Another Belmont Stakes is in the books and we saw a huge upset with Ruler On Ice easily beating the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner. Was it a total surprise that we saw an upset?
In a word...NO.
This has been an unpredictable Triple Crown as each race saw a surprise but this was the biggest of all them. Most of the fans seemed convinced that one of the horses for the Kentucky Derby would be able to pull out a win on Saturday but the best finish was Brilliant Speed, 3rd.
Plus with the bad weather and sloppy track, it was a perfect storm for an upset.
Right from the start, trouble was brewing as Animal Kingdom, the Derby winner, got into trouble as Mucho Macho Man bumped him a few steps from the starting gate and dropped back to last. Ruler On Ice was tracking Shackleford in second for most of the way and once the Preakness winner began to fade at the top of the stretch, he was home free. The only horse he had to fend off was another longshot, Stay Thirsty.
"At the half-mile pole, I was hearing whips cracking behind me and I could hear guys chirping to their horses, and all I'm doing is picking up the tempo," said Ruler On Ice's jockey Jose Valdivia. "With a half-mile remaining, I still felt like I have a lot of horse under me."
Now, as we head into the summer and start looking ahead towards the Breeders' Cup, who is the best 3-year-old in the country? More than likely the Animal Kingdom and Shackleford will battle for those honors but they may not meet again until the Breeders' Cup Classic in November.
Animal Kingdom's owner, Barry Irwin, indicated he might start the horse back on the Turf which could mean he'll bypass the Haskell and/or Travers.
Shackleford's plans are not known but it is a safe bet, if he comes out of the Belmont in good shape, that he will run in one of the big 3-year-old races left this year.
So with another upset in the book, it completes another disappointing Triple Crown series as we are 33 years without someone sweeping the three races. But the Breeders' Cup awaits and hopefully all the best 3-year-old will reunite to decide who is the best sophomore in the country.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Odds Update - 4 p.m.
1) Archarcharch - 13-1
2) Brilliant Speed - 26-1
3) Twice The Appeal - 10-1
4) Stay Thirsty - 16-1
5) Decisive Moment - 37-1
6) Comma to The Top - 35-1
7) Pants On Fire - 7-1
8) Dialed In - 5-1
9) Derby Kitten - 34-1
10) Twinspired - 29-1
11) Master of Hounds - 12-1
12) Santiva 35-1
13) Mucho Macho Man - 9-1
14) Shackleford - 24-1
15) Midnight Interlude - 8-1
16) Animal Kingdom - 22-1
17) Soldat 14-1
18) Uncle Mo - SCRATCHED
19) Nehro - 10-1
20) Watch Me Go - 27-1
2) Brilliant Speed - 26-1
3) Twice The Appeal - 10-1
4) Stay Thirsty - 16-1
5) Decisive Moment - 37-1
6) Comma to The Top - 35-1
7) Pants On Fire - 7-1
8) Dialed In - 5-1
9) Derby Kitten - 34-1
10) Twinspired - 29-1
11) Master of Hounds - 12-1
12) Santiva 35-1
13) Mucho Macho Man - 9-1
14) Shackleford - 24-1
15) Midnight Interlude - 8-1
16) Animal Kingdom - 22-1
17) Soldat 14-1
18) Uncle Mo - SCRATCHED
19) Nehro - 10-1
20) Watch Me Go - 27-1
12 Noon - Derby Odds Update
1) Archarcharch - 12-1
2) Brilliant Speed - 25-1
3) Twice The Appeal - 9-1
4) Stay Thirsty - 15-1
5) Decisive Moment - 37-1
6) Comma to The Top - 35-1
7) Pants On Fire - 7-1
8) Dialed In -5-1
9) Derby Kitten - 31-1
10) Twinspired - 27-1
11) Master of Hounds - 17-1
12) Santiva 32-1
13) Mucho Macho Man - 9-1
14) Shackleford - 22-1
15) Midnight Interlude - 10-1
16) Animal Kingdom - 20-1
17) Soldat 15-1
18) Uncle Mo - SCRATCHED
19) Nehro - 10-1
20) Watch Me Go - 27-1
2) Brilliant Speed - 25-1
3) Twice The Appeal - 9-1
4) Stay Thirsty - 15-1
5) Decisive Moment - 37-1
6) Comma to The Top - 35-1
7) Pants On Fire - 7-1
8) Dialed In -5-1
9) Derby Kitten - 31-1
10) Twinspired - 27-1
11) Master of Hounds - 17-1
12) Santiva 32-1
13) Mucho Macho Man - 9-1
14) Shackleford - 22-1
15) Midnight Interlude - 10-1
16) Animal Kingdom - 20-1
17) Soldat 15-1
18) Uncle Mo - SCRATCHED
19) Nehro - 10-1
20) Watch Me Go - 27-1
First Day Kentucky Derby Day Odds
Now that the first day of wagering is in the books, here is the rundown of the odds of the 19 Derby horses.
1) Archarcharch - 13-1
2) Brilliant Speed - 30-1
3) Twice The Appeal - 7-1
4) Stay Thirsty - 17-1
5) Decisive Moment - 42-1
6) Comma to The Top - 43-1
7) Pants On Fire - 9-1
8) Dialed In - 9-2
9) Derby Kitten - 29-1
10) Twinspired - 21-1
11) Master of Hounds - 18-1
12) Santiva 30-1
13) Mucho Macho Man - 12-1
14) Shackleford - 19-1
15) Midnight Interlude - 10-1
16) Animal Kingdom - 24-1
17) Soldat 17-1
18) Uncle Mo - SCRATCHED
19) Nehro - 7-1
20) Watch Me Go - 29-1
1) Archarcharch - 13-1
2) Brilliant Speed - 30-1
3) Twice The Appeal - 7-1
4) Stay Thirsty - 17-1
5) Decisive Moment - 42-1
6) Comma to The Top - 43-1
7) Pants On Fire - 9-1
8) Dialed In - 9-2
9) Derby Kitten - 29-1
10) Twinspired - 21-1
11) Master of Hounds - 18-1
12) Santiva 30-1
13) Mucho Macho Man - 12-1
14) Shackleford - 19-1
15) Midnight Interlude - 10-1
16) Animal Kingdom - 24-1
17) Soldat 17-1
18) Uncle Mo - SCRATCHED
19) Nehro - 7-1
20) Watch Me Go - 29-1
Friday, May 6, 2011
Update Derby Odds - 4 p.m.
Updated Kentucky Derby Odds - 4 p.m.
1) Archarcharch - 13-1
2) Brilliant Speed - 29-1
3) Twice The Appeal - 8-1
4) Stay Thirsty - 16-1
5) Decisive Moment - 39-1
6) Comma to The Top - 42-1
7) Pants On Fire - 9-1
8) Dialed In - 9-2
9) Derby Kitten - 27-1
10) Twinspired - 21-1
11) Master of Hounds - 20-1
12) Santiva 26-1
13) Mucho Macho Man - 11-1
14) Shackleford - 20-1
15) Midnight Interlude - 10-1
16) Animal Kingdom - 23-1
17) Soldat 19-1
18) Uncle Mo - SCRATCHED
19) Nehro - 8-1
20) Watch Me Go - 29-1
1) Archarcharch - 13-1
2) Brilliant Speed - 29-1
3) Twice The Appeal - 8-1
4) Stay Thirsty - 16-1
5) Decisive Moment - 39-1
6) Comma to The Top - 42-1
7) Pants On Fire - 9-1
8) Dialed In - 9-2
9) Derby Kitten - 27-1
10) Twinspired - 21-1
11) Master of Hounds - 20-1
12) Santiva 26-1
13) Mucho Macho Man - 11-1
14) Shackleford - 20-1
15) Midnight Interlude - 10-1
16) Animal Kingdom - 23-1
17) Soldat 19-1
18) Uncle Mo - SCRATCHED
19) Nehro - 8-1
20) Watch Me Go - 29-1
First Look at Derby Odds
Now that Uncle Mo is scratched from the Kentucky Derby and the wagering has begun, here is a first look at the odds for the Derby....
1) Archarcharch - 12-1
2) Brilliant Speed - 25-1
3) Twice The Appeal - 10-1
4) Stay Thirsty - 13-1
5) Decisive Moment - 36-1
6) Comma to The Top - 38-1
7) Pants On Fire - 8-1
8) Dialed In - 7-2
9) Derby Kitten - 27-1
10) Twinspired - 22-1
11) Master of Hounds - 99-1
12) Santiva 31-1
13) Mucho Macho Man - 8-1
14) Shackleford - 23-1
15) Midnight Interlude - 15-1
16) Animal Kingdom - 48-1
17) Soldat 21-1
18) Uncle Mo - SCRATCHED
19) Nehro - 10-1
20) Watch Me Go - 20-1
1) Archarcharch - 12-1
2) Brilliant Speed - 25-1
3) Twice The Appeal - 10-1
4) Stay Thirsty - 13-1
5) Decisive Moment - 36-1
6) Comma to The Top - 38-1
7) Pants On Fire - 8-1
8) Dialed In - 7-2
9) Derby Kitten - 27-1
10) Twinspired - 22-1
11) Master of Hounds - 99-1
12) Santiva 31-1
13) Mucho Macho Man - 8-1
14) Shackleford - 23-1
15) Midnight Interlude - 15-1
16) Animal Kingdom - 48-1
17) Soldat 21-1
18) Uncle Mo - SCRATCHED
19) Nehro - 10-1
20) Watch Me Go - 20-1
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Missing Derby Star
The “Run for the Roses” is rapidly approaching and one of the all-time great Kentucky Derby jockeys may well be on the sidelines this year.
Calvin Borel, who is the only rider in Derby history to have won three times in a four year stretch (2007-2010), does not currently have a horse for this year’s renewal. His best chance, Elite Alex, finished a disappointing ninth in the Arkansas Derby. But all may not be lost for Borel as there are potentially three mounts that could open up in the next few days.
One could be J P’s Gusto, who was a well-beaten eighth in the Arkansas Derby. Right now, the connections are deciding if they want to run their colt in the Derby and if they decide it’s a go, then they may well be in the market for a new jockey.
 |
| Borel aboard Rachel Alexandra in '09 Preakness |
Another potential spot for Borel, although less likely, is Arkansas Derby runner-up Nehro. Jockey Corey Nakatani already has one potential Derby ride with Santa Anita Derby runner-up Comma To The Top and if he sticks to that colt, then trainer Steve Asmussen would need a new jockey. Borel does not ride for Asmussen much but they did team up to win the Preakness in 2009 with the great filly Rachel Alexandra. (pictured right).
Another possible open spot for Borel is if Animal Kingdom commits to the Derby over the next few days. The colt, who won the Spiral Stakes last month, will more than likely need another rider as jockey Alan Garcia has already committed to ride Fountain of Youth winner Soldat. Plus, Animal Kingdom has had a different rider in each of his four starts.
The last open slot could be European based Master of Hounds. Jeff Lowe of Thoroughbred Times reported that Borel's agent Jerry Hissam plans to reach out to trainer Aidan O'Brien to see if he can get his client aboard the colt.
The last open slot could be European based Master of Hounds. Jeff Lowe of Thoroughbred Times reported that Borel's agent Jerry Hissam plans to reach out to trainer Aidan O'Brien to see if he can get his client aboard the colt.
(Photo courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
