Kentucky Derby 2018 Daily: Combatant needs luck of draw
Welcome to Horse Racing Nation’s Kentucky Derby Daily, which will each day leading up to the May 5 race at Churchill Downs detail all the news and notes related to contenders in one convenient space.
David Fiske, racing manager for Combatant’s co-owner, Winchell Thoroughbreds, sighed, paused and summed up his horse’s chances to factor in the 2018 Kentucky Derby with one number: five.
That, Fiske said Monday at Churchill Downs, would be an ideal post position for a horse who was stuck outside in his final three preps, all at Oaklawn Park.
“I think he’s been kind of victimized his last few races by lone speed, off tracks and bad draws,” Fiske said. “So, we’ll see.”
In the Feb. 19 Southwest Stakes, Combatant broke from post 10 of 11 and rallied for second on a muddy track.
In the March 17 Rebel Stakes, the Scat Daddy colt had the outside stall 10 and clawed back for third.
And in the April 14 Arkansas Derby, he was outside again, this time in the No. 9 post, and ran fourth — but just a head from second.
So this time, Fiske is looking for the No. 5 post — or, really, he continued, anywhere in the first gate.
“But he’ll most likely draw 20,” Fiske said. “That’s kind of his deal.”
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Combatant posted the lone workout Monday during the 15-minute training window exclusive to Derby and Kentucky Oaks contenders. It was a typically easy half mile in 49.60 seconds.
Going back four starts, there’s reason to believe Combatant could be the type of horse that runs well late in the Derby. It was just a year ago that Asmussen saddled longshot Lookin At Lee to a runner-up finish.
“We didn’t have to do too much,” Fiske said of the work. “He ran two weeks ago. He seems to be doing good. Worked good this morning. We’ll just see how he draws tomorrow.”
To open his 2018 campaign, the colt ran in another of Oaklawn’s preps, the Jan. 15 Smarty Jones Stakes, and finished second with a closing kick in a race won by Mourinho, who got an easy lead.
“The last three Derbys, the winner’s come out of the first three horses going into the first turn,” Fiske said. “There’s not speed in the Derby like there used to be.
“…I’d like to see him more forwardly placed than he’s been the last couple of races.”
Up next
More Derby contenders are arriving to Churchill Downs, with Firenze Fire the latest to settle in his barn following a van ride from New York. Two of the big horses should be on the grounds by the end of the day Monday, with Justify set to arrive this afternoon with other West Coast horses and Mendelssohn later in the day. Word is, Mendelssohn will quarantine at Churchill with his first day training over the surface Thursday.
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