American Pharoah Stakes Racing Roundup

©2018 Calvin L. Carter. All rights reserved.

The Road to the Kentucky Derby will span two continents this Saturday with the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park and the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes (Group 2) at the Newmarket Racecourse Rowley Mile in Suffolk, England. On Sunday, the European road to Derby glory continues with the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes (Group 2) at Naas Racecourse in County Kildare, Ireland.

Let’s look at the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) which is the first Grade One race on the Kentucky Derby Trail and a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Race.

Game Winner heads a herd of five as the 6-5 morning line favorite and he comes into this race with a 2-0-0 in two starts including a win in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) last out for Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

GAME WINNER bumped with a rival early, stalked three deep then four wide on the backstretch, continued outside on the turn and three deep into the stretch and rallied under left handed urging to the lead in deep stretch to prove best.

Game Winner stalked the pace and pulled away from pacesetter Rowayton in the stretch to easily win by 1½ lengths.

Candy Ride, the sire of Game Winner, was bred in Argentina and during his racing career he was undefeated in six starts.

In his maiden debut as a three-year-old, Candy Ride won the Premio El Quimico, a six-furlong sprint, by 12 lengths. He went on to finish the season with a win in the one-mile Gran Premio San Isidro (G1) by eight lengths and another win by eight lengths in the one-mile Joaquin S de Anchorena (G1).

As a four-year-old, Candy Ride was shipped to America where won his U.S. debut in an 8 ½ furlong Allowance Optional Claiming race at Hollywood Park on June 7, 2003. A month later, he ran on the turf winning the 9-furlong American Handicap (G2) and in August, Candy Ride was able to carry his speed to a 3¼-length victory in the 10-furlong Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) in a record time of 1:59.11.

Game Winner has a C Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® but his Behavior Index makes him competitive in this race.

A long shot I like is Jefe (8-1) and he comes into this race with an 0-1-2 record in three starts for trainer Keith Desormeaux. Here’s the video and chart call of his last race:

JEFE saved ground stalking the pace, moved up the inside on the second turn, came out into the stretch and was clearly second best.

Curlin, the sire of Jefe, was an outstanding racehorse that compiled an 11-2-2 record in 16 career starts with $10,501,800 in career earnings.

Curlin did not start as a two-year-old. But, at the age of three, Curlin was 6-1-2 in nine starts with $5,102,800 in earnings including wins in the Rebel Stakes (G3) and Arkansas Derby (G2) en route to a third-place finish in the 2007 Kentucky Derby (G1). He went on to win the Preakness Stakes (G1) and he finished second in the Belmont Stakes (G1).

Other important stakes wins include the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), twice, Dubai World Cup (G1), Stephen Foster Handicap (G1), Woodward Stakes (G1), and the UAE Jaguar Trophy Handicap.

In six crops as a stallion, Curlin has sired the 2013 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Palace Malice and the 2016 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Exaggerator. In addition, Curlin produced the classic-placed runners Good Magic (second, 2018 Kentucky Derby), Tenfold (third, 2018 Preakness), Ride On Curlin (second, 2014 Preakness), Keen Ice (third, 2015 Belmont) and Irish War Cry (second, 2017 Belmont).

With an A+ Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile®, Jefe has the breeding to win this race. But, he’ll need to improve his game and the stretch out in distance could be a plus in his favor.

Gunmetal Gray (9-5) comes into this race off a maiden win last out for trainer Jerry Holllendorfer. Here’s the video and chart call of that race:

GUNMETAL GRAY stalked inside then a bit off the rail, bid between horses on the backstretch and outside of a rival on the second turn, took the lead leaving that turn and drew off inside in the stretch under urging and steady handling late.

Gunmetal Gray was clearly the best of the eight-horse herd as he pulled away in the stretch to win by 6¾ lengths.

Exchange Rate, the sire of Gunmetal Gray, was a graded stakes winner who compiled a 6-2-2 record in 15 starts with $479,803 in career earnings. He fared best mostly in sprint races finishing second in both the Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes (G3) and Best Pal Stakes (G3) as a two-year-old.

At the age of three, Exchange Rate was able to stretch out and win the 8½-furlong Risen Star Stakes (G2) en route to a fourth-place finish in the Louisiana Derby (G2), a ninth-place finish in the Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) and a 12-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

His only stake win came as a five-year-old in the seven-furlong Tom Fool Handicap (G2).

Gunmetal Gray has a low E Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® but his Behavior Index makes him competitive.

*****

A total of 35 races comprise the Road to the Kentucky Derby. In addition, there are seven races on the European road to the Kentucky Derby and there three races on the Japan road to Derby glory.

2018/2019 KENTUCKY DERBY LEADERBOARD

Ranking, total points, Trainer

1. Cairo Cat, 10, Ken McPeek

2. Tight Ten, 4, Steve Asmussen

3. Pole Sitter, 2, Brad Cox

4. Tobacco Road, 1, Steve Asmussen