MAY 2, 2015
RACE 11
Posted on 05/14/2015 4:30:55 PM PDT by ETL
PIMLICO RACE COURSE
2015 Preakness Stakes
13th Race
Distance:
One Mile And Three Sixteenths - (Dirt)
Conditions:
For three-year-olds, $15,000 to pass the entry box, starters to pay $15,000 additional. 60% of the purse to the winner, 20% to second, 11% to third, 6% to fourth and 3% to fifth. Weight 126 pounds for Colts and Geldings, 121 pounds for Fillies. A replica of the Woodlawn Vase will be presented to the winning owner to remain his or her personal property.
Program Selections:
1-2-8-7
| Pgm | PP | Horse Name | (L) | WT. | Jockey/Trainer | Owner | M/L Odds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | American Pharoah | L | 126 | Victor Espinoza Bob Baffert |
Zayat Stables, LLC | 4-5 | |
| 2 | 2 | Dortmund | L | 126 | Martin Garcia Bob Baffert |
Kaleem Shah, Inc. | 7-2 | |
| 3 | 3 | Mr. Z | L | 126 | Corey S. Nakatani D. Wayne Lukas |
Calumet Farm | 20-1 | |
| 4 | 4 | Danzig Moon | L | 126 | Julien R. Leparoux Mark E. Casse |
John C. Oxley | 15-1 | |
| 5 | 5 | Tale of Verve | L | 126 | Joel Rosario Dallas Stewart |
Charles E. Fipke | 30-1 | |
| 6 | 6 | Bodhisattva | L | 126 | Trevor McCarthy Jose Corrales |
Jose Corrales | 20-1 | |
| 7 | 7 | Divining Rod | L | 126 | Javier Castellano Arnaud Delacour |
Lael Stables | 12-1 | |
| 8 | 8 | Firing Line | L | 126 | Gary L. Stevens Simon Callaghan |
Arnold Zetcher LLC | 4-1 |
|
Lineage: 3yo Colt Sire: Pioneerof The Nile Dam: Littleprincessemma
Race Records: 6-5-0-0 Gross Earnings: $2,830,300
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Already a three-time Grade 1 winner before he got to Churchill Downs, American Pharoah closely tracked the early lead and emerged from a stretch-long duel with a one-length victory in the May 2 Kentucky Derby.
The 141st Derby was the fifth straight victory for American Pharoah, a bay son of 2009 Derby runner-up Pioneerof the Nile whose lone defeat came in his debut last summer, a 6 ½-furlong sprint on the former Polytrack surface at Del Mar.
Talented and fast with five consecutive triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, American Pharoah has won five of his six lifetime starts by a combined 23 ¼ lengths, mostly in front-running fashion.
He won the Del Mar Futurity (G1) in his second lifetime start and capped his 2-year-old season with a victory in the FrontRunner (G1) at Santa Anita. Though he missed the Breeders’ Cup with an injury, he was voted the Eclipse Award as champion juvenile male.
American Pharoah prepped for the Triple Crown at Oaklawn Park this winter, with romps in the Rebel (G2) and Arkansas Derby (G1). In Kentucky, he showed a resolve to match his ability in his defeat of Firing Line and stablemate Dortmund.
While pharaoh is a name given to ancient Egyptian rulers, American Pharoah’s name was misspelled when chosen as the winner of Zayat Stables’ annual naming contest and went uncorrected when submitted to The Jockey Club.
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2) Dortmund - Martin Garcia - 7/2
Lineage: 3yo Colt Sire: Big Brown Dam: Our Josephina
Race Records: 6-7-0-1 Gross Earnings: $1,489,800
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Kept apart from American Pharoah until the first Saturday in May, the massive Dortmund suffered his first lifetime loss finishing third to his brilliant stablemate by three lengths in the Kentucky Derby.
A chestnut son of 2008 Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown, whose Triple Crown dreams ended when he was eased in the Belmont Stakes, Dortmund reeled off six consecutive wins to open his career, all under regular rider Martin Garcia.
Following a maiden win at Santa Anita and an allowance victory at Churchill Downs, home of the Derby, Dortmund wrapped up his juvenile season winning the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) in December.
This year, Dortmund captured the Robert Lewis (G3), San Felipe (G2) and Santa Anita Derby (G1), each by advancing lengths. The latter two came in front-running fashion, including a 4 ¼-length score in California’s biggest Kentucky Derby prep.
In Kentucky, Dortmund took command of the race in the opening sixteenth of a mile and set the pace on the inside under steady pressure from Firing Line. Dortmund battled on between Firing Line and American Pharoah, who moved into contention on the outside, and dug in down the stretch to finish third, two lengths behind Firing Line and a neck ahead of Frosted.
Dortmund’s name comes from owner Kaleem Shah’s fondness for European soccer teams, in this case Germany’s Borussia Dortmund.
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3) Mr. Z - Corey S. Nakatani - 20/1
Lineage: 3yo Colt Sire: Malibu Moon Dam: Stormy Bear
Race Records: 13-1-4-4 Gross Earnings: $652,226
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Checked repeatedly on the first turn and never getting a chance to run from post 14 in the Kentucky Derby, the connections for Mr. Z decided to bring the chestnut son of Malibu Moon to Old Hilltop and offer another chance to win a Triple Crown race.
Purchased as a yearling for $130,000 in the fall of 2013, Mr. Z shows one win from 13 lifetime starts, a maiden victory in his career bow last June at Churchill Downs. He would run seven more times as a juvenile, finishing second in the Sanford (G3) and Saratoga Special (G2) at Saratoga Race Course, the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland and the Delta Downs Jackpot (G3).
Fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and third in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) to cap his 2-year-old season, Mr. Z spent the winter in Arkansas and was third in three of Oaklawn Park’s Derby preps: the Smarty Jones, Southwest (G3) and Arkansas Derby (G1).
Out of the Storm Cat mare Stormy Bear, Mr. Z is named for his owner, Egyptian-born businessman Ahmed Zayat.
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4) Danzig Moon - Julien R. Leparoux - 15/1
Lineage: 3yo Colt Sire: Malibu Moon Dam: Leaveminthedust
Race Records: 6-1-2-0 Gross Earnings: $311,120
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A spectacular work horse in the morning that had yet to put it all together in the afternoon, Danzig Moon ran a creditable race in the Kentucky Derby to finish fifth in a field of 18 3-year-olds, beaten just over six lengths.
The bay son of Malibu Moon, sire of 2013 Derby winner Orb, Danzig Moon went winless in two starts as a juvenile before breaking through in his sophomore debut, a 4 ¾-length maiden special weight score going one mile Feb. 7 at Gulfstream Park.
Based at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, trainer Mark Casse shipped Danzig Moon to Tampa Bay Downs where he was a non-threatening fourth in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) March 7.
Danzig Moon showed a much better effort in his subsequent start, the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass (G1), where he swung six wide at the quarter pole to launch a bid that came up three lengths short of winner Carpe Diem. They met again in the Derby, with Carpe Diem fading to finish 10th.
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5) Tale of Verve - Joel Rosario - 30/1
Lineage: 3yo Colt Sire: Tale of Ekati Dam: Verve
Race Records: 6-1-1-2 Gross Earnings: $54,600
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Still with just a maiden win to his credit, Tale of Verve was entered in the May 2 Kentucky Derby (G1) but scratched when he didn’t draw into the field off the also-eligible list.
The bay colt is a son of Tale of Ekati, winner of the 2008 Wood Memorial (G1) who finished fourth in the Derby and sixth in the Belmont Stakes (G1) for owner-breeder Charles Fipke and trainer Barclay Tagg.
Tale of Verve spent the fall of his 2-year-old season in Kentucky, running third in a pair of maiden special weight races, before moving with trainer Dallas Stewart’s string to Fair Grounds for the winter.
In New Orleans, Tale of Verve failed to hit the board in two more maiden races until running second March 5 going 1 1/16 miles. He finally tasted victory in his subsequent start, pulling away to win by two lengths as the favorite at 1 3/16 miles – the same distance as the Preakness Stakes (G1).
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6) Bodhisattva - Trevor McCarthy- 20/1
Lineage: Colt Sire: Student Council Dam: Dr Cheryl P
Race Records: 11-3-1-4 Gross Earnings: $165,095
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A sophomore son of Student Council, Bodhisattva could become the second straight California-bred horse to win the Preakness, following 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome. The last previous Cal-bred to take the middle jewel of the Triple Crown was Snow Chief in 1986.
Bodhisattva, which in Buddhism means ‘enlightened being,’ made his Pimlico debut in the 1 1/16-mile Federico Tesio April 18, rallying after giving up the lead in mid-stretch to defeat Noteworthy Peach in Old Hilltop’s traditional Preakness prep.
It was the fourth straight stakes race and fifth overall for the chestnut, who was unable to catch winner Bridget’s Big Luvy in the 1 1/8-mile Private Terms March 21 after giving up the lead and fading to fourth in the one-mile Miracle Wood February 16.
Bodhisattva broke his maiden in his fourth try last fall, a 5 ½-length romp going about 1 1/16 miles at Laurel Park. He made his stakes debut two starts later running fifth of 12 in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct, finishing ahead of Palm Beach (G3) winner Eh Cumpari, Sleepy Hollow winner Ostrolenka and Grade 1-placed The Truth or Else.
Maryland-bred Deputed Testamony in 1983 is the only Tesio winner to repeat in the Preakness. In all, 18 of 33 Tesio winners have gone on to the Preakness including Kid Cruz, who was eighth in 2014.
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7) Divining Rod - Javier Castellano - 12/1
Lineage: Colt Sire: Tapit Dam: Precious Kitten
Race Records: 5-2-1-2 Gross Earnings: $225,000
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An emphatic three-length victory in the Coolmore Lexington (G3) on April 11 at Keeneland punched the Preakness ticket for Divining Rod, a dark bay son of Grade 1 winner Tapit making what will be his sixth lifetime start.
Bred in Kentucky by his owners, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Jackson, Divining Rod wasn’t unveiled until late November, winning an off-the-turf maiden special weight going one mile at Laurel Park despite racing greenly.
Sent to Tampa Bay Downs for a winter campaign by trainer Arnaud Delacour, Divining Rod was third in his first try against winners to cap his 2-year-old season, and opened 2015 finishing second by a neck behind Ocean Night in the Sam F. Davis (G3) at odds of 28-1.
Divining Rod led for six furlongs before weakening to third in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) in March, rebounding with a powerful victory over highly regarded debut winner Donworth in the Lexington.
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8) Firing Line - Gary L. Stevens - 4/1
Lineage: 3yo Colt Sire: Line of David Dam: Sister Girl Blues
Race Records: 6-2-4-0 Gross Earnings: $974,800
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First or second in five starts to open his career, Firing Line continued his pattern by finishing a length behind winner American Pharoah in the Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
Second by a half-length in his debut last fall at Santa Anita, the Line of David colt broke his maiden on the Polytrack at Del Mar before wrapping up his juvenile season running second by a head to Dortmund in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1).
Firing Line kicked off his sophomore year in similar fashion, running a head behind Dortmund in the Robert Lewis (G3) in February. In his first start outside of California, the bay colt romped by 14 ¼ lengths in New Mexico’s Sunland Derby (G3), his final tune-up for Louisville.
Forwardly placed in each of his races, Firing Line finally finished ahead of Dortmund but was unable to turn back his stablemate after a protracted stretch duel in the Kentucky Derby.
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Source: (much more info on the race at the link: prior races video, etc, etc)
http://www.preakness.com/race-info/contenders
Zayat Stables’ homebred American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) tracked the early pace during Saturday’s 141st running of the Kentucky Derby (G1) and provided a thrilling stretch-long duel with Firing Line (Line of David) and fellow Bob Baffert trainee Dortmund (Big Brown) before prevailing on the wire.
The bay colt, who was honored with an Eclipse Award as the 2014 champion juvenile, finished 1 1/4 miles in 2:03.
A record crowd of 170,513 packed Churchill Downs on a picture-perfect Kentucky day to watch American Pharaoh give jockey Victor Espinoza his third Derby win and second straight. Espinoza guided California Chrome to victory in 2014.
American Pharoah is now 6-5-0-0 in his career and riding a five-race win streak.
MAY 2, 2015
RACE 11
FIRING LINE prompted the pace three wide under rating, came under a ride and engaged DORTMUND three furlongs out, gained a brief lead while between rivals departing the five sixteenths, relinquished command to the determined DORTMUND entering the lane, dug in between rivals dueling to mid stretch, drifted out late under left handed rousing brushing the winner and gave way grudgingly.
DORTMUND established command in the opening sixteenth, set the pace towards the inside, felt initial pressure from FIRING LINE leaving the five eighths pole, got caught up in a spirited duel with that one three furlongs fromhome, remained a solid presence to the final furlong, kept on willingly and doggedly held the show.
FROSTED, a bit rank when rated back leaving the gate, dropped well off the early pace while removed from the inside, angled further out into the track past the three quarter pole, commenced a sweeping five widemove departing the far turn, sustained nicely past the eighth pole and churned on from there.
DANZIG MOON steadied while exchanging bumps with BOLO when in tight between rivals heading towards the first turn, recovered to take closer order two wide, moved out a path and gained under a ride mid way on the finalturn, continued willing pursuit to mid stretch then wilted.
MATERIALITY hesitated at the break to be away last, dropped well off the early pace, lost ground four wide down the backstretch, remained four wide to the head of the lane, angled to the inside of a tiring MR. Z in upper stretch, flashed some interest gaining to mid stretch but failed to seriously sustain.
KEEN ICE dove to the rail in the initial sixteenth and settled far back, moved off the inside down the backstretch, progressed between runners leaving the three eighths pole,was stalled awaiting room from the head of the lane to almost mid stretch, altered out late bumping FRAMMENTO and improved his position with a willing finish.
MUBTAAHIJ (IRE) was rated back from between rivals passing the wire the first time, angled in soon after, hugged the rail pursuing the leaders down the backstretch, was put to strong pressure past the five sixteenths and failed tomake an impact.
ITSAKNOCKOUT was steadied in the jam up under the wire the firsttime, angled out and raced three wide between foes to the half mile marker,shifted out wider for the drive but lacked a rally.
CARPE DIEM raced under a firm hold along rail tracking rivals into the first turn, moved out a path and chased down the backstretch, edged up slightly near the half mile pole, remained in range under a ride into the lane then faded.
FRAMMENTO lagged well off the early pace, made a bit of headway seven wide into the stretch, was bumped byKEEN ICE in deep stretch and failed to threaten.
BOLO was jostled around racing between horses to the first turn, recovered to chase off the inside, remained in range to upper stretch, faded and steadied when in tight late.
MR. Z checked repeatedly off rivals' heels passing the wire the first time, leveled into stride past the seven eighths, was caught four to five wide pursuing the pace,failed to go on leaving the far turn and dropped back.
OCHO OCHO OCHO was taken firmly in hand to rate off the heels of CARPE DIEM heading towards the firstturn, continued towards the inside making a mild run to the three eighths, came out a bit in the drive and gave way through the final three sixteenths.
FAR RIGHT, unhurried early while off the inside, moved out to be very wide for the drive and had little to offer.
WAR STORY steadied when caught in close early on, dropped to the rail and failed to make an impact.
TENCENDUR saved ground chasing the pace and began a retreat after seven furlongs.
UPSTART was four wide around the first turn, stopped after a mile, was eased through the lane and walked off.
The inside gate was left open.
Owners-
1, Zayat Stables LLC; 2, Arnold Zetcher LLC;3, Kaleem Shah Inc;4, Godolphin Racing LLC;5, Oxley John C;6, Alto Racing LLC;7, Donegal Racing;8, Essafinaat Limited;9, Starlight Racing;10, WinStar Farm LLC and Stonestreet Stables LLC;11, Mossarosa;12, Golden Pegasus Racing Inc and Mack Earle I;13, Zayat Stables LLC;14, DP Racing LLC;15, LaPenta Robert V and Rosenblum Harry T;16, Loooch Racing Stables Inc Ellis Glenn K and Dunn Christopher T;17, Birsh Philip S;18, Evans Ralph M and WinStar Farm LLC Lessee Trainers- 1, Baffert Bob;2, Callaghan Simon;3, Baffert Bob;4, McLaughlin Kiaran P;5, Casse Mark;6, Pletcher Todd A;7, Romans Dale;8, de Kock Michael F;9, Pletcher Todd A;10, Pletcher Todd A;11, Zito Nicholas P;12, Gaines Carla;13, Lukas D Wayne;14, Cassidy James;15, Moquett Ronald E;16, Amoss Thomas;17, Weaver George;18, Violette Richard A Jr Scratched - El Kabeir, Stanford, International Star, Tale of Verve.
Thanks for posting, ETL. I’m not wagering on this one (nor did I on the Derby). I’ll watch the replay when I get home from work on Saturday. I should be a good race. I’d go with Pharoah, yet Dortmund is a great horse and you can’t take anything away from Firing Line. For 7/2 or 4-1 I could easily take Dortmund as they’re loading in the gate.
You’re welcome. Glad SOMEBODY is home! :)
Anyway, yes, those same 3 do look awfully tough again here, especially at the slightly shorter distance (1/16th mile shorter than the 1-1/14 mile Derby), as each of them has excellent early speed. Need to point out here, though, the Churchill Downs track seemed to be strongly favoring early speed that day.
Good longshot here might be Mr Z. He was 36-1 in the KD and finished 13th, BUT...
From one of my earlier posts above:
“MR. Z checked repeatedly off rivals’ heels passing the wire the first time, leveled into stride past the seven eighths, was caught four to five wide pursuing the pace,failed to go on leaving the far turn and dropped back.”
Another longshot who ran in the Derby and had difficulties is:
“DANZIG MOON steadied while exchanging bumps with BOLO when in tight between rivals heading towards the first turn, recovered to take closer order two wide, moved out a path and gained under a ride mid way on the finalturn, continued willing pursuit to mid stretch then wilted.”
He ran a not too badly beaten 5th at 22-1
Correction on Mr. Z. He was sold this week to Calumet Farms. Trainer Wayne Lukas wanted him to run in the Preakness, but owner Zayat was adamant that he wouldn’t be entered. Whether Lukas brokered a deal with Calumet or otherwise, Zayat sold the horse to Calumet and Lukas remains the trainer.
Thanks. Interesting. I did recall him (Mr Z) being named after Zayat.
Damn shame what happened to Calumet Farms a decade or so ago, regarding the untimely death of Alydar, isn’t it? Check out this incredible documentary on the story on YouTube:
Dominick Dunne’s power,privilege and justice - Unbridled Greed: The conviction of J.T. Lundy for fraud, bribery, and conspiracy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnZfNMAVzYs
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