Georgie Boy Out; Bob Black Jack In
BBJ Makes Cut As GB's Injury Takes Him Off the Derby Twenty Trail
Bob Black Jack, who placed second in the Santa Anita Derby April 5, made the Kentucky Derby Twenty list as Georgie Boy's pulled back muscle eliminated him from the races.
Injury is a major player on the Kentucky Derby road, and the Triple Crown trail, and it took its toll recently when up and coming Georgie Boy had to be eliminated from contention with a pulled back muscle. That left the door open for Santa Anita Derby winner Bob Black Jack to catch the twentieth spot on the Kentucky Derby Twenty qualifying list.
If more than twenty horses are entered for the Kentucky Derby, the first twenty with the highest graded stakes earnings will be admitted. Others, regardless of wins and winning pedigrees, cannot make the entry list.
Other significant injuries have occurred to change the KD picture. Into Mischief has been taken off the trail due to recurrent abscesses. Sierra Sunset, impressive winner of the Rebel Stakes in March, has suffered a hairline fracture and is expected to be sidelined for 60-90 days. Slew's Tiznow remains a question mark since being pulled out of the Breeders' Cup races with complications from colic surgery. And Crown of Thorns is out for several months with a shin injury.
Prominently touted Denis of Cork, Atoned, El Gato Malo, Halo Najib, and Elysium Fields have not qualified within the top twenty list of graded stakes earnings thus far, and all could be left out of the Run for the Roses.
Following is the list of the first twenty horses that would qualify for the Derby as of this week:
- War Pass --- trained by Nick Zito --- owned by Robert LaPenta --- earnings $1,470,000
- Pyro --- Steve Asmussen --- Winchell Thoroughbreds --- $1,020,000
- Proud Spell (filly) --- J.Larry Jones --- Brereton Jones --- $880,000
- Tale of Ekati --- Barclay Tagg --- Charles Fipke --- $738,000
- Colonel John --- Eoin Harty --- WinStar Farm, LLC --- $720,000
- Big Brown --- Richard Dutrow --- IEAH St. & Paul Pompa --- $600,000
- Z Humor --- William Mott --- Zayat Stable, LLC --- $579,000
- Kodiak Kowboy --- Asmussen --- Vinery & Fox Hill Farm, Inc. --- $441,373
- Turf War --- M. Casse --- Woodford Rg., Bolton & Farish --- $405,407
- Court Vision --- Mott --- IEAH St. & WinStar Farm, LLC --- $331,872
- Adriano --- H.Graham Motion --- Don Adam/Courtlandt Farm --- $310,000
- Recapturetheglory --- L. Roussel --- Roussel & Lamarque --- $300,000
- Smooth Air --- Bennie Stutts, Jr. --- Mount Joy Stable, Inc. --- $290,000
- Salute the Sarge --- E. Guilliot --- Southern Equine --- $258,940
- Cool Coal Man --- Zito --- LaPenta --- $212,767
- Anak Nakal --- Zito --- Four Roses Thoroughbreds --- $212,216
- Eight Belles (filly) --- J.L. Jones --- Fox Hill Farm --- $210,000
- Big Truck --- Tagg --- Eric Fein --- $194,500
- Visionaire --- Michael Matz --- Vision Racing and Team Valor --- $180,000
- Bob Black Jack --- J. Kaparoff --- J. Harmon & T. Kasparoff --- $180,000
Denis of Cork, El Gato Malo, Z Fortune, and Atoned, all four of whom have been on Top Ten, Eleven, and Twelve lists, at present would not qualify for the Derby with their graded stakes earnings to date.
Several other hopefuls appearing on weekly ratings lists who would not qualify are Giant Moon, Liberty Bull, Hey Byrn, Cowboy Cal, Elysium Fields, and Blackberry Road.
With just four weeks left until Derby Day, there are additional important prep races to be run which could change the earnings standings and the top qualifying horses, such as the Bluegrass Stakes, the Arkansas Derby, the Holy Bull Stakes, and The Withers.
