Awesome Again Broodmare Sire Rankings Broodmare Sire Bloodhorse
1
Mohaymen Kiaran McLaughlin 
Tapit—Justwhistledixie, by Dixie Union
This equus caballus hasn't taken a backwards step in his entire career and showed the Holy Bull was a mere stroll in the park past working a half in a bullet :47 3/v, fastest of 31 works. McLaughlin wasn't looking for anything that quick, but when practiced horses are doing good they do things fast and do it easily. Even with McLaughlin's typical trainer clichés ("But he did it easy" and "He wouldn't blow out a match"), we get the picture and in that location probable was a cracking deal of truth to those comments. I used the term "machine-like" on several occasions with American Pharoah last year, but that term seems to be creeping back into the colloquial with this colt. His Brisnet tardily pace figure of 115 in the Holy Bull is the best by far among the 23 Time to come Wager horses, with only Mor Spirit'southward 108 anywhere close to it. When you lot have swell tactical speed and can relax behind horses fifty-fifty when stuck down on the rail and and so come home fastest of all, that makes you very difficult to beat. Until he demonstrates any flaws or takes fifty-fifty a mini-step backwards, he must be considered the summit gun on this year's Derby trail.
2
Mor Spirit Bob Baffert
Eskendereya—Im a Dixie Daughter, by Dixie Union
Baffert said he wants to give him a couple of weeks and see how he works before making a decision where to go adjacent. The obvious choices are staying home for the San Felipe and Santa Anita Derby or caput to the Baffert gilt mine known every bit Oaklawn Park. This filly has an advantage in that he'south already shipped from California to Kentucky and has shown he tin can handle whatever kind of track – long stretches, shorter stretches, big turns, tight turns, fast surfaces, sloppy surfaces. 1 thing about Baffert, you never know what he's going to do until he does information technology. And it normally turns out to exist the correct pick. One affair about this horse that separates him from nearly of Baffert'southward good ones is that he doesn't work bullets in the morning. He only goes out there and does his matter, whether it's in the morning or the afternoon. At that place'southward no bravado; he's more the silent assassin type. It's all bang-up and make clean with footling dissonance, but you're all the same but as dead.
3
Brody'southward Crusade Dale Romans
Giant's Causeway —Sweet Breanna, by Sahm
Afterwards breezing 5f in a blazing :58 3/5 Sunday, fastest of 27 works at the distance, how is Romans going to keep him on the basis for the side by side month? Remember, he turned in a abrupt :47 3/5 breeze in his kickoff work back and Romans had to wearisome him down in his side by side iii works. It'due south obvious he wants to get going. I would imagine Romans volition slow him downwards again before cranking him back up for the Tampa Bay Derby. He certainly tin't stay this abrupt for that long. Just considering he's a come from behind horse doesn't mean he has little or no speed. He only uses information technology later than earlier, and he showed that quickness in his large motility on the turn in the Breeders' Future. People all the same mention how he had a much better trip than Nyquist in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and still couldn't beat him, simply forget that the finish line was at the sixteenth pole, and that curt stretch run gave him lilliputian hazard to catch horses the quality of Nyquist and Swipe. Who knows what nosotros're going to see at Tampa. Can't wait.
4
Nyquist Doug O'Neill
Uncle Mo—Seeking Gabrielle, by Forestry
You can't help admire this colt's will to win and ability to observe a way to do it every time, from 5f to 1 1/16 miles, on or off the pace. Equally a betoken of interest, his San Vicente time of 1:20 3/5 was the same time Seattle Slew ran in his iii-year-old debut. The only thing keeping him from being ranked higher is his intended schedule. The baby races and sprints are over and it'due south fourth dimension for him to starting time becoming a Derby horse, and I'thou but afraid 1 more start, with only a 7f race under him, is not going aid him achieve that. The feeling here is he needs to harness his speed and get the bottom needed to run a peak performance on the first Saturday in May, especially with so many people questioning his full-blooded to become the mile and a quarter. I feel his pedigree, especially his tail-female family, volition permit him to go a lot farther than people think. Only his sire and broodmare sire, while able to perform well effectually two turns, did accept an atrocious lot of dart and mile speed. So, as of now the Florida Derby, with its $1 1000000 Fasig-Tipton sale bonus, looks to exist the next and only start before the Derby. What was great nigh starting off at 7f is that it took a lot of the vinegar out of him and prevented him from running some blazing-fast time going two turns off a layoff, which is the last thing yous desire to see. Now I feel he needs two 2-turn races to settle him down enough to get the mile and a quarter. As I've been saying, O'Neill knows his equus caballus a lot better than I do. You just accept to be careful chasing bonuses and unbeaten records on the Derby trail if they're going to dictate your horse's schedule, especially if it makes for actress traveling and is not what you would have done had there not been a bonus. I'm certainly not going to be audacious plenty to say O'Neill's thinking is wrong; I'm just going by 47 years of studying the Derby and the route getting there and am offering an caption why my gut instinct is keeping him at No. iv instead of No. 1 or 2. Possessor Paul Reddam said after the race about the schedule: "When we talked well-nigh it at the offset of the yr, we said we'd go to the San Vicente and the Florida Derby because we liked the timing. I think Doug will change his mind a couple times between now and so, because at that place's the temptation to stay home. We love Santa Anita. But we'll see. Nosotros just want to take information technology in stride." So, perhaps the schedule is not as house as it once appeared.
5
Greenpointcrusader Dominick Schettino
Bernardini—Ava Knowsthecode, by Cryptoclearance
Hither I go again questioning another schedule at the risk of getting egg on my face up, only this is a identify for opinions. Last week, I provided the historical significance of Schettino'southward decision to have only ane more start in the Louisiana Derby. I will reiterate that this colt however has work to practise, particularly getting back to his best running style. I still believe, like Nyquist, he will need two races to achieve that, non to mention all the history that is against him going into the Kentucky Derby with only ane race in 14 weeks. Schettino now says he'south not only considering the Louisiana Derby, but also the Wood Memorial 2 weeks later and Arkansas Derby three weeks subsequently. That'south an clumsily wide bridge of races from which to choose. Will he be inactive for 8 weeks, 10 weeks, or 11 weeks? Volition he accept half-dozen weeks to the Derby, 4 weeks, or 3 weeks? With no set plans, there volition exist lilliputian to grasp onto for quite a while. Equally I've said on several occasions, I call back a lot more than of him than most people do (here is a Champagne winner and runner-up to Mohaymen the 11th choice in the Future Wager at 31-one) and believe he is a very talented colt. But he still must bear witness that closing dial going two turns, considering 2 of his more than noted siblings were distance limited, and with viii, x, or 11 weeks to his next start, the fear is that he'due south going to be too fresh once again. That is why I feel he needs that second race to become dorsum in his groove and fix him upward for a pinnacle performance on the kickoff Sat in May. If he goes in the Louisiana Derby as originally stated and is too fresh, the concluding matter he'southward going to need is some other vi weeks off after that race. Schettino obviously is going to take the route he feels is best, and equally a fan of the horse I wish him the best. I just don't know where the equus caballus is at this bespeak.
6
Exaggerator Keith Desormeaux
Curlin—Dawn Raid, by Vindication
The San Vicente was a perfect beginning race back for him. He had a dandy trip, took dead aim at Nyquist, and simply was outrun by a very special horse in blazing-fast fourth dimension. He likewise looked to exist in swell mankind, having made excellent physical progress from 2 to 3. I suspect he volition go where Nyquest isn't, as Desormeaux has at present run 2d to the champ five direct times and all for the same owner. Information technology seems those greenish and white Big Chief Racing silks bring out the all-time in Nyquist. When y'all run 6 furlongs in 1:08 2/v, you're not supposed to close in :12 flat, but that's exactly what Nyquist did and there was no way Exaggerator was going to outrun him going a final eighth that fast off those fractions. Possibly Exaggerator tin plow the tables equally the distances stretch out. At least that's all Desormeaux can hope for, and his horse definitely should move forward off this race. Desormeaux offered no excuses: "Goodness gracious. Anybody not a believer in Nyquist at present, that was an crawly race, to ready those kinds of fractions and nonetheless finish in shut to track record time for a 3-year-old in February. Wow! Lid's off to Nyquist."
7
Airoforce Mark Casse
Colonel John—Chocolate Pop, by Cuvee
Casse said he's "doing tremendously." They had cranked him upwardly for his commencement work back (5f in one:00 1/5) and he came out of it, as Casse put it, a little nether the weather, which knocked him out of his intended debut in the Sam F. Davis Stakes. But he bounced dorsum quickly and turned in an fifty-fifty faster work in :59 3/v followed by a half in :48 1/five, second fastest work backside Mohaymen, and is "at the top of his game." Casse said, "We had turned the lights off for a while on him (freshening him up), merely now they're back on." We'll find out bright they are in Sat'southward Risen Star Stakes, where he should relish that long stretch in a rematch with Mo Tom, who already has a stakes win over the track and will exist running out of his own befouled. If those lights shine equally brightly every bit Casse thinks they volition then y'all can expect this colt to move mode up in the rankings. Simply first he must debate with a xiii-horse field and, hopefully, his first attempt on a fast dirt track.
8
Smokey Image Carla Gaines
Southern Paradigm—Special Smoke, by Free Firm
Gaines has been going dull with him since his victory in the Cal Cup Derby and took her time bringing him dorsum to the work tab. He finally returned Feb. 15, working a sharp half in :47 1/v, 2d fastest of 42 works at the distance, while picking up some unwanted company during the piece of work and merely shrugging it off. His 5f gallop-out of :59 4/5 was only a fifth of a second slower than the bullet work of the solar day at that altitude. He still has a few kinks to work out in his mechanics, just for those who experience he's not in the aforementioned league yet as some of the bigger names, his Brisnet Prime Power number ranks No. four, ahead of Mohaymen and Mor Spirit. I have no thought what that ways, but I'm mentioning information technology because it sounds impressive. What I do know is that his high Brisnet speed figure of 102 puts him second, only i point behind Exaggerator and tied with Mohaymen and Nyquist before Monday's San Vicente Stakes. And his figures have been climbing support toward triple digits in his concluding two starts. As well, his Thoro-Graph number in the Cal Loving cup Derby is right up there with the summit 3-year-olds in the state, then in that location is nothing phony about this horse.
ix
Awesome Speed Alan Goldberg
Awesome Once more—Speedy Escape, past Aptitude
I love the fashion he's progressing toward the Fountain of Youth, breezing 6f in one:14 2/five. What I similar nearly this horse is that three races back his early Brisnet figure was his fastest. Two races back, his middle effigy was his fastest. And in his last showtime, his belatedly figure was his fastest. Then he looks to be a equus caballus who tin excel at any betoken in the race. The only negative I tin can come up up with is El Charro, the horse he crush past 1 1/4 lengths in the Mucho Manlike Man, finished last, beaten 20 lengths in the San Vicente. But on the vivid side, his Thoro-Graph number in the Mucho Macho Man ranks simply backside Mohaymen's Holy Bull among the leading iii-year-olds this twelvemonth. He's fast enough to run 6f in 1:09 3/5 at Laurel, just a tick slower than some of the fastest older sprinters in the Frank De Francis Memorial the same twenty-four hour period, and he can run a flat mile in 1:35 4/5 at Gulfstream. And he'south bred to run a lot farther than that, as detailed in concluding week's Dozen. His pedigree says he shouldn't take that kind of dart speed, which makes him such an intriguing horse equally the distances stretch out. Goldberg couldn't ask him to be preparation any better and we'll see what he's really made of in the Fountain of Youth when he tackles summit-class horses and ii turns for the commencement time, while coping with the blazing early speed of Crawly Banner, the tactical speed of Mohaymen and Zulu, and endmost punch of Crimson Wine.
10
Mo Tom Tom Amoss
Uncle Mo—Caroni, by Rubiano
Breezed a half in :48 3/five for the Risen Star Stakes. He drew post ii, where his late-closing running fashion will exist tested in a 13-horse field. One affair in his favor is that he has already shown he can unleash that big stretch kicking from downward on the rail or way on the outside. The mode he ducked in badly in the Kentucky Jockey Club and how professional he was circling horses in the LeComte, he certainly looks to exist more effective with a sweeping exterior trip, every bit nigh closers are at Off-white Grounds. Because of his questionable pedigree going 1 1/4 miles, he must keep progressing and turning in those big stretch runs. As mentioned last week, there is stamina behind Uncle Mo and Rubiano, and so far it has contradicted what one might expect from this type of pedigree. Just think, he'south been running at i one/16 miles and that's a far cry from 1 i/4 miles. He'southward also a half-blood brother to Beautician, who was 2d in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, but predominantly a sprinter throughout her career.
11
Suddenbreakingnews Donnie Von Hemel
Mineshaft—Uchitel, by Afleet Alex
I wasn't planning on adding anyone from the Southwest Stakes, simply this colt'due south operation forced my manus. Usually I would lean toward the runner-upwards after his scintillating move on the turn, but Suddenbreakingnews' full-blooded is so strong I couldn't help but go with him, despite the fact that no horse with ane 18-letter proper noun has always won the Derby. Hey, you never know what little foibles I'one thousand going to come up upwards with. Normally, horses who have raced solely at Remington Park are not the horses yous find in the Top 12, so information technology was of import for him to testify what he can do at Oaklawn Park in a fourteen-horse field and coming from concluding after breaking from the 13-post. Thus was not just your ordinary late accuse to victory. What made information technology and so impressive is that he roared past a horse who had made a monster move on the turn and was running a winning race. Equally I said, I could not resist this gelding'south full-blooded, being by Mineshaft, out of a mare by Afleet Alex, for whom I admittedly have a soft spot in my heart. His dam is a half-sister to Westward Virginia Derby winner Ready Ready. And if Mineshaft and Afleet Alex aren't enough stamina for you lot, his 2d dam is by two-fourth dimension Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Declared, one of the great stamina influences in the world. He also is inbred to Hoist the Flag, a son of the another great stamina influence, Tom Rolfe, a son of Ribot.
12
Cherry Wine Dale Romans
Paddy O'Prado —C.Southward. Royce, by Unbridled's Vocal
Of all the horses on the Derby trail, I may be looking forward to seeing him run more than than any other horse, because we take no thought if his last two annihilations of his opponents were for real or merely an illusion. His 5f breeze in :59 one/5, second fastest of 49 works at the altitude, suggests he is razor-sharp right now. Although his Beyer and Brisnet speed figures take not been impressive, indicating he may simply exist beating upward on lesser quality horses, he has looked awesome visually, specially his effortless turn of human foot on the far plow. And his speed figures have at least been going up with each race, but still have a ways to go. In improver, he works consistently fast in the mornings, and for those reasons, his advent in the Fountain of Youth against Mohaymen, Awesome banner, Awesome Speed, and Zulu is eagerly awaited. We just have no idea what we're dealing with, simply he improve get faster if he's going to exist competitive with those horses.
Knocking At The Door
I went dorsum and forth whether to add Southwest Stakes runner-upward WHITMORE to the Top 12. I finally ran out of time and decided to study him a little closer for another week. His move on the far turn after having to check nearing the half-mile pole was breathtaking, and he looked like certain winner at the 8th pole, but so Suddenbreakingnews came charging past him in the terminal sixteenth to win going abroad. I also need to study his full-blooded more closely to meet if he just had as well much to practise in the Southwest or he but got tired coming off a vi-furlong race. I know he gets a ton of stamina from his sire Pleasantly Perfect, just his broodmare sire Scat Daddy is by speed influence Johannesburg and his other third generation sire is speed influence Tale of the Cat. He as well is inbred to the broodmare Yarn through her son Tale of the True cat and her girl Myth, the dam of Johannesburg. I experience badly keeping him off the Height 12 because I believe he is a pinnacle-class colt and may turn out to be better than Suddenbreakingnews with this race under his chugalug. Don't be surprised to see him on there in the very well-nigh future. Give credit to third-place finisher AMERICAN DUBAI, who ran a gutsy race after tracking the leader virtually of the fashion in simply his tertiary career start.
I put RAFTING in the Top 12 a few weeks ago because I idea he had gotten over his greenness and was starting to mature, and would win the Sam F. Davis, but that wasn't the case. At the head of the stretch, I idea he couldn't lose, he was moving with such momentum and doing it all on his own. But as soon as he straightened into the stretch, he started doing everything incorrect and pretty much gave the race away, refusing to change leads, looking around, and ultimately drifting out at a crucial point when he had one concluding run a risk to catch Destin. Unfortunately, he looked like he did 2 starts back when he and his rider gave that race away. It must be pointed out that he was bumped coming out of the gate and dropped to the rear of the field and seemed a footling headstrong passing the stands. And I did love the turn of foot he displayed. At the five-sixteenths pole he was moving then strongly and then fluidly I was all prepared to movement him up several notches on the Dozen. I still believe the talent is there, and he could develop into a height-course stakes horse some day with maturity. But right now he but doesn't seem mentally set to be a leading Kentucky Derby contender. He had shown flashes of maturing in his last commencement, and nosotros'll run across if he can bounce back off this operation and finally become his act together. If he does, he could withal develop into a serious Derby horse. But that'due south a big if.
As for DESTIN, I was extremely high on him after his maiden victory, but in his next start he ran like a horse in drastic need of blinkers, as he but went through the motions and showed no inclination to try to take hold of the leader. Pletcher did put blinkers on him for the LeComte, merely again he showed fiddling interest in the proceedings, finishing a lackluster fourth. This fourth dimension, Pletcher changed blinkers, putting little peep holes in them to allow him to expect around and meet other horses, and whether or non that fabricated the difference, he was a different horse this time. Although he'due south still a tad greenish, throwing his head up for an instant when Rafting challenged from the outside and looking effectually a niggling, all in all he seemed much more focused and competitive, settling beautifully in pace downwardly the behind and moving strongly on the far turn. He obviously loves this rails. His time of one:43 3/5 was a fifth of a second off the stakes tape, and he came abode in a quick :06 ane/5. He'll no doubtfulness be pointed for the Tampa Bay Derby. Some other reason I liked this colt from the outset is that he is a full-brother to my 2012 Kentucky Derby pick Creative Crusade. The just reason I'g holding off putting him in the Superlative 12 is because I'm still non sure whether it was more him winning the race or Rafting losing information technology. Past running so fast and coming dwelling fast, I'd like to think he was just the better horse and has finally put it all together. If he can duplicate this effort in the Tampa Derby confronting horses like Brody'southward Cause, he volition vault fashion up about the tiptop of the list.
I'm a flake reluctant to put FRANK CONVERSATION in the Peak 12 at this point because I've been suckered into Gold Gate/Tapeta horses in the past who have looked impressive. And with this filly, dirt is only a partial question mark considering he'due south run on information technology twice without showing much. But he did look awfully good in the El Camino Real Derby, as he did in the California Derby, losing a lot of ground on both turns and yet demonstrating an explosive turn of human foot circling horses and charging to the lead. At a time when you're looking for answers on who this equus caballus is, O'Neill made information technology more complicated when he was quoted in dorsum-to-back sentences equally maxim, "It does expect similar synthetic or turf is his affair, but nosotros'll definitely effort a big race on dirt presently. The race at Turfway Park (the $500,000 Spiral Stakes on April ii) is something we'd look at first because information technology is on synthetic."
So, if that wasn't a contradiction, what does he mean past soon? When is this effort on dirt supposed to come? Would he run on dirt between this race and the Spiral? Would he run on dirt in the v weeks between the Spiral and the Kentucky Derby? I just figured that because of the confusion I'll wait until he actually does run on dirt before assessing him every bit a possible Derby contender. Right now it would be also much of a stab in the dark and I was looking for something physical and reassuring from O'Neill. Simply I'm every bit lost now as I was before. If he handles the clay as well as he does the Tapeta he's definitely a legitimate Derby contender. His pedigree too is an enigma. When we think of Quality Road we think dirt, but the all-time progeny of his broodmare sire, who was a grass horse in Europe, accept been grass horses. His entire female family is a bit baroque to analyze, with names like Crested Moving ridge, a son of Crozier, and a slew of Australian and New Zealand-breds.
Information technology'll be interesting to see what DENMAN'S Telephone call does adjacent time stretching out after his solid third-place cease in the San Vicente. To finish inside 4 lengths of Nyquist and two one/2 lengths of Exaggerator coming off one 6f maiden race was pretty impressive, especially considering how fast they ran. At that place's a lot of speed in his first two generations, and so we'll run into.
The Wayne Lukas-trained GRAY Sky, with 6 career starts nether him and a fifth-place finish in the Smarty Jones Stakes, looked similar a lock turning for abode with a clear lead in a 1 1/16-mile Oaklawn allowance race, simply give credit to DAZZLING Gem, with only one career kickoff at a mile, for running him downwards and cartoon off to a 2-length victory. Trained by Brad Cox, this son of Misremembered looks to be the real deal and could be heard from soon in stakes races.
In the comments on Mohaymen I mentioned his 115 Brisnet late speed figure, and that the simply horse in the Derby Future Wager field who is close to him is Mor Spirit. And these are the top ii ranked horses. Well, there is some other equus caballus lurking in the mutuel field who has the 2d fastest late Brisnet effigy and he's only a maiden winner. That horse is CUPID, who was discussed last week following his powerful victory in his first first around two turns. This was the first time he'southward had an exterior trip and free of traffic, and he pretty much inhaled the leaders, despite taking himself very broad turning for dwelling. The fact that he drew off powerfully with Martin Garcia never moving a muscle and recorded such a fast belatedly Brisnet effigy indicates this $900,000 Tapit filly is ane to spotter. It must be noted, still, he is a half-brother to iii stakes winners and they were all sprinters. But Tapit should help in that department and he's definitely ane to continue an eye on.
Two interesting and promising colts who may testify upwardly in the March 12 Gotham Stakes are the undefeated SHAGAF (see my last cavalcade), who breezed a half in :49 three/5, and RALLY CRY, an unlucky tertiary behind Shagaf terminal time out who breezed a half in :48 ii/five. If anyone has any doubts about Shagaf's pedigree to become a distance, and they shouldn't anyway because he's past Bernardini and has 5 Belmont Stakes winners in his first four generations, it should also be noted that his dam is a half-sis to the top-class stayer Eldaafer, winner of the Breeders' Cup Marathon at 1 3/4 miles, and the Brooklyn Handicap and Greenwood Cup at 1 one/ii miles. Working in company with Shagaf was Swale Stakes runner-up Economical MODEL (any guesses on who owns him?), a promising son of Flatter who may stretch out in the Fountain of Youth Stakes. Seems similar the trainers of these lightly raced horses who have only run in sprints, such as Zulu, Crawly Banner, and Economic Model, are non exactly afraid of Mohaymen.
Speaking of ZULU, he turned in a bullet 5f breeze in :59 4/5, fastest of 13 works at the distance. As the Fountain of Youth gets closer, picket for him to return to the Top 12 in anticipation of a large attempt. I nevertheless believe this filly could be something special.
Going confronting Mohaymen, he certainly doesn't have to win information technology to move forward on the Derby trail, every bit he volition be at a big disadvantage experience-wise, having raced a total of 13 furlongs in his cursory career, compared to 31 1/two furlongs for Mohaymen, who has already won at 1 1/8 miles. Simply he may non be at a disadvantage talent-wise; we'll meet. The just trouble is that the hype is beginning to abound and also many have jumped on his bandwagon. His Time to come Wager odds of 24-1 are pretty low considering it's just February and he has but has ii sprints, at 6f and 7f, on his resume and no stakes appearances. Everything will have to go perfectly for him, with not a single hiccup, and even if information technology does, he yet will exist trying to accomplish something that only 2 horses have in the past 98 years – win the Derby with career iv starts or fewer.
Majority interest in Grayness Stakes winner RIKER has been purchased by Team Valor and Gary Barber, and the son of Include will be turned over to trainer Marking Casse. Riker, who so far has been purely a frontrunner, made his clay debut in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and tired a bit in the final furlong to finish 6th, but beaten just iv lengths. Team Valor and Barber now own the first and second-place finishers of the Grey, having just finished an unlucky third in the El Camino Real Derby with KASSEOPIA, who bankrupt horribly, dropping back to 11th, but rallied to option up the evidence spot in an splendid effort. Team Valor is no stranger to sending horses to the Kentucky Derby who have excelled merely on synthetic. They sent out Animal Kingdom to go the starting time horse e'er to win the Derby having never raced on dirt.
Graham Move, who trained Creature Kingdom and likewise trains Kasseopia and the aforementioned Rafting, collected the place prize as well in the El Camino Real Derby with TUSK, who ran a huge race rallying between horses from midpack to simply miss past three-quarters of a length at odds of 11-i.
MAC DADDY MAC, an impressive maiden winner and runner-up to Toews on Ice in the Bob Hope Stakes who was purchased privately last year by Dean and Patti Reeves of Mucho Macho Manlike fame, had his first work of the twelvemonth for Kathy Ritvo, breezing a sharp half in :48 apartment at Gulfstream Park.
There is a huge question mark surrounding GIFT BOX, third in the Remsen Stakes. The son of Twirling Candy has missed two works and will miss his intended debut in the Risen Star. Although trainer Chad Brown told Churchill Downs he is non off the Derby trail, things are non looking promising at this point. Another equus caballus in the Future Wager field, Cocked AND LOADED, is nearing his first piece of work since running fifth in the Breeders' Loving cup Juvenile, according to trainer Larry Rivelli.
For those wondering about Bob Baffert's brilliant maiden winner DREFONG, the filly has missed preparation with a fever.
In other works last week, I Will SCORE, third in the Robert Lewis after setting the stride, wasted no fourth dimension getting back on the piece of work tab, breezing a half in :49 2/v. ADVENTIST, third in the Withers Stakes, breezed an like shooting fish in a barrel half in :51. The vivid maiden winner MALIBU Sunset, who was turned over to Bob Baffert, breezed a half in :48 3/5. CONQUEST BIG Eastward, who ran a disappointing fourth in the Holy Bull Stakes, returned to the work tab, breezing a half in :48 2/v.
A couple of New York-based 3-year-olds were able to get works in following the deep freeze in the Northeast. Withers Stakes winner SUNNY RIDGE, who is not beingness pointed to the Derby, according to his owner, breezed a half in :52 4/5 on the Belmont training runway, while MATT KING COAL, who could exist any kind, went 6 furlongs in 1:17 3/5 breezing, as well over the training rail.
PHAROAH FLASHACK
One twelvemonth agone Mon, Feb. 15, AMERICAN PHAROAH had his beginning serious piece of work as a 3-year-onetime, stretching out to 5 furlongs for the first time with a ane:00 two/5 breeze with Martin Garcia aboard. What made the work so unusual was that his starting time two breezes were at three furlongs and you normally don't see horses skipping right past a half-mile and going straight to five furlongs. But the truth is, Bob Baffert really worked him a one-half in :47 ii/5, out in one:00 2/5. His "gallop-out" was so strong information technology convinced the clockers he had worked five furlongs, even though Baffert said before the piece of work he was going a half.
That was the outset indication nosotros might be dealing with something out of the ordinary. A young 3-yr-old with simply a pair of easy three-furlong breezes had the clockers convinced he was working farther than he actually did.
Considering he did everything so freakishly perfect (his magnificent step, his brilliant speed, his professional demeanor), he had the potential to be a superstar, and once that work confirmed he had returned as good as ever, there was no looking dorsum. It but shows there are and so many elements in following horses on the Derby trail you never know which ones are going to reveal that nugget of gold we search for year after yr.
wunderlichmilatichated.blogspot.com
Source: http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/kentucky-derby-dozen/archive/2016/02/16/derby-dozen-february-16-2016-presented-by-shadwell-farm.aspx