THE SATURDAY POST

Roughly three decades ago, Alexis Barba walked onto the track at Golden Gate Fields. Having spent a lifetime around saddle and show horses, she experienced a defining moment. “I knew immediately that I could never lose interest in a racehorse.”

In the years that followed, Barba walked, galloped, and groomed thoroughbred racehorses. She worked as an assistant to the late trainer, Eddie Gregson, who won the 1982 Kentucky Derby with the horse, Gato Del Sol. When Gregson died in 2000, Barba began training on her own.

Barba currently has a six-horse barn at Hollywood Park. However, this is no small operation. Of the six horses in the barn, two of the horses are currently on the trail to the Kentucky Derby.

Make Music for Me was the first horse to qualify in Barba’s barn for the Derby. In his two-year-old career, Make Music for Me placed in three of four graded stakes races – ranking him twelfth in earnings at $215,000.

Despite the excitement of having Making Music for Me on the Derby trail, Barba remained dedicated to her remaining horses. Alphie’s Bet, the stablemate of Make Music for Me, was entering his three-year old season. At the time he made his 2010 debut, Alphie’s Bet had one second-place finish as a two-year-old to the highly-regarded Derby hopeful, Caracortado.

After Alphie’s Bet finished second in December, Rider Alex Solis reportedly told Barba, “I think he can run all day… He’s big, strong, and he’ll run any distance.”

In his 2010 debut as a three-year-old, Alphie’s Bet demonstrated his capacity to win. On January 15, he broke his maiden at Santa Anita in an electrifying performance. After running last throughout the majority of the race, he went wide on the final turn and rallied in the stretch to capture breathtaking victory.

On March 6, Barba raced both horses at Santa Anita. In the sixth race, Make Music for Me clinched his first career victory in the Pasadena Stakes. Roughly forty minutes later, Alphie’s Bet won the Sham Stakes in a 2-1/4 length victory.

By winning the Sham Stakes, Alphie’s Bet had just captured enough graded earnings to qualify for the Kentucky Derby. As she held a bouquet of red-and-white flowers in the winner’s circle, Barba remarked, “Isn’t it amazing?”

It certainly is.

Recently, Barba graciously agreed to provide an interview about her experiences as a trainer and her Kentucky Derby prospects. I remain grateful for her kindness in taking the time to answer my questions.

JW: What initially attracted you to the sport of horse racing?

AB: I acquired a Thoroughbred Stallion that I was going to make into a show horse. I was so curious about his pedigree, I began exploring Thoroughbred lines.

As fate will have it, I acquired a Thoroughbred yearling filly shortly after that. I wanted to try to race her, but I didn’t have the means, so I thought I could work at the track. I went to Golden Gate Fields in Albany, CA, which was close to my childhood home, in the Oakland Hills.

Being anxious and curious, I now had a stallion and a filly. So guess what I did? Yes, I bred them.

The product of that mating was a filly named Lepta (Greek for Money). Since her mom didn’t make it to the track, I was going to be sure the daughter did. To make a long story short, Lepta won her first start at Caliente Race Track in Mexico. Her mother, French Dish, I believe went on to have 16 or 17 foals, three of which were winners at Santa Anita and one a stakes horse named Ondarty.

JW: How did you learn how to train racehorses?

AB: As you can see by my breeding program, I had a lot of practice with my own horses. I also had a lot of help along the way with some of the trainers, such as Tommy Doyle and Eddie Gregson, as well as anyone else who would give me information.

JW: What are some valuable lessons that you have learned about training racehorses during your career?

AB: Be patient, it all goes at a snail’s pace.

JW: What does your average weekly schedule look like as a trainer?

AB: Mostly just going to the track every morning. Then, to keep some kind of normalcy, I try to meet with friends at least once a week to gossip and tell horse stories.

JW: Has it been a dream of yours to race a horse in the Kentucky Derby?

AB: I wouldn’t say a dream, because most of the time you are just trying to get a productive horse. Of course, everyone wants stake horses, so when you are buying, you are always looking for good quality that meets that criteria.

JW: In the history of the Kentucky Derby, a female trainer has never won the race. How do you feel about your potential to make history?

AB: I’m not thinking about that. Let’s just run in the race first.

JW: What do you think are the strengths and unique qualities of Make Music for Me?

AB: He is a smallish horse with a huge stride and good appetite.

JW: What is the next race for Make Music for Me?

AB: The Toyota Blue Grass Stakes.

JW: Was it a surprise to you when Alphie’s Bet qualified for the Kentucky Derby after winning the Sham Stakes?

AB: No. I always told the owners that we had a really nice horse on our hands.

JW: What do you think are the strengths and unique qualities of Alphie’s Bet?

AB: He has a great turn of foot. To look at him, you wouldn’t think that he would have that.

JW: What is the next race for Alphie’s Bet?

AB: The Santa Anita Derby.

JW: Rider Alex Solis has been quoted as saying in the press that Alphie’s Bet reminds him of Candi’s Gold, the grandfather of Alphie’s Bet. Having worked with Candi’s Gold under your former boss, Eddie Gregson, do you see any similarities between the two horses?

AB: Yes. He looks like him and he has some of the same ‘Lookey-Loo’ quirks.

JW: What do you love about the sport of horse racing?

AB: Everything. Lots of characters around the track - Human and Equine. But at times it can be grueling. Actually, a lot of the time. You would have to live it to understand it.

When they are in the gate, anything can happen!

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In the past two decades, West Point Thoroughbreds has cemented its’ status as the premiere racing partnership for individuals who dream of owning a racehorse. The partnership currently manages nearly 400 equine portfolios and a stable of over 80 horses. Throughout the years, West Point horses have competed in many major racing outings, including the Kentucky Derby, allowing partners to experience ownership at the highest levels of the sport.

Terry Finley, President and Founder of West Point Thoroughbreds, graciously agreed to answer our questions about his inspiration to found a racing partnership, his memorable experiences throughout his tenure, and discussed West Point Derby hopefuls for this season.

SP: What was your inspiration to form West Point Thoroughbreds?

TF: I grew up not too far from the track. My father was a teacher, and we’d go to the races. When I became a teenager I ended up working on the backstretch mucking stalls. I saw how hard everyone worked. After I got out of the military I was selling insurance. My passion simply wasn’t there. My heart was with the horses. My wife and I decided we were going to go “all in.” We risk everything and started the company. In 1991, we scraped $5,000 together to claim a horse named Sunbelt. He won two weeks later for $6,500. That was the beginning. We put some small ads out there and more people began to buy in. Now, nearly twenty years later hear we are.

SP: In 2006, Flashy Bull became the first West Point horse to start in the Kentucky Derby. Can you describe the feeling of having a horse in the Derby?

TF: It’s what we all dream of. I remember walking over from the barn with my family and the investors and the women had to take off their fancy shoes. There they are walking barefoot on the track. I think that kind of symbolizes everything. It was our first time, but nothing was going to stop us. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that it’s a life changing day. Anyone that had a dry eye walking up from the paddock when they played “My Old Kentucky Home” doesn’t have a pulse. That feeling is what we get into the sport for. That feeling is the reason I started West Point Thoroughbreds. To bring that experience to others that couldn’t on their own.

SP: Of the many exceptional horses in your stable, Quiet All American has begun to stand out as a strong Derby hopeful. In lieu of his recent win in the Ocala Breeder’s Sales Championship, describe the strengths that you see in this colt after watching his performance against the other contenders in the race.

TF: Quiet All American is all heart. Nine times out of ten a horse will lose a race when they get passed in the stretch, but this colt just kept fighting. When the leader weakened he found another gear. He showed the same determination in his maiden win. He also looks like a colt that wants to go a distance of ground. He does not have an explosive turn of foot, but he just keeps going and going. He’ll give you the same fractions late as he does early.

SP: You also have two other Derby hopefuls in your stable – Middle of the Nite and Boulder Creek. What do you believe are the strengths of each horse and where do you anticipate their next races to be held?

TF: Middle of the Nite threw a bit of a clunker in on us in the Sam Davis. He’s immensely talented, but I think he’s still learning how to be a racehorse. We’ll probably look for an allowance race for him this month and see where we go from there. It’s a long year, so we want to do the best for the horse.

Boulder Creek is set to run in the $150,000 Sham Stakes(G3) this weekend at Santa Anita. He’s an exciting colt that really is finally figuring it out. He still has not run a complete race. He didn’t even change leads properly in his last race and still won. When he puts it all together he might be special. We hope it’s in his next race. He looks like he’ll run all day.

SP: The dream of owning a racehorse draws many individuals to invest in a racing partnership with your company. What are the specific benefits of being a West Point partner and how much personal involvement is each partner given with their racehorse?

TF: We are very successful, but we can’t guarantee our partners wins each time their horse runs. Wouldn’t that be nice? What we do guarantee is an unparalleled experience. Our goal is to run in the biggest races in the world. What horse racing enthusiast would not love to be in the paddock on Derby day or at the Breeders’ Cup? We want to give you that experience. It might be a cliché, but if you’ve dreamt of owning a horse we want to make that dream a reality. It’s an amazing social experience that really can change people’s lives even if their horse isn’t the “big horse”.

We encourage all our partners to visit the barn, meet the trainers, and watch their horses train. This is their opportunity to be inside the paddock and not the person looking at everyone else. Hopefully at the end of the day we’re all smiling for the camera in the winner’s circle. Ask anyone who’s been there with us how that feels. I still feel the rush 20 years after my first time.

SP: West Point works with many well-respected trainers and jockeys. How have you been able to secure this level of talent?

TF: I think it’s mutual respect. We let them do their job. We’re not going to meddle. They are on the front lines day in and day out. We don’t micro manage, and the trainers know that they have our full support. Things are not going to go perfectly in this sport. We are not going to pull our horses if one thing goes wrong. Trainers cannot operate out of fear. These are excellent horsemen that want to do the best job possible, but as importantly they are real proponents of the sport. They work well within our partnership model and understand how we do business. It’s about finding that balance that makes us able to attract such top conditioners.

SP: One of the noteworthy traits of your company is the ongoing enthusiasm to further public interest in the sport of horse racing. Recently, you started a program called “F.A.T.E.” Can you describe the mission of this program and how you hope to accomplish your goal?

As a company, we use technology extensively. You do not have to go to the track to expose someone. Bring racing to them. We just went over 100,000 views on our YouTube channel. Bring the visuals to people’s living rooms. Let them experience the majesty of the sport on their computer screen. Be proactive. Use technology. Use social media. Put yourself out there. This is a bottom up movement. If you’re not part of the solution then unfortunately you’re part of the problem.

SP: How does your company determine which horse should be purchased?
TF: We do our homework. Our buying team is on the ground well before a sale. We don’t just watch the horses the day they breeze. We see them beforehand. We know exactly what’s going on with each horse and that helps us stay out of the traps. We know the players. We know who will give us the straight scoop. We’ve been around a long time. That’s to our advantage. We bring a vet, Dr. Bill Baker, to the sale to vet all the horses we are looking at. He’s not working for a seller or the sales company. He’s there for us, and we know that his expertise will really help us find both the standouts and the diamonds in the rough waiting to polished. We put all that into the equation along with their breeze, conformation and way they carry themselves. Add in some good old fashioned intuition during the heat of the moment and you get the horses that will eventually carry the black and gold silks.

SP: Do you favor any specific bloodlines when determining whether to purchase a horse?
TF: We tend to buy a lot of young sires. You can get excellent value before a sire gets white hot, but at the end of the day we focus on buying the best athletes. When you look for certain pedigrees or other intangibles you can fall into a trap. It’s not that paper that runs in the afternoon. It’s the horse, so that’s where put our focus. I think the results of doing things this way speak for themselves.

SP: What has been your most memorable moment as President and Founder of West Point Thoroughbreds?
TF: It’s hard to pick just one. I prefer to think of the notes I get from partners telling me of what horse ownership has meant to them. Something as simple as one of our clients thanking us for having their child meet a jockey brings a smile to my face.

Of course, if you are looking for events, certainly the Derby sticks out because I could share it with my family, but I tell people that this sport creates a new memory each and every day. That’s what gets me up each morning. I’d like to think my most memorable moment when I look back someday will be a collection of all the faces I saw throughout the years. That will be what makes me smile.

Finley has been involved in the thoroughbred industry for over 25 years and currently serves on numerous boards, including the Breeder’s Cup Board of Directors, NTRA Horse PAC Board of Directors, and the NYTHA Board of Directors. In 1998, The Thoroughbred Times named Finley one of “The Top Ten to Watch in the Thoroughbred Industry.” For more information about West Point Thoroughbreds, visit the West Point Thoroughbred Website.

With schedule of five graded Derby prep races, numerous hopefuls face a test of talent today to compete for a spot in the starting gate on the first Saturday of May. Many of the horses have difficult questions to answer relating to their ability to handle a higher grade, a change in distance, and tougher adversaries in the field.

In this moment of ambiguity, one thing is certain. The landscape of the Derby trail will be altered by tonight. As we approach the starting gates, the answers lie within the cards of five races.

Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (Grade II). The $250,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes has drawn a field of ten contenders – including the early favorites Jackson Bend and Buddy’s Saint. With the top three finishers earning an automatic nomination for a highly-coveted spot in the Florida Derby, a major breeding ground for Kentucky Derby winners, this race card tops the Saturday line-up.

Among the contenders, Jackson Bend and Buddy’s Saint are likely to finish at the top of the stretch. In seven starts, Jackson Bend has proven himself a legitimate Derby hopeful by capturing five victories and harboring earnings of $477,820. Although Jackson Bend was beaten by Winslow Homer in the Holy Bull Stakes, he delivered an honorable second place finish – beaten only by three-quarters of a length and closing a strong second by running 3 1/4 lengths in front of the rest of the field.

However, Buddy’s Saint also stands as a top-notch contender and has demonstrated the force to strike a win in his three-year-old debut. Of his three starts in 2009, Buddy’s Saint captured two wins in Grade 2 races. In his most recent race, the $200,000 Remsen Stakes, he tracked the leader throughout the race to clinch a 4 ¾-length victory in the final stretch. Prior to the Remsen, Buddy’s Saint dominated the $150,000 Grade 2 Nashua Stakes, winning by twelve lengths at the wire.

Eskendereya, with morning line odds of 5-1, remains a noteworthy rival for Jackson Bend and Buddy’s Saint. This hopeful, trained by Todd Pletcher, has delivered two wins in four career starts. Although Eskendereya closed his 2009 season with a disappointing ninth place finish in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile (Gr. I), he recently clinched a first-place finish in an ungraded race this past January amidst a relatively large field. The Fountain of Youth is the first Grade 2 career start for Eskendereya. With a Grade 3 win in his 2009 season, it remains to be determined whether he can handle Grade 2 contenders after coming up short at the Grade 1 level in his two-year-old season.

The remaining seven horses in the field are Aikenite, Pulsion, Pleasant Prince, Prince Will I Am, Positive Split, Lost Aptitude, and Ice Box. Although many favor Aikenite, with morning line odds of 6-1, his sole first-place finish was his maiden race and he has consecutively dropped in order of finish in his subsequent races. Ice Box and Lost Aptitude seem to be better long shot picks.

Risen Star Stakes. (Grade II) The contenders in the $300,000 Risen Star Stakes vary dramatically in depth and proven ability in their journey toward the Derby. Although the overall field appears somewhat green in experience, four horses stand out among the twelve hopefuls.

The morning line favorite, Ron the Greek, has won three of his last four starts. Possibly, his most impressive win came in the Lecomte Stakes in January, where he passed nine other horses in the last five furlongs to capture a win.

Drosselmeyer, the second-favorite in odds, has demonstrated tremendous potential in recent months. Having won his last two races on dirt by several furlongs, it will be difficult for the rest of the field to catch him if he makes a similar romp in the stretch.

In November, Drosselmeyer broke his maiden at Churchill Downs by driving clear in the final furlongs and securing a flashy win that clearly bested his contenders. After his maiden victory, he returned to Gulfstream in January and drove down the stretch in a nine-furlong win during an entry-level allowance race.

Stay Put and Discreetly Mine are both impressive horses at this early stage in their career. Stay Put, has won his last two races, rallying from the back of the pack to secure a win in his three-year-old debut. Discreetly Mine has demonstrated his ability to handle a field of difficult contenders – having already placed in a Grade 1 race. It will be interesting to see how the talent of these two horses plays out in this race since this is a largely untested field.

Hutcheson Stakes. (Grade II) The final Grade 2 Derby prep today is the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Of the eight-horse card, Wildcat Frankie, D’Funnybone, and A Little Warm are the morning line favorites in the field.

Wildcat Frankie, with odds of 4-1, has won two of his last three races. He finished second to fellow contender, A Little Warm, in the Spectacular Bid Stakes during his three-year-old debut last month. A Little Warm, with odds of 3-1, took five races to break his maiden, but has won his last two races – namely, his maiden win and The Spectacular Bid Stakes.

D’Funnybone is the 2-1 odds-favorite in the Hutcheson – winning three of his last five starts. He is possibly the most tested horse in the field. He has already faced a Grade 1 start in his two-year-old career, The Breeder’s Cup Juvenile – in which he finished thirteenth in the race. The drop to a Grade 2 race may work to his advantage.

Southwest Stakes. (Grade III) The Grade 3 Southwest Stakes is the first graded prep on Oaklawn’s road to the $1 million Arkansas Derby (Gr. I). After being postponed due to track conditions at Oaklawn Park last Monday, the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes will be run today. Of the ten-horse card, three horses stand out among the contenders.

The 7-2 odds-favorite, Conveyance, has remained undefeated in his three starts and is emerging as a well-respected Derby hopeful. Conveyance recently made his three-year-old debut in the Grade 3 San Rafael Stakes– clinching a 1 3/4-length victory over his rivals.

The second-favorite in odds, Dryfly, has an impressive early record of three wins in four races. Arguably, his most notable race was his recent win in the Smarty Jones Stakes during his three-year-old debut. Among a large field of contenders, Dryfly, ridden by Calvin Borel, managed to clinch a 2 1/4-length victory in a stylish performance.

Finally, Dublin, with odds of 5-1, has more to prove against his two main rivals in the Southwest Stakes. At present, his crowning achievement was a Grade 1 win in September of 2009. Since that victory, Dublin has not placed in his past two races. Dublin recently underwent minor throat surgery. In today’s return to the track, he is making his first start at two turns.

El Camino Real Derby. (Grade III) The Grade 3, $150,000 El Camino Real Derby, Northern California’s main stepping-stone into the Kentucky Derby, is shaping up to be a match race between Ranger Heartley and Connemara.

Ranger Heartley, with odds of 5-2, has won four of his last six races. In his most recent win, Ranger Heartley beat rival, Connemara, in the California Derby on January 16, 2010. However, Connemara finished a close second to Ranger Heartley in that race – losing by three-quarter-length margin. This past November, Connemara won an allowance race at Santa Anita, with Ranger Heartley placing third in that outing. With the early talent demonstrated by both horses, the El Camino Real Derby may go down to the wire in a match race between these two contenders.

Although the final Kentucky Derby starters won’t enter the gates at Churchill Downs for over two months, several horses have begun to emerge in the prep races as early hopefuls for the first Saturday in May.

I’ll admit it. It is premature to cement any horse in Derby contention as anything other than a hopeful at this stage. The field for the Derby will transform itself many times in the upcoming months with unexpected turns and challenges as it does every season. However, at this early stage, here is a rundown of the major prospects.

Lookin at Lucky

Lookin at Lucky. It would be impossible to start any discussion of Derby hopefuls without mentioning the generally-regarded favorite, Lookin at Lucky. Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert has maintained the quiet supremacy afforded to this horse without even having run Lookin at Lucky in one start this season. Further, he has stated that Lookin at Lucky will only run in two prep races in hopes of clinching a slot in the gate at the Kentucky Derby.

So, what is so spectacular about the mysterious Looking at Lucky? In his six starts, four of which were Grade 1 races, Lookin at Lucky has only succumbed to a single defeat – The Breeder’s Cup Juvenile.

During the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile, Lookin at Lucky lost by a head after struggling with a bad trip throughout the race. At the start of the race, Lookin at Lucky was wide early, got stuck in midpack while facing a slow pace, rallied wide, and was ultimately outfinished from the inside by Vale of York. When interviewed after the Juvenile, Baffert stood firm. “We know we have a legit horse, we just didn’t get paid.”

Since the Juvenile defeat, he captured a win in the Breeder’s Cup Cash Call Futurity in December of 2009. Under jockey Garrett Gomez, Lookin at Lucky won by three-quarters of a length, after making several different moves throughout the race, to kick clear at the wire to secure a win. “Hell of a day, huh?” Baffert remarked in a post-race interview. “He’s getting better and better.”

Select videos of Lookin at Lucky’s past performances are available here for the Cash Call Futurity (1st), Breeder’s Cup Juvenile (2nd) , Norfolk Stakes (1st), and Del Mar Futurity (1st).

Buddy’s Saint. Buddy’s Saint is another strong candidate at this early stage in Derby prep races. Of his three starts in 2009, Buddy’s Saint captured two wins in Grade 2 races. In his most recent race, the $200,000 Remsen Stakes, Buddy’s Saint tracked the leader throughout the race to clinch a 4 ¾-length victory in the final stretch.

Prior to the Remsen, Buddy’s Saint dominated the $150,000 Grade 2 Nashua Stakes, winning by twelve lengths at the wire. He is expected to run in the Fountain of Youth Stakes on February 20, 2010 – competing against two other major hopefuls - Jackson Bend and Eskendereya.

Super Saver. It would be impossible to ignore this horse with the powerhouse team that catapulted Super Saver into his flashy first-place finish at the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. Super Saver, owned by WinStar Farm and trained by Todd Pletcher, made an amazing romp toward a victory under rider Calvin Borel in the Jockey Club Stakes. In the upcoming prep races, it will be interesting to see if this horse has the ability to give a repeat performance and capture a Grade 1 win.

Jackson Bend

Jackson Bend. In seven starts, Jackson Bend has proven himself a legitimate Derby hopeful by capturing five victories and harboring earnings of $477,820. He was beaten by Winslow Homer in the Holy Bull Stakes, but still delivered an honorable second place finish. Prior to the Holy Bull, he was unbeaten in five consecutive starts and remains a strong hopeful – especially considering the depth of his experience in comparison to his other rivals at this stage. He is expected to race in the Fountain of Youth Stakes on February 20, 2010 in his next endeavor to remain on the Derby trail.

Rule. Rule has emerged as a serious contender among Derby hopefuls – having closed out his two-year-old campaign with three consecutive victories and, more recently, capturing a win in the Grade 3 $225,000 Sam. F. Davis Stakes.

In the Sam F. Davis Stakes, Rule drove toward the finish and won by three-lengths over a field of well-respected rivals. It remains to be seen if he can match his Sam F. Davis performance in a Grade 1 race. After the Sam F. Davis, trainer Todd Pletcher did not point toward the next prep race for Rule – but mentioned the Florida Derby, Blue Grass, or Wood Memorial among the options being considered.

Dryfly. With a record of three wins in four races, Dryfly is gaining respect as a Derby hopeful after his impressive win at the Smarty Jones Stakes in his three-year-old debut. Among a large field of contenders, Dryfly, ridden by Calvin Borel, managed to clinch a 2 1/4-length victory in a stylish performance. As with many other early hopefuls, it remains to be seen how he will handle a Grade 1 race. However, judging by his current record, he remains a strong early contender.

Eskendereya. This hopeful, trained by Todd Pletcher, has delivered two wins in four career starts. Although Eskendereya closed his 2009 season with a disappointing ninth place finish in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile, this hopeful has re-emerged as an interesting contender in the 2010 season.

This past January, Eskendereya clinched a first-place finish during an ungraded race in a relatively large field. After the win, Pletcher showed confidence in his horse, stating that “The Fountain of Youth is a possibility, although I don’t know if he needs to wait that long to come back… The one thing I am sure of is that getting a mile and one-eighth will be no problem.” It remains to be determined whether this horse is capable of matching Pletcher’s confidence with ability to conquer a Grade 1 race.

Noble's Promise

Noble’s Promise. Noble’s Promise has established himself as a legitimate Derby hopeful through showing the capacity to deliver a respectable performance in repeated Grade 1 races. Of his six starts, Noble’s Promise has clinched three wins – including a victory in the Grade 1 Dixiana Breeder’s Futurity. With the demonstrated capacity to consistently win or place while taking on serious rivals in the Juvenile Breeder’s Cup (third) and the Cash Call Futurity (second), Noble’s Promise is one of the few hopefuls who has proven his capacity to manage the difficulty of a Grade 1 race

Conveyance. In his three starts, this Bob Baffert-trained horse has remained undefeated and is emerging as a respectable Derby hopeful. Conveyance recently made his three-year-old debut in the Grade 3 San Rafael Stakes – clinching a 1 3/4-length victory over his rivals. Conveyance is expected to race again in the Southwest Stakes on February 15.

On Saturday, a field of nine Derby hopefuls will square off in the one-mile Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park in Southern Florida. With varying degrees of experience throughout the lineup, the likely favorite in the race will be Jackson Bend, a Florida-bred horse trained by Nick Zito.

Jackson Bend has won his last five consecutive stakes races and is the top money-earner in the field, with winnings totaling $477,820. In his last race, he clinched a 2 ¾ length win over his current rival, Thank U Philippe, at the In Reality Stakes in October 2009. Jackson Bend has been working steadily at Palm Meadows, with his most recent five-furlong workout on January 16th timing above a perfect 12-clip at :59.30. The only question is whether the depth of his prior competition will equal the field set before him in the Holy Bull Stakes this Saturday.

Among his main rivals in the Holy Bull, are Aikenite, a Florida-bred horse trained by Todd Pletcher, and Homeboykris, the winner of the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) on October 10, 2009. Aikenite, a multiple graded-stakes-placed horse, has not raced in nearly three months after his fifth-place finish in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile in November 2009. However, Aikenite remains a significant rival, building his record on Grade One races in his two-year-old season.

Homeboykris, a Maryland-bred racehorse, won two of his four starts in 2009. His most impressive race was undoubtedly the Champagne Stakes (gr. I), where he captured a win and beat Super Saver, who finished fourth in the race. Homeboykris is trained by Juan Rodriguez with Edgar Prado as his current jockey. In his most recent workout, he ran six-furlongs in 1:14:69.

The other horses in the race include Winslow Homer, Piscitelli, Litigation Risk, Thank U Philippe, William’s Kitten and Wild Lime. Piscitelli and William’s Kitten make interesting picks for a long shot. Both horses raced in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile (Gr. I), with Piscitelli finishing fourth – one length from the winner – and William’s Kitten finishing eighth. The drop in grade may improve their chances at placing in this race. The least talked-about horse, Wild Lime, has demonstrated some early potential – winning two of his three lifetime races.

Wild Lime made an impressive debut at Delaware Park in July of 2009, winning his maiden by 3 ½ lengths. More recent, he earned a top speed rating in an Allowance race at Meadowlands in December of 2009. It remains to be answered whether he can stand out among a stronger grade of contenders in the Holy Bull Stakes.

Here are my bets for the Holy Bull:

$2 Win – Jackson Bend

$2 Exacta Box – Jackson Bend and Aikenite

$1 Trifecta Box – Jackson Bend, Aikenite, and Homeboykris

$1 Superfecta Box – Jackson Bend, Aikenite, Homeboykris, and Wild Lime.

With the Kentucky Derby nearly four months away, the major trainers are beginning to take stock of the talent in their stables and nominate their hopefuls for the upcoming prep races leading up to the Kentucky Derby. As with any year, there will inevitably be many twists and turns of fate before the ultimate winner hits the wire at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May.

My early favorite this year is “Lookin at Lucky,” a horse trained by the legendary Bob Baffert. In his six starts, four of which were Grade 1 races, Lookin at Lucky has only succumbed to a single defeat – The Breeder’s Cup Juvenile.

During the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile, Lookin at Lucky lost by a head after struggling with a bad trip throughout the race. At the start of the race, Lookin at Lucky was wide early, got stuck in midpack while facing a slow pace, rallied wide, and was ultimately outfinished from the inside by Vale of York. When interviewed after the Juvenile, Baffert stood firm. “We know we have a legit horse, we just didn’t get paid.”

Since the Juvenile defeat, he captured a win in the Breeder’s Cup Cash Call Futurity in December of 2009. Under jockey Garrett Gomez, Lookin at Lucky won by three-quarters of a length, after making several different moves throughout the race, to kick clear at the wire to secure a win. “Hell of a day, huh?” Baffert remarked in a post-race interview. “He’s getting better and better.”

After the Futurity, Baffert said that Lookin at Lucky would get an extended break. He anticipates that the horse will run two prep races before the Kentucky Derby. The targeted races have not been announced, but with the early promise demonstrated by this colt, the betting public should be looking at a “Lucky.”