136th Kentucky Derby

[The General]

Will Eskendereya go off as the Kentucky Derby Favorite?

Eskendereya made a resounding statement for the role of favorite in the Kentucky Derby when he ran and away and hid from a compact-but-talented field in the Wood Memorial on Saturday, winning the $750,000 Grade 1 race by a widening 9 3/4 lengths at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, who is 0-for-24 in the Kentucky Derby, Eskendereya posted his second straight romp in a Derby prep. He rolled to an 8 1/2-length victory in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 20 in his last start.

Eskendereya, now 4-for-6 lifetime, manhandled a Wood field that included Gotham winner Awesome Act, Tamoa Bay Derby runnerup Schoolyard Dreams and Fountain of Youth runner-up Jackson Bend. Jackson Bend again held for second.

Eskendereya, the 2-5 favorite, covered the mile and an eighth in 1:49.97.

http://www.nj.com/sports/njsports/index.ssf/2010/04/eskendereya_wins_wood_memorial.html

[The General]

Homeboykris

Trainer Rick Dutrow confirmed Saturday that he still plans to train Homeboykris into the Kentucky Derby instead of getting another prep into the colt.

The 2009 Champagne winner, Homeboykris has not started since finishing second behind stablemate Radiohead in a one-mile allowance race here on Feb. 27. Homeboykris finished fifth in his only other start at 3, the one-mile Holy Bull here.

"I just didn't think another race was necessary," said Dutrow.

Homeboykris will remain at Gulfstream Park until April 20, then he will ship to Churchill Downs, where he is expected to have his final Derby work.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/news/story?id=5053185

[The General]

Informative reading



It's only natural that as an Englishman, with a love for European racing, trainer Jeremy Noseda rates the historic Epsom Derby as the race he most covets. But having a great appreciation for American racing -- and having trained here for two years -- Noseda has a keen desire to participate in this country's greatest race, the Kentucky Derby.

"I think it might be as hard a race to win as any in the world," Noseda said. "It's a unique test, and it's a great race. I'd be thrilled just to have the opportunity to compete in it. That's why I've kept this horse."

This horse is Awesome Act, who in his first start on dirt burst onto the Triple Crown trail with a strong, off-the-pace run to win last month's Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct. Awesome Act, a son of American dirt specialist Awesome Again, can earn his spot in the Kentucky Derby with another solid performance in Saturday's Grade 1 Wood Memorial, also at Aqueduct.

The Wood, with Fountain of Youth winner Eskendereya, and the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby, with 2009 juvenile champion Lookin' at Lucky, will both be televised live on NBC (5-6 p.m. Eastern). The other major Derby prep this weekend is the Illinois Derby, which Tuesday drew a field of eight led by Backtalk, American Lion, and Gotham runner-up Yawanna Twist.

Noseda, 46, said the chance to have a starter in the Kentucky Derby is why he convinced his owners, Susan and Paul Roy, who are based in Europe, and Tom Ludt, president of the Kentucky-based Vinery Stable, to let him prepare Awesome Act in England at Noseda's Shalfleet yard in Newmarket.

"In the end, I just said I think I can do it," Noseda said. "And I'm obliged to them for giving me the opportunity to give it a go. We've taken one small step. We've still got a long way to go, but at least the one small step we've taken was a good one."

Ludt said Vinery has had a long-standing relationship with Noseda, having sent him horses for years to race in Europe. Ludt said that when Noseda approached him and the Roys about returning Awesome Act to Europe following his fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita last November, there was no argument.

"Jeremy knows what he's doing," Ludt said he told Paul Roy in a private discussion last November. "He's obviously trained over here. He wanted to take him over there and run him a few times and then bring him over here. I was more than happy with that. Paul was more than happy with it. Even though he didn't get to run over there, the way he ran in the Gotham, at this point we're still happy with the way it worked out."

Ludt confirmed Tuesday that Awesome Act would ultimately be transferred to an American-based trainer this year, perhaps after the Kentucky Derby.

Noseda's desire to hold onto Awesome Act for the Derby was probably borne 5 1/2 years ago, when, after he sent out Wilko to an upset victory in the 2004 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Lone Star in his dirt debut. Wilko was sold before the Breeders' Cup and remained in America with trainer Craig Dollase. Wilko finished sixth in the 2005 Kentucky Derby and lost his last 18 starts after the Breeders' Cup.

Wilko's Breeders' Cup Juvenile victory may have been many American racing fans' introduction to Noseda, but Noseda had been familiar with American racing well before then. After working as an assistant to John Dunlop in Europe, Noseda came to America in the mid-1980s to work as an assistant to John Gosden in Southern California.

"It was one of the best experiences of my life as far as learning and seeing what racing was about in America," said Noseda, who turned down a chance to attend Cambridge University in England to pursue his goal of becoming a trainer. "It's maybe a harder place to train than Europe. It's tougher on the horses.

"I have a huge regard for American racing," he said. "To train here on these dirt tracks, in this type of environment, and keep horses at a pitch is an extremely hard thing. I have a huge admiration for the top American trainers. I think they're as good a horseman as anywhere in the world."

In late 1993, Noseda went to work for Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum, who was about to launch his Godolphin Racing operation. While with Godolphin, Noseda got to be around many top-class stakes horses, led by Lammtarra, who won the Epsom Derby, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in the same year.

In 1995, Noseda turned down an opportunity to train for Sheikh Mohammed in France, although he was reluctant to say why.

"It's a political thing," he said. "I wouldn't enter into it. I made my decision for myself, and I have no doubt it was the right decision. In this life, I believe you have to be your own man as much as you can be, and that's what I wanted to be."

At the end of 1995, Noseda came to America with some horses for several owners, including some who raced under Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stable banner. Noseda worked in Southern California for two years, training stakes winners Magic Feeling, Chequer, and Grafin.

At the end of 1997, a bit homesick, Noseda returned to England, where he opened a public stable. In 1998, Noseda won the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes with Wannabe Grand. Since then, he's won major European races with Araafa, Soldier's Tale, and Simply Perfect.

The chance to win one of America's classic races has Noseda excited. Though he is expecting Awesome Act to bounce, or regress slightly from the Gotham, he said he is confident Awesome Act will run well enough in the Wood Memorial to earn his spot in Kentucky.

"He's not compromised by his preparation by being in England or anything like that," Noseda said. "The question now is: Is he good enough? Has he the quality? For me, as long as he goes to the Wood and he finishes in the first three and he runs well, then I feel we'd be perfectly set for the Kentucky Derby."

WHO'S HOT

Dean's Kitten, Endorsement, and Mission Impazible all earned their way onto the top 20 of Derby Watch by virtue of their graded stakes victories last weekend. Dean's Kitten, who won the Lane's End Stakes, is 50-1 on the Kentucky Derby future line set by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form's national handicapper. Endorsement got a solid endorsement from Watchmaker, who made him 20-1 following his victory in the Sunland Derby. Mission Impazible, who won the Louisiana Derby, is a 30-1 shot on Watchmaker's line.

WHO'S NOT

To make room for the three newcomers, three horses had to be dropped, including two who are running Saturday. Alphie's Bet is entered in the Santa Anita Derby, and Jackson Bend is scheduled to run in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. Both were removed from the list because they are outside the top 20 in graded stakes earnings. If either wins, they go right back on a list that increasingly will be driven by graded stakes earnings the closer we get to May 1. Tempted to Tapit also was removed from the list after finishing third in the Sunland Derby, leaving him well down the graded stakes earnings list. Discreetly Mine, fourth as the favorite in the Louisiana Derby, is 50-1 on Watchmaker's line after being 30-1 a week ago. Conveyance, second as the favorite in the Sunland Derby, is 30-1 after being 20-1 last week.

ON THE BUBBLE

The winner of the Illinois Derby on Saturday will go right onto the Derby Watch list because first place in the race will put that horse into the top 20 in graded stakes earnings. Two former Derby Watch members, American Lion and Dave in Dixie, are in that field. - Jay Privman

https://www.espn.com

[The General]

http://drf.com/tc/kentuckyderby/2010/watch/derbywatch_040310.pdf

Good link for some of the KENTUCKY DERBY contender's information.

[brock]

What about Endorsement, The Sunland Derby winner. Is the horse now going to
run in the Derby? Don't see the horse in the futures at bookmaker.

[robmpink]

Will Eskendereya go off as the Kentucky Derby Favorite?

Eskendereya made a resounding statement for the role of favorite in the Kentucky Derby when he ran and away and hid from a compact-but-talented field in the Wood Memorial on Saturday, winning the $750,000 Grade 1 race by a widening 9 3/4 lengths at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, who is 0-for-24 in the Kentucky Derby, Eskendereya posted his second straight romp in a Derby prep. He rolled to an 8 1/2-length victory in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 20 in his last start.

Eskendereya, now 4-for-6 lifetime, manhandled a Wood field that included Gotham winner Awesome Act, Tamoa Bay Derby runnerup Schoolyard Dreams and Fountain of Youth runner-up Jackson Bend. Jackson Bend again held for second.

Eskendereya, the 2-5 favorite, covered the mile and an eighth in 1:49.97.

http://www.nj.com/sports/njsports/in..._memorial.html

100% this horse will go off the fav. He was the fav in the last ken derby futures pool and this race will be sure of it. I don't know if he will win though.

[big joe 1212]

Almost Triple Crown time!!!

[gtkid911]

with lookin at lucky's bad race, he should get some nice value on Derby day

[GELATINOUS CUBE]

Conveyance is becoming more affordable??? This horse is gonna blaze up the track. You say he's Not Hot, but I would still say it's one of the best horses in the field.

[GELATINOUS CUBE]

ESKENDEREYA

by Giant’s Causeway

4-1

Wood Memorial, 1 1/8 m
Aqueduct, 4/3

Privman:

At least co-choice, but based on earnings, needs one-two finish Saturday.

Watchmaker:

If he runs close to the way he did last time, that will not be a problem.

22-1
5-1
5-1

106
Florida Derby, 3/20
3rd by 1 1/4, 97
WinStar Farm
T. Pletcher/J. Velazquez

RULE

by Roman Ruler

20-1

Kentucky Derby, 1 1/4 m
Churchill Downs, 5/1

P:

Pace won’t be any easier, and distance won’t be any shorter, in Kentucky Derby.

W:

Still looks like a need-the-lead type who finds nine furlongs too far at the moment.

24-1
20-1
30-1

98
Sunland Derby, 3/28
1st by 3, 101
WinStar Farm
S. Ritter/R. Albarado

ENDORSEMENT

by Distorted Humor

20-1

Kentucky Derby, 1 1/4 m
Churchill Downs, 5/1

P:

Really stepped up big time in Sunland Derby following maiden win; getting good.

W:

Maybe, but the distance- and talent-challenged field helped make him look good.

3-2f
3-1f
9-2f

101
Louisiana Derby, 3/27
4th by 1 1/4, 92
E. Paul Robsham Stables
T. Pletcher/J. Castellano

DISCREETLY MINE

by Mineshaft

50-1

Kentucky Derby, 1 1/4 m
Churchill Downs, 5/1

P:

Would have liked to have seen him at least get by A Little Warm in stretch run.

W:

Needs a perfect set up and moderate opposition to win. Won’t get either at CD.

3-2f
37-1
44-1

94
Sunland Derby, 3/28
2nd by 3, 96
Zabeel Racing International
B. Baffert/M. Garcia

CONVEYANCE

by Indian Charlie

30-1

Kentucky Derby, 1 1/4 m
Churchill Downs, 5/1

P:

Feel same about him as Rule; Derby pace and distance are both difficult hurdles.

W:

Distance is the biggest issue with him right now. He currently looks like a miler.

33-1
28-1
19-1

99s

[GELATINOUS CUBE]

kinda cut-paste fail, but there's some good ones, Rule, Eskayratu (the fav) and Conveyance my pick to to be up in there. Endorement should get left behind.

[GELATINOUS CUBE]

Conveyance won the big Cal race earlier this year, got 2nd at the Sunland, has Baffert, and M. Garcia (the top Meki of the new batch of west coast riders).

[The General]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Cube.

Good stuff

[GELATINOUS CUBE]

Yeah, just some info and my pick (show bet, maybe win-show), plus some copy pasta. Who's calvin borel on? 3-peat???

[GELATINOUS CUBE]

I like the derby, the big time jockeys come out to play and the payouts are extreme, if you can get the right longshots ... Really if you can get anything your getting paid.

[EmpireMaker]

Eskendereya is the horse to beat Lookin at Lucky had a big excuse but Eskendereya is the real deal they could be 1-2

[tblues2005]

Eskendereya is the horse to beat Lookin at Lucky had a big excuse but Eskendereya is the real deal they could be 1-2

I have future bets on Eskendereya to win the derby and I got that horse at 6-1 in the 2nd pool. I sure think that looks good here. That horse sure looked good coming out of the race when I watched it. That made me feel good about this one.

[sq764]

6-1 fair price.... whole different world 20 horses, 2 gates, getting slammed around... its a total crapshoot this year

[Brewers in 7]

crap shoot every year now, i had Giacomo a couple years back, needed afleet alex 2nd for the exacta, but ill take the win/place bet i hit.. i like Endorsement this year, could be back to back derby winners to come out of a race at Sunland Park

[Chi_archie]

is that Calvin Boras.... what was his name again? jockey....


will he be riding anyone this year....



does he have dentures?

[mproud1]

'Calvin Borel'; he's riding Rachel Alexandra in an undercard race, $5k claimers LOL!!!!!!!

[gtkid911]

im pretty sure Borel will find a ride somewhere

[wtt0315]

ESKENDEREYA

will go off around 9-5. I don't care how good he looks this is a whole other stage. I will not bet that high of a favorite to win a 20 horse field with the best horses and jockeys. maybe 2 or 3 or tri box. havent look at others. Looking at lucky could bounce back. down here in my part of the woods at gulfstream ice box pulled off the florida derby. I like him and sidneys candy to be there.

[topgame85]

Derby day is where you box a ton of horses in exotics if you want a shot at real $, picking one horse to win is pretty much impossible. It is often hard to cap a 10 horse field because of congestion, horses bumping, horses pushing an opponent early so everyone passes them in the stretch a 20 horse race you got very little chance to pick a cold winner, I Usually play a mid shot I really like to show for decent money and then few hundred on exotics

[Boner_18]

When is the last time a horse prepped in NY, won the Wood and then won the Derby?

[ehp6737]

What about Endorsement, The Sunland Derby winner. Is the horse now going to
run in the Derby? Don't see the horse in the futures at bookmaker.

Yes, Endorsement's trainer confirmed he will be entered.

[ehp6737]

When is the last time a horse prepped in NY, won the Wood and then won the Derby?

Fusaichi Pegasus, 2000........i believe

[ehp6737]

Eskendereya is the horse to beat Lookin at Lucky had a big excuse but Eskendereya is the real deal they could be 1-2

I would love this, since there is no way I will bet him. Like anything else in sports, everything New York is over hyped. Yes, Eskendereya looked impressive, while beating a small field of garbage. Yes, he may very well win, but there are atleast 6-8 other horses that are just as capable that will get much better odds than the 8/5 he'll get. And If last year and Mind That Bird has taught us anything, it is that you just never know in this game.

[thezbar]

What about Endorsement, The Sunland Derby winner. Is the horse now going to
run in the Derby? Don't see the horse in the futures at bookmaker.

Aside from the favorite this guy impressed me the most. Good running style and posted a fast winning time. I'll be using him in there somewhere if he goes.

[konck]

Baseball started and the derby is coming what a great time of the year

[turfnsport]

im pretty sure Borel will find a ride somewhere

He's on Super Saver for Pletcher in the Ark Derby.

[mproud1]

WinStar horse 'Endorsement' has BEAST breeding, dumped on 'Conveyance', is a fresh horse, & is the only focus for trainer Shannon Ritter

[sq764]

Baseball started and the derby is coming what a great time of the year

Couldnt have said it better... Opening day means the best sport in the world just started AND its less than a month to the derby..

[The General]

The Oaks and Derby are great days for horse players and fans. Looking forward to the all day action on the Friday and Saturday as always. I do not tend to put a lot of money down because I feel there are better opportunities throughout the year at many tracks, but we can't deny the pools are bigger for Derby day and there is money to be made. Throughout my life though, I am unsure I know anyone personally who has done financially well longterm on the derby. It is a great spectacular event and deserves the attention it gets. I am a horse fan not needing the Ky Derby to get excited about watching ponies. Everyday I watch horses on TVG and HRTV via the dish. Enjoy the heck out of horse racing. When at casinos I can have a wonderful day picking $2 horses for an entire day in the race books risking very little but having much fun. I think I'll tune in now and enjoy some live racing.

[The General]

Do any of you enjoy Breeder's Cup day as much as Derby day. I think I do.