The Derby, the Sheikh and the Missing Princess (Or: How Human Rights Became the Talk of a Horse Race) Pat Forde
The billionaire ruler of Dubai has spent a fortune pursuing Kentucky glory. In Essential Quality, Saturday’s favorite, he has his best chance but it comes at his ugliest moment.
The select yearling sale at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., is where the world’s big players converge each year to throw staggering sums of money at thoroughbred racing dreams. Much of the most expensive horseflesh on the planet is paraded through a pavilion at the bucolic track in the Bluegrass region, with high rollers from the U.S., Europe, Asia and the Middle East silently signaling bids that can run well into seven figures. And it was at the Keeneland sale some 20 years ago that the world’s most aggressive equine purchaser probed the world’s hottest trainer on the question that was consuming him: “What does it take to win the Kentucky Derby?”
Louisville, Ky.
The name Phil Thomas does not appear in present-day past performances. The last race on his training record was run more than three years ago. His last winner was at the end of the summer of 2013. But something he said resonates to this day with horseplayers handicapping the Kentucky Derby.
“I bet if you looked at it,” he said, “horses that won the Derby came fast the last quarter-mile of their last prep.”
That was how Jennie Rees recalled a seminal conversation years ago with Thomas. Now a publicist for racetracks and a horsemen’s association, Rees back then was a respected turf writer for
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Silver State and Ricardo Santana Jr. winning the Oaklawn Handicap
Two of the best horses developed by Steve Asmussen for Winchell Thoroughbreds came to the Hall of Fame trainer on the advice of David Lambert. Silver State hasn t reached championship status yet, but the 4-year-old son of Hard Spun continued his climb toward the top of the country s older two-turn division with a half-length victory in the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) last Saturday at Oaklawn under Ricardo Santana Jr.
The victory was the fifth consecutive for Silver State, who became the first horse to win the Oaklawn Handicap – Oaklawn s biggest prize for older two-turn runners – $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes at 1 mile and the $500,000 Essex Handicap at 1 1/16 miles. The latter two races, Jan. 23 and March 13, respectively, were major local steppingstones to the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap.
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Last week s grading period came and went without a Report Card on the winners of the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes from Gulfstream Park, the G3 Southwest Stakes from Oaklawn and the listed John Battaglia Memorial Stakes from Turfway Park. The author got a little behind on his homework.
We ll review those three races from Feb. 26-27 and three big 85 point Kentucky Derby preps that were run last Saturday: the G2 Gotham Stakes from Aqueduct, G2 Tampa Bay Derby from Tampa Bay Downs and G2 San Felipe Stakes from Santa Anita. The winners of those three races assured themselves a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate on May 1.
Todd Pletcher, American Pharoah Headline 2021 Hall Of Fame Ballot Sponsored by:
Trainer Todd Pletcher
Six racehorses, three trainers, and one jockey account for the 10 finalists that will comprise the National Museum of Racing s 2021 Hall of Fame ballot, as chosen by the Museum s Hall of Fame Nominating Committee. The finalists are racehorses American Pharoah (first year of eligibility), Blind Luck, Game On Dude, Havre de Grace, Kona Gold, and Rags to Riches; trainers Christophe Clement, Doug O Neill, and Todd Pletcher (first year of eligibility); and jockey Corey Nakatani.
Hall of Fame voters may select as many or as few candidates as they believe are worthy of induction to the Hall of Fame. All candidates that receive 50 percent plus one vote (majority approval) from the voting panel will be elected to the Hall of Fame. All of the finalists were required to receive support from two-thirds of the 15-member Nominating Committee to qualify for the ballot.