Kentucky Derby Preview

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
May 2, 2014

Kentucky Derby Preview

Vicar's in Trouble

Trainer: Mike Maker Jockey: Rosie Napravnik The little bay is one of the smallest horses in this year's Derby field. He's also the third Louisiana-bred ever to start in the Run for the Roses. Vicar's in Trouble won his home-state derby on the lead on March 29 when the pace broke down. He has some early speed, which he'll have to use at the break on Saturday to avoid getting hemmed in on the rail.

Harry's Holiday

Trainer: Mike Maker Jockey: Corey Lanerie The second of trainer Mike Maker's three starters in the race is the son of 2002 Derby favorite Harlan's Holiday. This is a tough spot for Harry's Holiday. He finished second by a nose in a slow Spiral Stakes at Turfway on March 22, and then lost a shoe in a dull 13th-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 12. He only became the 20th qualifier for the Derby when Midnight Hawk withdrew from contention on April 2.

Uncle Sigh

Trainer: Gary Contessa Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. The colt -- named for Si Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame -- will be vying to become the first New York-bred to win the Derby since Funny Cide in 2003. Uncle Sigh ran wide when he finished fifth in the Wood Memorial on April 5. He's probably better than he showed in that race, but the Derby's 10 furlongs might still be too much for him.

Danza

Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: Joe Bravo Let's get this out of the way first: Yes, he's named for Tony Danza. The colt's sire is Street Boss, and in an effort to be clever, his owners, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, chose the surname of the actor who played the title role in the 1980s sitcom <italics>Who's the Boss?</italics> Danza is lightly raced -- he was sidelined by a knee injury last year -- but he has trained impressively at Churchill Downs this week. The chestnut won the Arkansas Derby on April 12, his first race around two turns and longer than seven furlongs. Can you say, dark horse?

California Chrome

Trainer: Art Sherman Jockey: Victor Espinoza The horse from nowhere is a worthy favorite, and the pace in this race could set up very well for his stalking style. There was nothing in his breeding to suggest that the colt would be this good, but he's won four straight races by 24¼ lengths, including impressive victories in the San Felipe Stakes and the Santa Anita Derby, on March 8 and April 5, respectively. His owners and his trainer don't have much Derby experience, but California Chrome is breaking from a decent post, and jockey Victor Espinoza won the Derby in 2002 atop War Emblem.

Samraat

Trainer: Rick Violette Jr. Jockey: Jose Ortiz He's won five times in six career starts, with his only defeat coming when he ran between rivals in the stretch to finish second to Wicked Strong in the Wood Memorial on April 5. Samraat is quick out of the gate and in every one of his races has run on or near the pace. Trainer Rick Violette Jr. insists, however, that his colt is a "very, very adaptable horse." There's no questioning his heart -- his record speaks for itself -- but the slightly built bay may be another for whom the Derby's 10 furlongs is too much.

We Miss Artie

Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: Javier Castellano The Canadian-bred colt finished seventh in last November's Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and his biggest victory came when he prevailed by a nose over Harry's Holiday in the Spiral Stakes on March 22. We Miss Artie runs well on synthetic racing surfaces, but is 0-for-3 on dirt, which is the surface he'll be running over on Saturday. The Derby is a big step up in class for him.

General A Rod

Trainer: Mike Maker Jockey: Joel Rosario He has finished in the money in all five of his career starts, winning twice. His last victory, however, came on New Year's Day in the Gulfstream Derby. The colt is another in this race who is making a big step up in class, but there's no denying his consistency. And to answer the obvious question: He's named for owner J. Armando Rodriguez, not the disgraced Yankees slugger.

Vinceremos

Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: Joe Rocco Jr. The third of trainer Todd Pletcher's four Derby starters, Vinceremos has won two of his five career starts. He may, however, be in over his head this time. He was competitive on the dirt in Florida last winter, but on April 12 he finished 14th in the Blue Grass Stakes, his first race over a synthetic surface. So which colt will we see on Saturday? Probably the good one -- he will certainly be better than he was at Keeneland last month -- but it seems doubtful that his best will be good enough to win the Run for the Roses.

Wildcat Red

Trainer: Jose Garoffalo Jockey: Luis Saez He's very consistent, finishing first or second in all six of his career starts, including four wins. The colt, who won the Fountain of Youth on Feb. 22 and finished second in the Florida Derby on March 29, has plenty of early speed and is expected to be one of the pacesetters on Saturday. He hasn't had the best week of workouts at Churchill Downs, but he definitely has ability. It wouldn't be shocking to see him get up for a share of the Derby purse.

Dance With Fate

Trainer: Peter Eurton Jockey: Corey Nakatani If he wins the Derby, it will be the first victory of his career on dirt. In eight starts, the bay has won three times, including the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 12. That was three weeks ago, and in addition to questions about which surface Dance With Fate prefers, there is also the fact that he usually likes more than 21 days between starts. He's good, but probably not the horse for this course.

Chitu

Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Martin Garcia According to trainer Bob Baffert, the colt's name is pronounced CHEE-too, and he is named for a prominent Chinese racehorse. (Susan and Charles Choo, who race as the Tanma Corporation, own Chitu.) On the track, the chestnut, who has won three of four career starts, likes to run on or near the lead. This Derby is full of early speed, and that's going to make it very difficult for Chitu to stay in front for 10 furlongs.

Medal Count

Trainer: Dale Romans Jockey: Robby Albarado With his closing style, he's sure to get a lot of action at the mutuel windows on race day. The Derby will be his third start in the last 30 days -- he won the Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland on April 4, and then ran second in the Blue Grass eight days later -- an unusually intense schedule for a young horse with a world of talent. But there is a precedent: When Charismatic won the Derby in 1999, it was his third race in 29 days. Medal Count has worked well at Churchill Downs, and it wouldn't be totally shocking if he charged his way into the money on Saturday.

Tapiture

Trainer: Steve Asmussen Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr. The colt is blissfully unaware of all the drama surrounding trainer Steve Asmussen this week. Tapiture has two full brothers who have struggled at longer distances, but he won at Churchill Downs last November in the 1 1/16-mile Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. Still, he was a dull fourth in the Arkansas Derby on April 12, and seems to be going the wrong direction. There's no doubt he has talent, but has did he peak too soon?

Intense Holiday

Trainer: Todd Pletcher Jockey: John Velazquez He might be the best of trainer Todd Pletcher's four Derby starters. The colt has been working very well at Churchill Downs in preparation for the Derby. He finished a troubled second on March 29 in the Louisiana Derby, a race in which Vicar's in Trouble was allowed to get loose on the lead. Before that, on Feb. 22, Intense Holiday won the Risen Star. He has ability, and is another who is likely to benefit from a hotly contested pace. He hasn't yet run well enough to beat some of his Derby rivals at their best, but he may be able to get up for a late score..

Commanding Curve

Trainer: Dallas Stewart Jockey: Shaun Bridgmohan He's another closer who would benefit from a speedy pace on Saturday. The colt has finished in the money in four of his six career starts, but has won only once, scoring in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race last November at Churchill Downs. He ran a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 89 while finishing third in his last race, the Louisiana Derby on March 29. He's a nice colt, but he seems in over his head here.

Candy Boy

Trainer: John Sadler Jockey: Gary Stevens The big bay is the son of Candy Ride, a monster as a mile specialist in his native Argentina, and the winner of the 1¼-mile Pacific Classic in 2003. Candy Boy defeated Chitu in the Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita on Feb. 8, but finished well behind California Chrome and Hoppertunity in the Santa Anita Derby on April 5. Candy Boy might be in a little over his head, but with jockey Gary Stevens in the irons, he shouldn't be ignored on Saturday. Stevens has won the Derby three times (in 1988, '95 and '97). Dangerous.

Ride On Curlin

Trainer: William Gowan Jockey: Calvin Borel He wasn't in Danza's class in the Arkansas Derby, finishing second. It was Ride On Curlin's third Derby prep race of 2014, and the third time he finished in the money without winning. The colt has finished in the money in eight of his nine career starts, but won only twice. He's likely to see a lot of action at the mutuel windows on Saturday because he'll be ridden in the Derby by Churchill favorite Calvin Borel -- or Bo-rail, if you prefer.

Wicked Strong

Trainer: Jimmy Jerkens Jockey: Rajiv Maragh A serious contender, he's a closer who comes from off the pace -- he was very impressive in winning the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 5. He drew a terrible starting position, but Big Brown won from post 20 in 2008, and the pace on Saturday is likely to be favorable. Owner Donald Little Jr., the president of Centennial Farms of Beverly, Mass., renamed him in the wake of the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings (his original name was Moyne Spun). Centennial Farms is donating one percent of Wicked Strong's winnings to the One Boston Fund, which supports the bombing victims and their families.

Kentucky Derby Preview