By Chris Palochko PA SportsTicker Horse Racing Editor (listed by post position) 1. Cool Coal Man Jockey: Julien Leparoux Trainer: Nick Zito Odds: 20-1 After a surprising win in the Fountain of Youth, he tired in the stretch in finishing ninth in the Blue Grass; has four wins and second in eight career starts; could be one of the pacesetters. Zito has Derby wins with Strike the Gold (1991) and Go For Gin (1994). 2. Tale of Ekati Jockey: Eibar Coa Trainer: Barclay Tagg Odds: 15-1 Ran down one-time Derby contender War Pass in the final yards en route to winning the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 5; in two prior races to that big effort, was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and sixth in the Louisiana Derby; has three wins and a second in six career starts. ADVERTISEMENT 3. Anak Nakal Jockey: Raphael Bejarano Trainer: Nick Zito Odds: 30-1 Would be surprised to see anything out of this colt; has been fifth, seventh and eighth in his last three starts; has not won since capturing the Kentucky Jockey Gold Cup on November 24, 2007; while he has struggled, Anak Nakal does have a strong pedigree; his sire, Victory Gallop, finished second in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before foiling the Triple Crown bid of Real Quiet in 1998. 4. Court Vision Jockey: Garrett Gomez Trainer: Bill Mott Odds: 20-1 Has been a model of consistency, hitting the board in each of his six starts with three wins, one second and two thirds; came from way back to finish third in last start in the Wood Memorial; Court Vision is by Gulch, whose most memorable performance may have been his closing victory in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs that ensured him the title of champion sprinter that year. 5. Eight Belles Jockey: Gabriel Saez Trainer: Larry Jones Odds: 15-1 Comes to Churchill Downs in the midst of a four-race winning streak; however, the competition this filly has faced is extremely questionable; heavily raced, with five wins, two seconds and a third in nine career starts; has shown the ability to handle two turns. 6. Z Fortune Jockey: Robby Albarado Trainer: Steve Asmussen Odds: 15-1 Endured a rough trip when he was wide throughout but made a run in the stretch to finish second to Gayego in the Arkansas Derby; has three wins and two seconds in six career starts; could surprise here with the right trip. 7. Big Truck Jockey: Javier Castellano Trainer: Barclay Tagg Odds: 50-1 Never a factor in finishing 11th in the Blue Grass; won the Tampa Derby in March; has three wins, one second and one third in eight career starts; distance may be a problem; Street Sense won from post seven last year. 8. Visionaire Jockey: Jose Lezcano Trainer: Michael Matz Odds: 20-1 Started poorly en route to finishing fifth in the Blue Grass; in his previous race, rallied in the stretch to win the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct; has three wins, one second and one third in six career starts; pedigree suggests he could struggle at this distance; Matz won the 2006 Derby with Barbaro. 9. Pyro Jockey: Shaun Bridgmohan Trainer: Steve Asmussen Odds: 6-1 Started the year in impressive fashion with wins in the Risen Star and Louisiana Derby before finishing a disappointing 10th in the Blue Grass Stakes on April 12; has three wins, two seconds and a third in seven career starts; is a son of Pulpit, the 1997 Blue Grass winner who led the Kentucky Derby before fading to finish fourth behind Silver Charm. 10. Colonel John Jockey: Corey Nakatani Trainer: Eoin Harty Odds: 4-1 Rallied in the stretch to win Santa Anita Derby in final prep of April 5; also got up late to win the Sham Stakes on March 1; has four wins and two seconds in six career starts; boasts strong pedigree for 1 1/2 miles; his sire Tiznow was a 3-year-old champion and the 2000 Horse of the Year. 11. Z Humor Jockey: Rene Douglas Trainer: Bill Mott Odds: 30-1 Hard to imagine much from this colt; did hit the board when he finished third in the Illinois Derby on April 5, but was fourth at the Fountain of Youth Stakes and fifth in the Sam F. Davis Stakes in his two prior races; also was fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in October; has two wins and three thirds in eight career starts. 12. Smooth Air Jockey: Manoel Cruz Trainer: Bennie Stutts Jr. Odds: 20-1 Never was factor but was running late as he finished second in the Florida Derby, well back to Big Brown; has been consistent, hitting the board in all seven career starts with three wins, two seconds and two thirds; pedigree shows that he is not bred for 1 1/4 miles. 13. Bob Black Jack Jockey: Richard Migliore Trainer: James Kasparoff Odds: 20-1 Was the near the front from the outset before being caught by Colonel John in the final yards of the Santa Anita Derby; has hit the board in six of seven career starts, with three wins, two seconds and a third; distance should not be a problem. 14. Monba Jockey: Ramon Dominguez Trainer: Todd Pletcher Odds: 15-1 After finishing 12th in the Fountain of Youth Stakes, Monba pulled a major surprise by edging Cowboy Cal to win the Blue Grass Stakes; has three wins in five career starts; is bred to handle 1 1/4 miles. Monba is sired by Maria’s Mon, the champion 2-year-old colt of 1995 who captured the 1 1/16-mile Champagne, but missed starts in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the following year’s Triple Crown due to injury; Pletcher is 0-for-19 in his career in the Kentucky Derby; failed to hit the board with any of his five starters last year; Dominguez was second in the 2006 Derby aboard Bluegrass Cat. 15. Adriano Jockey: Edgar Prado Trainer: Graham Motion Odds: 30-1 Has not raced since winning the Lane’s End by 2 1/2 lengths on March 22; has three wins and a second in seven career starts; is by two-time leading sire A.P. Indy, a son of legendary Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew who hails from the terrific Secretariat mare Weekend Surprise; Prado won the 2006 Derby aboard Barbaro. 16. Denis of Cork Jockey: Calvin Borel Trainer: David Carroll Odds: 20-1 Started his career with three straight wins; never was a factor in finishing fifth in the Illinois Derby in his last start; owns a strong pedigree to handle this distance; Borel will try to make it consecutive Derby triumphs after winning last year aboard Street Sense. 17. Cowboy Cal Jockey: John Velazquez Trainer: Todd Pletcher Odds: 20-1 Set a slow pace in the Blue Grass, then held gamely in finishing second to Monba; owns three wins and two seconds in six career starts; is by Giant’s Causeway, who was nicknamed the “Iron Horse” after he won five Group 1 races in England and Ireland within a time period of 10 weeks in the summer of 2000. 18. Recapturetheglory Jockey: E.T. Baird Trainer: Louie J. Roussel III Odds: 20-1 Pulled off a surprise with a comfortable four-length victory in the Illinois Derby on April 5; has two wins, a second and two thirds in six career starts; likely to show some early speed. 19. Gayego Jockey: Mike Smith Trainer: Paul Lobo Odds: 15-1 Solidified his credentials as a legitimate contender at Churchill Downs by winning the Arkansas Derby on April 12; was racing on a dirt track for the first time after running on Santa Anita’s synthetic surface in his previous three races; winning the Arkansas Derby also has proved a good omen; some past winners include 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin, Afleet Alex (2005 Preakness and Belmont winner) and Smarty Jones (2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner); has three wins and two seconds in five career starts; Smith won the 2005 Kentucky Derby aboard 50-1 long shot Giacomo. 20. Big Brown Jockey: Kent Desormeaux Trainer: Richard Dutrow Jr. Odds: 3-1 Should go off as the favorite; is 3-for-3 in his career, winning by a combined 29 lengths; starting from the far outside No. 12 post proved no obstacle, as he won the Florida Derby by five lengths on March 29; no horse from the 11th or 12th post had won a 1 1/8-race since Gulfstream was reconfigured four years ago; Desormeaux won the 2003 Kentucky Derby aboard Fusaichi Pegasus.
If I could do anything, I would want to own a horse and watch it win the Kentucky Derby. I can't imagine any feeling is quite like that.
If I came into a huge ammount of money, I would buy a bunch of land and start a horse farm with the goal being a top notch Triple Crown worthy breeding program....Id also sell the naming rights to the best horses i produced....imagine the call: "And down the stretch they come! Drink More Coke is pulling away!!! Drink More Coke will win in record time!!!!"
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (TheBeef @ May 3 2008, 05:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>If I came into a huge ammount of money, I would buy a bunch of land and start a horse farm with the goal being a top notch Triple Crown worthy breeding program....Id also sell the naming rights to the best horses i produced....imagine the call: "And down the stretch they come! Drink More Coke is pulling away!!! Drink More Coke will win in record time!!!!"</div> Imagine if Drink More Coke wins the tripple crown?
Imagine if Drink More Coke broke both front ankles and had to be immediatly put down like Eight Belles....I dont know if i can keep watching these races if stuff like this is going to happen
Eight Belles went from relative unknown to 2nd place in the Kentucky Derby to dead in a matter of 3 minutes....im more upset than than I ever thought I would be....
Beef did you have to explain it to your kids? My wife and I had to spend a lot of time talking with our 9 year old about it.
I called my kids in for the race but they werent interested in watching, so they went back to the pool....if they had been inside, it would have been a rough explanation, because my oldest daughter has a serious soft spot for animals....to give an example, we had a car problem on friday and we had to walk a bit down an interstate and we came across a large hawk carcass, which she got emotional about....I told her this was a predator that eats all the litte furry guys she likes, but that didnt stop her from being affected....
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (TheBeef @ May 6 2008, 06:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Are you listen to Mike and Mike right now?</div> I was, just crazy.
