Harry C. Meyerhoff, who campaigned 1979 Kentucky Derby winner and 1980 Horse of the Year Spectacular Bid, died Thursday at the University of Maryland Shore Medical center at Easton from complications of a stroke. He was 86.
Marengo Road, a horse owned by Meyerhoff and his son Tom, won the $75,000 Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel Park on Monday. Afterward, Marengo Road’s trainer, Mike Trombetta, reflected on Meyerhoff’s death.
“Racing really lost a hero,” Trombetta said. “He was a wonderful man.”
The mutuel field was the early favorite in the opening hours of betting into Pool 2 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opened Friday at noon Eastern for a three-day run.
As of 4 p.m. Eastern, the field, the 24th or “all others” option, was 2-1, followed by Mohaymen (3-1), Nyquist (7-1), Mor Spirit (10-1), Airoforce (16-1), and Brody’s Cause (24-1). The win handle was $47,645.
Pool 2 runs through Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern. Odds are locked in when the pool closes.
WHO’S HOT
The undefeated Mohaymen is the favorite at 5-1 on the line set by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form’s national handicapper, for the inaugural Derby Watch top 20 of 2016. Mor Spirit, the winner of the Robert B. Lewis Stakes last Saturday, is next at 8-1, with Airoforce and Eclipse Award winner Nyquist co-third choices at 10-1. Remember that Derby Watch lists the 20 runners in order of Watchmaker’s future line. Bob Baffert, the trainer of Mor Spirit, and Chad Brown lead all trainers with three runners each among the top 20.
ARCADIA, Calif. – It was just four years ago that trainer Doug O’Neill, jockey Mario Gutierrez, and owner Paul Reddam won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with I’ll Have Another, who parlayed a pair of victories at Santa Anita earlier that year into success in the first two legs of the Triple Crown.
Now the same team is set to embark on another bid at the classics with Nyquist. The differences between what the two colts have accomplished to this point are striking and, in the case of Nyquist, have allowed O’Neill to utilize a prep schedule he finds ideal.
A massive overhaul from Pool 1 just 11 weeks earlier has resulted in 13 new names being among the 23 separately listed wagering interests for Pool 2 of the 2016 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opens Friday at noon Eastern for a three-day run.
The new names for Pool 2 are Awesome Banner, Cherry Wine, Collected, Danzing Candy, Discreetness, Gettysburg, Mo Tom, Shagaf, Smokey Image, Tom’s Ready, Vorticity, Whitmore, and Zulu.
Midwest Thoroughbreds and trainer Jamie Ness, who teamed up in 2009, officially ended their business relationship last week when Midwest sent 26 horses from the Ness barn to other trainers.
Midwest Thoroughbreds is owned by Richard and Karen Papiese, who operate Midwest Store Fixtures in University Park, Ill. Midwest Thoroughbreds was founded in 2001 but expanded exponentially in 2009 with Ness as its major trainer, winning 236 races from 993 starters.
Over a decade ago, David Gutfreund boldly predicted that he would one day win the National Handicapping Championship. After a huge day on Friday at Treasure Island in Las Vegas, Gutfreund is in position to make that dream a reality.
:: NHC 2016: Video updates and news coverage from Las Vegas
Gutfreund, still known to many by his old nickname “The Maven,” leads with a total of $237 after Day 2 of the three-day tournament. After Friday, the field was reduced to the top 10 percent – 63 entries.
Nyquist, the undefeated winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and the 2015 Eclipse Award winner in his category, was assigned 126 pounds to top the annual Experimental Free Handicap, one pound more than the highest-ranked filly, the undefeated Songbird.
