I Want Revenge
Rumors and Conspiracy Theories
Hours after likely favorite I Want Revenge was scratched from the Kentucky Derby with a suspected ankle injury, little is yet known about his condition, but there’s no lack of speculation about what might have been behind the morning announcement. “Rumors abounded all afternoon about the sudden defection, ranging from a failed drug test to a witnessed violation,” writes Joe Drape on the Rail. Blinkers Off passes along another possibility:
It took a hardened gambler, however, a relentless player known as Action Andy, to come up with the greatest conspiracy theory of all … the show “Jockeys” is behind all of it.
Intriguing … read the complete Blinkers Off post.
Almost There
I’m resolved to avoid over-handicapping the Derby this year (unlike every other year), so it was in a blithe spirit that I composed my final top 10 list, rearranged after Quality Road defected to reflect the horses I consider to have some combination of prepping and talent satisfactory enough to, if not win the roses, then finish in the money. No real surprises; both Desert Party and Regal Ransom move up on the strength of how they’re training at Churchill, Friesan Fire drops a spot due to the layoff. Doubts have crept in already about a couple on the list, though, and I do wonder about who I’ve overlooked, so a re-shuffling of top picks is certain after post positions are drawn Wednesday at noon, followed by a thorough study of the past performances.
Top 10 for 4/27/09 PDI: 1. Pioneerof the Nile 2. Desert Party 3. Regal Ransom 4. I Want Revenge 5. Friesan Fire 6. Papa Clem 7. Dunkirk 8. Musket Man 9. General Quarters 10. Chocolate Candy (really, a tie with West Side Bernie)
The major workouts wrapped up Tuesday, with I Want Revenge breezing four furlongs in :47.20 at Churchill. Said Steve Haskin of the work:
He immediately broke off into his long, flowing stride, cornered beautifully, and cruised down the stretch with Talamo never moving his hands. Despite the ease of the work, he still came home his final eighth in :11 4/5, and again cut the corner sharply galloping out.
The colt is the picture of health and appears, like a number of contenders, to be coming up to the Derby in excellent shape.
Gary West, watching the same horse, had a more prosaic reaction: “It was a good work, no doubt about that, but it wasn’t the kind of move that grabs you by the lapels and says, ‘I’m going to win.'” Which matches up pretty well with Mike Welsch’s assessment: “Nothing, perhaps, that would separate him from the other top contenders in the Derby field, but solid enough to keep him at or near the top of that list.” Nice, then, nothing special, and a reminder to watch the training videos Churchill posts and not get too hung up on any one opinion while handicapping a race like the Derby.
Shaping Up
Barring any surprises in the Arkansas Derby or Blue Grass Stakes, my list of top 10 Kentucky Derby prospects is pretty much settled (although adjustments are likely over the next three weeks to accommodate changes in status, hoof issues, training problems). I Want Revenge is now #1, moving up from #3, off his stupendous Wood Memorial win, which only grew more impressive watching the replay. Something I failed to notice during the race was that Joe Talamo doesn’t go to the whip at any point — after patiently guiding IWR down the backstretch, saving ground and not hustling to make up for the poor start, then splitting horses to get out of traffic coming into the stretch, Talamo handrides IWR to the wire. Amazing.
Quality Road drops to #2, a move I made before hearing the colt has a quarter crack, which is being treated by Ian McKinlay. Imperial Council drops off completely, while Terrain creeps into #10. We’ll see how the under-the-radar colt, third in the Louisiana Derby, does in the Blue Grass on Saturday.
Top 10 for 4/7/09 PDI: 1. I Want Revenge 2. Quality Road 3. Pioneerof the Nile 4. Desert Party 5. Old Fashioned 6. Friesan Fire 7. Dunkirk 8. Regal Ransom 9. Papa Clem 10. Terrain
How about Rachel Alexandra in the Fantasy Stakes? The embodiment of easy:
Calvin Borel starts mugging on the backstretch, but I can’t blame him. She’s just galloping, the other four fillies totally at her mercy, lolling through unhurried fractions to a final time of 1:43.35, finishing more than eight lengths ahead of Afleet Deceit. On to the Kentucky Oaks …
Odds and ends: Old Fashioned worked five furlongs in 1:00.6 at Oaklawn on Monday. Trainer Larry Jones was pleased with how the colt went around the turn. “That was the big thing.” I’m nonchalantly ignoring Musket Man for now, even though he’s definitely heading to the Kentucky Derby after winning the Illinois. And The Pamplemousse is out, for at least six months, possibly longer. “Our goal is the Pacific Classic [at Del Mar] next year.”
About
Jessica Chapel writes and edits in Massachusetts. Railbird is a Thoroughbred horse racing blog published from June 2004 to July 2019. More / Contact
Elsewhere
Find Jessica on Pinboard and Instagram, Railbird on LibraryThing and Twitter.
Etc.
Links
Search
Boston Racing
Spreadsheets/Data
← Home
Copyright © 2000-2023 by Jessica Chapel. All rights reserved.