Derby News

Nobiz Like Shobiz won the $750,000 Wood Memorial (GI) at Aqueduct Saturday with a professional performance to set himself up perfectly for the May 5 Kentucky Derby.  Sightseeing was second, 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Any Given Saturday, who tired after being wide on both turns of the 1 1/8-mile race.

Nobiz Like Shobiz broke alertly from his rail post, but when longshot Flashstorm went gunning for the lead, Cornelio Velasquez put the brakes on a bit as those two, with Summer Doldrums to their outside, rounding the first turn in a line.  Summer Doldrums pulled to the lead on the backstretch, with Flashstorm and Nobiz Like Shobiz right there as well. 

 Any Given Saturday, four wide on the first turn, was just behind the top three while still well off the rail. Around the far turn, Flashstorm threw in the towel first, Nobiz Like Shobiz moved to the lead alongside Summer Doldrums, and Sightseeing was beginning his rally from the back of the six-horse field.  Any Given Saturday moved up to second entering the stretch, but Nobiz Like Shobiz put him away at the furlong pole.  He continued resolutely to the wire. Sightseeing made a nice run in the stretch, but could not get to the winner.

Behind Any Given Saturday, it was 4 3/4 lengths back to Summer Doldrums, followed by Reptilian Smarts and Flashstorm. 

After two races in Florida over the winter, the talk surrounding Nobiz Like Shobiz was more about his habits in his races than about his obvious talent.  The addition of blinkers had the desired effect.

“I think he was more focused today,” said Tagg, who gave the winner five weeks off after a third-place finish in the Fountain of Youth (GII). “He didn’t gallop away by 10, but he had a pretty well-bred horse chasing him. There were some maturity things happening to him, but he’ll get better each time." 

While the Derby looks like a certainty for the winner and a strong possibility for Any Given Saturday, plans were up in the air for runner-up Sightseeing.  Summer Doldrums would seem to be on the outside looking in with earnings well below the present cutoff point.

 Nobiz Like Shobiz paid $3.40, $2.60, $2.10.  Sightseeing returned $7.20, $3.20, and Any Given Saturday came back $2.10 to show.

<< Back to News