DERBY SURELY HAS L.A. LOOK.Byline: Kevin Modesti Staff Writer It might be time to change 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. theme song from ``My Old Kentucky Home'' to ``I Love L.A.'' As Derby Week begins today in Louisville, the power (if you'll pardon the expression Pardon The Expression! was an ITV sitcom that ran from 2 June 1965 to 27 June 1966. The sitcom was the only spin-off from the highly popular soap opera Coronation Street – not counting The Brothers McGregor ) resides with horses, jockeys and trainers who call Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, home. 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. winner Point Given, trained by Bob Baffert Bob Baffert (born January 13, 1953 in Nogales, Arizona) is an American horse owner and trainer. He graduated from the University of Arizona's Racetrack Management Program with a Bachelor of Science degree. and ridden by Gary Stevens
Like Congaree, Blue Grass Stakes The Blue Grass Stakes, currently sponsored by the Toyota Motor Corporation, is an American Grade 1 horse race for 3-year-old Thoroughbreds held annually in mid April at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Kentucky. winner Millennium Wind (David Hofmans, Laffit Pincay) is a Southern California-based colt who proved himself in a major Derby prep race back east. And Arkansas Derby runner-up Jamaican Rum (James Cassidy, Eddie Delahoussaye) is a Southern Californian with a late-running puncher's chance in the 1 1/4-mile Derby. In addition to Stevens, Espinoza, Pincay and Delahoussaye, Southern California jockey David Flores Flores, town, Guatemala Flores (flōrəs), town (1990 est. pop. 2,200), capital of Petén department, N Guatemala. Flores was built on an island in the southern part of Lake Petén Itzá and on the site of the has a Derby mount (Express Tour). And Corey Nakatani (A P Valentine A P Valentine (foaled February 14, 1998) is a retired Grade I-winning Thoroughbred racehorse sired by A.P. Indy out of an Alydar mare, Twenty Eight Carat. Two-year-old campaign ) only recently left the local circuit to ride in Kentucky. Why should the 127th Derby be any different? The past four Derby winners - Silver Charm, Real Quiet, Charismatic and Fusaichi Pegasus - had been based at Santa Anita all winter. The two winners before them - Thunder Gulch and Grindstone grindstone or grind common metaphor for industriousness. [Pop. Culture: Misc.] See : Industriousness - spent part of the winter here. West Coast dominance will be one of the loudest themes in the buildup to the world's most famous horse race. During early-morning training, most binoculars will focus on Point Given. The consistent son of Thunder Gulch could be the heaviest favorite since Arazi was bet below even-money and finished eighth in 1992. ``I think 2-1, maybe even 8-5,'' said Churchill Downs' Mike Battaglia, who will post the official morning line as soon as entries and post positions are determined Wednesday. ``I just think he (Point Given) has done everything so effortlessly, he deserves to be a very strong favorite.'' Fusaichi Pegasus went off at 2.3-1 last year when he became the Derby's first winning favorite since Spectacular Bid in 1979. Fusaichi Pegasus' propensity for pre-workout and pre-race antics kept bettors guessing until he walked calmly into the starting gate. Point Given also acts up now and then, so Baffert must worry how he'll react to a noisy Derby day crowd of 150,000-plus. After a gallop Thursday morning, Point Given reared three times, apparently because he was spooked by a cameraman. ``He could have gone over and hurt himself,'' Baffert said. On April 12, at Santa Anita, Point Given got loose after a broken bridle sent his exercise rider tumbling to the track. The colt was rounded up among the barns, unharmed. Baffert, who won with Silver Charm and Real Quiet, can break into the elite of three-time Derby-winning trainers, joining Ben Jones (6), Dick Thompson (4), D. Wayne Lukas Darrell Wayne Lukas (born September 2, 1935 in Antigo, Wisconsin) is a former educator who became one of the most successful horse trainers in American Thoroughbred horse racing history and a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee. (4), Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons (3) and Max Hirsch (3). Baffert would be the quickest to get three, doing it in six years. Stevens, who rode Winning Colors, Thunder Gulch and Silver Charm, can join the exclusive club of four-time Derby-winning jockeys, which consists of Eddie Arcaro (5), Bill Hartack (5) and Bill Shoemaker (4). Pincay can match a Shoemaker record by riding a Derby winner at age 54. Coincidentally, Millennium Wind is in the Churchill Downs stall that housed Ferdinand before he carried Shoemaker to victory in 1986. A field of 15 to 18 3-year-olds is expected, the only notable absentees being 2000 2-year-old champion Macho Uno (injured in February) and leading Dubai hope Street Cry (injured last week). Expected to be entered are A P Valentine, Balto Star (Mark Guidry riding), Congaree, Dollar Bill (Pat Day), Express Tour, Fifty Stars (Donnie Meche), Invisible Ink (Mike Smith), Jamaican Rum, Millennium Wind, Monarchos (Jorge Chavez), Point Given, Songandaprayer (Aaron Gryder), Talk is Money (Jerry Bailey), Thunder Blitz (Edgar Prado) and Tincin (Larry LaGue). Still deciding are the handlers of Arctic Boy, Keats and Percy Hope. 127th KENTUCKY DERBY Where: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Ky. When: Saturday, 3:04 p.m. TV: Ch. 4, 2 p.m. CAPTION(S): box Box: 127th KENTUCKY DERBY (see text) |
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