I Want Revenge: Post 13, Derby Favorite

Bloodhorse ^ | April 29, 2009 | Evan Hammonds

[gate2wire]

I Want Revenge, runaway winner of the Gotham Stakes (gr. I) and a determined victor in the April 4 Wood Memorial (gr. I), has been made the 3-1 morning line favorite for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). The son of Stephen Got Even will break from post 13 in a full field of 20 3-year-olds for the $2-million classic that will be run under the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs set for 6:24 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia put the 3-1 price on I Want Revenge. He noted the lower price on the colt based on the fact that Quality Road was withdrawn from consideration earlier in the week. Battaglia made co-second choices of Pioneerof the Nile (post 16) and Florida Derby (gr. I) runner-up Dunkirk (post 15) at 4-1. The fourth choice is Friesan Fire (post 6) at 5-1. Hold Me Back and Desert Party have been pegged at 15-1 and all of the other starters are 20-1 or higher.

The draw was conducted at the Marquee Village at Churchill Downs, an area of luxury suites past the first turn adjacent to the Longfield Avenue parking lot. The past few years the post position selection process took place later in the afternoon at Fourth Street Live! in downtown Louisville on a nationally-televised stage.

[ottbmare]

What would we do without you? I don’t have time to read all this material before work in the morning. (Busy just trying to keep up with the steeplechase season in MD/VA!) Thank you, from another Marylander.

[gate2wire]

1. West Side Bernie (Bernstein), Stewart Elliot, 126, Kelly Breen, 30-1;
2. Musket Man (Yonaguska), Eibar Coa, 126, Derek Ryan, 20-1;
3. Mr. Hot Stuff (Tiznow), John Velazquez, 126, Eoin Harty, 30-1;
4. Advice (Chapel Royal), Rene Douglas, 126, Todd Pletcher, 30-1;
5. Hold Me Back (Giant's Causeway), Kent Desormeaux, 126, Bill Mott, 15-1;
6. Friesan Fire (A.P. Indy), Gabriel Saez, 126, Larry Jones, 5-1;
7. Papa Clem (Smart Strike), Rafael Bejarano, 126, Gary Stute, 20-1;
8. Mine That Bird (Birdstone), Calvin Borel, 126, Bennie Woolley, 50-1;
9. Join in the Dance (Sky Mesa), Chris DeCarlo, 126, Todd Pletcher, 50-1;
10. Regal Ransom (Distorted Humor), Alan Garcia, 126, Saeed bin Suroor, 30-1;
11. Chocolate Candy (Candy Ride [Arg]), Mike Smith, 126, Jerry Hollendorfer, 20-1;
12. General Quarters (Sky Mesa), Julien Leparoux, 126, Tom McCarthy, 20-1;
13. I Want Revenge (Stephen Got Even), Joe Talamo, 126, Jeff Mullins, 3-1;
14. Atomic Rain (Smart Strike), Joe Bravo, 126, Kelly Breen, 50-1;
15. Dunkirk (Unbridled's Song), Edgar Prado, 126, Todd Pletcher, 4-1;
16. Pioneerof the Nile (Empire Maker), Garrett Gomez, 126, Bob Baffert, 4-1;
17. Summer Bird (Birdstone), Chris Rosier, 126, Tim Ice, 50-1;
18. Nowhere to Hide (Vindication), Shaun Bridgmohan, 126, Nick Zito, 50-1;
19. Desert Party (Street Cry [Ire]), Ramon Dominguez, 126, Saeed bin Suroor, 15-1;
20. Flying Private (Fusaichi Pegasus), Robby Albarado, 126, D. Wayne Lukas, 50-1.

[Vaquero]

[gate2wire]

You’re welcome.

What can I say...racing is my life. :-)

[gate2wire]

You all know this already, but ping anyway.

[jla]

Difficult race to choose three horses let alone one. I've been vacillating a lot, since my orig pick Old Fashioned, is out. But am going to stick with my next choice after Old Fashioned...Dunkirk.
Of course, I'll also have Pioneer of the Nile on the betting slip.
Gate2Wire, which horse is the big closer in this race?

[Cedric]

Do you know if any of these horses were raised in the Bluegrass area (near Lexington, KY)?

[gate2wire]

Closers: West Side Bernie, Summer Bird, Hold Me Bavk, Mr. Hot Stuff, Advice.
Pioneerofthe Nile has been running close to pace last couple, but will prefer a big close.

[gate2wire]

Ha, I think they are all Kentucky breds. Don’t know what part.

[jla]

Thanks, Gate. BTW, what do you think of Choc Candy?

[gate2wire]

Oops, Advice is a Fl. bred, the rest Ky.

[gate2wire]

Good chance to get a piece. Will use in Tri’s and supers.

[neb52]

Why does I Want Revenge have a better odds than Pioneer of the Nile? It looks like PotN has had better finishes the past few races than IWR.

[Cedric]

Do you know where I can get information about which farms these horses are from (Winstar, Darley/Jonabell, Shadwell, Calumet, etc.)?

[jla]

Why does I Want Revenge have a better odds than Pioneer of the Nile?

Gate2Wire will have a more qualified response but in my opinion it's a/c Revenge's pedigree.

[gate2wire]

http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2009/racing-information/contenders

[gate2wire]

Pioneer hasn’t run on real dirt yet. Nor has he received a triple digit speed figure.
Revenge’s last two races have been on dirt and have been excellent.
Note that Pioneer has beaten Revenge twice on synthetic surfaces in Ca.

[Matchett-PI]

bttt

[A Cyrenian]

bttt