Contenders

Todd Pletcher

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, Bluegrass Cat, Left Bank, Speightstown, Strong Hope, Forest Danger, Flower Alley, Balto Star and others. While he has been very successful since taking out his license, 2006 was yet another 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. Pletcher recently won the 2006 Eclipse as the nation's top trainer, his third win in a row. 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 the aforementioned Bluegrass Cat and Invisible Ink, second in 2006 and 2001, respectively, and a fourth with Limehouse in 2004.

Fernando Jara

Jara had been riding professionally in his native Panama, where he won 58 races, since he was 14. He came to the United States at age 16, in 2004. Jara was born into the sport; his grandfather and father were both jockeys and had him attend the Laffit Pincay riding school in his homeland. He began his U.S. riding career at the Aqueduct 2005-06 winter meet, and has remained on the New York circuit. His idols as a young rider were Hall of Famers Pincay, Jerry Bailey and Angel Cordero, who has been an advisor to the young Panamanian since coming to the States. He has become the go to rider for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, and topped last year with a victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic aboard eventual Horse of the Year Invasor (ARG). Jara has had one Derby mount, Jazil, fourth in 2006.

WinStar Farm

WinStar Farm is a Thoroughbred racing and breeding operation located in Versailles, Ky that is owned by Bill Casner (pictured) and Kenny Troutt. Casner grew up in El Paso, Texas. In 1963, at the age of 15, he started galloping horses at Sunland Park. He put him self through college at Tarleton State University by galloping throughbreds, including champion Cho Croute. Upon graduation Casner embarked on a training career in the midwest. In 1979 Casner left the Thoroughbred industry. He and Troutt founded Excel Communications. Casner re-entered racing in the mid 1990’s through various partnerships. Mr. Casner is currently chairman of the board for the Thoroughbred Owner Breeders Association, vice chairman and co-founder of the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP), and he serves on the board of trustees for Breeders' Cup. He was also a founding board member for The Race For Education Inc., a national scholarship foundation that provides educational opportunities to children of racing’s backside workers and farm workers. Mr. Casner, his wife Susan and their daughter Kayce are residents of Flower Mound, Texas. WinStar farm encompasses approximately 1450 acres after current development is completed the farm will include 10 barns, a state of the art foaling complex, a newly renovated stallion complex and training barn and research lab. The farm is home to the stallions Tiznow, Speightstown, Distorted Humor, Victory Gallop, and Our Emblem. WinStar has campaigned the stakes winners Awesome Humor, License Fee, Mr. Mellon solely or in partnerships and bred 2003 Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide. They had their first Derby starter in 2006, when Bluegrass Cat was second to Barbaro. Up until the spring of 2005, WinStar employed Elliott Walden as their trainer. Walden retired from training to take a position at WinStar, and at that time the horses were spread among a variety of trainers, including Todd Pletcher.

Gulf Coast Farms Bloodstock LP (KY)

Cowtown Cat is a son of Forty Niner and a descendant of the Raise A native sire line who solidified his status as a sire when his son Funny Cide won the 2003 Kentucky Derby and was voted champion colt the same year. Distorted Humor won the Grade II Commonwealth Breeders' Cup and is the sire of five crops and 42 black type winners to date, including multiple graded stakes winner Flower Alley (Travers (GI) and Lane's End (GII)); Whitney Handicap (GI) Commentator; Grade I Spinaway winner Awesome Humor; and Grade II Astarita winner Humorous Lady. He also has sired top 3-year-olds in the sprinter Da Stoops and the filly Original Spin. Distorted Humor, like other recent Derby winners' sires, was at his best racing around the one mile distance, but his offspring have proven to be able to go a distance of ground, as witnessed by Flower Alley and Funny Cide.

Cowtown Cat is the first runner, but third foal, from his dam Tom’s Cat. Tom’s Cat earned just $28,140 on the track, and none of her three siblings that have won have distinguished themselves either. Her dam Shouldn’t Say Never was Grade 3 placed, and is a half-sister to Crafty But Sweet (Sorority [G3]), Stutz Keys (Pelleteri Handicap), and Captain Maestri (Frank Arsenault Memorial).

Cowtown Cat is inbred 4x4 to 1964 Derby winner Northern Dancer, and indeed, his first four generations have more sires than lean towards the speed side than that of stamina (Secretariat and Tom Rolfe, both in the fourth generation, notwithstanding). Dosage Index: 2.70 - by Mark Hoard

COWTOWN CAT comes into the race as one of the more overlooked members of the "Pletcher Platoon." He was allowed to lead the Illinois Derby (Grade 2) field through pedestrian fractions and easily won the event, capturing his second consecutive race in addition to the Gotham (Grade 3). However, neither of those fields boasted the type of quality horses that Cowtown Cat will meet in the Kentucky Derby, nor will he be allowed to effortlessly dictate the pace. One thing to like about this pricey son of Distorted Humor is the way he has been training recently; his two five furlongs drills over the synthetic surface at Keeneland each stopped the clock in 58 seconds and change. He has shown the ability to perform well in various circumstances but will be asked to adapt once again in this race against much better horses. Despite his advantageous post position and encouraging recent workout patterns, the perception of Cowtown Cat as low on the Pletcher totem pole may be justified.