Kentucky Derby Watch List – Volume 6.5
March 28th, 2011By Jude T. Feld
Upsets were the order of the day this weekend in both the NCAA basketball tournament and horseracing as every 1 or 2 seed tanked in the games to the Final Four and every favorite in the Kentucky Derby prep races went down to defeat. Animal Kingdom and Pants on Fire were added to the radar by virtue of their victories and To Honor and Serve dropped a notch as he failed to work back within a week. I can’t figure out what is up with him but I know his training pattern is far from kosher for a Derby contender. With few changes, we’ve called this Watch List 6.5 and we’ll enjoy the University of Kentucky victory to get to the Final Four this week and wait for the Florida Derby (G1) to shed more light on the three-year-old scene.
UNCLE MO (Indian Charlie 2.20 Pletcher)
Settled in behind horses in Sunday morning’s breeze and ran right through the dirt, posting a final clocking of :49 2/5. Uncle Mo returned to the races and was given the nice gift of “walkover” courtesy of the Gulfstream Park jocks room, who let him traipse along with pedestrian fractions and finish in :22 and change. This colt “is indeed the real deal†that Tom Durkin says he is. “The Wood has been the plan all along,†says his trainer Todd Pletcher, but the conditioner also indicated a Florida Derby (G1) run is possible for the best three-year-old in the country. He is the King until toppled.
SOLDAT (War Front 2.47 McLaughlin)
Worked 1:00 4/5 at Palm Meadows on Sunday, a move trainer Kiaran McLaughlin called, “Perfect.†When you hear that the son of War Front is doing, “Better than ever,†it makes you like him all the more. I think this colt has lots left in the tank and is sitting in a cozy spot with a week to the Florida Derby (G1) and then five weeks to the first Saturday in May. He is a very major Kentucky Derby (G1) contender.
THE FACTOR (War Front 2.73 Baffert)
I have never seen Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert at a loss for words but I have seen guys who couldn’t speak English give better interviews than the Silver Fox did after Rebel (G2). It was like when Kirk Gibson hit his famous home run and announcer Jack Buck said, “I don’t believe what I just saw!†This colt moved into a different dimension with his performance, rating nicely and drawing away, despite running on a speed biased track against less than top company. I think Bob even impressed himself with his “old school†training job. Now he knows why Charlie Whittingham worked so many stakes horses a mile
JAYCITO (Victory Gallop 3.00 Baffert)
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was pleased with the son of Victory Gallop as he started last but finished fast in the San Felipe (G2), his first start since the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and the first time he saddled the colt. With this effort under his belt, Baffert can fine tune Jaycito’s workouts, adding speed and conditioning to the Zayat Stable colorbearer, who should move forward again in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). “He really needs more distance,†Baffert said.
PREMIER PEGASUS (Fusaichi Pegasus 3.62 Cho)
The ultra-talented colt took the blinkers off and just waltzed home in the San Felipe (G2) after getting a perfect trip. Just like his Kentucky Derby-winning sire, Fusaichi Pegasus, he owns excellent tactical speed and showed an explosive late run. That’s the kind of balance that comes in handy in Louisville. His South Korean-born trainer, Myung Kwon Cho, is no stranger to the Kentucky Derby (G1), having owned Video Ranger who finished fourth to Unbridled in the 1990 edition.
STAY THIRSTY (Bernardini 2.25 Pletcher)
Worked 1:01 4/5 on Sunday at Palm Meadows, acting a little “green†according to trainer Todd Pletcher, who is considering adding blinkers to Stay Thirsty’s equipment for his next start if he gallops well in them this week. The Gotham (G3) winner has been working with Uncle Mo, but had older stakes horse Calizeo for a workmate in this breeze, eyeing him all the way while not getting by. The second half of the Repole-owned entry is reportedly running in the Florida Derby (G1) this Sunday.
TOBY’S CORNER (Bellamy Road 1.86 Motion)
Had some high hopes for Dianne Cotter’s homebred after his big Whirlaway victory at Aqueduct but a wide trip in the Gotham (G3) may have cost him a move forward. All in all it wasn’t a bad performance and getting away from Aqueduct to run in the Illinois Derby (G3) at Hawthorne will no doubt help his cause. In the care of top trainer H. Graham Motion, the son of Bellamy Road should run all day and into the night. He worked :48 4/5 at Fair Hill on Sunday as he prepares for his next start. Belmont (G1)?
TO HONOR AND SERVE (Bernardini 2.38 Mott)
Following his lackluster breeze at Payson Park on March 7, the son of Bernardini worked a “best of the morning†1:01 1/5 on March 13. He returned to breeze 1:02 2/5 on March 20 but failed to make the tab Saturday or Sunday, so we are going to drop him a notch. I am losing faith in him fast, so he will need to show more in the Florida Derby (G1) to stay on my list.
ON THE RADAR:
ANIMAL KINGDOM (Leroidesanimaux 1.67 Motion), PANTS ON FIRE (Jump Start 3.00 Breen), ASTROLOGY (A.P. Indy 3.42 Asmussen), CALEB’S POSSE (Posse 2.00 Von Hemel) and CASPER’S TOUCH (Touch Gold 1.53 McPeek)
