JC / Railbird

Kentucky Derby

Big Brown Headstrong

I returned to Churchill for the first time since Sunday on Thursday afternoon, and the air has changed.
Whereas Louisville was excited for the return of live racing last weekend, the focus has wholly shifted to the Kentucky Derby two days before the race.
Churchill had a great crowd on the front and backsides this morning to watch horses prepare, and of course all eyes were on Big Brown, who worked three furlongs in :35.40 shortly after the renovation break.
Dutrow was hoping for a move between 36 and 37 seconds, calling it “important” that Big Brown hit that mark. He didn’t.
I timed Big Brown going about :12.00 for the opening furlong, so he came home the final quarter-mile of his work in under :24. From the second he got on the track he wanted to run, and he didn’t want to stop. An outrider had to help the exercise rider pull up the likely Derby fave.

Posted in Racing on May 1, 2008 / Tagged Kentucky Derby / Comments Off on Big Brown Headstrong

Kentucky Derby Field

PP	Horse	Jockey	ML
1	Cool Coal Man	Leparoux	20-1
2	Tale of Ekati	Coa	15-1
3	Anak Nakal	Bejarano	30-1
4	Court Vision	Gomez	20-1
5	Eight Belles	Saez	15-1
6	Z Fortune	Albarado	30-1
7	Big Truck	Castellano	50-1
8	Visionaire	Lezcano	20-1
9	Pyro	Bridgmohan	6-1
10	Colonel John	Nakatani	4-1
11	Z Humor	Douglas	30-1
12	Smooth Air	Cruz	20-1
13	Bob Black Jack	Migliore	20-1
14	Monba	Dominguez	15-1
15	Adriano	Prado	30-1
16	Denis of Cork	Borel	20-1
17	Cowboy Cal	Velazquez	20-1
18	Recapturetheglory	Baird	20-1
19	Gayego	Smith	15-1
20	Big Brown	Desormeaux	3-1

Posted in Racing on April 30, 2008 / Tagged Kentucky Derby / 3 comments

Blinkers Off – Wednesday

Special Railbird correspondent Blinkers Off checks in from the backstretch. Today at Churchill …
Graham Motion, a great guy but not exactly a human quote machine, has one good line this week for reporters about Adriano and he’s sticking to it: “I must be the only trainer in the world with an A.P. Indy that can’t run on dirt.”…
Speaking of one-liners, Henny Youngman used to have a good one about racing. “I once bet on a horse that was so slow, I saw him turn around and say to the jockey, ‘Whaddya hittin’ me for, there’s nobody behind us.” …
Todd Pletcher missed the trainer’s dinner Tuesday night with either strep throat or a flu bug, depending on who you talk to. He arrived at his Churchill Downs barn this morning, however, looking razor sharp as always, moments after Monba and Cowboy Cal danced off the van from Keeneland and into the barn. After a brief photo shoot worthy of Ashlee Simpson, Pletcher was surrounded by a media swarm more interested in his take on Polytrack than his 1-2 finishers in the Blue Grass Stakes. After 10 minutes of this, one late-comer walked up and asked, “Todd, what do you make of Polytrack?” He snickered, but patiently repeated everything he had just said. His PR flak made a slicing motion with her hand across her throat — a gang signal someone is about to get killed — and Pletcher turned and walked away.
“Are you sick, Todd?” a reporter called out.
“Yes.”
“Did you just give it to all of us?”
“I hope so.” …
A lot of people are talking to Richard Dutrow this week like he’s a cheater. To his credit, Dutrow just calls everyone “babe” and recommends they “bet out” on Big Brown.
“Who wants to cheat and win the Derby? That’s not us,” he said …
There’s a lot of talk about whether Colonel John can transfer his Santa Anita form to a dirt track. Trainer Eoin Harty says no problem, but he also says, “As long as it’s not a wet track.” Rain is called for Friday and Saturday.

Posted in Blinkers Off, Racing on April 30, 2008 / Tagged Kentucky Derby / 2 comments