©2017 Calvin L.
Carter. All rights reserved.
On
Saturday, the European road to the 2017-2018 Kentucky Derby (G1) takes us to Doncaster Racecourse in Doncaster, South Yorkshire,
England where SAXON
WARRIOR has
been tabbed as the 9-5 Twinspires.com morning line favorite in the Group One
Racing Post Trophy Stakes.
Undefeated
in two starts for trainer Aidan O’Brien, Saxon Warrior comes into this race off
of an impressive win in the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes (Group 2) at Naas Racecourse in County Kildare, Ireland, on
September 24. Here’s the video and chart call:
SAXON WARRIOR tracked leader, travelling smoothly
straight, on terms from two furlongs out, led one and one half furlongs out,
soon asserted and stayed on well.
In
both of his previous starts, Saxon Warrior has won with ease.
Deep Impact, the sire of Saxon Warrior, was
a talented Thoroughbred selected twice as Horse of the Year in Japan at the age
of three and four. During his racing career, he compiled a 12-1-0 record in 14
starts with $12,825,285 in earnings including numerous graded stakes victories
and Japan’s prestigious Thoroughbred Triple Crown.
At
stud, Deep Impact is the current leading stallion in Japan, an
honor he’s held since 2012. He’s sired numerous graded stakes winners including
the champions Deep Brilliante, Kizuna, and Makahiki, winners of the Tokyo Yushun
(Japanese Derby); Santono Diamond, winner of the Kikuka Sho
(Japanese St. Leger); Dee Majesty and Al
Ain winners of
the Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2,000 Guineas).
With
an A+ Classic Champion Thoroughbred
Profile®, Saxon
Warrior should run a good race in the Racing Post Trophy Stakes (Group 1) and I
look for him to continue to get better as the season progresses.
THE PENTAGON (4-1) comes into this race with
two wins in three starts for trainer Aidan O’Brien including a 1¾ lengths win
in the Jra Tyros Stakes (Group 2). Here’s the video
and chart call:
THE PENTAGON soon raced in third,
pushed along into straight, wandered slightly under two furlongs out, second
one furlong out, led inside final furlong, stayed on well.
The
Pentagon has won by open lengths in his last two starts and with an A+ Classic
Champion Thoroughbred Profile® he’s the best bred colt in this race.
Galileo, the sire of The Pentagon, is a
Classic Champion Thoroughbred and multiple Group Stakes winner that compiled a
6-1-0 record in eight starts with $2,245,373 in career earnings.
Galileo
made only one start as a two year old, easily winning by an impressive 14
lengths.
As
a three year old, Galileo won his season debut in the Ballysax Stakes. He
followed that with his first Group win in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trail
Stakes (Group 3). Galileo then earned classic honors with wins in the Vodafone
Epsom Derby (Group 1) and the Budweiser Irish Derby (Group 1). His last group stakes
win was in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (Group 1).
As
a stallion, Galileo currently leads the Top sires of European
Stakes winners list with 68 Group One winners and, except for 2010, that’s an
honor he’s held since 2009.
Galileo sired numerous Classic Champion Thoroughbreds: Frankel (2,000 Guineas), Australia (Derby), Ruler Of
The World (Derby), Magician (Irish 2,000 Guineas), Gleneagles (2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas), The Gurkha (French 2,000 Guineas), Churchill (2,000 Guineas, Irish 2,000 Guineas), Roderic O’Connor (Irish 2,000
Guineas), Treasure Beach (Irish Derby), Capri (Irish Derby, St. Leger), Soldier
Of Fortune (Irish Derby), Order Of
St George (Irish St. Leger), Cape Blanco (Irish Derby), Sixties Icon (St. Leger) and New Approach (Derby).
The Pentagon has not raced since
July, however, despite the three month layoff I look for him to run a good
race.
ROARING LION (7-1) is undefeated in three starts
for trainer John Gosden and he comes into this race off of a win in Juddmonte
Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2) at the Newmarket Racecourse Rowley Mile in Suffolk, England. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:
ROARING LION
tracked leaders, went second two furlongs out, led over one furlong out, ridden
and hung badly left inside furlong, just held on.
Kitten’s
Joy, the sire of
Roaring Lion, was an outstanding router and multiple graded stakes winner who,
in three racing seasons, compiled a 9-4-0 record in 14 starts with $2,075,791 in
career earnings.
As
a two year old, Kitten’s Joy was 2-1-0 in four starts with wins at 8½ and nine
furlongs.
At
the age of three, Kitten’s Joy was 6-2-0 in eight starts with wins in the
Tropical Park Derby (G3), Palm Beach Stakes (G3), Crown Royal American Turf
Stakes (G3), Virginia Derby (G3), Secretariat Stakes (G1) and the 12 furlong
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Stakes (G1).
As
a four year old, Kitten’s Joy was 1-1-0 in two starts with a win in the
Firecracker Breeders’ Cup Handicap (G2) and a second-place finish in the
Arlington Million Stakes (G1).
Roaring
Lion has a low Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® score but his Behavior
Index makes him competitive and I look for him to run a good race.
VERBAL DEXTERITY (7-2) comes into this race with
a 2-1-0 record in three starts for trainer Jim Bolger including a 3½ lengths
win in the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes (Group 1) at the Curragh. Here’s
the video
and chart call:
VERBAL DEXTERITY led
early, close up, on terms halfway, soon led, joined two furlongs out, led again
inside final furlong and stayed on best to quickly assert.
Vocalised,
the sire of Verbal Dexterity, was a multiple group winner that compiled a 4-0-0
record in 10 starts with $188,432 in career earnings.
His
most notable stakes wins include the Newbridge Credit Union Loughbrown
Stakes, Bathwick Tyres Greenham Stakes (Group 3) and the Dylan Thomas E.B.F. Tetrarch Stakes
(Group 3).
Verbal
Dexterity has a low Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® score but his
Behavior Index makes him competitive.
Honorable
mention goes to COAT OF ARMS (60-1)
and LOXLEY (12-1). With an A+ Classic
Champion Thoroughbred Profile®, Coat of Arms was a yearling (Hip 446) I liked in session
three at the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. However, he’s yet to live
up to his breeding and he’ll need to step up his game.
*****
This
is the sixth consecutive year for Churchill Downs to use a point system to
determine eligibility to get into the Kentucky Derby starting gate. A total of
36 races comprise the Road to the Kentucky Derby and a significant change to
the schedule is the addition of the Springboard Mile at Remington Park on
December 17.
In
addition to the Japan road to the Derby which features
the Cattleya Sho Stakes (November 25), Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushan Stakes (December
13) and Hayacinth Stakes (February 2018), Churchill Downs has added a European road to Derby glory consisting
of seven races: Juddmonte Beresford (September 24), Juddmonte Royal Lodge
(September 30), Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (October 1), Racing Post Trophy
(October 28, Road to the Kentucky Derby Condition Stakes (March 1), Patton
(March 2) and the Burradon (March 30).
EUROPEAN ROAD LEADERBOARD
Ranking, total points, Trainer,
Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1.
f-Happily (IRE), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $543,648
2.
Saxon Warrior (JPN), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $84,592
3. Roaring Lion
(USA), 10, John Gosden, $75,986
4.
Olmedo (FR), 4, Jean-Claude Rouget, $113,505
5.
Nelson (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $99,826
6.
Delano Roosevelt (IRE), 4, Aidan O’Brien, $38,074
7.
Masar (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $91,264
8.
Mildenberger (ENG), 2, Mark Johnston, $64,634
9.
Warm the Voice (IRE), 2, Brendan Duke, $12,904
10.
Kew Gardens (IRE), 1, Aidan O’Brien, $28,605
11.
Woodmax (GER), 1, Nicolas Clement, $23,610
12.
Petrus (IRE), 1, Brian Meehan, $7,182
2017/2018 KENTUCKY DERBY
LEADERBOARD
Ranking, total points, Trainer,
Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1. Firenze Fire, 10, Jason Servis, $407,500
2. +Free Drop
Billy, 10, Dale Romans, $400,000
3. Bolt d’Oro, 10, Mick Ruis, $360,000
4. The Tabulator,
10, Larry Rivelli, $126,750
5. Bravazo, 4, D.
Wayne Lukas, $100,000
6. +Good Magic, 4,
Chad Brown, $100,000
7. +Hollywood Star, 4, Dale Romans, $68,500
8. +Solomini, 4, Bob Baffert, $60,000
9. Lone Sailor, 2, Tom Amoss, $50,000
10. Enticed, 2, Kiaran McLaughlin, $50,000
11. Take the One O One, 2, Brian Koriner, $36,345
12. Kowboy Karma, 1, Larry Jones, $70,000
13. Lionite, 1, Steve Asmussen, $25,000
14. Ayacara, 1, Keith Desormeaux, $18,000
15. Ebben, 1, Steve Margolis , $7875
No comments:
Post a Comment