The Road to the Kentucky Derby will log a lot of miles this
Saturday with three qualifying races from coast-to-coast. On the east coast,
the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) post time is 5:32 p.m. ET and the
Gotham Stakes (G3) post time is 5:42 p.m. On the west coast, the San Felipe
Stakes (G2) post is 6:00 p.m. ET.
Let’s
look at the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) where SOLE
VOLANTE (8-1)
has been tabbed the 2-1 morning-line favorite.
Solo Volante comes into this race
with a 3-0-1 record in four starts for trainer Patrick Biancone including a win
last out in the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3). Here’s the video and chart
call:
SOLE VOLANTE broke readily, was
rated along the rail dropping well off the first flight racing to the
backstretch, advanced with a sharp move inside foes racing into the far turn,
switched outside the pacesetter nearing upper stretch and continued with a steady
late response to wrest command and go clear in time under firm left handed
encouragement.
Sole Volante ran toward the back
of the herd early. At the half, Sole Volante was 15½ lengths off the leader Premier Star. Then Sole Volante made a long, sustained
move to run down favored Independence Hall, who had taken the lead at the
three-quarters pole, and he pulled away to win by 2½ lengths.
The splits of 1:36.49 for the mile
and final time of 1:42.60 is what I like to see young colts run on the Derby
trail. Sole Volante’s final time was the third fastest behind Flameaway (1:42.44) and McCraken (1:42.45).
Karakontie, the sire of Sole Volante, is a
Classic Champion Thoroughbred and durable runner that raced mostly in France
for three seasons compiling a 5-2-1 record in 12 starts with $1,967,099 in
career earnings.
As
a two-year-old, Karakontie was 3-1-0 in four starts with victories in the Prix
La Rochette (Group 3) and the Qatar Prix Jean Luc Lagardere-Grand Criterium
(Group 1). He finished second in the Prix Francois Boutin Stakes.
At
the age of three, Karakontie was 2-1-0 in five starts with wins in the Poule
d’Essai des Poulains-French Two Thousand Guineas (Group 1) and the Breeders’
Cup Mile (G1). He finished second in the Prix de Fontainebleau (Group 3).
As
a four-year-old, Karakontie was 0-0-1 in three stars with a third-place finish
in the Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (Group 1).
Sole Volante has an A+ Classic
Champion Thoroughbred Profile®
and he’s the best-bred horse in this race. He has room to improve and I look
for him to take another step forward in his third start of the season.
SPA CITY (10-1) comes into this race with
a 1-1-0 record in three starts for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin including a nice
maiden win last out at Gulfstream Park. Here’s the chart
call
of that race:
SPA CITY pressed the pace outside
HERE COMES BULLET, took over from outside after six furlongs, came into the
lane well out in the track, and kept UNRIGHTEOUS at bay through the late
stages.
Spa City looked good breaking his
maiden in the stretch out to nine furlongs to win by one length over runner up Unrighteous who is also entered in this
Derby.
Street Sense, the sire of Spa City, was a
multiple graded stakes winner that compiled a 6-4-2 record in 13 starts with
$4,383,200 in career earnings.
As
a two-year-old, Street Sense finished third in both the Arlington-Washington
Breeders’ Cup Futurity (G3) and the Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (G1). He
followed that with a win in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Stakes (G1) and was
tabbed as the Eclipse Champion Two-Year-Old.
Street Sense won his season debut as a three-year-old
in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and finished second in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1)
en route to a 2¼ length win over Hard Spun in the 2007 Kentucky Derby.
Spa
City has an A Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and he’s the second-best
bred colt in this race. He’s an improving colt and a recent bullet work out
could have him ready to take another step forward in his third start of the
season.
MARKET
ANALYSIS
(8-1) comes into this race for
trainer Todd Pletcher off a nice maiden win at Gulfstream Park in January. Here’s
the chart call:
MARKET ANALYSIS tracked outside
the early leaders, took over three wide approaching the stretch, drew clear
through the furlong grounds and kept ATTACHMENT RATE at a safe distance late.
Market Analysis looked good winning
his maiden debut by three-quarters of a length.
Honor Code, the sire of Market Analysis,
was a multiple graded stakes winner that compiled a 6-2-2 record in 11 starts
with $2,518,260 in career earnings.
As
a two-year-old, Honor Code was 2-1-0 in three starts with wins in the Foxwoods
Champagne Stakes (G1) and Remsen Stakes (G2).
Honor
Code finished third in his season debut as a three-year-old, but an injury knocked him off the Kentucky
Derby Trail.
At
the age of four, Honor Code was 3-0-2 in six starts with wins in the Gulfstream
Park Handicap (G2), NYRA.com Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and Whitney Stakes
(G1). He finished third in the Kelso Handicap (G2) and Breeders’ Cup Classic
Stakes (G1).
Market
Analysis has an A Classic Champion Thoroughbred
Profile® and he’s the third-best bred colt in this race. He’s stepping up in
class, but he has the breeding to be competitive.
UNRIGHTEOUS (20-1) is also trained by Pletcher
and he comes into this race with a 0-1-0 record in two starts including a second-place
finish last out to Spa City. Here’s the chart
call:
UNRIGHTEOUS bumped and brushed
with GUACO at the start, moved off the inside advancing near the stretch,
challenged outside SPA CITY through the drive, but could not reach that one
while much best of the others.
Unrighteous looked good in his
second career start but came up just one length short of victory.
Violence,
the sire of Unrighteous, showed promise as a two year old on the Kentucky Derby
Trail winning his first three starts including the Nashua Stakes (G2) and the
CashCall Futurity (G1).
In his debut as a three year old,
Violence finished second in the Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2)
but had suffered a fractured
sesamoid bone which ended his career.
Unrighteous has
a C Classic Champion Thoroughbred Profile® and that makes him competitive in
this race. He’s an improving colt and a recent bullet work out could have him
ready to take another step forward in his third career start.
*****
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.
2020 KENTUCKY DERBY LEADERBOARD
Ranking, total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1. Ete Indien, 54,
Patrick Biancone, $288,156
2. Modernist, 50,
Bill Mott, $240,000
3. +Enforceable, 33, Mark
Casse, $344,550
4. Storm the Court, 22, Peter Eurton, $1,136,351
5. Tiz the Law, 22,
Barclay Tagg, $456,000
6. Silver Prospector, 21, Steve Asmussen, $654,851
7. Thousand Words, 20, Bob Baffert, $181,000
8. Major Fed, 20, Greg Foley, $80,000
9. Candy Tycoon, 20, Todd Pletcher, $76,000
10. Shotski, 19, Jeremiah O’Dwyer, $212,466
11. Independence Hall, 14, Mike Trombetta, $205,000
12. Silver State, 14, Steve Asmussen, $80,000
13. +Azul Coast, 14, Bob Baffert, $80,000
14. Shoplifted, 13,
Steve Asmussen, $388,500
15. Anneau d’Or, 12, Blaine Wright, $385,000
16. Maxfield, 10, Brendan Walsh, $300,000
17. Eight Rings, 10, Bob Baffert, $200,35
18. Sole Volante, 10, Patrick Biancone, $173,510
19. Dennis’ Moment, 10, Dale Romans, $141,800
20. Gold Street, 10, Steve Asmussen, $141,000
21. +Max Player, 10, Linda Rice, $137,500
26. +Scabbard, 6, Eddie Kenneally, $178,000
33. +Wells Bayou, 4, Brad Cox, $150,000
+ = Enforceable (Hip 76), Azul Coast (Hip
1177),
Max Player (Hip
929),
Scabbard (Hip
802)
and Wells Bayou (Hip 3281)
were colts we profiled
at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
* Mr.
Monomoy, ranked 2nd with 52 Derby Points, is off the Kentucky Derby
Trail due to a minor
ankle injury.
Unlike other companies that
provide automatic computer-generated pedigree analysis of yearlings at auction,
Classic Champion Thoroughbreds LLC personally handpicks from the sales catalog
all yearlings to
be profiled at auction based upon their breeding.
EUROPEAN
ROAD LEADERBOARD
Ranking,
total points, Trainer, Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1.
Chares (GER), 20, Jane Chapple-Hyam, $80,819
2.
Crossfirehurricane, 20, Joseph O’Brien, $49,507
3.
Kameko, 14, Andrew Balding, $192,894
4.
Innisfree (IRE), 14, Aidan O’Brien, $127,856
5.
Victor Ludorum, 10, Andre Fabre, $250,958
6.
Royal Donarch (IRE), 10, Aidan O’Brien, $115,813
7.
Alson (GER), 4, J.P. Carvalho, $135,572
8.
Shekhem (IRE), 4, Dermot Weld, $24,068
9.
Year of the Tiger (IRE), 3, Aidan O’Brien $36,086
10.
Armory (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $258,793
11.
Iberia (IRE), 2, Aidan O’Brien, $25,389
12.
Gold Maze (GB), 2, Jessica Harrington, $12,034
13.
Mogul (GB), 1, Aidan O’Brien, $111,879
14.
Ecrivain (FR), 1, Carlos Laffon-Parias, $69.202
15.
Camorra (IRE), 1, Ger Lyons, $3,610
JAPAN ROAD LEADERBOARD
Ranking, total points, Trainer,
Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings
1.
Café Pharoah, 30, Noriyuki Hori, $234,290
2.
Vacation (JPN), 20, Kenichi Takatsuki, $499,874
3.
Tango Beauty (JPN), 12, Masato Nishizono, $329,346
4.
Dieu du Vin (JPN), 10, Yukihiro Kato, $159,609
5.
Yaugau (JPN), 6, Naosuke Sugai, $182,385
6.
Longonot (JPN), 3, Mizuki Takayanagi, $158,202
7.
Daimei Corrida (JPN), 2, Naoyuki Morita, $107,736
No comments:
Post a Comment