JC / Railbird - Wednesday Evening Notes

Wednesday Evening Notes

– Edgar Prado chooses to ride Adriano in the Kentucky Derby over Monba and Tale of Ekati. “Obviously I’m thrilled, not only that Edgar’s riding him, but that, in doing so, he’s endorsing the horse,” said trainer Graham Motion (DRF). Ramon Dominguez picks up the mount on Monba.
– So true: “The Derby is so popular that everybody wants to participate,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “The whole earnings thing has so much more focus that people no longer feel like they have to justify being there, that the graded earnings justify it for the horse” (Courier-Journal). Maybe there should be another way, like standings or a committee.
– Stakes-placed Little Cliff narrowly avoids a gruesome fate.

Posted by JC in Racing on 04/16/2008 @ 7:00 pm / Tagged Kentucky Derby / Follow @railbird on Twitter

4 Comments

The committee idea is just brutal. God, I hope participation in the Derby never comes to that. Would Giacomo or Closing Argument had been on the committee’s list?
I’m a fan of the graded stakes earnings. Everyone knows what it takes to get in. It’s not a secret.

Posted by EJXD2 on April 16, 2008 @ 8:15 pm

Addendum: There’s something to the points idea. That way the Grade 3 Delta Jackpot isn’t more important than the Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial, or Blue Grass Stakes.

Posted by EJXD2 on April 16, 2008 @ 8:17 pm

I think that graded earnings for 3YO year only should count toward entry to the derby.
This eliminates the delta jackpot and a lot of summer graded stakes sprints (where horses like salute the sarge & majestic warrior got fat money). Of course this cheapens the Remsen, Iroquois, Nashua and KyJC all of which come at or after the BC most years.
Think it would mean more battle tested horses and less ducking and tip-toeing by trainers to get in the derby after a horse has a monster 2YO year.
There’s really no way to do it fairly. I don’t trust the horse racing industry to do it by committee – there’s not one thing anybody in the industry can agree on these days. The controversy of a committee may be good for more exposure but still too arcane for those who don’t know what’s going on to even understand.

Posted by o_crunk on April 16, 2008 @ 9:40 pm

The committee idea would never work. Could you imagine the intrigue and the howls of protest when the Derby 20 were revealed? I like the standings — it’s not a perfect solution, but it does diminish Jackpots …

Posted by Jessica on April 17, 2008 @ 10:51 am

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