Empire Maker Is Heaviest Kentucky Derby Favorite Since 1992
By: John Asher

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 30, 2003) - Juddmonte Farm's Empire Maker, winner of the Grade I Florida Derby and Wood Memorial, has been installed as the heaviest morning line favorite for the Kentucky Derby in more than a decade as he faces 16 3-year-old rivals in Saturday's 129th renewal of the famed "Run for the Roses" at historic Churchill Downs.

Handicapper Mike Battaglia listed Empire Maker as the strong 6-5 choice in the field of 17 horses who will contest the $1 million guaranteed 1 1/4-mile classic that serves as the opening leg of the Visa Triple Crown. Empire Maker is the heaviest morning line favorite in the Derby since Arazi, who opened at 6-5 and closed as a 4-5 favorite in 1992. Arazi finished eighth in that Derby to Cal Partee's Lil E. Tee, the worst finish by an odds-on favorite in Kentucky Derby history.

Empire Maker, who will be ridden by two-time Derby-winning jockey Jerry Bailey, also heads a powerful 1-2 punch for trainer Bobby Frankel, who is seeking his first victory in the Kentucky Derby. Frankel will also saddle Edmund Gann's Peace Rules, winner of the Toyota Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland and the Louisiana Derby (GII), who is co-third choice at 8-1.

Churchill Downs has a unique process of determining post positions for the Derby as it allows owners and trainers to select their slot in the starting gate following a blind draw that establishes post position order. Frankel chose post 12 for Empire Maker and took gate five for Peace Rules, who will be ridden by Edgar Prado.

"I called Jerry and asked him what he'd like," he said. "We talked and figured that the posts between 6 and 11 would be taken by the time we got to go. So he said either 12 or 5. So I gave him the 12 and took the five for the other horse."

Empire Maker remained a strong favorite for the Derby despite a foot bruise that has hampered the colt's training for the past two days. Frankel walked the colt in the shedrow on Wednesday and then took him to the paddock for a schooling session later in the day.

"He is doing fine," Frankel said. "He'll be fine on Saturday." The Derby favorite is a son of late 1990 Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled, who is also the sire of Grindstone, winner of the 1996 Derby. A victory by Empire Maker would allow Unbridled to join Bold Venture (1936) as only the second Derby winner to have sire a pair of Derby winners. Bold Venture sired Triple Crown winner Assault (1946) and Middleground (1950).

But the Derby will be far from a coronation for Frankel, who has saddled four horses in three previous Derbys without success. His best previous finish came in 2000, when Juddmonte's Aptitude was second to Fusaichi Pegasus.

Empire Maker brings a record of 3-1-1 in five starts and earnings of $1,115,800 into the Kentucky Derby for Juddmonte owner Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who looks to join the late Prince Ahmed bin Salman as the second consecutive Arab owner to win America's greatest race. Peace Rules has won four consecutive races as he has compiled a record of 5-1-1 in eight races andearned $1,124,990. That total includes $915,000 collected in his two wins this year.

If Frankel's powerful duo fails to win the roses on Saturday, the Derby could go to Chisholm, Jarvis and Reddam's Ten Most Wanted, an impressive winner of the Illinois Derby (GII) at Hawthorne Race Course who has trained impressively at Keeneland and Churchill Downs since that breakthrough victory.

Trained by Wally Dollase, the son of Deputy Commander is listed as the 6-1 second choice in the morning line and his trainer selected post number 16 after drawing the 14th spot in the selection order.

"The speed is inside us, so that's good," said Dollase. "That's going to allow us to drop over and get a good spot in mid-pack. And my horse gets a little anxious (at the gate), so the late load will be good for him.

Pat Day, who is the all-time leading rider at Churchill Downs but only 1-for-20 in the track's signature race, will ride Ten Most Wanted. The colt has a record of 2-1-1 in five races and has earned $373,460.

Other highly-regarded contenders in Derby 129 include Desperado Stable's Buddy Gil, the winner of the Santa Anita Derby (GI) and the co-third choice at 8-1, and a pair of 12-1 shots, B. Wayne Hughes and Biscuit Stable's Atswhatimtalknbout and Phil Chess' Santa Anita Derby runner-up Indian Express.

Buddy Gil, an Idaho-raised son of Eastern Echo, has strung together three consecutive stakes victories since he moved to barn of trainer Jeff Mullins early in the year. He will attempt to become the first gelding to win the Derby since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929 and will break from post eight.

"We got what we wanted," Mullins said. "He will be the last to load and I didn't want him in ther a long time, and I wanted the speed to our inside."

Jockey Gary Stevens will ride Buddy Gil in search of his fourth Kentucky Derby win, which would move him into a tie with the legendary Bill Shoemaker for second on the list of all-time Derby victories. Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack each made five trips to the Derby winner's circle.

Atswhatimtalknbout, a $900,000 sales purchase as a 2-year-old, is the most expensive member of this year's Derby field. He is coming off a disappointing fourth-place finish behind Buddy Gil in the Santa Anita Derby, but the son of 1992 "Horse of the Year" A.P. Indy has thrived since his arrival at Churchill Downs and appears to be heading for a strong effort for trainer Ron Ellis, a Derby rookie, and jockey David Flores, who is seeking his first success in the race.

Ellis had the 10th pick of the selection process and used it to place Atswhatimtalknbout in gate four.

"David was sitting with me and he said -- with our horse -- it was better to down inside than out," he said. "We did a mock draft of sorts beforehand and four wasn't our first choice, but it was one of our top ones. We thought between 4 and 8 would be okay. He (Flores) wanted to be near some speed so they could clear the way for him. I think we're going to be fine."

Indian Express, who will attempt to become the first Kentucky Derby winner bred in Utah, is the only chance for three-time Kentucky Derby winner Bob Baffert to win a fourth "Run for the Roses." Baffert won the 2002 renewal with The Thoroughbred Corp's longshot War Emblem.

The son of Indian Charlie will be ridden by 20-year-old Tyler Baze, who will ride in his first Kentucky Derby. Baffert said he does not expect Baze's lack of experience to be a major problem.

"Tyler Baze will be next to his idol, Gary Stevens (on Buddy Gil)," Baffert said, "and he can just do what Gary does." Four-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer D. Wayne Lukas is represented by Coolmore Lexington (GII) winner Scrimshaw, who will bid to become the third Derby winner for owners Robert and Beverly Lewis. Lukas will also saddle Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Ten Cents A Shine, a disappointment at three but a strong runner-up in the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) at Churchill Downs as a 2-year-old.

A win by Lukas would move him within one of Calumet Farm legend Ben Jones in all-time Derby wins by a trainer. Jones won six Derbys.

Jockey Rosemary Homeister, Jr. will also attempt to add a new chapter to Kentucky Derby history when she rides Fountain of Youth (GI) runner-up Supah Blitz in Saturday's race. She will become just the fifth female rider to compete in the race and the first since Julie Krone finished 11th aboard Suave Prospect in 1995.

Supah Blitz, a 50-1 longshot trained by Manny Tortora, and Homeister will break from post number one in her bid for Derby history. If all 17 3-year-olds start, the purse for the 129th Kentucky Derby purse will total $1,115,200 with $815,200 going to the winner. Post time is scheduled 6:04 p.m. (EDT) and the race will be televised live by NBC Sports.

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