Week rated by TD Thornton
The last three chances of the last nine chance bonus for the GI Kentucky Derby played out as a tense hand led to the all-important final draw. Some decent hands have been dealt during the long season, but we still need to see the final three cards from the deck to get a sense of how exciting and exciting this year’s Run for the Roses will be.
The last turn is revealed in turn: An ace. A trump card. And a tantalizing wild card that no one can see is coming.
Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) of) skillful, sustained run from last to win the GII Wood Memorial S.’s final jump at the Aqueduct has made him one of Derby’s favorite contenders.
But when Zandon (Start up).
That’s because we now have the first delicious Saturday-May rematch of the top two ponies since last December’s “end offight” in the GII Remsen S., where Mo Donegal overtook Zandon (barely) by a race pitch that made national headlines about the manager’s failure to disqualify the winner.
Our sport is often stuck in the “Racing needs a superstar” mentality. But the horse vs. horse feud? I said bring them in. They really are more attractive charm.
However, if you’re the type of fan who clings to the sky’s undefeated prospect, the racing gods have one more card to thrash out for you on Saturday.
Thirty-seven minutes after two Eastern races delivered aesthetically pleasing results, HOLD Runhappy Santa Anita Derby sent a surprise gift from ‘Rising star TDN’ Taiba (Gunman), who brought down the Kentucky Derby party by knocking out two highly heralded race cars, kicking off the party’s late journey to Louisville with a daring two-for-two in the air. enemy.
While you won’t see Churchill Downs promoting this storyline, the most intriguing subplot for the next four weeks will involve Taiba owner Amr Zedan, who won last year’s Derby against Medina Spirit, a rich person with $1,000 or more. Medina Spirit died suddenly after a training session in December, and he was later sent off in the Derby win for abusing betamethasone, a punishment Zedan is currently appealing.
Last week, Zedan insisted (allegedly against his coach’s advice, according to DRFby Jay Privman) that Taiba – who was sold for $1.7 million as a juvenile – got to take part in the Santa Anita Derby even after his first broken foal on March 5.
Taiba’s largely unanticipated win on Saturday now gives Zedan a chance to prove what he sees as a Derby wrong. Even Zedan’s choice of a name for this prized pony underscores his mission: Roughly translated from Arabic, Taiba means “one of purity” or “one who refrains from evil”.
So which preparation is the strongest?
Story aside, make no mistake that Zandon ran the movie ‘Wow!’ race makes him the most likely favorite for the Derby.
Zandon established himself in the midpack through the first round of Blue Grass, displaying confident body language into play and being surrounded by horses on a tight first turn.
The pace was moderate (first three quarters at :24.04, :24.35 and :24.33), but Flavien Prat allowed Zandon to drop last at the half-mile post. Throughout the next stretch, Zandon finds himself pickpocketed while still reaching the rear, yet Prat never panics as he guides his pony outside to begin picking out strays in the street. far away.
Zandon split the horse while gaining in first flight, and Prat made the decision to roll the dice back inside at the top of the lane. He was close and had to punch the three-and-sixteen-year-old outsider from home, and after an unnerving Zandon brushed aside a weary opponent, he took aim at the highly rated and ‘Throne’ target. rising star of TDN’ Smile Happy (Runhappy).
Zandon kicked home on purpose through the last half with a score of 25.14 and a respectable eighth final score: 12.49, his tied tongue flapping in the cold wind in when 2 1/4 of the game time has passed. The last time was 1:50.35 on a well-labeled dry track (Figure 98 Beyer Speed).
In Wood Memorial, Mo Donegal’s overspeed quest is made more difficult in favor of Morello (Classic Empire) hits the gate at halftime and cannot effectively pressure a quick Early Vote (Gunman), whose high-flying gear helped him post consecutive quarters in: 23.86, :23.89, :23.84 and :24.04.
Mo Donegal, from the end, began a methodical 4 1/2 march stretching out and speeding his rhythm at the long three-hair pole before jockey Joel Rosario gambled with the tight aisle tight inside turns home. Still, the still-strong Early Voting wasn’t about to turn down this fight, and when Rosario moved out in the eighth column at two-way length, it looked like he had left Mo with too much work to do.
However, Mo Donegal increasingly closed the gap, dominating by the neck while remaining focused. As he has demonstrated in previous attempts, this is the type of pony that is incapable of creating a stormy run that will lead him to a landslide victory. But he knows where the ropes are and what his job is, and always has something to leave for later.
Mo Donegal’s 1:47.69 win time on the “fast” track was converted to 98 Beyer. But here’s the more important number in that race: Mo Donegal has now won two nine-race races, having an identical overall eighth at: 12.33.
Of all the 1/8 mile preps we’ve seen in 2021-22, those are the two fastest clocks for that last part.
Meanwhile, on the Left Bank…
The Santa Anita Derby was supposed to be a figurative rivalry between ‘TDN’s Rising Star’ Messier (Empire Maker) and Forbidden Kingdom’s first ADC (American pharoah).
Apparently, someone forgot to say this to Taiba and track athlete Mike Smith.
Taiba was very interested in the early stages and stacked three on the track in the first turn with the two aforementioned favorites. The dissecting order arranged itself in the back with Forbidden Kingdom making speed, Messier lurking menacingly and Taiba taking it all from third through sections: 23.23, :23.43 and: 24.27.
Messier stretched the inevitable rift of the Forbidden Kingdom to the far end before gaining command at pole 1/4. But Taiba was also ready to take the plunge at that point, and Messier initially pushed back his steady friend’s bid in the upper paragraph.
In an attempt to demonstrate his relative inexperience, Taiba continued to play and return, and although Messier did significantly shorten his stride in the rope run (fourth round: 25.04 and second innings). eight in: 12.70), Taiba continued to stretch fluidly, driving through dirt “fast” to win 2 1/4 lengths in 1:48.67 (101 Beyer).
Taiba will go against all historical standards by advancing to the Kentucky Derby just two games that start its life. Since 1937 (the advent of detailed starting stats), only four horses have even competed in a career third-place Derby: China Visit (sixth of the year) 2000), Disposal (18th in 1992), Senecas Coin (DNF in 1949) and Perfect Bahram (ninth in 1946). In addition, Bert G. ranked 14th in 1945 after only one outing of his life before that.
