need in one place
NEW YORK - Given that I failed to select a Kentucky Derby winner between Strike the Gold in 1991 and Street Sense in 2007, perhaps you should check back in 2023 when I am due to be right again, especially since I am picking a favorite with several strikes against him.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - For as long as he can remember, trainer Paulo Lobo was fascinated by racing in America. Though he grew up in Brazil, the son of a successful trainer, Lobo had always desired to leave his homeland and come here. He would have to start over, with few horses, and both he and his wife would have to learn a language they had spoken only sporadically at home. There was one race that kept calling him, and he wanted, one day, to be part of it.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Big Brown had to overcome the far outside post 12 when he won the Florida Derby five weeks ago at Gulfstream Park. On Saturday at Churchill Downs, when he tries to become the first horse in 93 years to win the Kentucky Derby off just three starts, Big Brown will be farther out, as far as can be, in post 20, the position co-owner Michael Iavarone and trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. surprisingly selected when post positions were set on Wednesday night for the 20 runners entered in the 134th Derby.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Post positions will be selected Wednesday night for Saturday's 134th Kentucky Derby. On Wednesday morning, a random draw was held to determine the draft order. Here are the results:
1. Visionaire
2. Big Truck
3. Colonel John
4. Z Fortune
5. Pyro
6. Eight Belles
7. Anak Nakal
8. Court Vision
9. Z Humor
10. Monba
11. Smooth Air
12. Adriano
13. Bob Black Jack
14. Denis of Cork
15. Cowboy Cal
16. Big Brown
17. Tale of Ekati
18. Cool Coal Man
When Nora and Al Figliolia arrive at Churchill Downs on Friday for the Kentucky Oaks, they will be enjoying their first-ever full afternoon at the races. And they will be doing it in style. The couple breed Thoroughbreds at their Westbury Stables near Ocala, Fla., and in just six years in the business, they have turned up with Oaks contender Awesome Chic as well as Kentucky Derby starter Denis of Cork.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The majority of the important work is done, and by mid-morning Wednesday all the Kentucky Derby starters were finally on the grounds following the arrival of trainer Todd Pletcher's pair of Monba and Cowboy Cal from Keeneland. Now all that remains to be done is for trainers to try and maintain their horses' present condition and wait, mostly wait, for post time Saturday.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Only 16 minutes passed from the time Big Brown left his stall, trained, and returned to his barn Tuesday morning. But it was more than enough time to understand why trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. is so confident in the undefeated colt heading into Saturday's 134th Kentucky Derby.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Facing the possibility of being excluded from an oversubscribed field, Kentucky Derby hopeful Halo Najib was entered in Friday's Grade 3 Crown Royal American Turf at Churchill Downs. But trainer Dale Romans said Tuesday the colt would be scratched if he gets into the Kentucky Derby field when entries are taken Wednesday.
As of Tuesday, he ranked 21st in graded stakes earnings among likely Kentucky Derby starters. The field is capped at 20, with earnings in graded stakes races being the criteria for entry if more than 20 horses are entered, which is anticipated.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - It was on the first Sunday in October last fall that jockey Corey Nakatani began earnestly dreaming about the first Saturday in May.
In a seven-furlong maiden race at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting, Nakatani rode Colonel John to an easy win by 4 1/2 lengths. At that time, there were 209 days to Saturday's Kentucky Derby. It will not arrive soon enough for Nakatani.
Nakatani has won more than 3,000 races, but Colonel John - who has won the Grade 3 Sham and Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby this year - could give him his first Kentucky Derby win.