just another interesting fact - the last 4 derby winners Sir Percy (3 runs), Motivator (3), North Light (3) and Kris Kin (3) have a combined 0 wins after their Epsom triumph.. You have to go back to High Chaparral to find the last Epsom Derby winner to win a race after the Derby. Well he only won the Irish Derby, Breeders Cup Turf x2 (or 1 1/2), Irish Champion Stakes and the G2 Royal Whip.. some horse..

I am starting to think that only slow horses win the Derby these days, and even slower ones win the St Leger.

Ive backed Lucarno each way - he'll be the wise guy's pick for the Derby I think..

I'd like to see him do well, the ground drying out is good for him, but i'm just concerned about stamina. He is a very good horse in the making.

I have laid Authorized and will probably lay him again tomorrow.

Wow, I just downloaded pp's, spent about ten minutes checking them out, and decided to come on here and post that I am picking Lucarno confident that i would be the only person doing so.

What do I find? you're already all over him!

He just looks like a star in the making and has come around very quickly in good order. You always have to watch those Dynaformers.

A Pennsylvania bred to boot!

I know this, I wouldn't be taking any short priced favorite in here.

This boy was very impressive last time, he hardly came off the steel to win about 4 wickets.

My worry is him being able to stay 12 furlongs.

A few real shrewdies i know really fancy to collect a Breeder's Cup classic over the next couple of years.

He is a beautiful looking horse with a superb conformation, and to boot, he has a lovely action - so i hope the ground isn't too soft for him.

I'd love to see him in America, he is verging on my "Machine" selection of horses. The maiden he finished second in on his first start is the best maiden of the year and will probably still be the best maiden of the year when we get to the end of the season.

Whatever he does tomorrow, keep the right side of him, this colt is going places.......fast.

The FAV is a massive lay for me...... if he does happen to win, i will need directions to the nearest cliff.

Oh never mind.



I'd just get yelled at for it anyways.

any ideas to why Drowne is on board rather than Havlin? It seems odd to me considering he has ridden him before and he is riding at Epsom earlier on.. The more I look at the field the more I like this fella..

Maybe because Havlin is useless? well he is in my book........

Diomed stakes is next.
i played exacta 1/ 3 4

the hurdler won it.. he's so versatile..

ground is not as slow as yesterday..

Am I the only one that can't get the Racing Post "free" video to work for Epsom? Everytime I try to watch the video, I'm given three pay methods to view.

The Queen in the parade ring, not too many that have been to Epsom and Kentucky Derbies in the one year..

trying to beat the 3 favs here, Ive gone for Admiralofthefleet, Lucarno and Soldier of Fortune.. Its so tricky though to decipher those O'Brien 8..

that sounds like a good plan.

i have Lucarno first and second in exactas and tris.
hope he's a good one.

wow! they really get dressed up for this, top hats and all.

I bet Strategic Prince, who was very close to Tefilio and Holy Roman Emperor last year and probably needed his race last out.

superstar/..

super impressive win by Authorized.

Eagle Mountain second
Aqaleem third
Lucarno fourth

I'm absolutely THRILLED that Authorized won! Ahhh, can't wait to see the replay :).

And good job to Eagle Mountain for getting second!! YAY!

Katy

Great Horse-great Rider!

Not a brilliant race for me.

he has proved himself to be a good horse now, so i'm happy for him. I just hope he goes on from here, because if he doesn't we have a real problem with our derby looking like it isn't very good.

From his previous form you couldn't tip him or even pick him at 5/4..... but he won, i suppose.

Good horse, dreadful jockey (still)

Aqaleem ran a solid race and i was happy with that.

Very good for me that he stayed on for third, since I had a bit each way on him. Had a look at the pedigrees of some of the other fancied horses and had some more of the 'yikes' moments I had looking at Archipenko's. At least I could be sure of Aqaleem staying the trip.

Archipenko has a lovely pedigree but not really the pedigree of a 12 furlong winner. He finished last today, very disappointing.

Yes, Aqaleem will stay even further, and the St Leger will be his target now, over 14 furlongs.

Im disappointed Lucarno didnt hold on for third.. He looks a horse of promise. Eagle Mountain ran very well from where he was and definitely stayed the 12f. I dont think Soldier of Fortune or the others behind did.. The winner got some very short quotes for the King George where there could be a fair few nice older horses. I suppose with the weight he gets, he's a deserving fav on today's performance..

What I think is happening is that slower and slower horses are winning the race. Horses bred less and less for the distance each year. I believe this is the reason why some of the top people in British racing have been advocating shortening the distance of the race. With horses that are less and less capable every year, the race is starting to be won by the horse that best is able to get the distance over the rest of the field, not one that is necessarily good at it.

Has there been people wanting to drop the distance of the Derby?? I havent heard any! I heard more negative comments than positive ones when the French Derby was dropped in distance..

I agree with your theory, but like Brockguy said, there has been no one wanting to lower the distance of this race. There has been nothing but problems since the French lowered the distance of their derby.

Part of this is because of the american breeding programme. It is all to do with speed over there now and we are getting more and more american bred horses racing over here.

But having said that, Lucarno seemed to get the trip well today and if anything, i think he will be the best horse to come out of this race. Breeder's Cup classic 2008........... i will be there to see him win!

I remember when the French Derby distance was reduced, there were some articles that I read where some top British officials were wondering if the same thing might be best for Epsom.

Well, that is news to me. The only articles i read after the French Derby was reduced in distance were cries from racing people saying we will not do what the French have done.

Why should we bow down to the speed freak breeders?

That was the other side of the argument. Perhaps there were more in that camp than in the one to reduce. I admit that I don't follow European racing nearly as much as I used to so I don't know what the majority feeling was. I just remember that I had read that. It really caught my eye because I've been advocating for year the reducing in distance of the American TC races and I remember pointing out in a post that if the French could do it and the English could consider it, why not the Americans, who's Derby has less tradition than both of the others?