AND THEY'RE OFF . . . IN THE DERBY PRELIMS.Byline: Kevin Modesti Daily News Staff Writer Now that Super Tuesday “Super Tuesday” redirects here. For ESPN program, see Super Tuesday (TV series). In the United States, Super Tuesday commonly refers to a Tuesday in early March of a presidential election year. is out of the way, get ready for Super Saturday and Sunday. Seven of the dozen 3-year-old thoroughbreds in the Daily News rankings will be in action this weekend, and their races could reshape the Kentucky Derby Kentucky Derby One of the classic U.S. Thoroughbred horse races. It was established in 1875 and run annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs track in Louisville, Ky. With the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes, it makes up U.S. racing's coveted Triple Crown. picture on both coasts. At Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino is a racetrack and county-approved racino in Hallandale Beach, Florida, in the United States. During its annual meet, which spans January through March, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in America. near Miami on Saturday, top-ranked Cobra King and Breeders' Cup Juvenile The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup. winner Unbridled's Song will lead a nine-horse field into the $500,000 Florida Derby. At Santa Anita the next day, California leader Prince of Thieves will be favored to make the $250,000 San Felipe Stakes The San Felipe Stakes is a race for Thoroughbred horses run each year at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. The race is normally held in mid-March and is open to horses, age three, willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles (8.5 furlongs) on the dirt. an easy steppingstone step·ping·stone n. 1. A stone that provides a place to step, as in crossing a stream. 2. An advantageous position for advancement toward a goal. to the April 6 Santa Anita Derby The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $750,000. . Cobra King has been off for eight weeks since making the Holy Bull Stakes The Holy Bull Stakes, once known as the Preview Stakes, is a race for thoroughbred horses dedicated to the famous race horse Holy Bull. It is held in April at Gulfstream Park and open to three-year-olds willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. his first two-turn victory, and Unbridled's Song is coming off seconds to Appealing Skier in the Hutcheson and Built for Speed in the Fountain of Youth Fountain of Youth legendary fountain of eternal youth. [World Legend: Brewer Dictionary, 432] See : Unattainability . This race may reveal whether Unbridled's Song has the heart and brains to match his speed. Mike Smith, who will ride the son of 1990 Florida and Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled, said he wasn't discouraged by the Fountain of Youth loss to 143-1 Built for Pleasure. "I think it was a good race, considering it was his first time around two turns," said Smith, who won the 1-1/8-mile race aboard Holy Bull in 1994. "You've got to give a horse like him a chance. He's very young (mentally) and he's only run five times. Everybody else has run twice as much." The Florida Derby field was drawn Wednesday morning. In post-position order: Built for Pleasure, Gary Boulanger riding, 12-1 morning line; Cobra King, Chris McCarron, 9-5; recent 12-length allowance winner Skip Away, Shane Sellers, 6-1; Nick Zito-trained Louis Quatorze, Jerry Bailey, 6-1; long shot Tour's Big Red, Jose Santos, 30-1; Unbridled's Song, 2-1; D. Wayne Lukas-trained Editor's Note, Gary Stevens, 8-1; streaking Ensign Ray, Pat Day, 20-1, and possible pacesetter Appealing Skier, Rick Wilson, 12-1. Bailey, the 1995 Eclipse Award-winning jockey, abandoned Editor's Note after the colt's fifth straight defeat in the Fountain of Youth. Built for Pleasure is the morning-line sixth choice despite winning the major Florida Derby prep. "He won't be a hundred-something to one," owner-trainer Thomas Heard said. "I don't think he'll be 12-1 either." The Florida Derby will be simulcast to Santa Anita. Meanwhile, five horses are expected to challenge Lukas' Prince of Thieves, the lightly raced Catalina Stakes winner ridden by Stevens: ex-claimer Budroyale, Eddie Delahoussaye; 1-for-6 Odyle, Corey Nakatani; California-breds Ready to Order, Corey Black, and Cavonnier, McCarron; and Aytron S, looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. a rider. California-based EC's Dream (trained by Bill Spawr for owner Sidney Craig) and Grindstone grindstone or grind common metaphor for industriousness. [Pop. Culture: Misc.] See : Industriousness (Lukas) are on their way to the Fair Grounds for a mediocre running of the $350,000 Louisiana Derby on Sunday. Notes: My Flag, with Jerry Bailey aboard, earned her first victory since the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is a 1 1/16-mile thoroughbred horse race on dirt (although the distance has varied, depending on the configuration of the host track) for two-year-old fillies run annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part in $200,000 Bonnie Miss at Gulfstream Park. . . . Linger gave trainer Ben Cecil his first Santa Anita victory in Wednesday's second race. . . . The track was "good" before mid-card showers, "sloppy" from the fifth race on. THE CONTENDERS The Daily News' Kevin Modesti ranks leading 3-year-old thoroughbreds eligible for the May 4 Kentucky Derby, May 18 Preakness and June 8 Belmont Stakes (Ranking, Horse, next race). 1.Cobra King Fla. Derby 2.Prince of Thieves San Felipe 3.Honour and Glory SA Derby 4.Ide Rebel 5.Unbridled's Song Fla. Derby 6.Editor's Note Fla. Derby 7.Devil's Honor Rem. Pk. Derby 8.Matty G SA or Ark. Derby 9.Victory Speech Jim Beam 10.Diligence Unbridled 11.Skip Away Fla. Derby 12.Built for Pleasure Fla. Derby x - Florida Derby and Unbridled Stakes are Saturday at Gulfstream; Santa Anita Derby, April 6; Rebel Stakes, March 23 at Oaklawn; Remington Park Derby, March 23; Arkansas Derby, April 13 at Oaklawn; Jim Beam, March 30 at Turfway. CAPTION(S): CHART Box The Contenders (see text) |
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