Kentucky Derby Final Line-up and Post Positions
Atomic Rain, Nowhere to Hide Join Run for the Roses -- Win Willy Out
Apr 30, 2009
The first Thoroughbred off the Kentucky Derby Trail this season was Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner and Two-Year-Old Champion Male Midshipman. Old Fashioned and The Pamplemousse followed with fracture and tendon injuries, respectively; then Square Eddie went off, on again, and off with recurring shin problems. Quality Road withdrew with quarter crack injuries, and finally, Win Willy was taken out of contention this week with a hairline fracture.
The beneficiaries of those disappointments were Mr. Hot Stuff, Summer Bird, Mine That Bird, Atomic Rain, Nowhere to Hide, and Advice, all of whom had laid low on the graded stakes earnings totem pole. Mine That Bird, a son of Birdstone, is Canada's 2008 Two-Year-Old Champion Male.
Stallions Smart Strike, Sky Mesa and Birdstone each have two starters on the Derby card. One past Derby winner, Fusaichi Pegasus (2000), has an offspring in the line-up.
Trainer Todd Pletcher ends up with three entries, while Kelly Breen and Saeed bin Suroor each have two charges running for roses. Bob Baffert, winner of three previous Derby contests, has one of the two strongest favorites, Pioneerof The Nile.
Final Line-up for the 2009 Kentucky Derby
- No. 1 Post Position --- West Side Bernie, by Bernstein, trained by Kelly Breen, ridden by Stewart Elliott, owned by George and Lori Hall
- No. 2 --- Musket Man, by Yonaguska -- Derek Ryan -- Eibar Coa -- Eric Fein and Vic Carlson
- No. 3 --- Mr. Hot Stuff, by Tiznow -- Eoin Harty -- John Velazquez -- WinStar Farm
- No. 4 --- Advice, by Chapel Royal -- Todd Pletcher -- Rene Douglas -- WinStar Farm
- No. 5 --- Hold Me Back, by Giant's Causeway -- Bill Mott -- Kent Desormeaux -- WinStar Farm
- No. 6 --- Friesan Fire, by A.P. Indy -- Larry Jones -- Gabriel Saez -- Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm
- No. 7 --- Papa Clem, by Smart Strike -- Gary Stute -- Rafael Bejarano -- Bo Hirsch
- No. 8 --- Mine That Bird, by Birdstone -- Bennie Woolley -- Calvin Borel -- Double Eagle Farm
- No. 9 --- Join in the Dance, by Sky Mesa -- Todd Pletcher -- Chris DeCarlo -- Jake Ballis, R. Lewis, R. Swinbank, R. Ballis, and William Swinbank
- No.10 --- Regal Ransom, by Distorted Humor -- Saeed bin Suroor -- Alan Garcia -- Godolphin Racing
- No.11 --- Chocolate Candy, by Candy Ride (ARG) -- Jerry Hollendorfer -- Mike Smith -- Sid and Jenny Craig Trust
- No.12 --- General Quarters, by Sky Mesa -- Mark Miller -- Julien Leparoux -- Thomas McCarthy
- No.13 --- I Want Revenge, by Stephen Got Even -- Jeff Mullins -- Joe Talamo -- IEAH Stables, David J. Lanzman, Puglisi Racing, Charles N. Winner
- No.14 --- Atomic Rain, by Smart Strike -- Kelly Breen -- Joe Bravo -- George and Lori Hall
- No.15 --- Dunkirk, by Unbridled's Song -- Todd Pletcher -- Edgar Prado -- Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith
- No.16 --- Pioneerof The Nile, by Empire Maker -- Bob Baffert -- Garrett Gomez -- Zayat Stables
- No.17 --- Summer Bird, by Birdstone -- Tim Ice -- Chris Rosier -- Dr. K.K. and Dr. V. Deni Jayaraman
- No.18 --- Nowhere to Hide, by Vindication -- Nick Zito -- Shaun Bridgmohan -- Meadowview Stable
- No.19 --- Desert Party, by Street Cry (IRE) -- Saeed bin Suroor -- Ramon Dominguez -- Godolphin Racing
- No.20 --- Flying Private, by Fusaichi Pegasus -- D. Wayne Lukas -- Robby Albarado -- Grand Slam Farm
The Kentucky Derby Card will be telecast by ESPN from 1-5 p.m. NBC will televise its Kentucky Derby race program from 4-7 p.m.
