Kentucky Derby 2003


© Greg Melikov
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Apr 25, 2003


You can make a solid case for Empire Maker, the logical favorite, to win the 129th Kentucky Derby by process of elimination concerning truisms.

No unraced 2-year-old has made it to the winner's circle since Apollo in 1882. So long, Atswhatimtalknbout. He's in a category with Pulpit, another son of A.P. Indy, who won the Blue Grass Stakes, then finished fourth after setting the pace in the 1997 Run for the Roses.

No horse since 1962 has won at Churchill Downs without a stakes victory in the United States. Exit Brancusi, Eye of the Tiger and Senor Swinger. That's the second strike again Atswhatimtalknbout. There should be an asterisk in 1971 because Canonero II captured four events in Venezuela before shipping north.

Sunny Halo two decades ago was the last to win with less than three preps as a 3-year-old. Goodbye, Indian Express, Outta Here and Peace Rules.

The last year a gelding triumphed was in 1929 - Clyde Van Dusen. That bodes ill for Buddy Gil and Funny Cide.

No horse with only four career starts has done it in 85 years. Adios, Indian Express. That's strike two on Senior Swinger.

In 128 Runs for the Roses, no New York- or Utah-bred was victorious. Strike two, Funny Cide and Indian Express.

The last horse to win without a workout at Churchill Downs in the days leading up to the race was Bold Forbes in 1976. Strike three, Funny Cide.

No descendent of the great Damascus, the 8-5 favorite in 1967 who failed to challenge and finished third, has won the big one. His relatives, which included outstanding thoroughbreds, have kept the Damascus Curse alive: Point Given, Private Terms, Skip Away, Corporate Report, Fly So Free, etc. Strike two, his grandson, Buddy Gil.

In addition to Empire Maker, that leaves:

Ten Most Wanted: The son of Deputy Commander roared to a smashing triumph in the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne on April 5 after finding racing room in the upper stretch. That's the kind of move a 3-year-old needs to smell the roses. It could be déjà vu as War Emblem used that prep to spring the upset last year.

Offlee Wild: Considering the winner of the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park missed the Florida Derby after running fourth in the Fountain of Youth Stakes on Feb. 15, his third-place finish in the Blue Grass wasn't bad. But he missed many days of training. Conditioner T.V. Smith went to Robby Albarado after losing the services of Day.

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