ESPN Derby Power Rankings
Mar 21, 2015 0:40:54 GMT -5
Post by Jon on Mar 21, 2015 0:40:54 GMT -5
For what it's worth LOL
Power Rankings: Tied at the top
By Gary West
ESPN
Starting with "impressive," he gained momentum with "tremendous," and "real deal" and "amazing," but jockey Victor Espinoza finally realized that no adjective or description was going to cover it adequately. Owner Ahmed Zayat called upon "easily," trainer Bob Baffert trotted out "perfect" and "effortlessly." But none of them quite closed the deal. The occasion seemed to demand a roll on the drums, a blast of a tucket and a laudatory hymn from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. OK, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir wouldn't have fit in the Oaklawn Park winner's circle, and so maybe The Puppini Sisters singing "Spooky."
And then there's this: After his victory in Saturday's Rebel Stakes in Hot Springs, Ark., American Pharoah moved to the top of the ESPN.com Kentucky Derby Power Rankings and into a tie with his stablemate Dortmund.
The Rebel Stakes was American Pharoah's first start in nearly six months, his first after traveling outside of California and his first on a "sloppy" surface. But his performance was arguably the most (a) impressive, or (b) amazing, or (c) spooky or (d) all the above of this run-up-to-the-Kentucky-Derby season. American Pharoah bobbled at the break, jarring loose a shoe, but then he got back up on his feet and quickly reminded everyone that he's the champ around here and don't forget it. Espinoza merely nudged him, moved his hands up the colt's long neck, and American Pharoah spurted away to win by more than six lengths.
Two other significant stakes were run Saturday at Oaklawn, both for older horses and both, like the Rebel, at 1-1/16 miles. And so they provided a good measure of the champion's performance in his seasonal debut. His clocking, 1:45.78, was very solid, nearly a length faster than Gold Medal Dancer's winning time in the Azeri Stakes over Untapable, but more than four lengths slower than Race Day's performance in the Razorback Handicap. But the rain fell harder later in the day and the surface became more deeply disrupted, and so the track might have been slightly slower for the Rebel than it had been an hour earlier for the Razorback.
But it was the final five-sixteenths of a mile that provided the (a) impressive, or (b) amazing, or (c) spooky, or (d) all the above part of the narrative. American Pharoah ran the final five-sixteenths in 30.56 seconds, or about 7-1/2 lengths faster than Gold Medal Dancer and nine lengths faster than Race Day. As The Puppini Sisters would say, it was spooky.
And so could American Pharoah become the first Kentucky Derby winner whose name was unintentionally misspelled? Maybe. With the 50 points he earned at Oaklawn, he has reserved his spot in Churchill Downs' starting gate. The Rebel indeed seems, in retrospect, the perfect start for him to have begun his season. He handled the travel and the surface and the competition all without having to pour too much energy into the effort or run too hard. And he should be perfectly positioned for his next outing, which, Baffert said, could be the Arkansas Derby on April 11.
And so now he shares the top spot in the ESPN.com poll with his stablemate, the rufous-red giant Dortmund. Both horses are, of course, trained by Bob Baffert. The Hall of Fame trainer said he would consider the Santa Anita Derby on April 4 for both, but, of course, it simply makes more sense to separate them. And so American Pharoah is more likely for the Arkansas Derby, where he could take on the Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red.
Texas Red dropped out of the Top 10 this week. He returned to Santa Anita on March 8 and had his first workout Saturday, a half-mile in 51.40 seconds. It was the slowest of 79 workouts at the distance. On Tuesday, his connections announced that Texas Red was no longer aimed at the Kentucky Derby.
A couple more horses could punch their ticket to Kentucky this weekend in Saturday's Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park and Sunday's Sunland Derby in New Mexico. Both races offer 85 qualifying Derby points, with 50 going to the winner. The Spiral has attracted several stakes performers who are proven on synthetic surfaces, most notably Metaboss, Royal Son, Imperia and Conquest Typhoon. Turfway, of course, has Polytrack.
A sojourn to New Mexico might be just what Firing Line needs to boost his confidence and, of more importance, to rediscover the winner's circle. He has finished second in three of his four races, twice losing to Dortmund in a photo finish. But those close losses to a giant talent suggest Firing Line just might be one of the most talented 3-year-olds in the country himself. But he needs Derby points and confidence. Sunland Park might be just the place for Firing Line to realize how good he is.
Top 10 Horses With Expolanations
espn.go.com/horse-racing/story/_/id/12509595/power-rankings-2015-top-10-kentucky-derby-contenders-week-4
Power Rankings: Tied at the top
By Gary West
ESPN
Starting with "impressive," he gained momentum with "tremendous," and "real deal" and "amazing," but jockey Victor Espinoza finally realized that no adjective or description was going to cover it adequately. Owner Ahmed Zayat called upon "easily," trainer Bob Baffert trotted out "perfect" and "effortlessly." But none of them quite closed the deal. The occasion seemed to demand a roll on the drums, a blast of a tucket and a laudatory hymn from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. OK, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir wouldn't have fit in the Oaklawn Park winner's circle, and so maybe The Puppini Sisters singing "Spooky."
And then there's this: After his victory in Saturday's Rebel Stakes in Hot Springs, Ark., American Pharoah moved to the top of the ESPN.com Kentucky Derby Power Rankings and into a tie with his stablemate Dortmund.
The Rebel Stakes was American Pharoah's first start in nearly six months, his first after traveling outside of California and his first on a "sloppy" surface. But his performance was arguably the most (a) impressive, or (b) amazing, or (c) spooky or (d) all the above of this run-up-to-the-Kentucky-Derby season. American Pharoah bobbled at the break, jarring loose a shoe, but then he got back up on his feet and quickly reminded everyone that he's the champ around here and don't forget it. Espinoza merely nudged him, moved his hands up the colt's long neck, and American Pharoah spurted away to win by more than six lengths.
Two other significant stakes were run Saturday at Oaklawn, both for older horses and both, like the Rebel, at 1-1/16 miles. And so they provided a good measure of the champion's performance in his seasonal debut. His clocking, 1:45.78, was very solid, nearly a length faster than Gold Medal Dancer's winning time in the Azeri Stakes over Untapable, but more than four lengths slower than Race Day's performance in the Razorback Handicap. But the rain fell harder later in the day and the surface became more deeply disrupted, and so the track might have been slightly slower for the Rebel than it had been an hour earlier for the Razorback.
But it was the final five-sixteenths of a mile that provided the (a) impressive, or (b) amazing, or (c) spooky, or (d) all the above part of the narrative. American Pharoah ran the final five-sixteenths in 30.56 seconds, or about 7-1/2 lengths faster than Gold Medal Dancer and nine lengths faster than Race Day. As The Puppini Sisters would say, it was spooky.
And so could American Pharoah become the first Kentucky Derby winner whose name was unintentionally misspelled? Maybe. With the 50 points he earned at Oaklawn, he has reserved his spot in Churchill Downs' starting gate. The Rebel indeed seems, in retrospect, the perfect start for him to have begun his season. He handled the travel and the surface and the competition all without having to pour too much energy into the effort or run too hard. And he should be perfectly positioned for his next outing, which, Baffert said, could be the Arkansas Derby on April 11.
And so now he shares the top spot in the ESPN.com poll with his stablemate, the rufous-red giant Dortmund. Both horses are, of course, trained by Bob Baffert. The Hall of Fame trainer said he would consider the Santa Anita Derby on April 4 for both, but, of course, it simply makes more sense to separate them. And so American Pharoah is more likely for the Arkansas Derby, where he could take on the Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red.
Texas Red dropped out of the Top 10 this week. He returned to Santa Anita on March 8 and had his first workout Saturday, a half-mile in 51.40 seconds. It was the slowest of 79 workouts at the distance. On Tuesday, his connections announced that Texas Red was no longer aimed at the Kentucky Derby.
A couple more horses could punch their ticket to Kentucky this weekend in Saturday's Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park and Sunday's Sunland Derby in New Mexico. Both races offer 85 qualifying Derby points, with 50 going to the winner. The Spiral has attracted several stakes performers who are proven on synthetic surfaces, most notably Metaboss, Royal Son, Imperia and Conquest Typhoon. Turfway, of course, has Polytrack.
A sojourn to New Mexico might be just what Firing Line needs to boost his confidence and, of more importance, to rediscover the winner's circle. He has finished second in three of his four races, twice losing to Dortmund in a photo finish. But those close losses to a giant talent suggest Firing Line just might be one of the most talented 3-year-olds in the country himself. But he needs Derby points and confidence. Sunland Park might be just the place for Firing Line to realize how good he is.
Top 10 Horses With Expolanations
espn.go.com/horse-racing/story/_/id/12509595/power-rankings-2015-top-10-kentucky-derby-contenders-week-4