Derby Contenders

Racing Weekly Picks/Handicapping
1

This obviously isn’t an

exhaustive list, but I picked out the ones that 1) caught my attention 2) looked like they

had a prayer of winning. :wink:

There are 47 days left until the Derby, and so far the prep

races have been great. We have…

Count Me In - 2008’s 2yo colt of the year, he

continues to shine this year. He has won the Stan Fox Stakes, and the Crystal Mile against

older horses, and his record for this year is: 5(5)-2(2)-1(1)-1(1)-0 $293,000. His GOT

claims he’s a sprinter, but his bloodlines and performance tell a different

story.

Duplicate Copy - winner of the Caulfield Guineas and the Florida Derby, his record

this year is phenomenal: 6(4)-4(2)-2(2)-0-0 $1,344,000. His GOT screams sprinter but

his races prove otherwise. His one try at 10f came in second, however.

As You Wish -

winner of the San Domenio Stakes, Holy Bull Stakes, and the Robinson Stakes, his record this

year is: 5(3)-3(3)-0-1(1)-0 $280,000. His GOT also screams sprinter, but he’s won at

10f. He is also the son of near-SC Tiara winner Cross My Heart and SC-crown winner Secret of

Love.

Do You Dare - winner of the Spring Champion Stakes at 10f. His performance has been

inconsistent, but shows promise, especially at longer distances. He’s got the pedigree to

be a Derby winner.

Dare to Question - inconsistent last year, this colt is coming into his

own this year, with a win in the Sham Stakes. His record this year is 3(3)-1(1)-2(2)-0-0

$115,000. He was 2nd to As You Wish in the Robinson Stakes, but his GOT looks

promising.

Lord of Luck - his performance this year has been inconsistent, but he does

appear to prefer dirt and distance, which means good things on Derby day. His record this

year is: 7(6)-1(1)-1(1)-2(1)-0 $291,500, and he has the additional bonus of being 1/2 to

a MSW, and by Rainbow Quest, who has sired many distance horses. A longshot, but not an

impossibility.

Crusader - this colt appears very versatile, with wins this year at 7 1/2

furlongs turf and 10 furlongs dirt. His record this year is: 5(4)-2(1)-1(1)-0-0

$191,750. Another longshot, but a nice one with his displays of talent.

Highland

Storm - this colt has been very consistent this year, but has yet to go past 8f. His record

is 6(6)-1(1)-3(3)-1(1)-0 $174,500 this year. His GOT looks promising, and he obviously

has speed.

Can’t Catch Me - this filly has been very hot this year, with a race record

of: 6(6)-5(5)-0-0-0 $420,000. However, the farthest she’s gone this year is 8f, so it

remains to be seen whether the distance (or the boys) will be too much for her.

Black

Magick - another filly who has been very successful this year, with a record of

7(5)-5(3)-0-1(1)-1(1) $534,000. Again, the farthest she’s gone is 8f, so we’ll have

to see if her bloodlines win out over the distance and the boys.

2

Yay, I finally have a Derby

contender again :slight_smile:. Somehow my good early 3yos are always either fillies or turf lovers…

Good picks.

I’d still like to see Rogue Magic make the

Derby trail but he’s been iffy this year. He won the [i]Gloaming

Stakes[/i] a G2 at 9f, but that was dirt. His total record is

4(4)-1(1)-1(1)-1(1)-0 $155,000. I suppose he might be a better bet for one of the

foreign triples with either solely turf or dirt and turf races… And he was beaten by

Can’t Catch Me in their last outing, so I don’t think the boys are an excuse for your filly

:wink:.

Anyone else got horses they’d like to see go?

3

Oh Yay!!! I’m so excited!

I finally have a derby (sort-of :wink:) contender. We’ll see for sure how he does in the UAE

Derby. Oh I’m so happy. Last year I wasn’t so fortunate. :smiley:

4

Well Doin Some Zoomin has

been extremely consistent. Hes been in the money every start this year. He has been racing

against the best and i think he may try his luck in the derby. He’ll probably have only two

more starts til then.

5

Well I’ve got nothing

better to do so I thought I’d do a write up on this year’s clear Derby favourite Duplicate

Copy…

Duplicate Copy
[i]No Duplicate x Heroic

Encounter[/i]
February 24, 2006

Race Record: 9(5)-5(3)-3(2)-1-0
Earnings:

$2,551,000
Points: 195

Breeder: KindleHope Farms
Owner: Pnootz Farms

By No

Duplicate, sire of NOT VERY NICE

[U] and No Way To Act

[GII]. He has limited foals on the track, but has got a nice

record with some good winners.

Out of Heroic Encounter, who was multi-placed as a racer.

Has foaled one other winner from four raced foals, Answer To Me, who was fourth in the Mother

Goose Stakes [GI].

Granddam is Heroic Endeavour, who has

foaled Heroic Effort [GI] and

Silver Hero [GII]. Her foal Heroic

Lass was multi-placed on the track, and is the dam of [b]SIMPLY

HEROIC[/b] [GII]. All her other foals are placed at

worse.

Duplicate Copy began his racing career in 2008 as a 2YO. He started only twice and

managed a third and a second. As a 3YO, he has gone from strength to strength and is yet to

finish below second in seven starts this year. First start this year he won a turf allowance

race over eight furlongs. Two weeks later, he followed this up with another allowance win

over seven furlongs on dirt. His next start was his stakes debut in the San Vincente Stakes

[GII] for 3YO over seven furlongs on turf. Duplicate Copy lost

to STRIKE IT RICH [GII] by two

lengths after taking the lead in the stretch. In third was [b]PRINCE OF

WONDER[/b] [GIII]. Duplicate Copy’s next start was

eleven days later in the Spring Champion Stakes [GI] for 3YO

over ten furlongs on dirt. He finished second by two lengths race behind [b]DO YOU

DARE[/b] [GI]. The third place runner was

DOIN’ SOME ZOOMIN’ [GII]. Ten

days later, Duplicate Copy made his second attempt at the highest level in the Caulfield

Guineas [GI] for 3YO over eight furlongs on dirt. He won by

almost four lengths from MOCASHMENT

[GIII], with Doin’ Some Zoomin’ in third place. Two weeks

later, Duplicate Copy again took on the top horses in his age group with a brilliant four

length romp in the Florida Derby [GI] over nine and a half

furlongs on dirt. In second was Doin’ Some Zoomin’ and back in third was [b]LORD

OF LUCK[/b] [GI]. Duplicate Copy’s next assignment

was two weeks later in the UAE Derby [GII] for 3YO over nine

furlongs on dirt. Starting as hot favourite, Duplicate Copy went all the way, holding off a

late challenge from eventual second place runner Mocashment, to record a one and a quater

length victory. Third place that day was AS YOU WISH

[GII].

That brings us up to date on the thrilling ride that

Duplicate Copy has taken his owner on so far this year. Whether wins the Derby is yet to be

decided, but he definately is in with a fighting chance. Hopefully we can see a race leading

up to the Derby where he meets the other main Derby contender of 2009, [b]COUNT ME

IN[/b] [GI]. Count Me In is an eight-time stakes

winner who is regally bred, from a top stable and has a fantastic race record. A victory in a

race with Count Me In running will either give Duplicate Copy outright favourtism, or make

him just that little bit more vunerable in early May.

I guess all that is left to be said

is best of luck to Duplicate Copy and his owner on their quest for Derby glory and maybe the

Triple Crown. Go the little guys…

6

Speaking of Derby

contestants here are my two… :slight_smile:

Gotta Go
Booked his place

with a fantastic run in the Godolphin Mile [GII]. His next best

run this year was a great run for second in the Fountain Of Youth Stakes

[GI]. He’s a fun horse to race and hopefully will do alright in

the Derby. His final Derby prep will be in the Wood Memorial

[GI] on April

Mocashment
Also booked his place after a great run at

Dubai in the UAE Derby [GII] where he finished a close second.

His other best run this year was in the Caulfield Guineas [GI]

where he finished second. He hasn’t won a race this year, but has been in the money every

start except for a fifth in the Florida Derby [GI], even then,

it was still kinda in the money. His final Derby prep will also be the Wood Memorial

[GI] on April 9.

7

Wow. My 15 minutes of

fame…Thanks Jason…:slight_smile: My predicament is whether to keep him on a 10-14 day schedule and

run him in the Japanese race, or to give him a long pre-derby break. Thoughts?

8

Why change a good thing?

He’s been running perfectly fine with two week gaps between his races. Plus, the race in

Japan [I’m sure it is actually run in Hong Kong :huh: ] is turf and do you wanna go there

with the level of the turf horses that are going to be racing? Witness, Foolhardy, Ring Of

Fire and King David are just some of the horses that should line up for it. Just tarnishes

his record if he’s not up to running on turf. Plus, it might be a little close to the Derby,

he’ll only have eleven days off. I’d say take him to the Wood Memorial and then maybe back

him up in the Cantala Stakes over eight furlongs against some of the older boys to really

test him, though, he doesn’t have too much to prove. He’ll have enough time to rest up

after those two. Your decision though, you’re his owner!

Good luck with whatever you do

though. He’s a fine horse with some really good wins under his belt. Start thinking what is

going to make him more attractive for mare owners when you get him ready for being a stud!

I’ll send a mare to him, he’s got really nice lines. I’d send an even better mare to him

if he got a win against the older horses at 3YO.

GOOD LUCK!