FIVE…PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH

By Jude T. Feld

KENTUCKY DERBY DAY SELECTIONS ARE NOW POSTED!

Pioneerof the Nile could give nearly Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert his fourth Kentucky Derby (G1) trophy.
Benoit Photo

It is finally Derby week and all the speculation and feverish hopes can be cast aside. This is perhaps the most contentious and talented field to take to the track since the 1970s. Everybody seems to have their favorites and none of the “sharpies” seem to agree. Here’s who I am looking at:

FRIESAN FIRE – The Derby is seven weeks from his last start – a Louisiana Derby (G2) romp – but if anyone can have him fit and ready to run his best on the first Saturday in May it is J. Larry Jones. He should get first run and he handles any surface.

PIONEEROF THE NILE – Pioneerof the Nile is the real deal. He has done everything asked of him, he hasn’t had a straw in his path and he continues to train like a good horse for almost Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. All he needs now is a good trip in the Derby. The fact that Garrett Gomez and his agent Ron Anderson chose to ride him over Dunkirk really puts things in perspective.

WEST SIDE BERNIE – Won the Kentucky Cup Juvenile (G3) before tanking in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). He’s had six straight efforts in graded-stakes company, with four in-the-money finishes, including a runner-up effort behind I Want Revenge in the Wood. He is bred to get the distance and has a solid closing kick that could certainly make him a part of the tri, super and/or pentefecta.

HOLD ME BACK – Looked great in the paddock on Toyota Blue Grass day and ran a solid second. Theory here is that Hall of Famers Billy Mott and Kent Desormeaux didn’t beat him up to win at Keeneland and his third race off the layoff will be his best.

DESERT PARTY – Disappointing UAE Derby (G1) run behind stablemate REGAL RANSOM drops him several levels but we can’t toss him just yet based on the heavy betting action he received in the Future Wager Pools II and III. Somebody knows something or at least they think they do

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 5th, 2009 at 4:46 am and is filed under Featured Articles. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.