Wednesday, April 22, 2015

2015 Kentucky Derby/Triple Crown

Let's Go To The Races!  May 1-2, 2015


Time Ordered List of races / Entries - printable file

IT'S AMERICAN PHAROAH
IN KENTUCKY DERBY!


Slo-mo replay at about 10:30 on the tape
 
A record 170,513 were on hand to witness the Derby under picture-perfect blue skies, with temperatures in the low 70s.
 
Lamarra: Ky Derby wrap
UPI Racing Roundup - World wide
Derby post-race quotes: Jockeys
Derby post-race quotes: Trainers
Record crowd of 170,513 attend
 
Derby Day stakes results:
G1 $500K Turf Classic: Finnegan's Wake up late
G2 $500K CD: Private Zone solid... Bayern flops
G2 $300K Distaff Turf Mile: Tepin steals it
G1 $300K Humana Distaff: Dame Dorothy nips Judy the Beauty
G2 $250K American Turf: Divisidero closes late to score
G3 $200K Pat Day Mile: Competitive Edge remains perfect
 
Official from TRAKUS:  Trakus Fact: American Pharoah covered 29 feet (about 3.4 lengths) more than Firing Line and 69 feet (about 8.1 lengths) more than Dortmund.
@trakusracing
Louisville Courier Journal - Jennie Rees  Trainer, owner, jockey videos
 
2015 Kentucky Derby results
Finish
Horse
Lengths behind
1
American Pharoah
---
2
Firing Line
1
3
Dortmund
3
4
Frosted
5
Danzig Moon
6
Materiality
7
Keen Ice
8
Mubtaahij
9 ¼
9
Itsaknockout
10½
10
Carpe Diem
11
11
Frammento
12
12
Bolo
12¾
13
Mr. Z
15½
14
Ocho Ocho Ocho
15½
15
Far Right
15¾
16
War Story
19¼
17
Tencendur
35
18
Upstart
60½
 
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KENTUCKY OAKS - Hat trick for Brereton Jones and Larry Jones as they celebrate their third Oaks victory.  123,763 people in attendance — a race record — at Churchill Downs saw Lovely Maria win the 141st running of the $1 million, mile-and-an-eighth Kentucky Oaks, the biggest race of the year for three-year old fillies.
 
Lovely Maria won the Kentucky Oaks in front of the largest crowd in the race’s history with 123,763 people turning out for Friday’s card at Churchill Downs. For those who put their faith in her to win, they were rewarded with a payout of $14.60 on a $2 win ticket. 
 

 
Race Replay  Lovely Maria gives Kerwin "Boo Boo" Clark an emotional day
LOUISVILLE – Lovely Maria, owned by a former Kentucky governor, ridden by 56-year-old jockey and guided by a trainer who was severely injured in a riding accident last year, won the $1 million Kentucky Oaks for 3-year-old fillies Friday at Churchill Downs.

"This is unbelievable. … I thought my opportunity was gone. … It doesn't get any better than this," said jockey Kerwin "Boo Boo" Clark, who hadn't won a grade one stakes in his four-decade career until he rode Lovely Maria to a April 4 victory in the Ashland Stakes.

They could run the $1 million Oaks a thousand more years and be hard pressed to produce as sentimental an ending as the one Lovely Maria delivered when she overtook Angela Renee in midstretch en route to notching a 23/4-length triumph in the 11⁄8-mile test for 3-year-old fillies.
 
But possibly the most interesting part of the story to racing fans is that “underdog” component for both Lovely Maria and Clark.

Even though she is a well-bred filly from the first crop of Brereton Jones’ stallion Majesticperfection, Lovely Maria went through the sales ring as a yearling and didn’t sell when she brought a closing bid of $5,000.

Throughout the Kentucky Oaks trail, Lovely Maria was considered kind of the “second stringer” from Larry Jones’ entries with I’m a Chatterbox getting most of the attention. Lovely Maria won the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes at Keeneland on April 4, but even on Oaks day, she went off at slightly higher odds than her stablemate.

Clark has been aboard Lovely Maria since her career began last September and his loyalty to the filly has paid off. Riding for 40 years, Clark has enjoyed the best month of his career. He was still searching for an elusive first Grade 1 victory when he rode Lovely Maria in the Ashland Stakes. He knocked the Grade 1 win off his bucket list in the Ashland, turned 56 on April 18, and now is a Kentucky Oaks-winning rider. Not too shabby for a jockey who was on the cusp of retiring 15 years ago.  Read more at source
 
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KENTUCKY DERBY 141:  In preparation for the most famous race in America, and many would say, in the world, I've put together a source for all things Kentucky Derby, including a separate section for each horse with his profile and links to past races, pedigree, etc.  I'm also adding a section for the fillies, Kentucky Oaks horses, at the bottom of the blog.  It is being populated with information about the fillies, their prep races, and profiles.  But first, here's what stands out at this point.

Source: John P. Wise/File Photo
BOB BAFFERT has reason to smile. Some are saying he has the best 1-2 punch any trainer has had since 1948, when Ben Jones fielded Citation and Coaltown in the Kentucky Derby with Citation on his way to a Triple Crown that was not to be broken until Secretariat in 1973. "That's saying a lot, folks. Citation beat Coaltown by 3.5 lengths on his way to the Triple Crown, and Coaltown finished three lengths ahead of the third-place My Request."  Read at source

And, in this corner............

Mubtaahij, ridden ridden by Christophe Soumillon, wins
the UAE Derby during the 2015 Dubai World Cup.
Pawan Singh / The National
His name is Mubtaahij.  He's a true international: bred in Ireland, ridden by a Frenchman, trained by a South African and owned by a United Arab Emirates prince. Facing the toughest field in decades, Mike de Kock says his timing isn't the best, but he feels  Mubtaahij’s improving form and will to win should stand him in good stead.  “I can take a lot from what we saw in Dubai,” he said. “There was a fair amount of kickback in Dubai and if he can deal with that he can probably deal with anything.”  Read more

More on Mubtaahij, read Steve Haskin's column:  Steve Haskin: Mubtaahij the 'X' Factor in KY Derby.     Read more at BloodHorse.com

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                               2015 KENTUCKY DERBY TELEVISION SCHEDULE
NBC LIVE

The 141st Kentucky Derby
Saturday May 2
4:00 - 7:30 PM ET*
NBC
Kentucky Oaks
Friday May 1
12:30-6:00 PM ET*
NBC Sports
Derby Prep
Saturday May 2
12:00-4:00 PM ET*
NBC Sports

Call to post and singing of My Old Kentucky Home from
2009 Kentucky Derby - Mine That Bird 50-1 long shot wins

Overhead shot of Mine That Bird in the stretch - video



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Kentucky Derby web site

Now that the Kentucky Derby is less than 72 hours away, and all the prep races have been run, it's time to get familiar with the likely Kentucky Derby field on May 2, at Churchill Downs.  Here you will find the horses that have earned the points and qualify for the starting gate.  To view the "pecking" order, click here, where you can see the list of the contenders who have qualified and where they stand as far as the points they have earned.  Kentucky Derby field is limited to 20 horses, but as we know from past history, there will be defections for varying reasons, so those horses currently "on the bubble" could move up if any of the current contenders should stumble.

Below are the Top Derby Contenders, in order of Mike Watchmaker's estimate of early odds - Full List

Derby prep races, including replays, analysis, and first four finishers, click here

If you want to review the Derby Preps in chronological order and the number of points each race offered, including an analysis of each race in detail, click here

 

For a retrospective, I was privileged to attend the 1980 Kentucky Derby, when the filly, Genuine Risk became the first filly since 1915 to win the run for the roses.  1980 Kentucky Derby

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THE DRAW!
Ahmed Zayat ecstatic after American Pharoah Kentucky Derby Draw Derby draw grid, links to the horses, trainers and jockeys for an in-depth look
 
When a race has concluded, you can click on the CARD below for a replay at the BloodHorse race replay page.
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FEATURED RACES

Time Ordered List of races / Entries - printable file
Race Index

FRIDAY - OAKS DAY
Oaks Day PPs from Brisnet
1:26 ET  Edgewood S G3  CD   $150k  3yo f  8.5f T  R6  CARD
2:08 ET  La Troienne S G1  CD   $300k  4+ f/m  8.5f    R7  CARD
2:22 ET  Gold Fever S  Bel   $100k  3yo  6f   R3  CARD
3:02 ET  Alysheba S G2 CD   $400k  4+  8.5f   R8  CARD
4:02 ET  Twin Spires T Sprint G3  CD   $150k  4+  5f T    R9  CARD
4:52 ET  Eight Belles S G3  CD   $200k  3yo f  7f    R10  CARD
4:57 ET  License Fee S Bel   $100k  4+ f/m  6f T    R8  CARD
5:49 ET  Kentucky Oaks G1  CD   $1,000k  3yo f  9f   R11  CARD

SATURDAY
12:38 ET  Pat Day Mile S G3  CD   $200,000  3yo  1 mi  R5  CARD
1:19 ET  American Turf G2  CD   $250k  3yo  1 1/16 mi T    R6  CARD
1:44 ET  Sheepshead Bay S G2  Bel   $200k  4+ f/m  1 3/8mi T R4  CARD
2:08 ET  Humana Distaff G1 CD   $300,000  4+ f/m  7f  R7  CARD
2:52 ET  Westchester S G3  Bel   $150k  4+  8f   R6  CARD
2:59 ET  Churchill Distaff Turf Mi G2  CD   $300,000  4+ f/m  1 mi T R8  CARD
3:43 ET  Churchill Downs G2  CD   $500,000  4+  7f  R9  CARD
4:44 ET  Woodford Res. Turf Cl. S G1  CD   $500,000  4+  9f T R10  CARD
4:50 ET  Queenston S  WO   $150,000  3yo S  7f AW  R8  CARD
5:35 ET  Fort Marcy S G3  Bel   $150k  4+  9f T    R10  CARD
6:24 ET  Kentucky Derby G1  CD   $2,000,000  3yo  1 1/4 mi  R11  CARD
7:00 ET  Precisionist S G3  SA   $100,000  3+  1 1/16 mi  R10  CARD

Oaks favoritism goes to Stellar Wind

SUNDAY

International - Hong Kong & Japan- Australia
2:40 a.m. ET  Tenno Sho Spring G1  JRA   $2,721,000 a 4+  2 mi T  R  CARD
4:05 a.m. ET  Champions Mile G1  HK   $1,805,000  3+  8f T  R8  CARD - Replay 
10:40 a.m. ET 1000 Guineas, Newmarket G1, 3f,  1miT   R4  - CARD Replay 

Miracles of Life wins for Stonestreet       Race Result   Race result with Video - TDN
Race Replay - You Tube

Tenni Sho Spring - Race result   Video replay
Gold Ship takes the Tenno Sho 

Able Friend too strong in Champions Mile

Cirrus Des Aigles handily wins third Ganay   Brisnet: Cirrus des Aigles strong as ever in Ganay
Here is link to Race Replay (in French) Race Replay    English call of the Prix Ganay
Al Kazeem came after him but couldn't catch him in the stretch to the wire
Trainer:  "He is in all the top Group 1 races like the [May 24] G1 Prix d’Ispahan, the G1 Prince of Wales’s S. [at Royal Ascot June 17], the [June 6] G1 Coronation Cup and the G1 Eclipse S. [at Sandown July 4], but I’d love to win the [June 28] G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud with him. I will ask the horse where he wants to run and that’s where we’ll go." .
BloodHorse: Cirrus wins third Ganay  Jean-Claude-Alain Dupouy's Cirrus des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top {Ire}) wins a third G1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp

More on today's races
Luger gunning for Able Friend in Champions Mile
Tenno Sho Preview     

North America
4:41 ET  Fury S  WO   $150,000  3yo f S  7f AW  R8  CARD
4:57 ET  Affirmed Success S  Bel   $100,000  4+ S  6f  R8  CARD
7:00 ET  Honeymoon S G2  SA   $200,000  3yo f  9f T R8  CARD


******************************************
Battaglia: American Pharoah the favorite  Read more - video
Wynn Las Vegas latest odds
More early odds - Odds Shark

DRF Top Derby 25


Triple Crown - Kentucky Derby
NBC Sports - Horse Racing
Fox Sports 1 - Horse Racing
UPI Racing Roundup - World wide
Pedigree Power: Kentucky Derby 2015 and the X Factor
Louisville Courier Journal Kentucky Derby - News & Videos
American Pharoah tops NRTA Poll
April 26 - KY Derby/Oaks Notes - Comprehensive
The Pharoah show gets rave reviews - Haskin
Pletcher's 'other' horse could provide KO punch - Haskin
An Unexpected Busy Morning at the Downs - Haskin
Experts give their power rankings
Gate to nowhere
The Top Three:  American Pharoah, Dortmund, Carpe Diem
A house full of Pharoahs, but baby needs new shoes
Billy Reed's Derby Diary: It's Baffert's race to lose
Pletcher says only two are confirmed about of the five who qualifiy
Handicapping the jockeys
DRF - Derby / Oaks Workouts - Mike Welsch
Steve Haskin: Mubtaahij the 'X' Factor in KY Derby
Mubtaahij works at Arlington
Bill Oppenheim: Countdown: Bill Oppenheim shares some views on the upcoming KY Derby
Churchill to stream Derby Oaks workouts live each day
Kentucky Derby unthinkable without 1964 winner and beaten favorite 1953
Raising American Pharoah
Gary Stevens:  2015 Derby class best in memory
Courier-Journal's national media Kentucky Derby poll
Kentucky Derby.com  -  Updated points posted to Oaks and Derby qualif. races
DRF Road to the Derby - Preps, winners, replays
Derby Watch     Mike Watchmaker & Jay Privman keep a weekly tally on what's happening with their Top 20 Derby horses

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Derby Prep Replays/Race Replays
HRN: Horses on Derby Trail - Pedigrees/Replays  Click on a horse, scroll to bottom for PPs
DRF - Road to the Derby    Analysis of each prep race/replay
BloodHorse Race Replays Look-up - If there's a race replay missing from the HRN site, you can look it up at BloodHorse
Derby Preps - Replays of Derby prep races 
All Derby prep races - top four finishers - Race Replay/Results
Equibase - Horse lookup and race charts
BloodHorse Kentucky Derby Prep Races/Replays

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Lists/Links

DRF Top 20
WatchmakerWatch - Top 10 3 yr old Males
Courier Journal Weekly Media Poll
Kentucky Derby Leaderboard
Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard
Chef-de-Race 2015 Classic Contenders List
Chef-de-Race 2015 Winners PFs Conditions Dosage - Includes race replay videos (not restricted to only the "points" races, but includes other traditional Derby prep races)
BloodHorse KY Derby coverage
KY Derby Report - Mar 18 - James Scully - Brisnet
BloodHorse
Equibase
Pedigree Query
Kentucky Derby site - Contenders - Points
KY Derby Prep Schedule - Replays of completed races
Horseracing Nation's Active Horses      HRN Search All Horses
In addition to active horses, Horseracing Nation has several categories for horses: Top 250 All-Time, Top 250 All-Time Females, Kentucky Derby Contenders, Oaks Contenders,  International Top 500.  It's a fun place to explore, since each horse has a profile and usually has some videos of key races.
America's Best Racing - Road to the 2015 Triple Crown
LIST of nominees to the Triple Crown
LIST of nominees to the KY Oaks

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 Scroll down for Horse profiles for both Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, as well as additional sources of information, handicapping tools, etc.
 

THE HORSES

Jon and Joel, TCI Insider, April 24, 2015:  TCI Insider - click here
Abigail Anderson's The Vault: Horse Racing Past and Present:
Who's Your Mama? The Kentucky Derby Hopefuls and the Mares that Made Them

Meet the contenders and watch them run - video and analysis
Betting the Kentucky Derby - the Experts share their picks
TVG Kentucky Derby Profile Show - video - 50 minutes of coverage for the horses and the qualifying races
NBC Sports - Horse Racing
Fox Sports 1 - Horse Racing

Below are profiles for each of the top 20+ horses who have enough points to either get in the starting gate, or they are just waiting for a horse above them to withdraw.

Both the DRF and the HRN profiles are given.  Often, one site will have more info than the other, or will have a race replay posted that the other won't.

James Scully: Pros & Cons for each Derby contender - Recommend first reading the pros and cons on each contender at this link.  The horses are listed in descending order by the number of Derby qualifying points the horse has accumulated during the prep season.

Also, James Scully Kentucky Derby Report - Contenders' Running Style  Very valuable in watching the race, and in listening to handicappers, they will refer to a horse's "running style," that is, is he an "early" type or does he like to run "midpack", or is he a "closer".  Once the gate positions have been drawn, the discussion you will hear will likely refer to how a horse can get into position from his post position to set up in his favored "running style".

Another great and easy way to get to know the horses is hang out at the Kentucky Derby site Leaderboard.  You can click on each horse's name which will take you to the horse's page/profile/race videos/news:  Leaderboard - Contenders  

Horse by horse descripton, from the Thoroughbred Daily News  TDN Horse by Horse rundown/Pros and Cons

There's no correct way to use the information here -- whatever works best for you.

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18 AMERICAN  PHAROAH                
Race Replays, pedigree
DRF Profile, Connections, Race Replays
Profile by Matt Bernier and Dan Illman - Video

 DORTMUND       3-1 
DRF Profile - Pedigree, race replays, analysis
Past race videos, pedigree - HRN
Dortmund is one of only two horses in the Derby field with 4 Derby prep wins on his resume, two of which are Grade 1s.  The other horse is International Star (below).
Workout 4-18-15 - video
HRTV profile video
4-25-15 Dortmund runs easy in final Derby drill
Dortmund in the house

2  CARPE DIEM      8-1
DRF Profile - Pedigree, race replays, analysis
Race replays, pedigree - HRN
Wynn makes Carpe Diem the Kentucky Derby favorite
Pletcher assesses his five Derby prospects
HRTV video profile

MATERIALITY     12-1
Race replays, pedigree - HRN
DRF Profile - Pedigree, race replays, analysis

6  MUBTAAHIJ       20-1
DRF Profile - Pedigree, race replays, analysis
Race replays, pedigree - HRN  All his races at link
Steve Haskin: Mubtaahij the 'X' Factor in KY Derby
HRTV video profile
Press conference with Mike deKock - April 28, 2015

19  UPSTART    15-1
DRF Profile - Pedigree, race replays, analysis
Race replays, pedigree - HRN
Avalyn Hunter profiles Upstart pedigree 
HRTV Video profile

10  FIRING LINE      12-1
DRF Profile - Race replays, pedigree, analysis
Race replays, pedigree - HRN
Jay Privman - Sunland Derby analysis - Firing Line          
Firing Line inspires quiet confidence in Callaghan ahead of KY Derby
Workout 4-25-15     HRTV workout

15  FROSTED    15-1
DRF Profile, race replays, analysis
Race replays, pedigree - HRN
HRTV video profile

12  INTERNATIONAL STAR        20-1
DRF profile - race replays, analysis
Past race replay, pedigree - HRN
International Star flying under Kentucky Derby radar
HRTV profile video

9   BOLO    30-1
DRF profile - Race replays, pedigree, analysis
Race replays, pedigree - HRN
Workout 4-24-15
Derby all about opportunity for Bolo, Gaines
          
5   DANZIG MOON    30-1
DRF profile - race replays, analysis
Race replays, pedigree - HRN
HRTV Profile

7   EL KABEIR  30-1
DRF profile - race replays, pedigree, analysis
Race replays, pedigree - HRN
HRTV video profile

20  FAR RIGHT            30-1
DRF profile - race replays, pedigree, analysis
Race replays, pedigree - HRN
HRTV Profile

13  ITSAKNOCKOUT   30-1
DRF profile - race replays, pedigree, analysis
Race replays, pedigree - HRN
HRTV video profile

11  STANFORD   30-1
DRF profile - race replays, pedigree, analysis
Race replays, pedigree - HRN
HRTV Video profile

4   TENDENDUR    30-1
DRF profile - race replays, pedigree, analysis
Race replays - pedigree - HRN
HRTV Profile report - Video
Equibase - Record
Keen Ice, Tencendur take a spin at Churchill Downs

16  WAR STORY   50-1
DRF profile - race replays, pedigree, analysis
Race replays - pedigree - HRN
Mr. Z, War Story, work toward KY Derby
HRTV profile video

17  MR. Z      50-1
DRF profile - race replays, pedigree, analysis
Race replays - pedigree - HRN
This horse has probably the most experience, with 12 starts, 1 win, and places, 4 shows
Mr. Z, War Story, work toward KY Derby
HRTV video profile

1   OCHO OCHO OCHO    50-1
DRF profile - race replays, pedigree, analysis
Race replays - pedigree - HRN
Trainer confirms Ocho will race in Derby

14  KEEN ICE    50-1
DRF Profile - race replays, pedigree, analysis
Race replays - pedigree - HRN
KD Profile, race replays, record
Equibase - Record
Keen Ice, Tencendur take a spin at Churchill Downs

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KENTUCKY OAKS
THE FILLIES

UNDERCARD SHINES ON OAKS DAY
Honor Code Heads Field of 10 For Alysheba; La Troienne Atrracts Field of Nine; Unbeaten Promise Me Silver, Taylor S Top Eight Belles; Shakertown Top Four Return in Twin Spires Turf Sprint; Sunset Glow Takes on Seven Foes in Edgewood.

Highlighted by the 141st running of the $1 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI),Friday’s program opens at 10:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) and features five graded stakes in addition to the Oaks.
Honor Code is two-for-two since returning from an injury that knocked him off the Triple Crown trail last spring. Trained by Shug McGaughey, Honor Code won the Gulfstream Park Handicap (GII) in his most recent start.

Regular rider Javier Castellano has the mount Friday and will break from post position seven in the 1 1/16-mile main track test.  Read more    Race Index - All Stakes Entries


Courier Journal Derby Videos and Write-Ups
Baffert won't enter Maybellene, Luminance, opening up for Forever Unbridled 
 
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8   I'M A CHATTERBOX     4-1

 
5   CONDO COMMANDO   4-1
 
12  STELLAR WIND    7-2
 
13  BIRDATTHEWIRE    15-1

7   LOVELY MARIA      5-1
 
3   INCLUDE BETTY   20-1
 
10  OCEANWAVE   30-1
 
6   ANGELA RENEE      15-1
 
11   SARAH SIS    30-1
 
4   ESKENFORMONEY   20-1
 
14  PUCA   15-1
 
2   SHOOK UP   30-1
 

9   MONEY'SONCHARLOTTE     50-1
 KD Pprofile, race replays, pedigree

  
2015 KENTUCKY DERBY TELEVISION SCHEDULE 



 The 141st Kentucky Derby
Saturday May 2
4:00 - 7:30 PM ET*
NBC
Kentucky Oaks
Friday May 1
12:30-6:00 PM ET*
NBC Sports
Derby Prep
Saturday May 2
12:00-4:00 PM ET*
NBC Sports


 
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