2014 Kentucky Derby Watch - Top Ten
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The
people have voted! Horse Racing Nation is the only website that
allows the fans to determine the best racehorses in the land. Your
opinion is just as good – and sometimes better – than those guys
who are paid the big bucks at other major websites. Let's take a
closer look at the contender pedigrees for the top ten on the 2014
Kentucky Derby Contenders list.
Race
record: 3-2-0-0 ($230,400)
Trainer:
D.
Wayne Lukas
This
classically bred colt pole vaulted to the top of many people's early
Kentucky Derby lists after his dominating victory in the Hopeful
Stakes (G-1). He jumped from #6 to #1 in the Horse Racing Nation
ranks after the Hopeful. His HOF trainer indicated that they'll
target the Champagne Stakes at Belmont as a prep for the Breeders'
Cup Juvenile. Read his pedigree
profile.
Race
record: 4-3-1-0 ($113,000)
Trainer:
Edward
Plesa Jr.
Owned
and trained by the same connections of Preakness Stakes runner-up
Itsmyluckyday, this precocious youngster won his debut in June by a
head at Monmouth. Two weeks later, he invaded Florida and galloped to
a four length advantage in the Frank
Gomez Memorial Stakes. In August, he was back at Monmouth, this time
on the turf, where he won the Tyro Stakes. The
sprinting son of Yes It's True suffered his first defeat in the
Sapling Stakes (G-2), tiring to second after getting involved in a
speed duel. Yes I'm Lucky owns a sprinter's pedigree. His dam is a
multiple stakes winning sprinter over dirt and turf. His sire won
multiple graded stakes as a sprinter, yet his damsire was able to
stretch his speed to 1 1/16 miles. Yes I'm Lucky's second damsire
Notebook won from six furlongs to 1 1/8 miles. So Yes I'm Lucky
likely has a sprinter/miler career ahead of him. I expect we'll see
him in Florida this winter and the Swale Stakes would be a logical
goal.
Race
Record: 1-1-0-0 ($48,000)
Trainer:
Claude
R. McGaughey III
This
exquisitely bred colt has a sole race on his resume, but what a race!
From the conservative old-school barn that brought us this year's
Kentucky Derby winner Orb, Honor Code pulled off a Zenyata-like move
in his debut. Trailing the field by as much as nine lengths at one
point, jockey John
Velazquez
gave a text-book Calvin Borel ride, scraping the paint around the
turn and splashing by the field by 4 ½ lengths before they knew what
hit them. The colt did appear a tad green, ducking from the whip and
slowing slightly to run with the other horses before hitting another
gear, but this can certainly be forgiven. Honor Code is a half
brother to the turf graded stakes winner Noble Tune, who won the
American Turf Stakes (G-2) this year. Both his dam Serena's Cat and
second dam Serena's Tune are stakes winners, and Honor Code's third
dam is the Champion Three Year Old Filly and top producer Serena's
Song. Honor Code has the pedigree to become his sire's first
Kentucky Derby winner. So far, he also appears to have the talent.
We may find out in the Champagne Stakes.
Race
Record: 3-2-0-0 ($139,200)
Trainer:
Mike
Puype
Alberts
Hope plummeted from #1 to #4 in an eye blink after his first defeat,
beaten roughly a length in the Del Mar Futurity. It wasn't a bad
race. The colt was off slow, went three and four wide on the turns
and made up ground over a speed favoring track. Alberts Hope likely
won't want to travel farther than a mile or 1 1/16 miles. His female
family carries plenty of speed and includes the graded stakes winners
Little Sister, Littleexpectations, and the top sprinter sire Valid
Expectations.
Race
record: 3-3-0-0 ($367,999)
Trainer:
Wesley
A. Ward
After
winning his debut at the Keeneland spring meet, the powerful son of
Scat Daddy drilled the best two year olds in Europe, gaining
victories in the Norfolk Stakes (GB-G2) at Ascot and the Prix Morny
(FR-G1) at Deauville. According to an article in the Racing Post, No
Nay Never will take the rest of the year off. He may return next
spring at Keeneland before targeting the St James's Palace Stakes or
2,000 Guineas. No Nay Never has a solid miler's pedigree. Although
his sire won up to 1 1/8 miles over dirt, his progeny are proving to
be very adept over grass and synthetic surfaces. Some win going long,
but the majority are strongest around a mile to 1 1/16 miles. No Nay
Never's dam is a half sister to the G-3 winner Cat's Career (by Mr.
Prospector) and the stakes winner Al's River Cat (by Riverman). His
second dam Comical Cat (by Exceller) is stakes placed. Notable (but
distant) relatives include Spinaway winner So Many Ways (by
Sightseeing), multiple graded stakes winner Event of the Year (by
Seattle Slew) and recent Del Mar Futurity hero Tamarando (by
Bertrando).
Race
record: 1-1-0-0
Trainer:
John
W. Sadler
The
swift colt was the fourth highest sales topper after working a
furlong in :10.1 at the OBS March Select Two Year Olds in Training
Sale. The half brother to Grade 3 stakes winner Well Spelled
unfortunately has the typical story of many precocious two year olds
exiting the training sales. He won the Willard L. Proctor Memorial
Stakes in his debut and promptly dropped off the radar. Evidently,
he's getting some time off likely due to baby issues, and hopefully,
will be back by the end of the season. Kobe's Back's distaff line is
light on black-type. He and his half brother own the only stakes wins
in two generations. Their third dam bore the multiple stakes winning
veteran My Creed.
Race
record: 3-1-1-1 ($82,25)
Trainer:
Mario
Morales
Despite
being a bargain basement price of $4,700 at the October Fasig Tipton
sale, Casiguapo has been ambitiously placed. Debuting in the Frank
Gomez Memorial Stakes, Casiguapo finished third, beaten four lengths
by Yes I'm Lucky. After winning his maiden at Calder, Casiguapo
entered the Hopeful Stakes as the longest shot on the board. He was
no contest for Strong Mandate, but was the best of the rest, getting
up for second money by ½ length. The modestly-bred colt owns the
first black-type in two generations of his family. This distaff line
has produced the nice winners Relaxing Rhythm, the stakes veteran
Meribel and Champion Sprint mare Informed Decision. Casiguapo's
damsire Buddha, a brilliant, but fragile son of Unbridled's Song, won
his only three starts, including a victory in the Wood Memorial. He
was a flop as a sire and packed off to Argentina, but may become a
useful broodmare sire since both Casiguapo and All In Blue are out
of Buddha mares.
Race
record: 3-1-0-0 ($53,200)
Trainer:Todd
A. Pletcher
Owned
and trained by the folks who brought us Shanghai Bobby, All In Blue
was an impressive 6 ¼ length debut winner on July 4 at Belmont. The
pretty gray colt stumbled at the start of the Sanford (G-2), but
managed to finish fourth. He was a disappointing seventh in the
Hopeful Stakes (G-1). All In Blue is by the same sire as Verrazano
and is descended from a hardly family of stakes veterans. His dam is
a half sister to the favorite stakes old-timers Chorwon (by Cozzene)
and Yukon Robbery (by Yukon). Her half sisters and their daughters
have bore Kentucky Oaks (G-1) heroine Believe You Can (by Proud
Citizen), the graded turf star Rush Bay (by Cozzene) and Grade 2
winner Classic Elegance (by Carson City). All In Blue may handle
distances up to 1 1/8 miles. There's some turf history in the family,
so there's always the option of the lawn. No clue where All In Blue
will surface next. Perhaps we'll see him this winter in Florida.
Race
record: 4-3-0-0 ($138,347)
Trainer:John
J. Robb
After
three straight wins, including a spectacular victory in the Bashford
Manor (G-3), Debt Ceiling finished in the basement of the Sanford
Stakes (G-2). He's currently breezing at Laurel Park. Read his
pedigree
profile.
Race
record: 2-2-0-0 ($119,744)
Trainer:
Dale
L. Romans
This
gifted colt won his debut over the turf and then rallied to win
the Iroquois (G-3) by a neck over his stablemate Smart Cover on the
Churchill dirt. He's the first foal produced by his dam. She
finished in the money in half of her ten starts and is a half sister
to stakes winner Fifty Stars (by Quiet American) and stakes placed
Ghost Mountain (by Silver Ghost). The graded stakes mare Dream Rush
is a member of this distaff line. Cleburne's pedigree indicates
that he could be proficient over all surfaces at two turns, so it
will be interesting to follow his career.
Keep
an eye on:
Race
record: 3-2-0-1 ($178,000)
Trainer:
Todd
A. Pletcher
One
would think that a colt by a graded stakes winning dirt sprinter out
of a mare by a stakes winning dirt sprinter would....be a dirt
sprinter? Not in this case. At least, not yet. Bashart has easily
won both starts at 1 1/16 miles over the lawn, including the With
Anticipation (G-3). There's proclivity for turf throughout Bashart's
pedigree. Three half siblings, including his stakes winning half
brother Squall Creek (by Storm Creek) won or placed over the turf.
Plus, his second damsire is the international super sire, Danzig, who
practically revolutionized the breed in Australia. Bashart's dam
never won, but she's a half sister to the stakes winner Timely
Reserve (by Nureyev), dam of the graded stakes winning sprinter
Sandtrap (by Irish River). Her daughters bore the stakes veterans
Song of Navarone and Celluloid Hero. Bashart could wind up as one
of the favorites in the Breeders' Cup Turf.
Race
record: 3-1-2-0 ($109,000)
Trainer:
Wayne
M. Catalano
Solitary
Ranger galloped to a 5 ½ length victory in the Arlington Washington
Futurity, winning his maiden in the process. He was bested by No Nay
Never in his previous start by two lengths. Solitary Ranger is the
first stakes winner produced by his dam. She's a half sister to the
stakes winners June's Reward (by Hail Bold King) and Thanks Tissar
(by In Tissar). The later bore a stakes winner and two stakes placed
runners. Solitary Ranger has yet to compete over dirt. His first
crop sire was undefeated as a two year old and campaigned as a turf
miler in Europe. So far, two of his 15 starters have won; Solitary
Ranger over polytrack and a filly over the turf. We'll might see
Solitary Ranger compete in the Dixieana Breeders' Futurity. From
there, he could enter either the Breeders' Cup Juvenile or Turf.
Race
Record: 3-2-1-0 ($117,000)
Trainer:
Steven
M. Asmussen
This
is a very fast colt. After zipping a half in :45 flat, he dusted a
maiden field by over five lengths, getting six furlongs in 1:10.38 at
Saratoga. Next, facing only three other colts in the Sapling Stakes
(G-2), he tracked the early speed, went three wide on the turn and
captured the six furlong contest by 1 ¼ lengths in a workman-like
1:11.82. Dunkin Bend's lightly raced first crop sire won the Florida
Derby and placed in the Belmont Stakes. The pretty gray colt's
distaff line is filled with speed. His unraced dam is a half sister
to a stakes placed sprinter, while his second dam Unique Creek (by
Tricky Creek) was a stakes winning sprinter. We don't know how far
Dunikn Bend will want to run, but he has the pedigree to handle 1
1/16 miles. After all, his damsire Vindication won the Breeders' Cup
Juvenile. He doesn't hail from the soundest of sire lines, so here's
hoping this promising two year old sticks around.
Race
record: 4-2-1-0 ($243,120)
Trainer:
Jerry
Hollendorfer
Tamarando
closed from the back of the pack to get up in time to win the Del Mar
Futurity (G-1) by ½ lengths. Tough to do over a speed favoring
track. By the same sire as 2001 Futurity hero Officer, Tamarando is
a half brother to the stakes winning sprinters U'Narack (by Unusual
Heat), Luckarack (by Lucky Pulpit) and stakes placed Tamarack Smarty.
Tamarando should relish the dirt at Santa Anita. He hails from a
quality California family and will likely be best up to 1 1/16 miles.
Race
record: 3-1-1-1 ($51,968)
Trainer:
Dale
L. Romans
Like
his stablemate Cleburne, Smart Cover won his maiden over the turf. Tn
the Iroquois, Cleburne benefited from an inside trip while Smart
Cover had to go four wide on the far turn, running out of real estate
to just miss beating his stablemate at the wire. Smart Cover is the
second foal produced by his dam. A half sibling has failed to win in
three starts. Their dam is a half sister to Hobbs (by Put It Back) a
multiple stakes winner over the lawn. This distaff family has
produced Wood Memorial winner Gemologist, multiple G-1 winner Summer
Colony and Japanese Champion Filly Still In Love.
Race
record: 2-2-0-0 $105,000
Trainer:
Patrick
L. Biancone
This
colt is an undefeated stakes winner with a very good pedigree, so why
is he buried back in the ranks? War Front is quickly becoming the hot
“now” sire. His son Bashart won the With Anticipation (G-2) while
Diamond Bachelor was victorious in the west coast equivalent, the Oak
Tree Juvenile Turf Stakes. Diamond Bachelor is undefeated in his
early career as a turf miler. He bettered his time by a full second
from his maiden to stakes win. The colt carries the prestigious
bloodlines of Claiborne Farm. He's the first foal out of his turf
stakes-placed dam. She's a half sister to the dirt stakes winner
Flavor (by Elusive Quality). The third generation is where all of
the black-type lies. Breeders' Cup Classic winner Raven's Pass (by
Elusive Quality), his half brother Gigawat (by Wild Again), G-1
winner No Matter What (by Nureyev) and her offspring, multiple G-1
winners Rainbow View (by Dynaformer), Just As Well (by A.P. Indy)
and the graded stakes winning sire E Dubai are just a few of the
highlights in this family. Diamond Bachelor may become a top turf
miler, although with his pedigree, he may be just as proficient over
dirt or polytrack.
If
you don't see your favorite two year old colt mentioned, list him in
the comments section and vote to make him a top contender!
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