©2016 Calvin L.
Carter. All rights reserved.
The
Road to the Kentucky Derby takes us takes us to Vinton,
Louisiana Saturday for the 15th running of the $1 million Delta
Downs Jackpot (G3) at Delta Downs racetrack. Gunnevera heads the field of 10 juvenile
Thoroughbreds as the lukewarm 5-2 morning line favorite. Post time is 4:45 p.m.
ET.
Gunnevera
comes into the race for trainer Antonio Sano with a 2-1-0 record in five starts
including a win in the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) and, in his last race, he
finished fifth in the Breeders’ Futurity Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:
GUNNEVERA was unhurried early, swung into the six path in the far
turn and leveled out late in the stretch.
To
date, Gunnevera’s best race was the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) and with a C Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile®, he’s yet to perform on the same level
as his sire, Dialed In, who has an A profile.
In
his only start as a two year old Dialed In won a 6½ furlong maiden special
weight by a half a length at Churchill Downs in November 2010. As a three year
old, Dialed In won the one mile Holy Bull Stakes, finished second in a
9-furlong Allowance Optional Claiming race at Gulfstream Park, and won the Florida
Derby (G1) by a head over Shackleford en route to an eighth place-finish in
the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Gunnevera
can perhaps he can be competitive in the Jackpot. But, despite his favoritism,
I’m not too keen on him.
Balandeen (10-1) comes into this race for trainer
Chris Hartman with a 2-1-0 record in five. Early on, Balandeen struggled
finishing off the board in his first two starts.
In
August, Balandeen broke his maiden at Del Mar and followed that with a win at
Churchill Downs on September 23. Last month, Balandeen finished second in the
Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs on October 30. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:
BALANDEEN tracked the pace early, shifted into the four path in
the turn while making a bid but was no match for the winner in the stretch run.
The
fractions were fast in this race and Balandeen stalked the pace about two
lengths off the leaders. The finish time of 1:35.55 is in the time zone of what
I like to see young colts run on the Kentucky Derby Trail.
Bernardini, the sire of Balandeen, did
not race as a 2-year-old but at the age of three, he was a fast colt that won
races from a mile to 10-furlongs.
He
broke his maiden on his second start running a mile at Gulfstream Park in
1:35.57. That’s the kind of time I like to see a young colt run in a mile.
Bernardini went on to become a Classic Champion Thoroughbred, compiling a 6-1-0
record in eight starts with $3,060,480 in career earnings.
Notable
races won by Bernardini in route to becoming the 2006 Eclipse Champion
Three-Year-Old Male include: Withers Stakes (G3, 8-furlongs), Preakness Stakes
(G1, 9½-furlongs), Jim Dandy Stakes (G2, 8½ furlongs), Travers Stakes (G1, 10
furlongs), Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1, 10 furlongs) and he finished
second, a length behind Invasor, winner of the 2006 Breeders’
Cup Classic (G1, 10 furlongs).
With
an A+ Classic
Champion Thoroughbred Profile®, Balandeen is the best bred colt in this race
and he has room to improve in his stretch out to 8½ furlongs.
J
Boys Echo
(8-1) comes into this race with a 1-1-0 record in two starts for trainer Dale
Romans, including a 5½ length maiden win at Keeneland on October 27. Here’s the
video and chart call of his last race.
J BOYS ECHO stalked the pace early, angled off the rail entering
the lane, was bothered and steadied sharply, altered to the rail and drew away
late in the stretch under a steady drive.
I
like how J Boys Echo showed a lot of composure and control when he was steadied
sharply at the rail on the far turn. He recovered nicely and then went on to
win by 5½ lengths.
Mineshaft, the sire of J Boys Echo, was
an outstanding route racer who compiled a 10-3-1 record in 18 lifetime starts. He
began his racing career in England at the age of three, winning a maiden weight
for age race at Newmarket. In November, Mineshaft was shipped to America where
he won two more races to close out the season with a 3-1-1 record in nine
starts.
As
a four year old, Mineshaft really proved himself as a champion and compiled a
7-2-0 record in route to earning Horse of the Year and Champion Older Horse
honors. In nine starts, Mineshaft won the New Orleans Handicap (G2), Ben Ali
Stakes (G3), Pimlico Special Handicap (G1), Suburban Handicap (G1), Woodward
Stakes (G1) and the Jockey Club Gold Club Stakes (G1).
With
an A Classic
Champion Thoroughbred Profile®, J
Boys Echo also has nice breeding and he has room on improve in his third start
of the season. Another move forward will make him competitive in the Delta
Downs Jackpot (G3).
Dangerfield (12-1) ships in from
California for trainer Doug O’Neill and he comes into this race with a 1-1-0
record in four starts including a 4¼ length maiden win in the Oak Tree Juvenile
Stakes at Pleasanton. Here’s the video
and chart call of that race:
DANGERFIELD prompted the pace to the second turn, rallied three
wide and got to terms into the stretch, pushed away to mid-stretch and drew
clear under steady urging.
I
like the way Dangerfield pressed the pace and then took command in the stretch
to draw away to a 4¼ length victory. Dangerfield has a low profile score but
his Behavior Index can, perhaps, make him competitive.
Into Mischief, the sire of Dangerfield, was precocious as a two
year old and he easily won his maiden debut by 2½ lengths at Santa Anita Park on
October 21 2007. He went on to finish second in the Hollywood Prevue Stakes
(G3) and followed that with a win in the 8½-furlong CashCall Futurity (G1). The
finish time of 1:40.82 was just a few ticks off of the record time of 1:40.74
set by Afternoon Deelites and the second fastest time of
1:40.78 set by Valiant Nature.
In
his debut as a three year old in February 2008, Into Mischief finished second
in the San Vicente Stakes (G2) and after an extended break, he returned to
racing in October winning the Damascus Stakes by two lengths. In December, Into
Mischief finished his racing season with a second-place finish in the Malibu
Stakes (G1).
After
struggling in his previous races, Dangerfield scored a nice win in his last
outing and another move forward off of that effort can make him competitive in
the Delta Downs Jackpot (G3).
Honorable
mention goes to Hot Sean (7-2) and Pat On the Back (15-1), who also have low profile scores. However,
their Behavior Index could potentially make them competitive and factors in the
exotic wagers.
Hot
Sean ships in from California for Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert and he comes
into this race with a 2-1-0 record. Here’s the video and chart call of his last race.
Pat
On the Back (15-1) comes into this race for trainer Ken McPeek with a 3-1-0
record in five starts, including a 1½ length win in the Sleepy Hollow Stakes at
Belmont Park on October 22. Here’s the video and chart call of that race.
*****
This
is the fifth consecutive year for Churchill Downs to use a Leaderboard points system to determine
eligibility to get into the Kentucky Derby starting gate. A total of 35 races
comprise the Road to the Kentucky Derby and a significant change to the
schedule is that the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) will replace the Grey Stakes (G3)
as a qualifying race.
In
addition, Churchill Downs has partnered with the Japan Racing Association to
feature the Cattleya Sho Stakes and Hayacinth Stakes as two qualifying races in
the Japan Road to the Kentucky
Derby.
The
winner of the Delta Downs Jackpot (G3) will receive 10 points while the
second-place finisher will receive 4 points, the third-place finisher will receive
2 points and 1 point will be awarded to the fourth-place finisher. Here’s a
look at the current leaders:
2016/2017 KENTUCKY DERBY
LEADERBOARD
Ranking, total points, Trainer,
Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1. Classic
Empire, 30, Mark Casse, $1,459,520
2. Not This Time,
18, Dale Romans $430,210
3. Practical
Joke, 14, Chad Brown, $690,000
4. Lookin At Lee,
10, Steve Asmussen, $275,600
5. Gormley, 10,
John Sherriffs, $200,000
6. Klimt, 4, Bob
Baffert, $380,000
7. Syndergaard,
4, Todd Pletcher, $160,000
8. Straight Fire,
2, Keith Desormeaux, $96,000
9. Favorable
Outcome, 2, Chad Brown, $50,345
10. Wild Shot, 2,
Rusty Arnold, II, $50,000
11. Recruiting
Ready, 2, Horacio DePaz, $43,750
12. Midnight
Pleasure, 1, Craig Dollase, $54,000
13. Big Gray Rocket,
1, Bob Baffert, $25,000
14. No Dozing, 1,
Arnaud Delacour, $25,000
15. Honor Thy
Father, 1, Kenny McPeek, $16,203
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