7 Top Ten Colts waiting for Derby
Seven Less Known Three-year-olds on Top Twenty Graded Earnings List
Apr 14, 2007
Their big day is near. On May 5, the Top Ten Derby three-year-olds in the country will enter the gate for the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby.
Seven of the Top Ten Derby hopefuls have completed 2007 prep races, and are shipping, or soon to ship to Louisville, Kentucky's Churchill Downs for workouts. Some will arrive early, some will arrive later. Some will take a gallop on the Churchill track, others may first work in a more private setting. But all will hear the clang of the opening gate on Derby Day.
The three Top Ten Derby colts with one prep race remaining before Derby Day are No.1 rated Street Sense and No.4 Great Hunter, who will clash in the April 14 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes in Lexington at Keeneland, and No.6, Hard Spun, who has been pointed to the Lexington Stakes on April 21.
Only 20 three-year-olds, in descending order on the graded stakes earnings list, will be allowed to participate in the Kentucky Derby, regardless of how many entrants have applied. This is the annual standard to determine the Derby field.
Safety in Numbers
Twenty thoroughbreds rushing from the regular and added on gates at Churchill Downs is also the safety standard. The track wideth won't safely hold more than 20 gated horses waiting to spring out of their enclosures from a singular, straight across lineup.
One injury this season, to Tiz Wonderful, a son of the 2000 Horse of the Year and three-year-old male champion, Tiznow, has changed the graded stakes earnings. With Tiz Wonderful off the trail, Any Given Saturday slotted into the No.20 earnings spot.
Seven colts who have qualified for the 2007 Derby by total graded stakes earnings, but haven't appeared on, or near the Top Ten Derby list may be pointed to the race. Jack Junior and Mount Nelson are English runners. Xchanger, Pirates Deputy, Kirklees, and Sightseeing, as well as Birdbirdistheword, are all on the Top Twenty Earnings list.
Birdbirdistheword in Top Ten Earnings
Birdbirdistheword, with earnings of $637,000, is No.7 this season in total graded stakes earnings. The other six Derby lesser knowns are in the second ten of the Top Twenty Earnings list.
Tiago proved in last week's Santa Anita Derby that lesser knowns should never be taken lightly. He passed the field in the stretch to beat mightier players, including Todd Pletcher's King of the Roxy, who already was scheduled and qualified for Derby entry. Just as his bigger (half) brother, Giacomo, Tiago was trained by John Sherriffs, who said he was taking a shot with (both) colts.
Giacomo was a long shot Derby Day victor in 2005. Mike Smith has ridden both individuals.
Here's a browser's list of the Top Ten Derby horses' (rated by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association) immediate ascendants and the horses' connections:
No.1-Street Sense-by Street Cry out of Bedazzle, by Dixieland Band. His trainer is Carl Nafzger. His rider has been Calvin Borel. He is owned by James B. Tafel LLC.
No.2-Nobiz Like Shobiz-by Albert the Great--Nightstorm, by Storm Cat. Trainer, Barclay Tagg. Jockey, Cornelio Velasquez. Owner, Elizabeth Valando.
No.3-Scat Daddy-by Johannesburg--Love Style, by Mr. Prospector. Trainer, Todd Pletcher. Jockeys, John Velazquez and Edgar Prado. Owner, James T. Scatuorchio and Michael B. Tabor.
No.4-Greater Hunter-by Aptitude--Zenith, by Roy. Trainer, Doug O'Neill. Jockey, Corey Nakatani. Owner, J. Paul Reddam.
No.5-Circular Quay-by Thunder Gulch--Circle of Life, by Belong to Me. Trainer, Todd Pletcher. Jockey, Garrett Gomez. Owner, Michael B and Doreen Tabor.
No.6-Hard Spun-by Danzig--Turkish Tryst, by Turkoman. Trainer, Larry Jones. Jockey, Mario Pino. Owner, Fox Hill Farm.
No.7-Any Given Saturday-by Distorted Humor--Weekend in Indy, by A.P. Indy. Trainer, Todd Pletcher. Jockey, John Velazquez. Owner, WinStar Farm LLC, Maverick Racing, and Padua Stable.
No.8-Cowtown Cat-by Distorted Humor--Tom's Cat, by Storm Cat. Trainer, Todd Pletcher. Jockey, Ramon Dominguez. Owner, Gulf Coast Farm and WinStar Farm.
No.9-Notional-by In Excess--Truly Blessed, by French Deputy. Trainer, Doug O'Neill. Jockey Corey Nakatani. Owner, J. Paul Reddam.
No.10-Tiago-by Pleasant Tap--Set Them Free, by Stop The Music. Trainer, John Sherriffs. Jockey, Mike Smith. Jerome and Ann Moss.
Before Kentucky Derby Day, jockeys Corey Nakatani, John Velazquez, and Edgar Prado will have to make some riding decisions, or accept some choices made in regard to their mounts this season. Nakatani has ridden both Derby Top Ten horses, Notional (No. 9) and Great Hunter (No.4). Velazquez has been aboard Any Given Saturday (No.7) and Scat Daddy (No.3).
Nakatani probably has his choice. Prado and Velazquez may have to abide by a decision from Pletcher. In the past, Velazquez has been Pletcher's number one go-to rider, but Velazquez opted to go to Dubai for the World Cup races in March, leaving Prado to pick up a ride on Scat Daddy in the Florida Derby March 31.
Prado got Scat Daddy to the winner's circle, while Velazquez struck out in Dubai. Those facts might be the key to Prado's next Derby mount. Prado has been a big Triple Crown spoiler in the Belmont Stakes in recent years.
