Never Too Early

With the close of the Saratoga racing season at hand, the meet wraps up with a look to the future. And by future we are talking about the Kentucky Derby.

The last big race of the meet is the Hopeful Stakes which is for 2-year-old colts and geldings and there is a near capacity field of 12 set to run this afternoon.

The great thing about seeing these freshman run is that these are 2-year-olds that typically will be around as 3-year-olds and have a chance to make the "Run for the Roses."

If you look at some of the horses that have won the Hopeful, there's reason to be excited. (Thanks to Wikipedia for the list below.)

Among the future stars we've seen include: Afleet Alex (winner of 2005 Preakness and Belmont), Came Home, and 1997 Horse of the Year Favorite Trick. The race has also produced Triple Crown winner Secratariat and Affirmed.

Today's Hopeful horses to watch include: Backtalk, who is unbeaten in three starts including two stakes victories; Dublin, a regally bred son of Afleet Alex who won impressively at Saratoga last time and Enumerate, a Steve Asmussen-trained colt who lost to Backtalk in the Sanford last time.

2008	Vineyard Haven	Alan Garcia	Robert J. Frankel	Frankel/Lazzinnaro/Diamond Pride	1:23.40
2007	Majestic Warrior	Garrett Gomez	William I. Mott	Kinsman Stable	1:23.04
2006	Circular Quay	Garrett Gomez	Todd A. Pletcher	Michael & Doreen Tabor	1:23.00
2005	First Samurai	Jerry D. Bailey	Frank L. Brothers	Lunsford & Robbins III	1:23.25
2004	Afleet Alex	Jeremy Rose	Tim Ritchey	Cash is King LLC	1:23.58
2003	Silver Wagon	Jerry D. Bailey	Ralph Ziadie	Buckram Oak Farm	1:23.47
2002	Sky Mesa	Edgar Prado	John T. Ward	John C. Oxley	1:23.08
2001	Came Home	Chris McCarron	J. Paco Gonzalez	Trudy McCaffery	1:21.94
2000	Yonaguska (DH)	Jerry D. Bailey	D. Wayne Lukas	Michael B. Tabor	1:24.52
2000	City Zip (DH)	Jose Santos	Linda L. Rice	Thompson & Bowling	1:24.52
1999	High Yield	Jerry D. Bailey	D. Wayne Lukas	Bob & Beverly Lewis	1:22.85
1998	Lucky Roberto	Robbie Davis	Frank A. Alexander	Jesse Robinson	1:23.81
1997	Favorite Trick	Pat Day	Patrick B. Byrne	Joseph LaCombe	1:23.87
1996	Smoke Glacken	Craig Perret	Henry L. Carroll	Karkenny Levy et al.	1:23.63
1995	Hennessy	Gary Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	Bob & Beverly Lewis	1:23.44
1994	Wild Escapade	Jorge F. Chavez	Leo O'Brien	Dogwood Stable	1:23.24
1993	Dehere	Chris McCarron	Reynaldo Nobles	Due Process Stable	1:15.80
1992	Great Navigator	Aaron Gryder	John F. Mazza	Roron Stables	1:15.71
1991	Salt Lake	Mike E. Smith	D. Wayne Lukas	William T. Young	1:17.74
1990	Deposit Ticket	Gary L. Stevens	D. Wayne Lukas	Overbrook Farm	1:16.20
1989	Summer Squall	Pat Day	Neil J. Howard	Dogwood Stable	1:16.80
1988	Mercedes Won	Robbie Davis	Arnold Fink	Christopher Spencer	1:16.60
1987	Crusader Sword	Randy Romero	MacKenzie Miller	Rokeby Stable	1:18.60
1986	Gulch	Angel Cordero, Jr.	Leroy Jolley	Peter M. Brant	1:16.40
1985	Papal Power	Don MacBeth	Charles Peoples	Bayard Sharp	1:18.40
1984	Chief's Crown	Don MacBeth	Roger Laurin	Star Crown Stable	1:16.00
1983	Capitol South	Jerry D. Bailey	Lou Rondinello	Darby Dan Farm	1:17.40
1982	Copelan	Jerry D. Bailey	Mitchell Griffin	Fred W. Hooper	1:16.60
1981	Timely Writer	Roger Danjean	Dominic Imprescia	Peter Martin	1:16.20
1980	Tap Shoes	Ruben Hernandez	Howard M. Tesher	Leone J. Peters	1:17.00
1979*	J.P. Brother	Joseph Imparato	John P. Campo	Diamond Peg Stable	1:16.20
1978	General Assembly	Darrel McHargue	Leroy Jolley	Bertram R. Firestone	1:16.40
1977	Affirmed	Steve Cauthen	Laz Barrera	Harbor View Farm	1:15.40
1976	Banquet Table	Jean Cruguet	George T. Poole, Jr.	C. V. Whitney	1:16.20
1975-I	Jackknife	Jean Cruguet	John P. Campo	Elmendorf Farm	1:16.60
1975-II	Eustace	James Nichols	Wayne Rose	Eugene Cashman	1:16.40
1974-I	The Bagel Prince	Angel Cordero Jr.	Edward Pappalardo	Edward Shamie	1:16.80
1974-II	Foolish Pleasure	Braulio Baeza	Leroy Jolley	John L. Greer	1:16.00
1973	Gusty O'Shay	Robert Kotenko	Harrison E. Johnson	Mrs. Gerard Hopkins	1:16.40
1972	Secretariat	Ron Turcotte	Lucien Laurin	Meadow Stable	1:16.20