Kentucky Derby 103 - May 1st, 2004

Horse Trainer/Jockey Pedigree (Bred) Graded Earnings Sts-1-2-3 Dosage Best Beyer Last Race

1. The Cliff's Edge - Zito/Sellers Gulch-Zigember (KY) $793,258 8 4-2-1 4.00 111 1st Blue Grass

2. Action This Day - Mandella/Flores Kris S.-Najecam (KY) $780,000 6 2-1-0 1.56 92 6th Blue Grass

3. Friends Lake - Kimmel/Migliore A.P. Indy-Antespend (NY) $611,000 5 3-0-1 3.00 99 1st Florida Derby

4. Smarty Jones - Servis/Elliott Elusive Quality-I'll Get Along (PA) $600,000 6 6-0-0 3.40 108 1st Arkansas Derby

5. Tapit - Dickinson/Dominguez Pulpit-Tap Your Heels (KY) $530,000 4 3-0-0 1.80 98 1st Wood

6. Castledale - Mullins/Valdivia Peintre Celebre-Louju (IRE) $510,000 10 3-4-1 1.88 103 1st Santa Anita Derby

7. Limehouse - Pletcher/Santos Grand Slam-Dixieland Blues (FL) $478,405 9 5-0-3 3.89 100 3rd Blue Grass

8. Lion Heart - Biancone/Smith Tale of the Cat-Satin Sunrise (KY) $475,600 5 3-2-0 3.00 110 2nd Blue Grass

9. Read the Footnotes - Violette/Albarado Smoke Glacken-Baydon Belle (NY) $397,860 7 5-0-0 2.00 113 4th Florida Derby

10. Wimbledon - Baffert/Bailey Wild Rush-Strawberry Clover (KY) $375,000 7 2-3-0 5.00 101 5th Santa Anita Derby

11. Pollard's Vision - Pletcher/Velazquez Carson City-Etats Unis (KY) $366,000 10 3-2-3 2.33 107 1st Illinois Derby

12. Imperialism - Mulhall/Desormeaux Langfuhr-Bodhavista (KY) $363,000 15-5-4-1 3.00 104 a-2nd Santa Anita Derby

13. Minister Eric - Mandella/Day Old Trieste-Musical Minister (KY) $350,000 8 2-3-2 4.14 101 1st Keeneland allowance

14. Birdstone - Zito/Prado Grindstone-Dear Birdie KY $327,000 5 3-0-0 1.77 99 5th Lane's End

15. Borrego Greely/Espinoza El Prado-Sweet as Honey KY $320,000 7-2-3-0 1.40 105 2nd Arkansas Derby

16. Quintons Gold Rush - Asmussen/Nakatani Wild Rush-Hollywood Gold KY $258,500 5 2-1-0 3.73 102 1st Lexington

17. St Averil Becerra/T. Baze Saint Ballado-Avie's Fancy (KY) $215,200 5 2-2-0 1.53 102 6th Santa Anita Derby

18. Master David - Frankel/Solis Grand Slam-Nadra (KY) $208,000 7 2-4-1 1.33 100 2nd Wood

19. Song of the Sword - Pedersen/TBA Unbridled's Song-Appealing Ms Sword (FL) $132,500 5 3-1-1 1.67 103 3rd Lexington

20. Pro Prado - Holthus/McKee El Prado-Mama's Pro (KY) $105,685 7 3-0-3 1.73 102 3rd Arkansas Derby

21. Eddington - Hennig/Bailey Unbridled-Fashion Star (KY) $95,000 6 2-2-2 1.92 101 3rd Wood

22. Rock Hard Ten - Orman/TBA Kris S.-Tersa (KY) $90,000 3 2-0-1 2.11 103 b-3rd Santa Anita Derby

the field will probably shrink by Thursday.

I won a small amount on Friday, hoping my luck stays good.

Saudi owner of War Emblem dies

The Associated Press

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Tributes and condolences poured in for Prince Ahmed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the owner of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem.

A nephew of King Fahd, Ahmed died of a heart attack at 43 Monday at a hospital in Riyadh.

Defense Minister Prince Sultan, an uncle, was to lead the funeral in Riyadh on Tuesday, the Saudi government said.

Ahmed had been complaining of stomach problems and had been going to a hospital off and on the past six weeks, an editor at one of the prince's publications said.

Mohammed al-Awwam, deputy editor of the London-based Asharq al-Awsat, told The Associated Press in the United Arab Emirates that the prince led a company board meeting in Riyadh 10 days ago.

Racing figures recalled the Saudi royal as an unpretentious prince with a passion for horses.

"I'm in shock," said Bob Baffert, who trained War Emblem and the prince's other prize possession, 2001 horse of the year Point Given.

"When you go through a Triple Crown together you get really close. He was like family. His passion for horses was incredible -- he lived and breathed them," Baffert told the racing publication The Blood Horse.

Ahmed spent $900,000 to buy War Emblem just three weeks before the Kentucky Derby, after the horse won the Illinois Derby. The colt's wire-to-wire victory at Churchill Downs in May made Ahmed the first Arab to win America's most famous thoroughbred race.

"Everybody buys the Derby," Ahmed said. "You have to buy a horse or raise a horse in order to win. If you show me who's going to win (the next Derby), I'll buy him again."

After winning the Preakness, War Emblem stumbled at the start of the Belmont Stakes, denying racing its first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

"I think this is one of the best investments I ever made in my life, besides buying oil in Arabia," Ahmed said after the Preakness.

The prince also owned Spain, the all-time female money winner. D. Wayne Lukas trained the fillies Sharp Cat and Spain for Ahmed.

"He never took himself very seriously," Lukas said. "He enjoyed the way he was accepted in the racing community. People sought him out. When he won the Kentucky Derby, he was on a high for about a week."

After that race, the prince said. "I love you guys in America."

Ahmed became known for buying the top horses at the annual sales in Kentucky. He did not attend this summer's yearling sales because of what sale officials said were business demands in Riyadh.

Although Ahmed said he didn't bet on his horses, he was known to gamble with his thoroughbred purchases. Point Given was perhaps his finest horse, winning the 2001 Preakness and Belmont.

Unlike his father, the prince never sought a government post. He studied in California before becoming a businessman. He did not generate political news at home, but his racetrack victories were splashed across Saudi newspapers.

Last year, Ahmed's elder brother, Prince Fahd, died of a heart attack.

Ahmed is survived by a wife and five children.

possibly smarty jones and box pollards vision and castledale under?

Pollard's Vision a sight to see
He could become first partly blind Derby champion

By JODY DEMLING
[email protected]
The Courier-Journal

John Greely IV watched Pollard's Vision gallop around Wintergreen Farm as a youngster and smiled about the potential large sum of money he would bring at a sale.

"He was such a good-looking horse," said Greely, the farm manager. "We thought he would bring $300,000 or $400,000 at the sale."

Pollard's Vision is a son of Carson City, whose offspring were becoming a hot commodity at the time, but that was before the colt went blind in his right eye. He was 15 months old then, and with only a few successful one-eyed horses, there wasn't much interest.

Except for trainer Todd Pletcher and owner David Moore.

The striking dark brown and bay colt was a perfect fit for the duo: Pletcher loved his looks and athleticism, and Moore himself happens to be blind in one eye.

"I think there was just something there," Pletcher said. "When we told (Moore) about the horse, then there was something about it that was attractive to him."

Moore, who has been blind in his left eye for 12 years, bought the horse at the Keeneland 2-year-olds-in-training sale last April. He let his daughter, Charlotte, now 7, name the horse after Seabiscuit's jockey, Red Pollard, who was blind in his right eye.

"There was a little kinship there," Moore said of Pollard's Vision. "There's clearly a huge appeal because of his blindness and my blindness."

The horse gave Pletcher and Moore some trouble early on — losing his first start by 22½ lengths — but Saturday the colt will try to become the first one-eyed horse to wear the roses when he starts in the Kentucky Derby.

"We thought we had some problems early on," Moore said. "But my daughter named him and she loves him. She said, `It'll work out.'"

It's not unusual for a racehorse to be blind in one eye. Several trainers said the biggest thing with one-eyed horses is they don't like to be trapped on the inside and have to adjust to getting dirt kicked into their faces.

"Every once in a while you get a horse with one eye," Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel said. "There's really nothing different. You just wish that on the side (where) they don't have the vision, they could see the horses coming at them. They can be successful."

Only a few such horses have succeeded, including Cassaleria, who ran 13th in the 1982 Kentucky Derby. He's believed to be the only one-eyed horse ever to run in the Derby.

"This is a little romantic (story)," Pletcher said. "Someone else might have shied away from even buying a horse like this, but I think (Moore) had some compassion for it.

"But this is a very nice horse, and we don't do anything different with him than we do any of our other horses. There's nothing wrong with him."

Pollard's Vision was the second foal at Wintergreen Farm in 2001 and had complete sight until the first week of May 2002.

"He was a very, very smart horse," Greely said. "He was a very aggressive horse as a baby."

Pollard's Vision was not only smart and aggressive, he looked to be a promising racehorse by a successful sire that has produced 67 stakes winners. Carson City offspring are known more for their speed.

"If the horse had two eyes, I probably wouldn't be training him," Pletcher said. "If he had two good eyes, he was probably a $300,000 or $400,000 horse."

But that quickly changed. When he was 15 months old, Pollard's Vision was being prepped for the Keeneland July Sale.

"Three days before, his right eye looked cloudy," Greely said. He said an equine ophthalmologist told them "he had signs of going blind" from Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome.

The disease hit Kentucky hard in 2001, wiping out hundreds of foals and causing many other mares to abort.

"We tried to save his vision," Greely said. "We were trying everything humanly possible to save it."

But they couldn't and his price dropped in the April Keeneland sale.

"The real key was that I liked the horse from an athletic standpoint," Pletcher said. "We had appraised him at $75,000 and probably would have (gone) higher."

Once in Pletcher's care, Pollard's Vision showed a lot of talent in his morning workouts but was dusted in his first start. And to top it off, he unseated his rider at the finish line.

"He was so bad," Pletcher said. "I started to think, `Geez, is this going to be a continual problem or what?' He broke, dirt hit him in the face and he retreated."

In his next start Pollard's Vision dusted a field by 12½ lengths and hasn't shown signs of being affected by his limited vision. He never was worse than fifth in his final four starts last year and won the first time out this year.

"He'll do anything we ask of him," Pletcher said. "He's adapted well to all race scenarios, and he can take dirt in his face."

Pletcher said the horse improves every race. Pollard's Vision was third in the Louisiana Derby and then stamped his ticket to the Kentucky Derby by winning the Illinois Derby earlier this month.

"We never do anything different with him, but as you can tell, if you'd seen the Illinois Derby or some of his other races, he turns his head a little bit to the right," Pletcher said. "I'm sure it's in an attempt to kind of broaden his field of vision. So, the more his left eye can see, the better.

"We felt like there were pros and cons to buying him, and we decided it was worth the risk. No matter what happens, he's been a success story."

Lion Heart - After vanning from Keeneland, Blue Grass runner-up worked four furlongs in 47.90 seconds at Churchill Downs. Exercise rider Jean Claud was up for the move.

"He could go 45 [seconds] easily, I just wanted to stretch his legs, let him see the track," trainer Patrick Biancone said. "He seems to like it."

Prior to the work, Lion Heart schooled in the paddock for 30 minutes. Following the work, Lion Heart walked in the seven-furlong chute for several minutes. He was out of his stall for 90 minutes. Later in the morning, Lion Heart was vanned back to Keeneland, where Biancone prefers the serenity to the chaotic Churchill scene. Lion Heart is likely to ship back to Churchill the morning of the race.

Tapit - Wood Memorial winner worked five furlongs under jockey Ramon Dominguez in 1:06.80 over the all-weather dirt surface at trainer Michael Dickinson's Tapeta Farm in North East, Md. According to Dickinson, Tapit started four lengths behind three stablemates and finished a length in front. "It was an easy maintenance breeze for Tapit," Dickinson said. Tapit is scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs on Wednesday.

Master David - Wood Memorial runner-up galloped 1 1/2 miles under Jose Cuevas at Churchill. Trainer Bobby Frankel plans a five-furlong breeze on Tuesday.

Pollard's Vision - One day after breezing at Churchill, Illinois Derby winner jogged one mile and paddock schooled.

Limehouse - One day after breezing at Churchill, Tampa Bay Derby winner jogged one mile and paddock schooled

Value Plus - Walked at Belmont Park. Only runs if Smarty Jones or Lion Heart defect.

Song of the Sword - Illinois Derby runner-up galloped two miles at Keeneland. Will van to Churchill on Tuesday, according to trainer Jennifer Pedersen.

- David Grening

Read The Footnotes - Worked four furlongs in :48.35 under exercise rider Morna McDowall about 15 minutes after the renovation break.

"It was perfect," said trainer Rick Violette. "We didn't have to go in :59 today. He really settled well and gave a little imperceptible acceleration at the eighth pole."

Violette said Read The Footnotes would school in the paddock on Wednesday and Thursday and go to the gate Friday.

Friends Lake - Walked the shedrow after working in a driving rainstorm on Sunday.

"He came out of his work extremely well," said trainer John Kimmel.

Kimmel has moved up Friend's Lake's gate schooling schedule and will now take him to the gate on Tuesday instead of waiting until Wednesday as originally planned.

- Mike Welsch

Action This Day - Schooled in the gate, and galloped 1 1/4 miles.

Castledale - Arrived after a flight from California.

Imperialism - Schooled at the gate, visited the paddock, galloped 1 3/4 miles.

Minister Eric - Jogged one mile.

Rock Hard Ten - Worked five furlongs in 59.68 seconds, according to Daily Racing Form.

St Averil - Arrived after a flight from California.

Smarty Jones - Jogged one mile.

Wimbledon - Walked the shedrow after working the previous day.

- Jay Privman

Eddington - Walked in the shed row Monday following his workout on Sunday morning.

- Karen M. Johnson

Birdstone - Returned to the track after getting Sunday off following his 5-furlong work Saturday at Churchill. Galloped 1 1/2 miles before the harrow break.

Borrego - Jogged an easy mile the morning after working 5 furlongs.

Pro Prado - Stood in the gate alongside Oaks candidate Victory U.S.A., then galloped about 1 1/2 miles.

Quintons Gold Rush - Was one of the first horses on the track when going out with Steve Asmussen's first set; breezed five furlongs in 1:01.40. Asmussen said he chose to go so early "because the track is always at its very best first thing." He stated further that he was extremely pleased with the workout. "This horse has a tremendous amount of talent," he said.

The Cliff's Edge - Avoided trouble by maneuvering outside three other workers, then inside of several gallopers down the stretch of his final pre-Derby workout, a 5-furlong move that came in a strong 1:01 (timed from the half-mile pole to the 7-furlong pole). Nick Zito said he was "very impressed" with the work. "Obviously the colt has a fondness for Churchill," having won two stakes here last fall.

Jockeys Hint at Kentucky Derby Boycott
1 hour, 6 minutes ago

By BETH HARRIS, AP Sports Writer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Jockeys John Velazquez and Jose Santos said Wednesday they might not ride in the Kentucky Derby if a federal judge bars them from wearing ads during the race.

A group of jockeys challenged the state law banning them from wearing any advertising, promotional or cartoon symbols. The jockeys argued the law violates the First Amendment. In a second suit, the jockeys argued they should also be allowed to wear a patch with the name of their union, the 1,100-member Jockeys' Guild.

The jockeys want U.S. District Judge John Heyburn to block the state law. The judge was expected to rule Wednesday.

Velazquez and Santos are part of the advertising lawsuit. Velazquez is set to ride Pollard's Vision in the Derby and Santos will be aboard Limehouse. Both horses are trained by Todd Pletcher.

"Basically, the threat is that we will be escorted out of the racetrack," Velazquez said on ESPN's "Cold Pizza" show. "If we will be escorted out of the racetrack, there will be no Kentucky Derby, put it that way."

Pletcher questioned whether Churchill Downs or the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority, which enforces the rules, would have the right to escort jockeys off the track for having ads on their pants.

"I don't know if that's legal or not," he said. "Whether or not the jockey would actually refuse to ride in the Kentucky Derby, I don't know that, either. I'm sure that if some of these guys chose not to ride, there would be other guys that would choose to ride."

"The bottom line is I'm not concerned about it," he added.

Churchill Downs president Steve Sexton said the track doesn't have a problem with jockeys wearing advertising unless it conflicts with sponsors already on the property.

"We believe this is an opportunity for jockeys. We're OK with it," he said.

"I don't believe it will cheapen the event, as long as the parameters are defined and followed. We can make it work. We don't want it becoming too much, and that's discretionary. But we'll be reasonable," Sexton said.

Jerry Bailey, who will ride Wimbledon, and Shane Sellers, who will ride The Cliff's Edge, said sponsors offered them up to $30,000 to wear a corporate logo during the race. Sellers and Bailey said the ad would be placed on the right pants leg, where the most TV exposure is possible.

Bob Baffert, who trains Wimbledon, was unconcerned about a possible boycott.

"If and when we get to that bridge, we'll jump off or cross it," he said.

Richard Violette trains Read the Footnotes, to be ridden by Robby Albarado, who is involved in one of the lawsuits.

"I hope it doesn't get to that point. It would not be a fun day," Violette said about a boycott.

Other states, such as New York, California and Florida, permit jockeys to wear ads and the guild patch.

Pletcher said jockeys should be allowed to wear advertising if the owner of the horse they're riding gives approval.

Attorneys for the KHRA said Tuesday they worry that letting jockeys wear ads could lead to corruption.

Jockey Pat Day believes riders should be allowed to wear advertising, as long as it's tasteful.

"It's an opportunity to bring in some new money into the industry and give some opportunities to the riders that we have not had before," said Day, who is not part of the lawsuits.

Sellers and 13 other jockeys were fined $500 for wearing the guild patch during last year's Derby. They appealed the fine to a state court; that case is pending.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/27/sports/othersports/28DERB.final.html

Minister Eric's jockey is wearing the masonic silks!! He will win.

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:CmwjUo0efNAJ:www.eastpalestineohio.org/image/masonic.jpg

Moral of the story: Don't mess with the Masons.

Market money for The Cliff's Edge and Read The Footnotes. Tapit unfancied in the markets.

Also, for any UK bretheren (or Americans that fancy getting down the bookies early) it's the 2,0000 Guineas tomorrow. Snow Ridge at 9/1 is silly odds.

4 dollars across (total cost $12) on Minister Eric

2 dollars to win on Lionheart (the early speed)

THESE HORSES ARE MY TICKET OUT OF THIS DUMP

Early speed is a mugs game, 2 dollar straight trifecta on:

Cliffs Edge
Tapit
Pollards Vision

A) I got Tapit in the pool.
B) I am so fucking full of derby pie I'm about to explode chocolate chips.

Folks got to know that NYC OTB allows them to set up telephone accounts, but it all has to be done ahead of time. You fill out and sign a form, they give you your account information, you can deposit or withdraw money from your OTB accouny either at an OTB parlor or over the telephone, and you can do all your betting with phone agents, toll-free and with no track surcharge on winners. And they keep longer hours than most OTB locations.

No kidding, it'll save you a serious amount of time.