Kentucky Derby 2019 Daily: Did Justify break Apollo’s Curse?
Welcome to Horse Racing Nation’s Kentucky Derby Daily, which will each day leading up to the May 4 race at Churchill Downs detail all the news and notes related to contenders in one convenient space.
Feb. 18: It’s a date on the calendar those following the 2019 Kentucky Derby trail might recognize as the day when Justify changed the game. And here we are again, exactly year after his historic run began.
Until the chestnut son of Scat Daddy came along, it was essentially a rule that your Derby winner needed at least one start at age 2 to gain the type of foundation needed for traveling 1 1/14 miles on the first Saturday in May.
Justify broke the so-called “curse of Apollo” — that horse in 1882 was the last to win the Derby without running as a juvenile — to improve the record of those facing such an obstacle to 63: 1-3-5 since 1937, according to Churchill Downs’ records. Other than Justify, the only others on the board were Curlin (2007), Bodemeister (2012) and Battle of Midway (2017).
The question to be answered in the coming years as horsemen focus their top Derby threats on peaking at the right time, late in prep season to earn points necessary to qualify, is: Did Justify change the game? Or is he merely an aberration in Apollo’s continuing curse?
There are at least four horses (here, in alphabetical order) worth monitoring this go around on the Derby trail who have run impressively in the new year without a start in 2018.
Dessman — As with Justify, he’s trained by Bob Baffert. The debut winner scored by 7 1/2 lengths on Jan. 19 at Santa Anita, then came back to be a game second in the San Vicente (G2) over a drying track. He’s bred to go longer, though Baffert did say before Jan. 1 that all his anticipated big horses had already raced.
Global Campaign — The half-brother of Bolt d’Oro has already run and won twice, overcoming a mild foot issue between his Jan. 5 unveiling and comeback Feb. 9 to win easily in allowance optional claiming company at Gulfstream Park. The Derby trail is next, likely the March 9 Tampa Bay Derby (G2).
Hidden Scroll — Having won by daylight on the Pegasus World Cup undercard over a sloppy, speed-favoring track, will he be able to replicate that 104 Beyer Speed Figure-earning performance in the Fountain of Youth (G2)? So far, he’s fastest on paper of the crop. We’ll find out a lot more on March 2.
Intrepid Heart — In another notable Feb. 18 performance, this son of Tapit, a half-brother to Commissioner and $750,000 purchase trained by Todd Pletcher, battled on the lead and pulled away after fractions of 23.11 and 47.28 on Monday’s Southwest Stakes (G3) undercard. Robert and Lawana Low, who campaigned Magnum Moon, another Apollo threat from 2018, also own this one to watch.
Soldado — He has the look of a 3-year-old to watch, as on Feb. 2 he came from just off the pace to win his debut at Gulfstream and has since returned to the work tab. This, however, isn’t your ordinary Pletcher runner. The son of Verrazano is a Virginia-bred who sold for $80,000 as a yearling, but just $8,000 as a 2-year-old. He’ll go next in a two-turn stakes.
Derby links
• Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer says the San Felipe (G2) and a matchup with Game Winner is a possibility but not “written in stone” for unbeaten Instagrand. Our Derby Radar has the full story.
• Network Effect, the graded stakes-placed colt trained by Chad Brown, is off the Derby trail after considered for the Fountain of Youth, reports the Daily Racing Form’s David Grening.
• HRN senior writer Brian Zipse offers more on Hidden Scroll, who should he put forth a big Fountain of Youth effort would compare favorably to some past greats.
Southwest coverage
Look for full reaction to the Southwest Stakes later on the HRN home page, and if you’re planning to play the race, read down our Southwest Stakes picks and free past performances beforehand.