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.
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.
