Kentucky Derby Blog

Archarcharch and Brilliant Speed jumped up after winning the Arkansas Derby and The Blue Grass Stakes respectively. Kentucky Derby 2011 contenders by graded earnings as of April 18th.

Brilliant Speed punched his ticket for the Kentucky Derby with a thrilling stretch run to win the $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland.

The $450,000 winner’s check gives Brilliant Speed more than enough graded-stakes earnings to earn a spot in next month’s Run for the Roses. Ridden by Joel Rosario and trained by Tom Albertrani, Brilliant Speed covered the 1 1-8 miles on Keeneland’s Polytrack in 1:50.92 and paid $40.20, $20.80 and $13. Twinspired and jockey Robby Albarado paid $21.20 and $11.80 for second, while King Congie paid $8.80 for third.

Blue Grass Stakes 2011 race replay

Uncle Mo arrived under the twin spires on Monday afternoon following an eventful trip from New York. Uncle Mo will gallop on Tuesday morning for trainer Todd Pletcher, though his status for the Run for the Roses on May 7 remains unclear. Tests following a disappointing third-place finish in the Wood Memorial on April 9 discovered a gastrointestinal infection.

Pletcher says the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner will undergo two workouts before making a Derby decision.

Uncle Mo joins stablemate Stay Thirsty, Repole Stable’s winner of the Gotham, among five Kentucky Derby contenders now on the grounds and those horses will bid to give Pletcher his second consecutive victory in the Kentucky Derby. Pletcher picked up his first Derby victory last year with WinStar Farm’s Super Saver.

Archarcharch won the Arkansas Derby at 25-1 and heavy pre-race favorite The Factor finished seventh. The Factor entered with three wire-to-wire wins, but he fell behind the early pace of J P’s Gusto and Dance City.

Archarcharch finished 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.34 and returned $52.40, $16.80 and $8.20 and topped exotics worth $416.80 (exacta), $10,565.80 (trifecta) and $59,987.60 (9-2-8 superfecta). Nehro paid $9 and $5.60 for finishing second and Dance City paid $14.20 in third.

A debut second at Churchill Downs in November, Archarcharch graduated by 1 3/4 lengths in the Sugar Bowl S. at Fair Grounds the following month. Off that six-furlong score, Archarcharch was the even-money favorite in the January 17 Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn, but wilted to fourth after pressing the pace. He rebounded to take the Southwest S. (G3) by a length at 14-1, then ran an even third behind The Factor when 6 1/2 lengths behind that one in last month’s Rebel S. (G2). The dark bay colt’s record now stands at 6-3-1-1, $832,744.

Arkansas Derby race replay

2011 Arkansas Derby (Grade I) takes place in Oaklawn Park on April 16, 2011. The Arkansas Derby is race 11 and the post time is 5:58 PM.

The Factor has dictated the pace in all three of his victories. Whether he will be able to do so again Saturday in the Arkansas Derby is the central question.

Here are the contenders, post positions and the morning lines.

Todd Pletcher, looking to explain previously undefeated Uncle Mo’s disappointing third-place finish in last Saturday’s Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York, said Thursday that post-race blood tests point to a gastrointestinal infection.

According to a statement released by Pletcher, treatment for the infection began immediately and veterinarians cleared the former Kentucky Derby favorite to continue preparations for the opening leg of the Triple Crown.

The 2-year-old champion, who had been dominant in sweeping his first four starts, is still scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs on Monday. He is expected to have two workouts there to determine his readiness for the 1¼mile classic.

Interestingly, owner Mike Repole already mentioned the Preakness as a possibility for Uncle Mo’s next start. “Though it has been a lifelong dream to run (in) and win the Kentucky Derby, if Uncle Mo is not 100%, we will skip the Derby and go right to the Preakness,” Repole said

Previously undefeated Uncle Mo, viewed throughout the winter as an overwhelming Kentucky Derby favorite and a Triple Crown threat, suffered a stunning upset when he finished third in Saturday’s $1 million Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Nothing went quite right from the moment Uncle Mo hesitated before entering the starting gate. John Velazquez, the only jockey who has ever been aboard, noted that he never felt comfortable.

“He was pulling the whole way,” Velazquez said. “He was never in a relaxed mode.”

Uncle Mo is still headed to the Kentucky Derby, health permitting, but he won’t be carrying superstar status with him. With Jaycito and Premier Pegasus withdrawn from Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby due to injuries, the Kentucky Derby field is wide open.

Here are the winners and payouts.

The Santa Anita Derby got off to a rough start before the horses even made it into the starter gates, losing two favorites in the days leading up to the race. Premier Pegasus, installed as the early favorite in the opening lines, was a scratch on Friday. Jaycito was forced to scratch later in the day, leaving the Santa Anita Derby without two of its favorites.

Midnight Interlude trained by Bob Baffert crossed the finish line in first with Victor Espinoza on the reins. Comma to the Top was second, Mr. Commons was third and Silver Medallion, the favorite entering the race, finished in fourth. Midnight Interlude went off at 13-1 at the Santa Anita Derby. Midnight Interlude paid $29.80, $12 and $6.

The colt, made a 2-1 favorite in Saturday’s race after Premier Pegasus was scratched Thursday, is scratched by trainer Bob Baffert due to an abscess on his foot. Silver Medallion is the new favorite at 5-2.

The Santa Anita Derby is Race 10 and the post time 5:12 PM. Saturday’s Derby Day program at Santa Anita also includes three other top races, the Grade II Provencia, the Grade II Arcadia and the Grade III Las Cienegas. Don’t miss out.

Here are the contenders and morning line odds.

The Illinois Derby (G3) is on this Saturday at Hawthorne Racecourse. The post time is 4:37 PM and it is race 7.
Purse $300,000. For Three-Year-Olds. One And One Eighth Miles.

Here are the contenders and Morning Lines.