyman Can added $90,000 to his bankroll which now totals $211,645. The bay colt picked up his third career victory in five starts.

Capt. Candyman Can paid $7.40, $3.80 and $2.80. Hello Broadway returned $3.40 and $2.60, and Bee Cee Cee paid $5.80 to show.

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