Kentucky Derby

[PickSixKing]

California Horses ran better than i thought. It was actually a really good race. I bet the two Godolphin Horses across the board but didn't have Journalism or Baeza in my exotics. Won a little bit of money and had a great time.

Excited to see these horses match up again

 

[PickSixKing]

Great time for Beshear to blow his own horn before handing out the trophy. 🙄

I was at the track and couldn't hear. What did he say?

 

[dkingsland967]

Yeah I put waaaaaay too much emphasis on the slop changing up the dynamics of the race

 

[PickSixKing]

So evidently the Churchill Downs vet is who scratched Grande and now Mike Repole is throwing a little shade.

If all of this is true I can't say I blame him

 

[_ukcat]

I was at the track and couldn't hear. What did he say?

I was at the track and couldn't hear. What did he say?

How great the economy is doing in KY. How new jobs have and all the new companies been opening up in the state

 

[PickSixKing]

How great the economy is doing in KY. How new jobs have and all the new companies been opening up in the state

Thanks. I didn't get to hear it live.

Kentucky doesn't get many opportunities to promote itself on a national stage very often. Beshear and Bevin before him both do/did a good job of that. None of that is a statement politically about either one of them but as a Spokesman for The Commonwealth.

I remember as a young man Martha Layne Collins looking like a Southern Belle and Wallace Wilkinso sounding like a Southern Baptist Preacher.

I've seen a lot of them and enjoyed almost all.

I just wish Gatewood Galbraith would have a had a chance to present the Derby Trophy. Now that would have been a hoot!

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

There was an article this week in the LHL explaining why his records have not been broken. He was a great horse, but also tracks were different and faster back then. For example, there hasn't been a track record set at Belmont in 12 or 14 years. Tracks are a bit softer for safety, so the article said. I think it said that the day Secretariat won the Derby, 2 or 3 other track records were set at Churchill.

Perhaps but Secretariat may not have been at full strength in the Derby and Turcotte has said he had more horse to use in both the Preakness and Belmont. In the Derby, he ran each 1/4 mile faster than the previous one so he was still speeding up at the end of the race. A fascinating bit of information is that every horse in the Derby yesterday was a direct descendant of Secretariat. That's amazing.

The track speed issue is overstated a bit. They didn't make the tracks softer until about 12 years ago and to me, that is off set by current breeding strategies. They breed for speed and more speed today.

 

[Tskware]

Perhaps but Secretariat may not have been at full strength in the Derby and Turcotte has said he had more horse to use in both the Preakness and Belmont. In the Derby, he ran each 1/4 mile faster than the previous one so he was still speeding up at the end of the race. A fascinating bit of information is that every horse in the Derby yesterday was a direct descendant of Secretariat. That's amazing.

The track speed issue is overstated a bit. They didn't make the tracks softer until about 12 years ago and to me, that is off set by current breeding strategies. They breed for speed and more speed today.

No question Secretariat was one of the all timers, maybe the best ever, but there have been a number of TC winners since then, plus a ton of really great horses, e.g., Spectacular Bid, Cigar, Arrogate, Flightline, et al. His records were probably a combination of greatness + track conditions that no longer prevail, so it is possible that the Belmont record, to name one, may never be broken.

 

[CondorCat]

With Sovereignty's win, his sire Into Mischief now has 3 Derby winners. First time this has happened since Calumet's Bull Lea sired 3 Derby champions in the 1950s.

This Thoroughbred didn't win the Kentucky Derby. But he's dominating it in 'retirement.'

Into Mischief never participated in a Triple Crown race, but he's cracked the code in what it takes to become a Derby champion.

www.usatoday.com

 

[catsfanbgky]

Had Baeza got 2nd (missed by 1/2 length) I would have had a $5 exacta Derby ticket, had he won, would have had the Derby Exacta and the Oaks-Derby Double (another $5 ticket). Damn it to hell!!!!!!

I had Sovereignity / Journalism / Burnham Square. Paid back $120.80. Was hoping Burnham Square would have been in the top 2 with Sovereignity for a higher payout, but had Journalism in the box to prevent him from killing my exacta. I will take the $120.80, better than not having Journalism in it and getting back $0. When Grande scratched, I added Baeza $5 W/P/S, paid out $20.95.

 

[College#19]

Sovereignty and Journalism are monsters. Two best Derby horses we have seen in a long time. Journalism couldn't get it done because he spent too much energy in the first half of the race down on the rail. Sovereignty going off at 7-1 was criminal. Mott clearly held him back in the Florida Derby. Moving forward I expect these two to dominate the three year old circuit. They might take different paths or meet up a couple times, but I think we will see both of them as favorites in the BC Classic later this year. Baeza will be in the discussion as well but his trainer is pretty conservative and I doubt we will see him race as much. It was a good day for the Kentucky Derby.

 

[catsfanbgky]

Grande will be one of my top picks for the Preakness. I believe that was a big reason for the scratch. Focus on the Preakness after all the rain.

 

[KYExtemper]

Late to the party but this was a good race. The last quarter was great fun.

 

[Glenn's take]

Grande will be one of my top picks for the Preakness. I believe that was a big reason for the scratch. Focus on the Preakness after all the rain.

He was a vet scratch. He won't be eligible yet for the Preakness.

 

[Tskware]

Sovereignty and Journalism are monsters. Two best Derby horses we have seen in a long time.

How long is a long time? Justify won the TC in 2018, and American Pharaoh in 2015, plus the BC Classic. Based on Saturday you think Sovereignty and Journalism are THAT good? Uh, I don't know about that . . ..

 

[cole854]

How long is a long time? Justify won the TC in 2018, and American Pharaoh in 2015, plus the BC Classic. Based on Saturday you think Sovereignty and Journalism are THAT good? Uh, I don't know about that . . ..

Yep...each year is on it's own merit, especially w/ 20 horses, pace, different tracks, good/bad trips, etc. You can always play the "what if" game, especially w/ multiple stakes winners throughout the year. Last year, Sierra Leone and Fierceness were arguably better than the top 2 from Saturday.

Had Flightline not been injured when he was two, then we're probably looking at another TC winner in 2021.

 

[paintrain_cat]

How long is a long time? Justify won the TC in 2018, and American Pharaoh in 2015, plus the BC Classic. Based on Saturday you think Sovereignty and Journalism are THAT good? Uh, I don't know about that . . ..

I would say Sovereignty is the best horse to win the Derby since Authentic, but you never know how Authentic truly was with Baffert as trainer. His stud career leaves a lot to be desired. Then you have Nyquist before you go back to get to Justify. But you have Bob Baffert, Doug O'Neill, and then Godolphin with Sovereignty, not exactly the cleanest whistles if you ask me.

 

[catsfanbgky]

What I do know is that Sovereignty started from the 18 gate, had the furthest to run and beat the so called "deserved favorite" fairly easily. Not like they was neck and neck. I would guess he will skip the Preakness and run the Belmont. Not sure he tries to run all 3.

 

[cole854]

What I do know is that Sovereignty started from the 18 gate, had the furthest to run and beat the so called "deserved favorite" fairly easily. Not like they was neck and neck. I would guess he will skip the Preakness and run the Belmont. Not sure he tries to run all 3.

Sovereignty fell right in behind the pack in the first 1/16 so the post was a non-factor. Journalism got bumped and had a boatload of traffic until they reached the first turn.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

I don’t care much about the track. I will turn on the Derby right before the race and enjoy the excitement, but don’t have any desire to go back to the track.

Even so, I thought watching Sandman in the Derby was interesting. Seems the horse got a REALLY bad start and was pushed around earlier and made a weird veer in the first part of the raise (did his jockey pull up to keep him from sprinting with those who started fast?). Then, by the final turn, he had moved from the back to just falling out of the money. I would love to hear what his trainer and jockey had to say. Seems that start set him back too much to recover.

 

[catsfanbgky]

Sovereignty fell right in behind the pack in the first 1/16 so the post was a non-factor. Journalism got bumped and had a boatload of traffic until they reached the first turn.

That was also a non factor. Journalism had the lead, Sovereignty passed him and pulled away by a length and a half. They was both clear of traffic, the #18 horse was just the better horse, period.. So you are saying the 18 post position is the same distance as the 8th ???

 

[Wesley91581]

What I do know is that Sovereignty started from the 18 gate, had the furthest to run and beat the so called "deserved favorite" fairly easily. Not like they was neck and neck. I would guess he will skip the Preakness and run the Belmont. Not sure he tries to run all 3.

You were correct he’s not running the Preakness

 

[CondorCat]

Bummer.

Sovereignty skips Preakness, run at Triple Crown

Kentucky Derby winner Sovereignty will not run in the Preakness Stakes and instead will rest before the Belmont Stakes, ending any hopes for a Triple Crown.

www.espn.com

 

[bigbluedon]

Had Baeza got 2nd (missed by 1/2 length) I would have had a $5 exacta Derby ticket, had he won, would have had the Derby Exacta and the Oaks-Derby Double (another $5 ticket). Damn it to hell!!!!!!

I won races 9-10 and 11. Got to the Derby and bet too many horses and it nullified my winnings. I had Journalism across the board and a show bet on Sovereignty, and won a little bit, but those other bets ruined it for me. But it was fun. I don’t bet a lot of money but what I have learned is go with your first picks and don’t look back. I would have won over $100 had I done that. Oh well. Still enjoyed it and I did win those other three races. lol