Derby Blogs

Ravel’s tumble from the Derby scene is a tough one for his connections, of course, though they’re better armed than most to take the blow and keep on coming. Still, he’s obviously meant to be a nice horse; he moved right up to the edge of proving it, and you have to wonder – with the very well-spaced races, the training on the kinder engineered surface at Hollywood Park and the limited Derby prep schedule – if the guys in his camp might not have been being ginger with something they were hoping to forego. But that kind of speculation won’t buy you a ride on the trolley now, so let’s speculate elsewhere.

Jeff Tufts, the savvy morning line maker for Santa Anita and Del Mar, came up with a dandy. He noted that there have been 10 preps leading up to the Santa Anita Derby this year, each won by a different horse. And, other than Ravel, not a one of them was scheduled to run in the race. Ironically, now Ravel is a no go.

But Ravel’s departure may open the door for some who were thinking otherwise to give it a go over nine furlongs in the shadow of the San Gabriels for 750K worth of graded cash.

My thought was Bob Baffert wouldn’t want to bring Air Commander back there, but that could now change. If he’s going to make the Derby (as in Kentucky), he may need to run first or second in the Derby (as in Santa Anita) in order to qualify. Baffert’s other two Derby hopes – Law Breaker and Saint Paul – are not exactly hitting on all cylinders right at the moment. The former was a scratch in New Mexico last weekend and thus all but assuredly a scratch from Louisville. And Saint Paul, the Florida import who managed a third in the Robert Lewis behind Great Hunter March 3, has not seen the work tab since, not exactly an encouraging sign if you’re expecting to put some burgoo in his mash that first week of May.

It is noted that Todd Pletcher, he of more Derby dandies than you can shake the proverbial stick at, has left Sam P. in California following his second in the Lewis. Sam P., a Cat Thief colt, worked four panels (:48) last Sunday and now – with stablemate Ravel headed to the sidelines for a spell -- could be S.A. Derby bound.

And yet another Pletcher charge – this one the impressive soph filly Rags to Riches – is being pondered for the Santa Anita colt race. Her owners are the Ravel people and wouldn’t it be interesting if his misfortune turned out to be her opportunity. She needs another race between now and Ky Oaks – Ky Derby weekend, she likes the track at Santa Anita (she’s a perfect 3-for-3 on it) and Pletcher, who worked for Wayne Lukas before hanging out his own shingle, remembers well the last femme to parlay the S.A. Derby into the Ky Derby – Lukas’ Winning Colors.

So a door has closed. We know that. But several doors might have opened. How many we’ll find out in the next week or so.