Kentucky Derby 134 Update: March 17th

TOP STORIES:
- Big Truck Upsets at Tampa, War Pass Last
- Sierra Sunset Dominates in Rebel
- Georgie Boy Goes the Distance in San Felipe
- Favored Liberty Bull Takes WinStar Derby

SOUTHEAST/BIG TRUCK ROLLS IN TAMPA BAY DERBY AS CHAMPION WAR PASS FINISHES LAST – Eric Fein’s Big Truck, overlooked at 7-1 by racing fans at Tampa Bay Downs and beyond because of the presence of unbeaten champion War Pass, held off Atoned in the stretch to win Saturday’s $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby (Grade III).

The unexpected result sent a shockwave along the road to the 134th Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) on May 3 at Churchill Downs as Robert LaPenta’s War Pass, the previously unbeaten 2007 2-year-old champion and early favorite for the “Run for the Roses,” was never in contention and finished last in the field of seven.

The victory delighted winning trainer Barclay Tagg, who won the 2003 Kentucky Derby with Sackatoga Stable’s Funny Cide, and provided him with another contender for America’s greatest race.  But it left two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Nick Zito, who handles the beaten champion, looking for answers.

War Pass, who went off as the 1-20 favorite in the Tampa Bay Derby, underwent a battery of tests following the race, but Zito had no explanation for his champion’s listless effort.

“All the preliminary tests we’ve done are good,” Zito told Daily Racing Form.  “He scoped clean after the race, his airways are great, and he had no infection.”

Zito said Robert LaPenta’s son of Cherokee Run had a few cuts on his left leg that could have been sustained when War Pass was jostled and squeezed back as he left the starting gate under jockey Cornelio Velasquez at Tampa Bay Downs.  He said additional X-rays and tests would be scheduled this week.

“If all the tests are negative and he’s doing okay, he’ll go back to training and work, and if he doesn’t work good then forget about it,” said Zito. “Hopefully he’ll move on from this race, and we’ll just be able to put a line through it.”

Tagg was not expecting a victory by Big Truck, a son of Hook and Ladder who was ridden by Eibar Coa and covered the mile-and-a-sixteenth over a “fast” track in 1:44.25.

“If it worked out like I hoped it would, I thought we were running for second money,” Tagg told the New York Times.  “But if we did things the right way and the big horse faltered, we could be right there.  It worked out better than we planned.”

Although he did not win, the run in the Tampa Bay Derby was a strong effort by Dogwood Stable’s runner-up Atoned, who was competing for the first time since a narrow loss to Court Vision in last fall’s Remsen (GII) at Aqueduct.  Todd Pletcher trains the son of Repent.

The loss by heavily favored War Pass resulted in huge show payoffs in the Tampa Bay Derby as nearly 94 percent of the money in the “show” pool had been wagered on the favorite.  Show prices were $25.20 on Big Truck (who paid $16.40 to win), $27.80 on Atoned, and $76.40 on longshot third-place finisher Dynamic Wayne.

MASSIVE DRAMA WORKS IN ADVANCE OF TRIP TO DUBAI – Zayat Stable’s Massive Drama, third over Cushion Track to Georgie Boy in Santa Anita’s San Vicente, breezed six furlongs on Saturday at Florida’s Gulfstream Park in advance of a trip to Dubai’s Nad Al Sheba to compete in the $2 million UAE Derby (GII) on March 29.

Massive Drama, now trained by Dale Romans after being moved from the care of three-time Kentucky Derby winner Bob Baffert, covered the distance in 1:15.60 over a “fast” track.

Romans has enjoyed success in Dubai as he shipped Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s 4-year-old Roses in May to Nad Al Sheba in 2005 to win the Dubai World Cup.

“All the advice we got going over there with Roses in May was get all your training done before you get over there,” said Romans.  “He (Massive Drama) finished strong and did just what we wanted him to do.  We wanted to get him one good tightener before we ship.”

SOUTH/SIERRA SUNSET ROLLS IN REBEL – With expected favorite Denis of Cork bypassing the race and betting favorite Z Fortune failing to fire, California invader Sierra Sunset ran into the spotlight and the Kentucky Derby picture with a dominant victory in Saturday’s $300,000 Rebel Stakes (GII) at Oaklawn Park.

A crowd of 29,961 cheered as the California-bred son of Bertrando grabbed the lead at the top of the stretch and rolled to a three-length victory over the late-running King’s Silver Son and third-place finisher Isabull. Chris Emigh was aboard the winner for trainer Jeff Bonde and the Sierra Sunset’s owners, a partnership that includes Phil Lebherz, Al Mariani, George Schmitt, and Carol and Charles Wirth.

Zayat Stable’s Z Fortune, the 4-5 favorite for trainer Steve Asmussen, finished fifth under Eclipse Award-winning jockey Garrett Gomez.

Sierra Sunset had a good race over the track when he finished second to Denis of Cork last month in the Southwest Stakes (GIII).  He covered the mile-and-a-sixteenth in 1:43.80 and paid $10.40 to win as the fans’ second betting choice.  The winner boosted his career earnings to $428,696 as he won for the fourth time in 11 career starts.

Bonde said Sierra Sunset would remain at Oaklawn Park to train toward the $1 million Arkansas Derby (GI) on April 12.

Trainer Steve Asmussen, who also conditions Kentucky Derby favorite and Louisiana Derby (GII) winner Pyro, had mixed emotions on the day.  He was disappointed by the effort turned in by Lecomte (GIII) winner and Risen Star (GIII) runner-up Z Fortune, but pleased with the runner-up effort by King’s Silver Son, who was coming off a maiden win at Fair Grounds after he had opened his career with five consecutive losses.

“He was going well down the backside and seemed to be handling the track okay,” said Gomez of Z Fortune.  “About the three-eighths pole, he wasn’t showing any interest and I tried to get him to take the bit and started pushing on him, but he just didn’t give me any finish from the three-eighths pole in.”

Z Fortune lost for the second time in five career starts.

PYRO BREEZES AT FAIR GROUNDS – Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Pyro, the favorite for the Kentucky Derby following the upset loss in the Tampa Bay Derby by War Pass, breezed an easy half-mile on Monday at Fair Grounds.

The son of Pulpit covered four furlongs over a “fast” track in :53.20.

The move was the last at the New Orleans track for Pyro, who is scheduled to ship to Keeneland to prepare for a run in the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) on April 12, his final prep for the May 3 Kentucky Derby.

WEST/GEORGIE BOY GOES THE DISTANCE IN SAN FELIPE – George Schwary’s Georgie Boy answered an important question on Saturday regarding his credentials as a contender for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands when overcame traffic troubles to rally in the stretch for a three-quarter length victory over Gayego in the $200,000 San Felipe (GII) over the Cushion Track surface at Santa Anita.

The victory by the California-bred gelding under jockey Michael Baze came at his first attempt at a two-turn distance and validated his earlier win in the seven-furlong San Vicente (GII) over the same surface.  Runner-up Gayego and third-place finisher Bob Black Jack were also making their debuts at two-turn distances.

Baze, who substituted for the injured jockey Rafael Bejarano, was boxed behind Bob Black Jack and Gayego and had to await room at the top of the stretch.  But Georgie Boy split horses in the stretch and finished strongly to improve his career record to 4-2-1 in seven races.  He boosted his earnings to $496,806.

Bejarano had to miss the race after he sustained two cracked vertebrae in his neck when his mount fell during a race at Santa Anita on Thursday.  That injury could keep Bejarano on the sidelines for as long as four weeks. Saturday’s result turned out much better than a previous experience for Baze aboard the son of Tribal Rule.  He had been in the irons when Georgie Boy finished third in his career debut at Hollywood Park.

“He has matured dramatically since the last time I rode him,” Baze said.  “He really impressed me more after he hit the wire.  I had a harder time pulling him up than I did during the race.”

Trainer Kathy Walsh, who celebrates her 68th birthday on Tuesday, said Sunday morning that Georgie Boy had come out of his San Felipe victory well, but she had no definite plans for his next start.  The Santa Anita Derby (GI) on April 5 and the Arkansas Derby (GII) on April 12 had been mentioned earlier as possible stops for Georgie Boy.

LIBERTY BULL ROLLS IN WINSTAR DERBY – Kenneth Maier’s Liberty Bull overcame an outside post and rallied from just off the pace to roll to a two-length victory over Screen to Screen in Sunday’s $600,000 WinStar Derby at New Mexico’s Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino on Sunday.

The Tom Amoss-trained son of Holy Bull was ridden by jockey Gerard Melancon, a substituted for regular jockey Eusebio Razo, Jr., who was injured last week in a mishap at Hawthorne Park.  He covered a mile and an eighth in 1:49.82 over a “fast” track.  Ablaze with Spirit finished third before a crowd of 14,491.  Favored Winsome Charm stalked the early pace, but faded to finish last.

With the victory, Liberty Bull is eligible for a $500,000 bonus offered by Sunland to any horse that sweeps the WinStar Derby, Santa Anita Derby and Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands.  But Amoss told Daily Racing Form after the race that the colt’s next start had not been decided.

“We’re delighted with the win, and I like the fact that he got the 1 1/8-miles well,” said Amoss.  “We’ll probably make a decision on his next race in a few days.”

Capetown Royal was a late scratch from the race.