Six Days to Derby...Some horses to Consider

IS THE RUN FOR THE ROSES BAFFERT'S TO LOSE?


The 141st. Kentucky Derby is six days away. If Bob Baffert is practicing his winning trainer speech already, few could blame him. Mr. White-Hair has two of the best in the probable field, you see...in AMERICAN PHAROAH and DORTMUND.

Some are calling the two the strongest trainer entry for the "fastest two minutes in sports" ever. American Pharoah obliterated the field in the Arkansas Derby with Victor Espinoza on board. Dortmund blew away the competition in the Santa Anita Derby under a confident ride by Martin Garcia. 

They are monsters, for sure...but they aren't the only two horses in the mile and a quarter event. 

Todd Pletcher has a very viable contender in CARPE DIEM. The best jockey in the world (IMHO) Johnny Velazquez stays on board after they ruled the Bluegrass Stakes. If you play the "exotics" the Giant Causeway son cannot be excluded.

Calvin Borel climbs aboard EL KABIER. This is a "horse for the course" and loves Churchill Downs. Nobody knows Churchill better that veteran Calvin Borel. Don't neglect this Kentucky Jockey Club winner as a two-year old.  

INTERNATIONAL STAR won the Louisiana Derby and swept all three Louisiana Derby prep races. Miguel Mena, another jockey who knows Churchill inside and out, stays on as the rider and I fully expect him to come from behind and sweep by most of the field in that long Churchill homestretch.

So...there you have it. The top five I'm looking at six days out. Things can always change. Post positions, weather conditions and how the horses adapt to Churchill and the largest crowd any of them have ever seen. 

I'll keep a watchful eye on Ocho Ocho Ocho, Mubtaahij and Frosted. Firing Line and Upstart round out my top ten.

paulie
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The Run for the Roses getting nearer

Three 3 yr. olds ascending to the top

With racing at Keeneland and Santa Anita yesterday confirming that Dortmund and Carpe Diem are legitimate threats to contend for the 141st. Kentucky Derby on Saturday May 2nd...let's take a look at their big wins yesterday and also a third major contender in the Run For The Roses in American Pharoah.

Dortmund added legitimacy for his inclusion as one of the horses to beat by romping past foes for Bob Baffert in the Santa Anita Derby yesterday by 4 1/2 lengths. The 1 1/8 miles was covered in a brisk 1:48:73...Dortmund to the lead and then cruising home down the stretch to win his sixth out of six races in his career. Another Baffert entry, One Lucky Dane, ran second and could very well join his stablemate and another Baffert trained horse in American Pharoah in Louisville in early May.

At Keenland, Carpe Diem disposed of Ocho Ocho Ocho in stretch running fashion and took the Bluegrass Stakes by three lengths over stretch follower Danzig Moon and fading Ocho Ocho Ocho...who probably needed the race...all three have the possibility of answering the call at Churchill in the first leg of the Triple Crown. 

He covered the 1 1/8 Keeneland dirt in a average 1:49:77. 

American Pharoah will test the Arkansas Derby next Saturday after winning the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn. He won the muddy Rebel Stakes by eight lengths in wire-to-wire fashion. He's our third contender for the garland of Roses...the only knock so far is that he hasn't faced very strong competition. That will end in the Arkansas Derby.

Others to watch? Frosted won the Wood Memorial yesterday at Aqueduct by two lengths over a determined Tencendur and covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:50:31. Upstart, Stanford, Firing Line and International Star fill our our "dirty dozen" of the top potential horse that could enter the starting gate at Churchill Downs four weeks from now.

Less than a month to go...

paulie
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