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Derby Entrants
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Trainer |
Jockey |
Owner |
Breeder |
: Derby History
Brothers, 59, grew up in New Orleans attending the races at Fair Grounds Race Course. He began riding in the sixth grade and started showing and riding American Quarter Horses. He worked for 10 years for Jack van Berg, and then began training on his own in 1980. During the 1980's, Brothers was the leading trainer at Louisiana Downs for nine consecutive years. He has also won training titles at Louisiana Downs and Keeneland. In 1989, he became private trainer for Joseph Allbritton's Lazy Lane Farms, for whom he campaigned Hansel to wins in the 1991 Preakness (GI) and Belmont (GI) on his way to three-year-old champion. Brothers' other successful stakes horses include Madcap Escapade, Pulpit, Mighty, Conserve, Watch and Trip. In addition to Hansel and Pulpit, his other Derby starter to date was Dansil, 4th in 1989. Brothers currently resides in Louisville with his wife, former jockey Donna Barton. |
: Derby History
Bejarano, born June 23, 1982, in Peru, currently lives in Louisville. He went to the races as child in his home country, eventually attending that nation's riding school. Began riding in Peru in 1999, winning an apprentice title the same year. Came to the United States in May of 2002, beginning his U.S. riding career at River Downs in Cincinnati. While it took him about five months to win his first race, he's been a top rider on the Kentucky circuit ever since. He won the Churchill Downs 2004 Spring Meet title, as well as winning titles at Turfway Park and Ellis Park. He capped his success in 2004, when he led the nation in wins with 455, 72 more than his closest pursuer. He currently is riding in New York and on the Kentucky circuit. 2005 was another banner year for the young Peruvian; he finished fourth nationally in earnings, with $14.4 million, capped by a victory in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (GI) aboard Intercontinental. Bejarano rode his first Derby last year, finishing eighth aboard Andromeda's Hero. |
Lunsford (pictured) became interested in horse racing while attending the University of Kentucky. In 1985, he co-founded Vencor, at one time the largest long-term healthcare provider in the United States. He currently serves as chairman of Deyta, Inc., a company which measures customer and employee satisfaction and performance levels, and also as a member of the Board of Directors of Aerocare Holdings, Inc., a provider of respiratory therapy services. He made a brief bid for governor of Kentucky in 2003. He became active in the racing business about 20 years ago by claiming horses. Since then, he has become involved in breeding, keeping several mares at Claiborne Farm. He has had horses with Brothers, Bill Mott, and Bob Baffert. His Vision And Verse won the 1999 Illinois Derby (GII) and Madcap Escapade was a $1 million earning filly that won multiple graded stakes and was third in the 2004 Kentucky Oaks (GI).
Lansdon Robbins, a Louisville resident, is the chairman of the board and founder of Service Net, an underwriter and administer of warranties and service contracts sold by manufacturers and retailers, in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Robbins started Azalea Stables in 1993 with the financial investment of 10 friends. Most notable purchase has been Offlee Wild, who finished 12th in the 2003 Kentucky Derby, but went on to win the Suburban and Massachusetts handicaps this year. Offlee Wild was retired in August, having earned $976,325. Robbins has horses with Dick Dutrow in New York and also uses Frankie Brothers, Jimmy Jerkens, Carlos Martin and Richard Gibson. |
: Derby History
A native of Vancouver, B.C., Gunther owns a stock brokerage firm in his native city as well as Glennwood Farm in Versailles, Ky. He was raised on farm in Alberta, Canada and has owned Thoroughbreds for over 20 years. He has been involved in a varitey of equine partnerships including breeding and pinhooking endeavors with fellow Canadians John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery. Among his stakes winners to race are: Bending Strings, Two Trail Sioux, Molto Vita, Wall Sreet Dancer, Kimberlite Pipe and American Chance (in partnership with fellow Vancouver businessman Hugh Harlingten), as well as owner and breeder of Eye of the Tiger, who finished fifth in the 2003 Kentucky Derby. He is also the co-breeder of leading 2006 Derby contender Stevie Wonderboy |
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04.17.06 - First Samurai Out Of Derby
04.12.06 - Blue Grass Carries Hopes Of Several Derby Contenders
04.10.2006 :: First Samurai's Final Tune Up For Blue Grass - Video Update 
04.04.2006 - Brother Derek, Barbaro Head Final 2006 Derby Futures Pool
03.28.2006 - Bejarano To Ride First Samurai In Toyota Blue Grass
03.22.2006 - Derby 132 Contender First Samurai Returns To Churchill
03.04.2006 - Disqualification Gives First Samurai Fountain of Youth Victory
02.17.2006 :: First Samurai Between Fountain of Youth or Rebel For Next Start - Video Update
02.04.2006 - Barbaro Keeps Record Perfect, Triumphs In Holy Bull Stakes
01.29.2006 - Derby Fans Favor "All Others" In First '06 Future Pool
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DRF Past Performances
Next Race: TBA
Future Wager Odds
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Pool # |
Date |
Horse # |
Final Odds |
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3 |
04.06-09 |
10 |
13-1 |
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2 |
03.02-05 |
9 |
16-1 |
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1 |
01.26-29 |
11 |
7-1 |
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Race History :: Graded Earnings: $857,400 (as of 04.15.06) - Race Record: 8-5-1-1
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Date |
Race |
Finish |
Chart |
Recap |
Video |
Comments |
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4.15.06 |
Blue Grass (GI) |
5th |
Chart |
Recap |
Video |
Flattened out badly |
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03.04.06 |
Fountain of Youth (GII) |
1st |
Chart |
Recap |
Video |
Put up after an eventful stretch run |
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02.04.06 |
Hutcheson (GII) |
2nd |
Chart |
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Video |
Good try in '06 debut |
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10.29.05 |
BC Juvenile (GI) |
3rd |
Chart |
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Video |
Game in first defeat |
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10.08.05 |
Champagne (GI) |
1st |
Chart |
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Video |
Pulled away from Henny late again |
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08.27.05 |
Hopeful (GI) |
1st |
Chart |
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Video |
Dominated in first race vs. Henny Hughes |
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08.07.05 |
Allowance @ Saratoga |
1st |
Chart |
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Video |
Outclassed competition |
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07.09.05 |
Maiden Special Weight @ Churchill Downs |
1st |
Chart |
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1-2 favorite in easy debut win |
Recent Workouts
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Date |
Track |
Distance |
Time |
Rank |
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04.10 |
Churchill Downs |
4 furlongs (fast) |
48:20 B |
4/26 |
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04.03 |
Churchill Downs |
7 furlongs (good) |
1.25:20 B |
1/1 |
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03.18 |
Gulfstream Park |
4 furlongs (fast) |
49.00 B |
16/26 |
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First Samurai is from the second crop of the Coolmore stallion Giant's Causeway, who was the European Horse of the Year in 2000. He was undefeated at age two (3 for 3), won five Group One stakes in Europe at age three, and was an unlucky second to Tiznow in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs. A son of Storm Cat, Giant's Causeway defeated some of Europe's best horses both sprinting and going a route of ground. Overall, he won nine of 13 starts, with four seconds, earning over $3 million. He has gotten off to an excellent start at stud, with nine group or graded stakes winners in 2004-05, including the two-year-old champ Shamardal from the Godolphin Stable. In addition, he was Europe's 2004 champion first-crop sire. Giant's Causeway is out of the mare Mariah's Storm, well known around Kentucky for her wins in the Falls City (GIII) and Mrs. Revere (GIII) at Churchill and upsetting Serena's Song in the Turfway Breeders' Cup (GII).
Breeder John Gunther campaigned First Samurai's dam, Freddie Frisson. Under the care of Dallas Stewart, she won $263,067 with seven wins, including taking Turfway's Holiday Inaugural and Queen Stakes. Her first foal, born in 2000 was a maiden winner first time out. She currently has a two-year-old Menifee colt and a Cherokee Run yearling filly. Freddie Frisson comes from a family of sprinters, none of her winning siblings ever scored in a route race. Her half sister, Sky Blue Pink, did capture the grade three Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland.
As the distances get longer on the road to the Derby, the lack of stamina in First Samurai's tail female line has to be taken into consideration. However, he is inbred 4x3 to 1964 Derby winner Northern Dancer and also 5x5 to Bold Ruler, the sire of Secretariat. Maybe more importantly is the presence of the superior racehorse and classic distance influence Graustark sire of First Samurai's fourth dam.
Dosage Index: 2.64 |
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Starter Analysis coming Derby week |
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Derby Info
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