New York’s 2015 Kentucky Derby Contenders IV (The Gotham)

Here is the fourth edition of New York's trail to the 2015 Kentucky Derby, featuring: a feel-good Gotham story, changes in the Top 10, and the latest news on all of the contenders.

Heading into the Gotham, it seemed like all the handicappers were trying to beat El Kabeir, unwilling to take the anticipated short odds again, especially after his second place finish in the Withers. In the paddock before the race, I said to a friend that El Kabeir would probably win because everyone is trying to beat him today. My choice was the lightly raced Tiz Shea D.

As it turned out, Tiz Shea D ran very well off his first-time Parx maiden win to finish second after a run up the rail in tight quarters, but it was El Kabeir and jockey “Chuckie” Lopez who stole the show in the Gotham. Known for his prowess on the front end, he was well matched with El Kabeir’s usual running style. On Saturday, they both had to adapt after they fell far behind in the early going.

The victory sparked a feel-good story for the veteran rider. With over 4,000 career wins, the 54-year-old Lopez has never won a grade one race or had a mount in the Kentucky Derby. After the Gotham, Lopez was thrilled but worried he would eventually lose the horse. The next day owner Ahmed Zayat made a commitment to Lopez, so he now has a chance in the Wood Memorial to get that grade one win and maybe a spot in the Derby field.

 

There have been a lot of changes in the top 10 since the February list. Khozan, Ocean Knight, and Imperia are out and Carpe Diem, Royal Son, and Materiality are in.

Two more disappointments for the Kiaran McLaughlin barn, especially with Ocean Knight’s no show effort in the Tampa Bay Derby. He appeared to be eased coming down the stretch, but got a clean bill of health the day after the race. Khozan’s injury to a right hind ankle was a blow to the Todd Pletcher barn after he was one of the top choices in the third Kentucky Derby Futures Pool.

One Pletcher runner dropped out of the top 10 and two took his place. Most impressive was Materiality who recorded a 104 BSF in his second race in the Islamorada Stake at Gulfstream Park. Royal Son finally lived up to his potential when he romped on the polytrack at Turfway Park in the Battaglia.

Carpe Diem returned to the races with a victory in the Tampa Bay Derby and took over as the most promising New York contender for the Kentucky Derby. Upstart retained the number two spot; his courage and determination should serve him well in the rough and tumble 20 horse Derby field.

1) Carpe Diem

2) Upstart

3) International Star

4) Far From Over

5) El Kabeir

6) Materiality

7) Itsaknockout

8) J S Bach

 

 

 

 

 

In the list below you will find the odds from Derby Futures Wager #3 that closed on March 1, updated qualifying points, and possible next starts. Information, added since the February Contenders list, is noted in green. The first group is arranged by Derby points and the rest, with no points, are alphabetical.

El Kabeir (Scat Daddy)

OBSAug13 $250,000

8: 4-2-1 $678,892

Owner: Zayat Stables

Trainer: John Terranova

Jockey: C. C. Lopez/Calvin Borel/Irad Ortiz Jr.

2^nd Withers (G3) – BSF 93

1^st Jerome (G3) – BSF 95

1^st Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) – BSF 92

2^nd Nashua Stakes (G2) – BSF 84

4^th Champagne Stakes (G1) – BSF 74

1^st MSW Saratoga – BSF 93

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 74-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: 39-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: 47-1

International Star (Fusaichi Pegasus)

EASSept13 $85,000

8: 4-2-0 $560,979

Owner: Ken and Sarah Ramsey

Trainer: Michael Maker

Jockey: Miguel Mena

1^st Lecomte (G3) – BSF 89

4^th Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) – BSF 84

9^th Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) – BSF 74

1^st Grey (G3) – BSF 66

2^nd With Anticipation (G2) TURF – BSF 75

1^st MSW Saratoga TURF – BSF 73

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: 44-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: 22-1

Carpe Diem (Giant’s Causeway)

OBSMar14 $1,600,000

4: 3-1-0 $919,800

Owner: WinStar and Stonestreet

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: John Velazquez

2^nd Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) – BSF 93

1^st Breeders’ Futurity Stakes (G1) – BSF 91

1^st MSW Saratoga – BSF 84

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 15-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: 12-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: 10-1

Itsaknockout (Lemon Drop Kid)

3: 3-0-0 $287,360

Owner: Starlight Racing

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Luis Saez

1^st  Allowance Gulfstream Park – BSF 89

1^st MSW Gulfstream Park – BSF 75

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: 30-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: 30-1

 

Upstart (Flatter)

SARAug13 $130,000

6: 3-2-1 $779,480

Owner: Ralph Evans

Trainer: Rick Violette

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

1^st Holy Bull (G2) – BSF 106

3^rd Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) – BSF 92

2^nd Champage (G1) – BSF 102

1^st Funny Cide (NY) – BSF 95

1^st MSW (NY) Saratoga – BSF 85

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 53-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: 12-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: 15-1

Mr. Z (Malibu Moon)

FTKOct13 $165,000

10: 1-4-3 $544,726

Owner: Zayat Stables

Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas

Jockey: Jon Court/Mike Smith/Paco Lopez

3^rd Smarty Jones – BSF 85

3^rd Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) – BSF 91

2^nd Delta Jackpot (G2) – BSF 90

5^th Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) – BSF 89

2^nd Breeders’ Futurity (G1) – BSF 80

2^nd Saratoga Special (G2) – BSF 79

2^nd Sanford (G2) – BSF 79

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 47-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: 44-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: 44-1

Frosted (Tapit)

6: 1-4-0 $246,800

Owner: Godolphin

Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

2^nd Holy Bull (G2) – BSF 96

2^nd Remsen (G2) – BSF 89

1^st MSW Aqueduct – BSF 89

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 38-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: 31-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: Mutuel Field 4-1

 

 

Classy Class (Discreetly Mine)

OBSMar14 $250,000

4: 1-0-2 $130,000

Owner: Cheyenne Stables

Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

3^rd Withers (G3) – BSF 91

4^th Remsen (G2) – BSF 75

1^st MSW Belmont Park – BSF 88

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 99-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: Mutuel Field 5-2

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: Mutuel Field 4-1

 

Daredevil (More Than Ready)

KEESept13 $260,000

4: 2-1-0 $384,600

Owner: Lets Go Stable and WinStar

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Javier Castellano

11^th Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) – BSF 57

1^st Champagne Stakes (G1) – BSF 107

1^st MSW Belmont Park – BSF 96

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 48-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: 40-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: 43-1

Far From Over (Blame)

KEESept13 $550,000

2: 2-0-0 $186,000

Owner: Black Rock Thoroughbreds

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Manuel Franco

1^st Withers (G3) – BSF 96

1^st MSW Aqueduct – BSF 79

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: Mutuel Field 5-2

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: 13-1

Bold Conquest (Curlin)

5: 1-2-1 $153,576

Owner: Ackerley Bros.

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Jockey: Rosie Napravnik

3^rd Breeders’ Futurity (G1) – BSF 70

2^nd Iroquois (G3) – BSF 83

1^st MSW Saratoga – BSF 72

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: Mutuel Field 5-2

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: Mutuel Field 4-1

Imperia (Medaglia d’Oro)

5: 1-2-0 $191,404

Owner: Godolphin

Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin

Jockey: Mike Smith/Robby Albarado/Javier Castellano

2^nd Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) – BSF 92

10^th Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf – BSF 73

1^st Pilgrim (G3) TURF – BSF 82

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 27-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: 24-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: Mutuel Field 4-1

               **********

 

Blofeld (Quality Road)

FTFMar14 $225,000

3: 3-0-0 $319,800

Owner: Glencrest Farms

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: John Velazquez

1^st Nashua (G2) – BSF 93

1^st Belmont Futurity Stakes (G2) – BSF 94

1^st MSW Saratoga – BSF 88

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 40-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: Mutuel Field 5-2

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: Mutuel Field 4-1

Gorgeous Bird (Unbridled’s Song)

4: 2-0-0 $61,772

Owner: Marylou Whitney Stables

Trainer: Ian Wikes

Jockey: Joel Rosario

1st Allowance - Gulfstream Park – BSF 83

1^st MSW Churchill Downs – BSF 75

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: 32-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: Mutuel Field 4-1

J S Bach (Tale of the Cat)

2: 1-1-0 $33,960

Owner: Donald Dizney

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: John Velazquez

1^st MSW Gulfstream Park – BSF 97 

2^nd MSW (FL-bred) Gulfstream Park – BSF 92

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: 69-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: Mutuel Field 4-1

Materiality (Afleet Alex)

EASMay14 $400,000

2: 2-0-0 $60,828

Owner: Alto Racing

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: John Velazquez

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: Mutuel Field 5-2

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: Mutuel Field 4-1

Ocean Knight (Curlin)

OBSMar14 $320,000

3: 2-0-0 $156,000

Owner: Stonestreet Stables

Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

1^st Sam F. Davis (G3) – BSF 93

1^st MSW Aqueduct – BSF 93

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: 18-1

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 3: 23-1

Royal Son (Tiznow)

5: 2-2-0 $133,825

Owner: WinStar

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Ron Prescott

7^th Sam F. Davis – BSF 73

1^st MSW (by DQ) Gulfstream Park – BSF 75

2^nd MSW Saratoga – BSF 69

2^nd MSW Saratoga – BSF 72

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 2: Mutuel Field 5-2