HORSE RACING: THREE UNBEATENS HEADED TO DERBY BROTHER DEREK STILL THE FAVORITE.Byline: KEVIN MODESTI Staff Writer This year's 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. will pit an irresistible force IRRESISTIBLE FORCE. This term is applied to such an interposition of human agency, as is, from its nature and power, absolutely uncontrollable; as the inroads of a hostile army. Story on Bailm. Sec. 25; Lois des Batim. pt. 2. c. 2, Sec. 1. It differs from inevitable accident; (q. v. against an immovable object - against an undeniable threat. America's greatest thoroughbred race has featured many two-horse showdowns, but rarely if ever has it matched three horses with "unbeaten" next to their names, which is the central plot as fans enter the final week of anticipation for the Kentucky Derby's 132nd running Saturday at Churchill Downs Churchill Downs, Ky.: see Louisville. . There's 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 Brother Derek Brother Derek is a thoroughbred horse. A foal of 2003, he was thought to be a contender for the Triple Crown in 2006. He was an early favorite in the Kentucky Derby. However, after starting in post position #18, he fell short in the "Run for the Roses," finishing in a dead heat for , unbeaten in three starts this year as the California-bred traveled to Louisville on Thursday as the horseplayers' likely favorite. There's Florida Derby winner Barbaro, unbeaten in a career that covers only five starts. And there's Arkansas Derby winner Lawyer Ron, unbeaten in seven starts on dirt tracks. Something will have to give - or maybe all three top contenders will fall victim to the often-crazy tactical dynamics of a 1 1/4-mile race with as many as 20 horses, and a long shot similar to 2005 winner Giacomo (a 50-1 shot) will take advantage. "I agree that I should be one of (the favorites)," said Dan Hendricks, the Glendora resident who trains Brother Derek. "I think that it's hard to separate Barbaro, Lawyer Ron and myself, and that's what the betting public will have to do. It looks like a real contentious and great Derby." Throw in Sinister Minister, a 12-length winner in the 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. ; Sweetnorthernsaint, a nine-length winner in the Illinois Derby; and Bob and John, a California horse who went to New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of to win the Wood Memorial, and this prep season has produced a more-than-representative field of 3-year-old stars. The actual field, with post positions and morning-line odds, will be finalized Wednesday. For those who haven't followed every twist of the preps schedule - what, you found something better to do with the past 18 weekends? - here are some things you can say to sound semi-informed as your horseplayer horse·play·er n. One who regularly bets on horseraces. friends discuss Derby Week themes. It's hard to root against any of the top contenders. The Derby, a frequent source of human-interest stories, is outdoing itself this year with a three-way battle for sentimental favoritism: Hendricks, a 47-year-old L.A. native, trains Brother Derek from a wheelchair, having been paralyzed par·a·lyze tr.v. par·a·lyzed, par·a·lyz·ing, par·a·lyz·es 1. To affect with paralysis; cause to be paralytic. 2. To make unable to move or act: paralyzed by fear. from the chest down in a dirt-biking accident in July 2004. Michael Matz, trainer of Barbaro, a former equestrian who won an Olympic silver medal for the United States, was in a 1989 airline crash in which 112 people died, and is credited with helping to save several children among the 184 survivors. Lawyer Ron runs for the heirs of James T. Hines Jr., the breeder-owner who drowned accidentally in a home swimming pool in February. Looks like it'll be a fast pace. Major prep winners Brother Derek, Barbaro, Sweetnorthernsaint and Sinister Minister have done their best while racing on or close to the early lead. If their jockeys all try to send them to the front on Saturday, they could end up tiring each other out. On the strategic flip side Flip side In the context of general equities, opposite side to a proposition or position (buy, if sell is the proposition and vice versa). , if most of the riders try to conserve their horses early, then whoever commits to the lead could go all the way at a leisurely pace. It's a big test for the jockeys. This is the first Derby since the retirements of Hall of Fame riders Jerry Bailey, Gary Stevens and Pat Day, who had six Derby wins among them. The scheduled riders Saturday have five among them - Kent Desormeaux (Sweetnorthernsaint) two and Victor Espinoza (Sinister Minister), Patrick Valenzuela (Keyed Entry) and Mike Smith (Flashy Bull) one apiece. Most on-the-spot are Alex Solis (Brother Derek), Edgar Prado (Barbaro) and John McKee (Lawyer Ron), a combined 0 for 22 in this race. Look out for the Baffert horses. Sinister Minister, Bob and John, and Point Determined give trainer Bob Baffert three chances to win a fourth Derby and tie 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. and Dick Thompson for second on the all-time list behind six-time winner Ben Jones. Yum! That's not a comment on the $1,000 mint juleps (in gold-plated cups) that a Kentucky distillery plans to sell for charity at Churchill Downs. The official title of the next five Derbies is the "Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands" under a new contract between Churchill and the parent company of KFC KFC Kentucky Fried Chicken (restaurant chain) KFC Kenya Flower Council KFC Kitchen Fresh Chicken (Kentucky Fried Chicken motto) KFC Kung Fu Cult (Cinema) KFC Kitchen Fixed Charge , Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. Purists hate it; the horses don't have to know anything about it. heymodesti(AT_SIGN)aol.com (818) 713-3616 CAPTION(S): box Box: IN THE MONEY? |
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