April Preps Bring May Roses
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Greg Melikov
Mar 27, 2003
Less than a half percent of 3-year-olds nominated for the Triple Crown will run in this year's Kentucky Derby. A record 446 were nominated, but there are many pitfalls on the Road to the Roses.
First, injuries forced outstanding juveniles off the trail to Louisville. They included:
Sky Mesa: Off-again, on-again, off-again contender with a right front heel bruise who missed the 2002 Breeders' Cup Juvenile.
Vindication: Winner of the BC Juvenile with an ailing suspensory ailment and a nagging foot bruise.
Toccet: BC Juvenile runner-up with a right front foot bruise and tender ankles.
Now the April preps will reduce the eventual field even more.
The unofficial favorite for the Kentucky Derby is Empire Maker, impressive winner of the Florida Derby. The son of Unbridled, who won both derbies in 1990, will run in the Wood Memorial on April 12.
The race at Aqueduct also has attracted:
Indy Dancer: One of trainer Todd Pletcher's hopefuls broke so badly in the Florida Derby that he was more than 24 lengths behind after a half mile and nearly 16 lengths back at six furlongs. The good news is the son of A.P. Indy was less than nine lengths behind after a mile and finished third. The bad news is he hasn't been close in two stakes races and must perform better.
New York Hero: Winner by a neck in the Lane's End, the colt name for those who died in the 9-11 terrorist attack. The son of Partner's Hero has won three of five starts.
Funny Cide: Game showing in the Louisiana Derby saw him set the pace, falter and rally to run third. But the 1¼ miles might be a tad too far for the son of Distorted Humor. The last winner of the Wood to score in Louisville was Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000.
Senor Swinger: Son of El Prado goes to the Baffert barn after the winner of two was a disappointing fifth in Florida Derby.
The Santa Anita Derby field on April 5 will include:
Kafwain: Trainer Bob Baffert's mainstay has a case of seconditist, defeated last time by turf-to-dirt Peace Rules in the Louisiana Derby. Because Baffert thought Victor Espinoza moved too soon, he's switching to Pat Valenzuela. The son of Cherokee Run, however, needs a big effort as he runs closer to his sprint pedigree the further he travels.
Atswhatimtalknbout: Notable stretch run in the San Felipe even though he came up a nose short bodes well for him. However, he didn't run as a 2-year-old like another son of A.P. Indy, Pulpit, who triumphed in the Fountain of Youth and Blue Grass, but finished fourth after setting the pace in the 1997 Kentucky Derby. It's difficult to ignore that no horse unraced as a juvenile won since Apollo in 1882. His dosage profile doesn't put him in the category get 1¼ miles. Last winner of both derbies was Sunday Silence in 1989.
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