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Derby Entrants
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Trainer |
Jockey |
Owner |
Breeder |
: Derby History
A native of Dallas, TX, Pletcher grew up around Thoroughbred racing as his father, Jake Pletcher, trained Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds. After graduating from the University of Arizona with a degree in animal science, he went to work for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. He stayed with Lukas for six years, eventually becoming his main East Coast assistant trainer. Pletcher went out on his own in 1996 and he currently trains for such powerhouse owners as: Michael Tabor of Coolmore, Aaron and Marie Jones, Padua Stables, and Eugene Melnyk. In less than 10 years, Pletcher has conditioned such top-class performers as Ashado, Left Bank, Speightstown, Strong Hope, Forest Danger, Flower Alley, Balto Star and others. While he has been very successful since taking out his license, 2005 was a banner year for the Pletcher stable. He set a season earnings record in 2005 with his horses winning more than $20.8 million in purses, surpassing the previous record of $19.1 million set by Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel. With that stellar year, Pletcher was awarded the Eclipse Award for the second consecutive year as the top trainer in the land. After going winless with his first 12 Breeders' Cup starters, Pletcher won two races in the event in 2004: the Sprint with Speightstown, and the Distaff with Kentucky Oaks champ Ashado. Both would also go on to be Eclipse winners in their respective divisions. Pletcher's best Derby finishers to date are Invisible Ink, second in 2001, and a fourth place with Limehouse in 2004. |
Valenzuela, born October 17, 1962, in Montrose, Colorado, currently lives in Arcadia, California. Widely regarded as one of the most talented riders of any generation, Valenzuela has battled personal problems throughout his career. He comes from a family of horsemen. His father, A.C., was a jockey, as were several uncles. His cousin, Fernando, also rides in southern California. Riding on the aforementioned circuit since the late 1970's, Valenzuela was the leading apprentice in terms of wins for the 1979-1980 Santa Anita meet. He has won numerous riding title since then at Hollywood Park, Del Mar, Oak Tree, and Santa Anita. He was the youngest jockey ever, aboard Codex for Wayne Lukas, at 17, to win the Santa Anita Derby. He won the Kentucky Oaks in 1985 on Fran's Valentine and the Derby in 1989 on Sunday Silence, his only Derby win in seven mounts. He also was aboard Arazi when that one rolled to his stunning victory in the 1991 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs. |
: Derby History
Starlight Stables is the Thoroughbred racing partnership of Atlanta residents Jack and Laurie Wolf, They are relative newcomers to the horse industry, buying their first horses at the 2000 Fasig-Tipton July sale. One of the horses in that set of six was Harlan’s Holiday, winner of the Florida Derby (G1) and Blue Grass Stakes (G1). While that colt gave them some thrills, it pales in comparison to the career of their filly Ashado. In addition to winning the 2004 Kentucky Oaks (GI), Ashado won 10 other graded stakes, including the Breeders' Cup Distaff (GI) the same year. She was named champion in both 2004 and 2005. After being retired following the 2005 Breeders' Cup, Ashado was sold at the Keeneland November sale for a world record $9 million. Paul Saylor, founder of a real estate consulting firm and is also the Chairman and CEO of CS Capital Management Inc. Saylor came into the racing game through the quarter horse route in the early 1980's. He switched to Thoroughbreds some five years later and has about 30 horses in training at the present. In addition to Ashado, his best runners to date are Purge and Phil The Grip. |
Oakbrook Farm is owned by Mr. and Mrs. William Klussman. Both Keyed Entry and his dam Ava Knowsthecode were foaled at Valkyre Farm in Georgetown, KY. The Klussman's have kept mares at the farm since its inception in the 1970's. They currently reside in Agoura Hills, California. Other stakes winners they have bred include Northern Emerald, winner of the Flower Bowl Invitational Handicap (GIT) and a half-sister to Keyed Entry, Alex's Allure, who won the 2005 Senorita. |
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04.29.06 - Keyed Entry Puts In Final Work For Derby - Video Update 
04.23.06 - Keyed Entry, Sunriver Work At Churchill Downs
04.08.06 - Wood Memorial Goes To Determined Bob and John
04.04.06 - Brother Derek, Barbaro Head Final 2006 Derby Futures Pool
03.19.06 - Gotham Runners Looking Towards Rematch In Wood Memorial
03.18.06 - Like Now The Gotham Upsetter; Achilles of Troy Vanned Off
03.15.06 - For Pletcher, "Key" To Louisville Is Through New York
02.04.06 - Keyed Entry Remains Undefeated With Hutcheson Victory
02.03.06 - First Samurai Makes Much Anticipated Seasonal Debut
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DRF Past Performances
Next Race: 05.06 Kentucky Derby (GI)
Future Wager Odds
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Pool # |
Date |
Horse # |
Final Odds |
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3 |
04.06-09 |
11 |
32-1 |
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2 |
03.02-05 |
13 |
21-1 |
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1 |
01.26-29 |
17 |
53-1 |
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Race History :: Graded Earnings: $205,000 (as of 04.08.06) - Race Record: 5-3-1-1
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Date |
Race |
Finish |
Chart |
Recap |
Video |
Comments |
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04.08.06 |
Wood Memorial (GI) |
3rd |
Chart |
Recap |
Video |
Set the pace; battled, weakened and caught for place |
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03.18.06 |
Gotham (GIII) |
2nd |
Chart |
Recap |
Video |
Game finish outside |
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02.04.06 |
Hutcheson (GII) |
1st |
Chart |
Recap |
Video |
Held First Samurai clear by 1 1/4 lengths |
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01.07.06 |
Allowance @ Gulfstream Park |
1st |
Chart |
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Video |
Cruised home by 6 1/2 |
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07.10.05 |
Maiden allowance @ Monmouth |
1st |
Chart |
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Dueled for the entire 5 furlongs |
Recent Workouts
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Date |
Track |
Distance |
Time |
Rank |
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04.29 |
Churchill Downs |
6 furlongs (fast) |
1:12.80 B |
3/11 |
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04.23 |
Churchill Downs |
5 furlongs (fast) |
1:00.80 B |
5/48 |
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04.02 |
Belmont |
5 furlongs (fast) |
1:01.86 B |
5/9 |
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Keyed Entry is a son of the top class miler/sprinter Honour and Glory. His stud career got off to a great start when Caressing, from his first crop, won the the 2000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) and named champion of her division. He's cooled off somewhat since that first year, but has produced 27 stakes winners to date, including All Glory, 2004 champion older female in Chile and Blues and Royals, who won the 2005 UAE Derby (GII). For the most part, his offspring have been better sprinting than going long, which could be expected given his racing career. His only win going longer than a mile was at two, going a 1 1/16 miles in the Breeders' Futurity (GII). He was on the Derby trail the following year, and after a second in the Santa Anita Derby, he came to Louisville as a big pace factor. In the Derby, he had the lead for the first three-quarters of a mile, but then faded badly, finishing 18th. Turned back in distance for the rest of the year, he took the Metropolitain Mile (GI) and Vosburgh (GI) and finished the year with a third in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (GI).
Keyed Entry is the fourth foal out of Ava Knowsthecode, who has already produced the stakes winner Alex's Allure, winner of the Senorita in 2005. Ava Knowsthecode should add some stamina to Keyed Entry's pedigree via her sire Cryptoclearance, a very durable deep closer who earned a check in all three of the 1987 Triple Crown races and retired as one of the top 10 leading money earners of all time. On the racetrack, Ava Knowsthecode was 4 for 29 lifetime, with a majority of her races on the grass, including a third in Senorita Stakes (GIIIT). Further indication of stamina comes from her dam, Ava Romance, a daughter of Avatar, who won the 1975 Belmont (GI) and was second in the Kentucky Derby (GII).
Keyed Entry is a complete outcross in his first four generations, but going back to his fifth generation you get an oddity that is rarely seen in today's pedigrees. He is inbred 4x5 to the mare Grand Splendor, but instead of appearing through one or two of her sons, it is through two of her daughters. |
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KEYED ENTRY will almost certainly be part of the wild charge going into the first turn, and should go the front after drawing post three. He's never been worse than second after a quarter-mile in his six lifetime starts, so if he doesn't get on or near the lead, it could be over early. Stamina is also a question mark, being a son of Honour and Glory, but his dam's sire Cryptoclearance could run all day. That being said, he's never won going around two turns but was game in both his losses. He has looked exceptional training, not unusual coming from the Todd Pletcher barn. Picks up a top rider in Patrick Valenzuela. Longshot could surprise a few people by hanging on a bit longer than some of the other speed, but still don't see him figuring in the top four spots. |
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Derby Info
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