"The 'Mo Thing" Stays the Same.. Derby Top 21 for March 14th.

Not a stayer amongst the bunch!
While top ranked Derby horses were expected to solidify their credentials this weekend, this years' trend only continued, with the more highly touted 3 year-olds shying from the spotlight. We've been waiting for break-out performance all year.
Still waiting.
We certainly didn't see greatness from any of the favorites this weekend. Tune in later for the Florida Derby.

The highlight of the weekend turned out to be PREMIER PEGASUS, in the San Felipe STAKES (G2) at Santa Anita  By far the most visually impressive prep so far this season, the Fusaichi Pegasus colt coasted to an 8 length win over JAYCITO. I'm dropping him in at #3.

Premier Pegasus, (shown here in Hollywood Prevue). Photo: Alex Evers/EquiSport Photo 1/500 @ f/3.2, 200mm

Bred, trained and owned by Myung Kwon Cho, Premier Pegasus showed an amazing turn of foot in the turn, to overhaul the San Felipe also-rans. He now has sights on the Santa Anita Derby (G1), April 9th.

Premier Pegasus and Alonso Quinonez

In his first 2-turn race, Alonso Quinonez rated the colt nicely, in 5th place, off of a quick pace. Entering the far turn Premier Pegasus made a well timed move, and jumped to the front. "I was just hoping to make a move at the right time and he did," Quinonez said. "He waited for me until I asked him. At the three-eighths pole he switched leads and grabbed the bridle. I didn’t hold his intentions back, I just let him go. He knew it was time to go because he is a very special horse."

As disappointing as the favorites have been this year, Premier Pegasus has proven to be a bright spot. JAYCITO and BRETHREN both lost stock yesterday, while UNCLE MO really proved nothing. My recurring theme has been how the favorites seem to be backing up. I say "This 2 or 3 race training method of getting fresh horses to the Derby is NOT working for most."

Jaycito, who finished 7th in the BC Juvenile has given me no reason to be impressed. Brethren, who beat a lackluster field in the Sam Davis, couldn't keep pace with a (barely) better field Saturday.  


UNCLE MO easily handled a field of 4 rivals in a $100,000 workout disguised as a horse race. Aside from a bump at the start before moving to the front, the race was not noteworthy. Uncle Mo set pedestrian splits, (:25.53 and :49.58), before easily outdistancing the field with a final quarter in 22 4/5.

Uncle Mo wins Timely Writer. Photo: Joe Ganley/EquiSport Photos 1/1250 @ f/4, iso 500, 185mm

Trainer Todd Pletcher seems content with the colts' progress. “Except for the break when he and (Gallant Dreams) bumped, everything went the way I had hoped. It’s great to get over this hurdle. He got the last quarter in :22 4/5, which is always good in a dirt race, and he really galloped out strong," Pletcher said. "He was the Derby favorite going in and he’s the Derby favorite coming out. We’re on schedule with the Wood."

Well, okay, he's still the favorite. Everybody else is going in reverse.

WATCH ME GO, the surprise winner in the Tampa Bay Derby, now gets a spot in the Top 21 by virtue of earnings. Trainer Kathleen O'Connell seems to have a clear direction in mind. "I’ll have to talk to the owner, but I’m sure right now he’s thinking roses," she said.

Watch Me Go on trail. Photo: Amber Chalfin?EquiSport Photos 1/1600 @f/5.6, iso 400, 300mm

"THE WORD" DERBY TOP 21 for 3.14.2011
Rank Horse Sire
1 UNCLE MO (Indian Charlie)
2 SOLDAT (War Front)
3 PREMIER PEGASUS (Fusaichi Pegasus)
4 MUCHO MACHO MAN (Macho Uno)
5 STAY THIRSTY (Bernardini)
6 GOURMET DINNER (Trippi)
7 TO HONOR AND SERVE (Bernardini)
8 ASTROLOGY (AP Indy)
9 SANTIVA (Giant's Causeway)
10 JAYCITO (Victory Gallop)
11 SWAY AWAY (Afleet Alex)
12 ARCHARCHARCH (Arch)
13 ROGUE ROMANCE (Smarty Jones)
14 DIALED IN (Mineshaft)
15 BRETHREN (Distorted Humor)
16 ANTHONY'S CROSS (Indian Charlie)
17 WATCH ME GO (West Acre)
18 TOBY'S CORNER (Bellamy Road)
19 FLASHPOINT (Pomeroy)
20 SILVER MEDALLION (Badge of Silver)
21 SWEET DUCKY (Pulpit)

Wendy and I are keeping an eye out for participants for Capture the Light - Equine Photography Workshop, presented by EquiSport Photos, May 3-5, 2011.
This is a great destination workshop in Lexington, Kentucky for beginning and intermediate photographers. Some of the great learning topics are outlined in our blog.


That's it for now... mw

"Oh Brethren.. Where Art Thou?" - Derby Top 25 for Febraury 14th

BRETHREN, in winning the Sam F Davis Stakes, was the only Derby Top 20 horse that moved forward on the Trail this week. A half brother to last year's Derby winner Super Saver, the 3-year-old son of Distorted Humor easily dispatched an outclassed field.

Brethren, purple cap, dusts the field coming out of the turn, coasting to a win in the Sam F. Davis. (Photo: Wendy Wooley/EquiSport Photos, 1/1600 @ f/5, iso 1000, 500mm)

BRETHREN delayed the start momentarily by loading poorly into the gate, and then broke late from post 10, giving his rivals a couple of jumps. But he easily settled into a stalking 2nd place position behind Ribo Bobo by the time the field had rounded the clubhouse turn.

Brethren, extreme outside, breaks poorly from gate. (Photo: Matt Wooley/EquiSport Photos, 1/1600 @f/6.3, iso 800, 35mm)

Trainer Todd Pletcher watched the race from Gulfstream Park, and said after the race, “He didn’t break great but he recovered quickly, settled into a good rhythm down the backside and went impressively from there. Obviously we have some things to work on at the gate but all in all I thought it was a great effort.”

Eclipse winning jockey Ramon Dominguez, who scored a hat trick in winning all three stakes races on the card, eventually coasted Brethren to an easy score in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis.

Brethren cruised for home under Ramon Dominguez. (Photo: Matt Wooley/EquiSport Photos, 1/2000 @ f/4.5, iso 1250, 300mm)

"He won it like a good horse should," Dominguez said in recapping the race. "We set up and relaxed just off the lead  in the first turn and I was able to wait down the backstretch. I asked him in the turn and he came away very nicely. I took a look on both sides in mid-stretch and there was nothing coming so I was able to wrap up on him going to the wire and out. The distance was no problem for him at all."

Still, one has to wonder what Brethren got out of the race that was not really much more that a $225,000 workout against an outclassed field. His earnings of $120,000 for the race puts him solidly in the Derby field for now. But, will Brethren will be back here to challenge stablemate Uncle Mo in the Tampa Bay Derby March 12th. It's doubtful.
 “We talked about him having only two races before the Derby," said Pletcher, "and this puts us in the position we want to be. It gives us some latitude. We got some graded earnings if we only want to run him once more but this didn’t look like a particularly taxing race either. Where he goes next depends upon a lot of different variables, including where some of our other 3-year-olds wind up going.”

Not that Tapizar (Robert Lewis S.) or Comma To The Top (El Camino Real) needed to post a win, but those two both faded badly coming for home.
So what was going on with TAPIZAR in the Robert Lewis? Garrett Gomez had his hands full. The unruly 3-year-old was rank all the way down the front side, settled reluctantly on the back, but there was nothing left when heading for home.

Tapizar proved to be a handful in the Robert Lewis. (Photo: Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos, 1/1600 @ f/3.5, iso 160, 400mm)

ANTHONY'S CROSS, meanwhile, prevailed in a thrilling stretch dual over RIVETING REASON.

Anthony's Cross, inside, prevails over Riveting Reason. (Photo: Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos, 1/1600 @ f/3.5, iso 160, 400mm)

Trainer Eoin Harty had Anthony's Cross cross entered in the El Camino Real, but opted for the Robert Lewis. "With the exception of Tapizar, the rest of the field was unproven, a bunch of turf horses. We didn't know if we'd win (with Tapizar in the field), but we thought we'd run a good race," Harty said.
The next major stepping stone for Anthony's Cross in the quest for the "Preakness 5.5" bonus would be the April 3rd Santa Anita Derby. "I've got to decide whether to give him one more start before the Santa Anita Derby or just sit and wait," Harty said. "It's a long time between now and then so it takes some serious consideration.”

Also making a move this week was SILVER MEDALLION, winner of the El Camino Real. In a well timed move by jockey Russell Baze, the Steve Asmussen trained son of Badge of Silver fired just in time to clip Jakesam at the wire.
"He was calm and very relaxed today," said Baze, "I was a little concerned he might be sick because he was so calm going to the gate. He's a nice little horse to ride."

The "WORD". Top 25 (or so) Kentucky Derby Trail.
Rank Horse Sire
1 UNCLE MO (Indian Charlie)
2 TO HONOR AND SERVE (Bernardini)
3 DIALED IN (Mineshaft)
4 BRETHREN (Distorted Humor)
5 SANTIVA (Giant's Causeway)
6 STAY THIRSTY (Bernardini)
7 JAYCITO (Victory Gallop)
8 ANTHONY'S CROSS (Indian Charlie)
9 SILVER MEDALLION (Badge of Silver)
10 SOLDAT (War Front)
11 WILKINSON (Lemon Drop Kid)
12 RIVETING REASON (Fusaichi Pegasus)
13 ROGUE ROMANCE (Smarty Jones)
14 ASTROLOGY (AP Indy)
15 TAPIZAR (Tapit)
16 COMMA TO THE TOP (Bwana Charlie)
17 TIZ BLESSED (Tiznow)
18 SHACKLEFORD (Forestry)
19 JP'S GUSTO (Successful Appeal)
20 GOURMET DINNER (Trippi)
21 SWEET DUCKY (Pulpit)
22 THE FACTOR (War Front)
23 MACHEN (Distorted Humor)
24 MUCHO MACHO MAN (Macho Uno)
25 ELITE ALEX (Afleet Alex)
26 CASPER'S TOUCH (Touch Gold)
27 TOBY'S CORNER (Bellamy Road)

More later.. mw

"Up & Comers" on the Derby Trail

Happy Birthday to all of the Derby contenders! Everybody turned 3 on New Year's Day!
Okay, for that matter, all thoroughbreds had a birthday on January 1st.

The Kentucky Derby is still 4 months away, and now it's time to separate the pretenders from the contenders. Already, a few runners are assured a spot in the starting gate for this May's "Run For The Roses" based on current earnings, but a few are just now making their presence known.
One promising now 3 year old, in particular, is certain to be a factor.

The Factor, Rafael Bejarano up, breaks his maiden at Santa Anita Park 12.26.2010. Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos

 A Bob Baffert trainee, "The Factor", may have made the biggest slash coming into the New Year. Running under the colors of part owner George Bolton, The Factor broke maiden at Santa Anita the day after Christmas in track record setting fashion. The son of War Front posted an eye popping 102 Beyer figure. Baffert said of the colt after the race, "He didn't even take a deep breath". 
Baffert admitted the colt's name was inspired by Bill O'Reilly's Fox News program.
Look for The Factor to move right into Stakes company to get started on the Derby Trail.

Another Up & Comer, To Honor and Serve, proved much the best in winning the Remson Stakes, November 27 at Aqueduct.

To Honor and Serve, John Velazquez up, wins the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct 11/27/10Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos

Trained by Bill Mott for Live Oak Plantation, the Bernardini colt came into this race off of a 4 length win in the Grade 2 Nashua Stakes November 6th. Said Mott after the Remson, "I thought in the Nashua it looked like he won a little easier, but this was another eighth of a mile. Being in a two-turn race might have been slightly confusing to him. As with any horse like him, we’ll nominate him for everything in case there’s a hiccup anywhere.”

One more 3 year old to make note of is Brethren. A half brother to last year's Derby winner Super Saver,  the colt won an Allowance at Churchill in convincing fashion November 27th.

Brethren, Garrett Gomez up, wins an allowance at Churchill Downs 11.27.2010 Wendy Wooley/EquiSport Photos.

A son of Distorted Humor, and owned by Winstar Farm, Brethren coasted to an easy win under Garrett Gomez for trainer Todd Pletcher. “He came out of (the race) in excellent shape. I thought that was a big effort from him from an outside post,” Pletcher said. “He veered out a little bit at the start but was able to put himself in a good position and kicked on turning for home. All in all, I though it was a pretty impressive race.”

Here is the rest of the "Derby Word" for the New Year. A lot will shuffle between now and the first Saturday in May as the Real Contenders make themselves known.

Rank Horse (Sire)
1 UNCLE MO (Indian Charlie)
2 COMMA TO THE TOP (Bwana Charlie)
3 TO HONOR AND SERVE (Bernardini)
4 BOYS AT TOSCANOVA (Officer)
5 SANTIVA (Giant's Causeway)
6 JB'S THUNDER (Thunder Gulch)
7 THE FACTOR (War Front)
8 ROGUE ROMANCE (Smarty Jones)
9 BRETHREN (Distorted Humor)
10 JP'S GUSTO (Successful Appeal)

And on the Distaff side, a look at the Oaks Fillies that have shown promise.

Rank Horse (Sire)
1 KATHMANBLU (Bluegrass Cat)
2 AWESOME FEATHER (Awesome of Course)
3 R HEAT LIGHTNING (Trippi)
4 MORE THAN REAL (More Than Ready)
5 TURBULENT DESCENT (Congrats)
6 WICKEDLY PERFECT (Congrats)
7 DELIGHTFUL MARY (Limehouse)
8 WINTER MEMORIES (El Prado)
9 A Z WARRIOR (Bernardini)
10 FASTATION (Valid Expectations)

More later... mw