DERBY NEWS (4/27): Wet a.m.; Ramon on Kris; 'Luck' 6-5 fave
 

Another dreadful weather morning in Louisville with racetrack sopped and hard after being rolled hard and tight.. Only workers were AWESOME ACT and CONVEYANCE, with Awesome Act pretty nearly out-worked by Peace Town, and the Baffert speedball going evenly. A host of Oaks and Derby runners made appearances despite the track condition, with some looking particularly spirited including BLIND LUCK and ICE BOX.

Awesome Act started 2.5 lengths behind Peace Town and ended up a neck in front, but only because Peace Town was being managed. In fact, the Vinery sprinter was quite happy to dig in against the Noseda trainee after the wire and stayed on even terms through the gallop out... Awesome Act's splits were :13.0, :24.4, :36.3, :48.1 and out in 1:00.4 & 1:15.2.

Conveyance started slow and then picked it up to finish well, a solid and professional spin that earned fractions of :13.0, :25.2, :36.3, :48.0, :59.4 and out in 1:13.1.

Those galloping with particular authority and relish included BLIND LUCK and ICE BOX. This was my first look at Blind Luck since Breeders' Cup, and the fine lined filly looked a picture despite the overwhelmingly gray day. Ice Box just seems to be coming towards Saturday in as good a mood and shape as can be. He clearly wanted to do more as he threw his head about during his light jog down the stretch.

Also out this a.m. was Bret Calhoun's strapping JODY SLEW who is a nice bottom wrung candidate on deep exotic tickets Friday. Her work was superb the other morning and she looked like a coiled spring jogging today; QUIET TEMPER wasn't asked to do anything; Pletcher players AILALEA, DEVIL MAY CARE, SUPER SAVER and MISSION IMPAZIBLE all were out and looking great through simple exercise routines, with Ailalea surprising me on appearance. Mission Impazible seems to be justifying everyone's praise of how he looks too, as this was the best chance I had to eyeball him... Got a nice chance to watch CRISP through the stretch, and PADDY O'PRADO had another uneventful spin.

As mentioned the other day, RAMON DOMINGUEZ had a backup plan, and indeed landed on HOMEBOYKRIS... OAKS DRAW today at 11am in the Racing Office...

MORE LATER...

Jay Privman, Mike Welsch, Steve Haskin, Dr. Steve Allday, Jon White, Satish Sanan, Dale Barnstable Jr., and more all on ATR tonight...

This will go a long way towards discrediting those who claim he doesn't win the big ones. Nice ace in the hole.:rolleyes:

Maybe Conveyance is going to try and rate with that type of workout.

HomeboyKris was the backup plan? What happenned to Rosario?

Vic surely wouldn't have allowed this. ;)

Endorsement
 

Was Endorsement out this morning? I can't find anything about him today.

136th KY OAKS

1. Its Tea Time
2. Jody Slew
3. Quiet Temper
4. Age of Humor
5. Blind Luck
6. Beautician
7. Crisp
8. Tidal Pool
9. Bella Diamante
10. Champagne D'Oro
11. Evening Jewel
12. Ailalea
13. Amen Hallelujah
14. Joanie's Catch

Are they drawing the rest of the card this morning too, or will it not be done until later in the day?

Don't call me Shirley!

Vic, I thought Rosario was named....now Dominguez has the mount...how did this go down, any idea? Just curious...I like both jocks a lot.

Because Rosario's agent sucks.

Either way...I can't imagine anyone wanting the mount on Homeboy Kris.

Now that theres 40-60% chance of rain Interacif might run

Dont know if he thinks he got a chance at running on the off track or if its just to keep Backtalk out of the CD slop?

I would hardly think Pletcher is worried about keeping Backtalk out of the derby. I thought interactif was definitely out. Are they reconsidering?

I know just was joking about Backtalk thing but yep

He said Interactif ran so well in the mud and that its 40-60% rain on Sat they will make a decision before 12 tomm

Where would you rank Conveyance's move today Steve with some of the better moves over the week? Thanks

Steve,

was Paddy O'Prado's work uneventful becasue he looks dull or becasue they wanted uneventful. I was thinking about including him in all of my bets.
maybe they should be fewer and smaller bets :o

Oaks odds

Post Horse Jockey M/L Odds
1 It's Tea Time Alan Garcia 15-1
2 Jody Slew Miguel Mena 30-1
3 Quiet Temper Robby Albarado 10-1
4 Age of Humor Rajiv Maragh 30-1
5 Blind Luck Rafael Bejarano 6-5
6 Beautician Alex Solis 15-1
7 Crisp Joel Rosario 8-1
8 Tidal Pool Calvin Borel 8-1
9 Bella Diamante Mike Smith 30-1
10 Champagne d'Oro Martin Garcia 30-1
11 Evening Jewel Kent Desormeaux 10-1
12 Ailalea John Velazquez 15-1
13 Amen Hallelujah Julien Leparoux 8-1
14 Joanie's Catch Paco Lopez 30-1

If you can beat Blind Luck there is money to be had

Only way to do that is if Tidal Pool can get there ahead of Blind Luck. No one else in here has a shot.

And if you like her you can still do Oaks/Derby doubles as well as exactas in here.

Exactly. I plan on playing a couple of big Oaks-Derby doubles and hoping to be right about the latter.

NT

He didn't work. Only Conveyance and Awesome Act worked.

Uneventful means it was just an exercise gallop. He's as live as can be and especially dangerous if it's wet.

I don't care if I lose my shirt, but there's no way I'm betting a dime on Paddy O'Prado on Saturday. May as well bet Dean's Kitten.

Both Paddy O'Prado and Dean's Kitten had their only dirt start in the slop and both were dredful so why does he move up with an off track.

I agree. He must have looked spectacular on the track this week, because looking at his PPs and breeding, there's no way I can include him.

Vic doesn't get involved with racing east of Santa Monica. Therefore his employees/employee/Tyler...........need not worry about things in other time zones.. Right Vic?

His breeding is fantastic for 10 panels ... ??? What are you seeing that I'm not? His 'turfy' pedigree? :confused:

He now has the mount on Dean's Kitten.

Tyler recently won the $200,000 Sunland Oaks on Harissa. He was going to ride her in the KY Oaks but she didn't get in.

Barbaro was one of a kind. Once we regularly start seeing turf horses win the Kentucky Derby, then I'll start paying more attention to them. But there's just too many question marks for me.

What about El Prado-Prized doesn't scream turf? In a 20 horse field, you have to take a stand against some, and I'm betting that horses who've clearly done their best running on turf are, well, better on turf.

I normally do that too ... BUT, you have your exception when there isn't anything but a bunch of plugs in the race anyway. Sedgefield was a turf horse as well ... he finished 5th. Didn't win, but was my pick for last place that year and he ran very well.

Anyone see Paddy O's workout on 4/23 in the slop? Time was good so I was wondering what it looked like.