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Dual Personality

By Ray Paulick -- Point Given first got my attention last year in the 1 1/16-mile Champagne Stakes (gr. I).

Steve Haskin's Derby Top 20: Point Given Moves to Head of the Class

Steve Haskin, the award-winning turf writer and senior correspondent for The Blood-Horse, updates his top Kentucky Derby contenders weekly. During his 29 years with the Daily Racing Form, Haskin became known for his insightful coverage of the Triple Crown races. Haskin won the Red Smith Award for Kentucky Derby writing in 1997, 1999, and 2000.and received the David Woods Award for best Preakness story in 1997. In 1999, he co-authored "Baffert: Dirt Road to the Derby" with trainer Bob Baffert and wrote the book, "Dr. Fager" for Eclipse Press' "Thoroughbred Legends" series in 2000.

A P Valentine Works Five Furlongs In Final Blue Grass Tune-up

Ol' Memorial Stable and Michael Tabor's A P Valentine turned in his final tune-up for Saturday's Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) when he worked five furlongs in 1:00 at Keeneland on Monday. The A. P. Indy colt, who was on the track shortly before the maintenance break, worked in company with the older Inca Slew.

Point Given 2-1 Favorite as Derby Future Wager Closes

Impressed with his winning performance in Saturday's Santa Anita Derby (gr. I), bettors poured money on Point Given in pool three of Churchill Downs' Kentucky Derby Future Wager, with the son of Thunder Gulch the 2-1 favorite as the bet closed at 4:30 p.m. (EDT) Sunday. Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Monarchos was the 6-1 second choice, with both Dollar Bill and A P Valentine at 10-1.

'Valentine' Wins Hearts -- and Dollars

A P Valentine, a Nick Zito trainee who is expected to start in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland April 14, was a narrow 5-1 favorite among the 24 wagering interests after the first day of wagering. In his last start, A P Valentine won a Hialeah Park allowance race in track-record time for 1 1/16 miles.

Steve Haskin's Third Pool Future Wager Analysis

In this analysis, we're going to add Thoro-Graph speed figure patterns on occasion to see, from that perspective, just who is likely to come into the Derby sitting on a peak performance. Thoro-Graph's Jerry Brown stated emphatically that this is "by far the best 3-year-old crop in history." Brown added, "The numbers so far have been insane, and it's probably going to take around a 2 1/2 to win the Derby," which is the same number Fusaichi Pegasus ran last year.

Resurgent A P Valentine Tops Pool 3 First-Day Wagering

Resurgent A P Valentine and morning line favorite Point Given are listed as the close first and second betting choices after the opening day of the third and final pool of Churchill Downs' Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

Haskin's Derby Top 20 (April 2): A P Valentine Still on Top

Steve Haskin, the award-winning turf writer and senior correspondent for The Blood-Horse, updates his top Kentucky Derby contenders weekly. During his 29 years with the Daily Racing Form, Haskin became known for his insightful coverage of the Triple Crown races. Haskin won the Red Smith Award for Kentucky Derby writing in 1997, 1999, and 2000.and received the David Woods Award for best Preakness story in 1997. In 1999, he co-authored "Baffert: Dirt Road to the Derby" with trainer Bob Baffert and wrote the book, "Dr. Fager" for Eclipse Press' "Thoroughbred Legends" series in 2000.

Steve Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top 20: March 26 Update

Steve Haskin, the award-winning turf writer and senior correspondent for The Blood-Horse, updates his top Kentucky Derby contenders weekly. During his 29 years with the Daily Racing Form, Haskin became known for his insightful coverage of the Triple Crown races. Haskin won the Red Smith Award for Kentucky Derby writing in 1997, 1999, and 2000.and received the David Woods Award for best Preakness story in 1997. In 1999, he co-authored "Baffert: Dirt Road to the Derby" with trainer Bob Baffert and wrote the book, "Dr. Fager" for Eclipse Press' "Thoroughbred Legends" series in 2000.

Haskin's Derby Report: A Valentine for Zito and a Shooting Star at Turfway

A monster runaway victory in Kentucky, a track record in Florida, a stirring two-horse battle in the deserts of Dubai, and a four-horse blanket finish in Arkansas. After Saturday's fast and furious action on the Derby trail, racing fans all over the country will be craving a fix during next weekend's lull before the major stakes frenzies of Apr. 7 and 14.

A P Valentine Breaks Track Record at Hialeah Park

Ol Memorial Stable and Michael Tabor's A P Valentine closed from eight lengths back after a half-mile run in :45.79 to earn a 3 3/4-length win in an optional claiming race for 3-year-olds and upwards Saturday at Hialeah Park. Ridden by Eibar Coa, the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) winner completed the 1 1/16 miles in track-record time of 1:40.39.

A P Valentine to Run at Hialeah Saturday

In a surprise move, trainer Nick Zito has entered A P Valentine in a 1 1/16-mile race at Hialeah Saturday. It was originally planned to run the son of A.P. Indy in the Flamingo Stakes on April 7, but Zito felt it was time to find out just where the colt stood on the Kentucky Derby trail. Iin Saturday's race, A P Valentine will carry 108 pounds as he faces older horses in the optional claiming test for non-winners of two other/than. A P Valentine is one of two starters in the six horse field not running for the claiming price of $150,000.

Top Derby Pedigrees Updated

Steve Haskin, the award-winning turf writer and senior correspondent for The Blood-Horse, analyzes the top pedigrees for this year's Kentucky Derby candidates. During his 29 years with the Daily Racing Form, Haskin became known for his insightful coverage of the Triple Crown races. Haskin won the Red Smith Award for Kentucky Derby writing in 1997, 1999, and 2000 and received the David Woods Award for best Preakness story in 1997.

Monarchos, Point Given Head List of Blue Grass Stakes Nominations

John Oxley's Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Monarchos and The Thoroughbred Corp.'s San Felipe (gr. II) winner Point Given head the list of 109 nominations to the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I). The 1 1/8-mile event will be televised live on ESPN April 14 from Keeneland Race Course.

A P Valentine in Sharp Work at Hialeah

A P Valentine, who will use the April 7 Flamingo Stakes as a stop on his road to the May 5 Kentucky Derby, worked five furlongs in :59.20 in between the third and fourth races Tuesday afternoon at Hialeah Park.

Steve Haskin's Derby Top 20 -- March 19

Steve Haskin, the award-winning turf writer and senior correspondent for The Blood-Horse, updates his top Kentucky Derby contenders weekly. During his 29 years with the Daily Racing Form, Haskin became known for his insightful coverage of the Triple Crown races. Haskin won the Red Smith Award for Kentucky Derby writing in 1997, 1999, and 2000.and received the David Woods Award for best Preakness story in 1997. In 1999, he co-authored "Baffert: Dirt Road to the Derby" with trainer Bob Baffert and wrote the book, "Dr. Fager" for Eclipse Press'"Thoroughbred Legends" series in 2000.

Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top Contenders--March 12 Update

Ranked in preference order, with horse/ trainer/breeding

Click on horse's name to access Contender Page

Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top 20--March 6 Update

Ranked in preference order, with horse/ trainer/breeding

Click on horse's name to access Contender Page

Haskin's Derby Report (Continued)

Continued from part 1

Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top 20--Week 6

Leading contenders for this year's Kentucky Derby.

Steve Haskin's Top 10 Derby Pedigrees

When a non-winners of two allowance race at Santa Anita and the Herat Stakes at Laurel are the two biggest races of the week, then it's time to step off the Derby trail, get out a blanket and some cheese and crackers, and take time to ponder where we've been and where we're heading. But in a year like this, not only do we not know where we're heading, we're really not quite sure where we've been. The only 2-year-olds within 10 pounds of the leader on the Experimental Free Handicap that we can sink our teeth into are Dollar Bill and Millennium Wind. For the sixth straight year, the Experimental topweight will be a non-entity in the Triple Crown.

Zito Eyes Schedule for A P Valentine; Florida Derby Out

Almost immediately after A P Valentine's third-place finish in an allowance race Feb. 17, trainer Nick Zito began having second thoughts about running him in the Florida Derby. Now that he's officially ruled it out, it's time for him to begin making alternate plans.

Steve Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top 20--Week 5

Ranked in preference order, with horse/ trainer/breeding

Click on horse's name to access Contender Page

Haskin's Report: Hero's Tribute, Dollar Bill Are Impressive

Last year, the Fountain of Youth Stakes, despite being won convincingly by High Yield, was upstaged by an allowance race, won by a powerful, classy-looking colt named Fusaichi Pegasus. This year, the Fountain of Youth Stakes, despite being won convincingly by Songandaprayer, was upstaged by an allowance race, won by a powerful, classy-looking colt named Hero's Tribute. Also impressive this weekend was the professional-like performance of Dollar Bill, who did everything the right way in winning Sunday's Risen Star Stakes in his 3-year-old debut.

Mutuel Field Favored in First Round of Derby Future Wager

After the first round of the 2001 Kentucky Derby Future Wager closed Sunday the mutuel field remained the 3-1 favorite in the betting with Point Given (7-1) the lowest priced individual horse. Dollar Bill, who won the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds in the closing minutes of the bet, closed at 14-1, up from his 10-1 listing on the morning line.

Future Odds Plunge on Songandaprayer

The mutuel field remained the fans' favorite in Pool 1 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, but an upset in the weekend's major Kentucky Derby prep race resulted in a shuffling of the odds on several Derby contenders heading into the final day of wagering in the pool. The biggest move of the day was made by Songandaprayer, the upset winner of the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park. Songandaprayer opened Saturday's wagering as the longest shot in the field at 99-1, but the odds on that colt had dropped to 30-1 by the end of Saturday's betting

Hero's Tribute Upsets A P Valentine in Gulfstream Allowance

Under jockey Jorge Chavez, Hero's Tribute pressed the early pace set by Liberty Township and drew away to a four-length win over Dream Run in a seven-furlong allowance race Saturday at Gulfstream Park. 11-10 favorite A P Valentine finished another 2 1/2 lengths back in third.

Analyzing Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1

Steve Haskin, the award-winning turf writer and senior correspondent for The Blood-Horse, analyzes the horses included in Churchill Downs 2001 Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1. During his 29 years with the Daily Racing Form, Haskin became known for his insightful coverage of the Triple Crown races. Haskin won the Red Smith Award for Kentucky Derby writing in 1997, 1999, and 2000 and received the David Woods Award for best Preakness story in 1997.

Family Matters: A P Valentine Pedigree Analysis

It's been 24 years since Seattle Slew became the 10th Triple Crown winner and 17 years since a son of his (Swale) won the Kentucky Derby (gr. I). The Derby arguably is the toughest of all races to win, and any horse who attempts to handle the 1 1/4 miles the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs against as many as 19 rivals needs a competent trainer and jockey, along with the proper blend of speed and stamina, and a good deal of racing luck. With all that in mind, it's time to take a look at one of Seattle Slew's grandsons, A P Valentine, and see how he fits into the Derby picture.

Derby Future Wager Opens Thursday

Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia has predicted the mutuel field will be favored in Churchill Downs' first Kentucky Derby Future Wager pool. Wagering for the first of three pools opens Thursday.

Steve Haskin's Derby Top 20--Week 4

Ranked in preference order, with horse/ trainer/breeding

Haskin Report: Trying to Dodge Baffert, Lukas, Zito

How about a little diversionary game on the way to next Saturday's Fountain of Youth and Risen Star stakes? Picture the Derby trail as a maze. The object is to find your way through the maze and reach Churchill Downs without running into D. Wayne Lukas, Bob Baffert or Nick Zito. Well, we didn't say it would easy. But with racing's three-headed monster concentrating on blocking all the major roads, this past weekend's smattering of minor stakes was an excellent chance for trainers to take another step in achieving their goal. Not to mention taking home some decent cash as well.

Pat Day New Rider for A P Valentine

Nick Zito announced Sunday that Pat Day will ride A P Valentine when the son of A. P. Indy makes his 2001 debut Feb. 17 in a 7-furlong allowance race at Gulfstream. Jorge Chavez had been the colt's regular rider.

A P Valentine sizzles in Hialeah work

A P Valentine, winner of the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) last fall, had his first test for speed at Hialeah Saturday, blazing 5 furlongs in a bullet :59 flat.

A P Valentine sizzles at Hialeah

A P Valentine, winner of the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) last fall, had his first test for speed at Hialeah Saturday, blazing 5 furlongs in a bullet :59 flat.

Steve Haskin's Derby Top 20: Week 3

Ranked in preference order, with horse/ trainer/breeding

Haskin's Derby Report (Cont.)

Continued from part 1

Macho Uno Number One on Experimental Free Handicap

There wasn't much separating Macho Uno and Point Given in both the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) and the Experimental Free Handicap for males. Macho Uno held off Point Given by a nose in the Juvenile and was assigned one pound more than that rival on the Experimental. Ranked a pound below Point Given was A P Valentine, who turned in a powerful run to win the Champagne Stakes (gr. I), but then ran last in the Juvenile. Overall, nine horses were weighted at 120 pounds or more, the same number as in 1999.

Steve Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top 20: Week 2

A P Valentine continues to top Steve Haskin's list of top 20 Kentucky Derby contenders, with Talk Is Money the newest addition to the list.

Florida Derby Likely Next Star for Macho Uno, A P Valentine

After Saturday's seven-furlong Hutcheson Stakes, just one more stakes preview will remain on the Gulfstream Park schedule for the March 10 Florida Derby. Likely to await the $1 million Florida Derby (gr. I) are the major 3-year-olds in Florida – Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner Macho Uno, and Champagne Stakes (gr. I) winner A P Valentine. Another pointing directly to the mile and an eighth Florida Derby is Buckle Down Ben, winner of the Laurel Futurity (gr. III) last season and second in the Holy Bull.

A P Valentine Tops Haskin's Top Contenders List

Champagne Stakes winner A P Valentine, trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Nick Zito, tops Steve Haskin's first list of top 20 contenders for this year's Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown racxes. Haskin, The Blood-Horse magazine's senior correspondent and Triple Crown authority, will be updating the contenders list weekly between now and the Kentucky Derby.

A P Valentine

A P Valentine

Steve Haskin's First Derby Report: The Fever Begins

Has Derby fever begun its annual rose-colored rise up the old thermometer, or do you still have samurais and geisha girls on the brain? It seems like only yesterday that dusk was settling on Churchill Downs and we were all rejoicing over racing's newest hero. We all felt as if the messiah had finally been delivered in the form of an Adonis-like creature named Fusaichi Pegasus. Then it all disappeared into the murk of a misty Maryland afternoon, leaving us to start our search all over again.

Zito Pair Work at Hialeah

A P Valentine, winner of the grade 1 Champagne and a prospect for the $1 million Florida Derby March 10, breezed a half-mile in :51 at 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning at Hialeah Park. The Zito-trained Albert The Great, a leading candidate for the grade 1 Donn Handicap February 3, also worked Saturday morning at Hialeah, getting a half-mile in :47 3/5 in handy fashion.

Connections of Beaten BC Favorites Offer Excuses

A day after the Breeders' Cup races were run, the connections of the beaten favorites offered excuses ranging from a possible illness in development to a too hard track surface for their charges disappointing performances on the big day.

Coolmore Purchases A P Valentine Interest

In a transaction valued in excess of $14 million, Coolmore Stud has entered into an agreement with Celtic Pride Stable under which the Irish breeding nursery will control the breeding career of A P Valentine.

Belmont Roundup Continued

Continued from previous page

Zito Savors Champagne Victory

Jorge (Chop Chop) Chavez moved Celtic Pride Stable's A P Valentine through on the rail and gamely outdueled Point Given for a 1 3/4-length triumph in the $500,000 Champagne Stakes (gr. I).