Haskin's Derby Watch (Cont.)

• Email
• Print
• Tweet

12--New York Hero/Jennifer Pederson; Partner's Hero-Nin Two, by John Alden
Might not be ready to beat a horse the caliber of Empire Maker, but he only needs to show that he's competitive with top-class horses. Will have to run faster than he has, but he is improving and a big effort will make him a serious contender on Derby Day.

13--Aristocat/Todd Pletcher; Tale of the Cat-Mended Fences, by Miswaki
Worked a bullet half in :48 for Arkansas Derby. If blinkers help him focus and move him up, then he could be a very live horse on Derby Day. Another lightly raced colt who has a lot of room for improvement.

14--Funny Cide/Barclay Tagg; Distorted Humor-Belle's Good Cide, by Slewacide
Ready to take on Empire Maker in the Wood, but needs to show he can curtail his early speed and rate off the pace. Female family is one of the best around for class and stamina, so he should be able to carry his speed classic distances.

15--Region of Merit/Chris Clement; Touch Gold-Innocently Astray, by Gone West
Clement still giving him easy half-mile breezes, from the school of Ben Jones and John Nerud. Still hard to gauge this colt's true ability. He's won four in a row, but other than his two-turn allowance victory at Gulfstream, he hasn't dazzled anyone. But he does keep on winning, and for that alone he must be respected.

16--Supah Blitz/Manny Tortora; Mecke-Boots'n Jackie, by Major Moran
Liked the way he bounced back from a lung infection in the Aventura Stakes. He made a big run on the far turn and ran strongly to the wire, finishing 6 1/2 lengths ahead of the rest of the field. Unfortunately, ran into a monster in Dynever. Headed him twice, but couldn't match his incredible burst of speed in the final furlong. Tough, consistent and always picks up a piece of it.

17--Indy Dancer/Todd Pletcher; A.P. Indy-Dance With Grace, by Mr. Prospector
A lot of people have him ranked much higher, and he obviously will leap way up with a big effort in the Wood Memorial. It all depends on how much the blinkers move him up and put him in the race. He simply cannot keep running that far back and expect to win major races, unless everyone collapses in front of him. He has the looks and the pedigree, but we'll know a lot more after Saturday. Got a boost when Velazquez chose to ride him over Aristocat and Lion Tamer.

18--Ministers Wild Cat/Neil Drysdale; Deputy Minister-Hollywood Wildcat, by Kris S.
Moved him way up last week, believing he had a big chance to win the Santa Anita Derby, and still believe that after watching the race. Now he has to bounce back from a foot bruise and use the Lexington Stakes, which is at 1 1/16 miles with a short stretch. Not sure he has enough foundation to use that as an effective prep for the Kentucky Derby.

19 --Eugene's Third Son/Pat Byrne; Indian Charlie-Gingerwood, by Afleet

Didn't like the fact that the two horses he beat in his two-turn Gulfstream allowance race came back to run poorly, but he did show big improvement in the Lane's End Stakes, coming from off the pace and fighting to the wire. Don't know how much farther he wants to go, and he'll have to take another big step forward in the Arkansas Derby.

20--Senor Swinger/Bob Baffert; El Prado-Smooth Swinger, by Kris S.

Have to give this handsome, classy colt another chance with Baffert at the helm. Wasn't ready for the Florida Derby off only two career starts, and his :40 3/5 blowout for the race was suspicious. He's likely more a Belmont and Travers horse, and even if he runs a big race in the Wood, it's still asking a lot to come back in the Derby. But if he should do something dramatic, like win or finish a big second, he might be given a chance to move up again at Churchill.

KNOCKING ON THE DOOR: If only DYNEVER had another start or two under him. The turn of foot this distance-loving colt displayed in his last two starts has been amazing for such a lightly raced horse. He was headed twice by Supah Blitz in the Aventura and still blew him away in the final furlong. A hundred yards past the wire, he was at least 10 lengths in front. Can't make the Derby, but watch out for him in the Preakness and Belmont. A new face emerged on the Derby scene in FUND OF FUNDS, who ran big to finish second in the Illinois Derby, coming off Aqueduct's inner track. Keep an eye on KISSIN SAINT in the Wood Memorial. Claimed by Lisa Lewis for $50,000, he's made a steady climb up the ladder and has won three in a row, including a 98 Beyer in his last. The pedigree is there; just has to get tested for class. LION TAMER will have to run a huge race in the Blue Grass to be considered a real Derby contender. With his slight physique and his penchant for breaking poorly, it probably would be better to keep him away from the bumper car chaos of the Derby and point for the Preakness, but let's see how he handles these horses first. Does Wayne Lukas have an ace up his sleeve with TEN CENTS A SHINE? Shouldn't come as a complete surprise if he bounces back and runs a good race in the Blue Grass Stakes. Two others to watch this weekend are CROWNED DANCER in the Blue Grass, and CAT GENIUS, who could wire the field in the Arkansas Derby if he gets loose on the lead. HOLD THAT TIGER, where are you? In the sad statement department, with Lone Star Sky running poorly in the Illinois Derby, Kafwain is the only starter from the Breeders' Cup Juvenile still on the Derby trail.

• Email
• Print
• Tweet