134th New Zealand Derby - Feb 29, 2009

[my miss storm cat]

Oh my God, ed... this is so cool. Thanks for all the time you're putting into this.

[_ed_]

Updates:
- Jungle Boots won easily today, he's in the top 18 on earnings now
- Sun Ruler only 3rd at Avondale yesterday - unlikely to make the field
- Tell A Tale was heroic today, 2nd in a G1 against older horses and suffering an injury in the race. Possible stress fracture. Hope he's ok.

Anyway, on to Easy Ryder.

EASY RYDER
Gelding
Brilliance - Ledahead

Starts: 4
1st: 2
2nd: 1
3rd: 0
Earnings: $52,935

1st Waikato Guineas (G3)


Winning the Waikato Guineas.

Videos:
Waikato Guineas - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPverN-DjFI

Random Fact:
He was sold for $500 as a yearling!

Route to the Derby:
Probably straight to the Derby without another race.

Derby Futures: 9-1 (5th fav)

PROS:
- Strong win over 2000m in the Waikato Guineas.
- Distance should be no problem

CONS:
- Never raced at Ellerslie, or at any clockwise track.
- Stable rates Jungle Boots higher.

[_ed_]

JUNGLE BOOTS
Gelding
Jungle Pocket - Special Jade

Starts: 5
1st: 3
2nd: 1
3rd: 0
Earnings: $45,662

2nd Guineas Prelude

Route to the Derby:
No more starts before Derby

Derby futures: 5-1 (equal fav)

PROS:
- Amazing turn of foot
- Distance should be fine

CONS:
- Hasn't really faced top company yet
- Does so much wrong - in his win yesterday he was looking at people in the stands all the way. He can't do that in the Derby and win.

[_ed_]

GALLANT
Gelding
Volksraad - Limerick

Starts: 3
1st: 2
2nd: 0
3rd: 0
Earnings: $15,625

Route to the Derby:
Championship Stakes at Ellerslie, Feb 14

Derby futures: 9-1 (5th fav)

PROS:
- Looks super talented
- Pedigree packed with stamina

CONS:
- Hasn't faced any really good horses yet
- Needs to run well in the Championship Stakes to make the Derby field.

[_ed_]

Update on Tell A Tale: Only a minor muscle tweak, he's still going to the Derby.

Anyway...

THE MEISTA
Gelding
Montjeu - Zablinka

Starts: 9
1st: 3
2nd: 3
3rd: 1
Earnings: $64,900

2nd Waikato Guineas (G3)
3rd Wellington Stakes (G3)

Route to the Derby:
Championship Stakes at Ellerslie, Feb 14

Derby futures: 10-1 (7th fav)

PROS:
- Great turn of foot
- Amazing stamina-filled pedigree (Montjeu, Zabeel mare)
- Proven against top horses

CONS:
- Never raced clockwise before.

[_ed_]

COURT RULER
Gelding
Viking Ruler - Free Court

Starts: 9
1st: 2
2nd: 0
3rd: 3
Earnings: $67,350


Court Ruler in his 28-1 upset win against older horses in the G3 Trentham Stakes.

Videos:
Trentham Stakes - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a0BFLtGa6U

PROS:
Stakes winner over Derby distance.

CONS:
- Questionable field.
- Very poor form prior.

[_ed_]

MY SCOTSGREY
Gelding
Golan - My Chameleon

Starts: 5
1st: 1
2nd: 1
3rd: 1
Earnings: $60,220

PROS:
- No problem with distance
- Competed well in Victoria in the spring

CONS:
- The VRC Derby, in my opinion, takes a lot out of horses and you don't see much more of them in their 3yo seasons afterwards. Having to run another Derby just a few months later is a huge ask.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by _ed_

Update on Tell A Tale: Only a minor muscle tweak, he's still going to the Derby.

Does this worry you?

[_ed_]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Does this worry you?

It does, a bit. Mark Walker looks after his horses really well, so the horse must be 100% fine now if he's going ahead. But he has missed some work, which could be a big deal for a race like the Derby.

Another update, the Championship Stakes today: Down The Road (who will be the next horse profile thing, I'll do that soon) 1st, The Meista 2nd, Coniston Bluebird 3rd.

Le Baron was 6th, My Scotsgrey 7th, Gallant 9th, Court Ruler 10th.