Kentucky Derby 134 Update: April 14

TOP STORIES:

- Monba, Cowboy Cal 1-2 for Pletcher in Toyota Blue Grass
- Gayego Answers Dirt Question in Arkansas Derby
- Hey Byrn Much the Best in Holy Bull
- Tiz West 'Tis the Best in La Puente

MIDWEST/MONBA REBOUNDS IN TOYOTA BLUE GRASS – It had been a quiet spring on the Triple Crown trail for trainer Todd Pletcher … until Saturday.

All that changed in 1 minute, 49.71 seconds when Monba and Cowboy Cal ran 1-2 for Pletcher in the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) at Keeneland over the Polytrack surface.

Monba, owned by Starlight Stable, Donald Lucarelli and Paul Saylor, had run last, beaten nearly 40 lengths as the favorite in the Fountain of Youth (GII) on Feb. 24 in his most recent start. Monba had plenty of trouble that day, but not Saturday.

Under Edgar Prado, Monba sat just off the pace set by his stablemate, Stonerside Stable’s Cowboy Cal, who took the field through fractions of :24.96, :49.01 and 1:13.17. Cowboy Cal completed the mile in 1:37.27, but by that time Monba and Prado were breathing down his neck and gradually pulled clear to prevail by a neck and earn the $465,000 top prize.

“I felt good about the way the track was playing yesterday,” Pletcher said Sunday morning. “It seemed like speed was holding up a little more so than on a usual day. I thought that would help Cowboy Cal’s chances. When Monba broke as alertly as he did and put himself into the race, I felt like we were in pretty good shape.”

The victory improved Monba’s record to 5-3-0-0 with earnings of $577,534, of which $515,000 were earned in graded stakes. The $150,000 for second place increased Cowboy Cal’s graded earnings to $207,660.

Finishing third in the field of 12 Triple Crown nominees was Bear Stables’ Kentucky Bear, who was 1 ¼ lengths in back of Cowboy Cal. Completing the field, in order, were Stevil, Visionaire, Miner’s Claim, Halo Najib, Medjool, Cool Coal Man, Pyro, Big Truck and Stone Bird.

The biggest disappointment in the race was the 10th-place finish by Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Pyro, who went off as the even-money favorite on the strength of victories in the Risen Star (GIII) and Louisiana Derby (GII).

“He didn’t handle the track; you could see that early on,” said Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, on Pyro. “I don’t put much into it (the finish) because I have a lot of confidence in the horse. If he wins the Derby, they’re not going to care anyways.”

ZITO AIMS AT LEAST THREE TO DERBY 134 – Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito has two Kentucky Derby winner’s trophies on his mantle, and plans to take a shot at another with at least three horses in Kentucky Derby 134.

Zito said on Monday at Churchill Downs that Robert LaPenta’s duo of reigning 2-year-old champion War Pass and Fountain of Youth (GII) winner Cool Coal Man and Four Roses Thoroughbreds’ Anak Nakal, winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) last fall at Churchill Downs, were all being pointed toward a bid for the “Run for the Roses” on May 3.

All three are currently among the top 20 Kentucky Derby nominees in terms of earnings in graded stakes races.  Those earnings are used to determine preference for Derby entrants if more than the maximum of 20 horses are entered in the race, as is expected this year. 

“The way I feel about it this year is if you have the earnings, you should go,” Zito said.

Zito said Cool Coal Man clearly did not handle the Polytrack surface at Keeneland in Saturday’s 9th place finish in the Toyota Blue Grass, but the colt came out of the race in good shape.  He said War Pass, second in the Wood Memorial (GI) in his most recent start, continues to gallop, but said a decision on a work for the Cherokee Run colt was a “day to day” decision because the Wood was a difficult race.

Anak Nakal has failed to hit the board in three starts this year, but he was beaten by just over three lengths in an improved effort in the Wood Memorial and Zito plans to give the son of 1998 Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Victory Gallop a shot.

“He’s a stakes winner over the track,” said Zito.  “He was a lightly-raced 2-year-old and he’s only had a few races as a 3-year-old, so why not?”

Zito said he would also like to run LaPenta’s Stevil, fourth in the Toyota Blue Grass, in the Kentucky Derby.  But a Derby bid for the son of Maria’s Mon is unlikely because his earnings in graded stakes would likely be insufficient.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, the all-time leading trainer at Churchill Downs who is looking for his first Kentucky Derby victory, said that Court Vision, third in the Wood Memorial last time out, was scheduled to work over the Louisville oval on Thursday.  Court Vision won Aqueduct’s Remsen (GII) and the Iroquois (GIII) at Churchill Downs as a 2-year-old.

SOUTH/GAYEGO OUTDUELS Z FORTUNE IN ARKANSAS DERBY – Cubanacan Stables’ Gayego never had raced on dirt before the Arkansas Derby (GII) and trainer Paulo Lobo was eager to see how the son of Gilded Time would handle a non-synthetic surface before venturing to Churchill Downs.

He got his answer Saturday when Gayego prevailed as the 2-1 favorite, besting 12 other foes and turning back Zayat Stables’ Z Fortune by three-quarters of a length in the $1 million Arkansas Derby.

“He’s flying to Kentucky on Monday,” Lobo said after the race.

Ridden by Mike Smith, who put Gayego in a stalking position right out of the gate from post position four, Gayego ran the mile and one-eighth over a fast track in 1:49.63. The victory increased Gayego’s record to 5-3-2-0 with earnings of $723,420 of which $640,000 come from graded stakes.

“He’s still learning, race by race,” said Lobo, who won the 2002 Kentucky Oaks with Farda Amiga. “I think he’s going to improve a lot (at Churchill Downs).”

Tres Borrachos, owned by Beau Greely, John Greely IV and Phil Houchens, led the field through fractions of :22.71 and :46.61 before being challenged by Gayego leaving the backstretch. Gayego took over entering the stretch and held off Z Fortune, who had raced four-wide most of the race.

Z Fortune, trained by Steve Asmussen, added $200,000 in graded stakes money to his bankroll that stands at $386,600 with $329,000 in graded money, which is more than enough to secure a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby.

Z Fortune finished four lengths clear of Tres Borrachos, who was followed, in order, by Indian Sun, My Pal Charlie, Isabull, Blackberry Road and Golden Yank, who dead-heated for seventh, King’s Silver Son, Jazz in the Park, Ablaze With Spirit, Liberty Bull and Shekinah. All are Triple Crown nominees except for Jazz in the Park and Ablaze With Spirit.

SEBASTIAN COUNTY TAKES OAKLAWN’S NORTHERN SPUR – Dream Walkin Farms’ Sebastian County held off a late charge from Bob Zollars and Mark Wagner’s Poni Colada to win Saturday’s $75,000 Northern Spur Stakes at Oaklawn Park by a head.

Trained by Don Von Hemel, Sebastian County improved his record to 6-3-1-2 and hiked his earnings to $113,970. Sebastian County is a homebred son of Hennessy out of the Lycius mare Double Park (FR).

Ridden by Larry Sterling Jr., Sebastian County covered the mile on a fast track in 1:37.98 to best his fellow Triple Crown nominee. The only other Triple Crown nominee in the field of nine was George Gilbert, Dr. K. Chan, Kelly Glyn and L.A. MacLennan’s Royal Hudson, who finished sixth.

SOUTHEAST/HEY BYRN KEEPS DERBY HOPES ALIVE IN HOLY BULL – Bea Oxenberg’s Hey Byrn posted a 2 ¼-length victory Saturday over Herb and Ione Elkins’ Dream Maestro in the $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes (GIII) at Gulfstream Park.

A late Triple Crown nominee, Hey Byrn is a son of Put It Back out of the Skip Trial mare Restraining Order. Trained by Eddie Plesa Jr., Hey Byrn increased his record to 8-4-2-0 with earnings of $266,000, of which $140,000 is graded stakes money.

Hey Byrn, ridden by Chuck Lopez, stalked a slow pace set by Famous Patriot before making his winning move on the far turn. Hey Byrn completed the mile and three-sixteenths over a fast track in 1:58.14.  Two other Triple Crown nominees in the race, Richard Brand’s Web Gem and Bear Stables’ Chief Bear, finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

“He did what he had to do today, winning a graded stakes, but now it’s out of our hands (whether he gets in the Derby),” Plesa said.

WEST/TIZ WEST TAKES LA PUENTE FOR MANDELLA – Diamond A Racing Corp.’s homebred Tiz West held off Joy Ride Racing’s Afleet Ruler by three-quarters of length to win Saturday’s $109,900 La Puente Stakes at Santa Anita as Triple Crown nominees ran 1-2.

Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, Tiz West covered the mile on firm turf in 1:34.38 to increase his record to 5-2-1-2 for earnings of $118,220. Tiz West is a son of Gone West out of the Cee’s Tizzy mare Tizso.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Tiz West stalked the pace of Pistol Pete Afleet before taking control at midstretch and then holding off Afleet Ruler.

Two other Triple Crown nominees were in the field of eight: Legacy Ranch’s Capture the Call, who finished fourth and J. Paul Reddam’s No Jepordy, who finished seventh.