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Virginia Derby Day at Colonial Downs

Virginia Derby Day at Colonial Downs

The drive back to Roanoke from Colonial Downs took about four hours this evening. As we were sitting under our shaded tent bench seat in front of the grandstand, a lady asked my sister where we were from. When she found out it was Roanoke, the lady was amazed that we had traveled that far to see the races. Personally, I thought it was no big deal.

Colonial is a beautiful place to watch a race. The turf course is pristine and the viewing is easy.

I didn't have an especially fine day at the races; however, I did manage to pull a mild upset in Race 3, a filly and mare 1 1/16 allowance for 3 year olds and up. I had a win/place bet on winner Kitty Cat Express and a Place/Show bet on second place finisher Stirrup Cup. So I cashed in about $40 on my $8. I didn't think at the time to do an exacta box on the two. If I had, I would have netted $169 on my $2 bet.

The big races of the day were the Kitten's Joy Stakes, The Virginia Oaks, and The Virginia Derby. Nine year old Midwatch, ridden by Edgar Prado, won The Kitten's Joy. Midwatch is an old horse, but he held off Hunting Print, ridden by Kent Desourmeaux, at the line. That was the beginning of Prado domination.

In the Virginia Oaks, Julia Tuttle, ridden by Special K (Horacio Karamanos) leaped out to a commanding lead that kept growing all the way until past the final turn. That's when Prado blasted the favorite, I Lost My Choo, up through the pack and into to a solid half length win at the wire over Kent Desourmeaux's mount, Namaste's Wish. Julia Tuttle held on for a solid third.

In the feature race, The Virginia Derby, the anticipated duel between favorites Sailor's Cap and Gio Ponti was interrupted by Kent Desourmeaux aboard Court Vision. Prado was mountless for this race when his horse scratched, but Garrett Gomez flew in for the race to put Desourmeaux in his place. Actually, the race turned out to be quite a duel between Court Vision and Gio Ponti. Down the stretch, they bumped and banged with Gio Ponti winning by a nose. I spoke with Garrett Gomez after the race and jokingly asked him if that #4 horse (Court Vision) sneaked up on him at the finish. He snarled, "What? He bumped me the whole way down the stretch." I guess Garrett didn't catch my sarcasm. He did sign my program, however, and I observed him a moment later giving a rose from his winner's bouquet to a nice older lady standing by the rail. Court Vision almost won this race, which I find ironic. All spring, I waited and waited for Court Vision to win a race leading up to the Kentucky Derby, but he never did. He was in my fantasy stable and earned me exactly no points. Even more ironic was the fact that Garrett Gomez was one of my fantasy stable jockeys and earned me zero points all through the contest. Saturday in one race, both of those demons were exorcised (or exercised).

All in all, I had a marvelous time at the track. Some old friends from Northern Virginia showed up and we reminisced and chatted. I ate a delicious Philly Cheesesteak and learned how to bet and lose a Double and a $0.10 superfecta.

Colonial Downs Virginia Derby

Tomorrow, I'll be visiting Colonial Downs for the 2008 Virginia Derby (Grade II $750,000)

Court Vision tries the turf again hoping for better results. Many of the top national jockeys will be there: Desormeaux, Johnny V, Prado, and Albarado, as well as local track god Special K.

Belmont Revisited, Contest Results

One advantage to waiting so long to write a summary of the Belmont Stakes is I'm able to compile quite a list of reasons, excuses, and conspiracy theories that have been floated for Big Brown’s loss. Injury and illness have been ruled out, but we're still left with the following most popular items:

• The quarter crack bothered him during the race.
• The missed training and enforced rest due to the quarter crack left him too antsy and difficult to handle around the barn for the last couple of weeks. Much different than his usual easy-going nature.
• The excessive heat (90+ degrees) bothered him.
• The race was fixed by the mafia.
• Big Brown was too lightly-raced and lacked the fitness and maturity horses develop through racing.
• Big Brown lacks competitive fortitude. When things didn't go his way going into the first turn he basically packed it in for the day.
• Big Brown was rank during the race and never relaxed.
• Not enough stamina in the pedigree.
• No steroids since April.
• Kent Desormeaux’s an idiot and all that maneuvering on the first turn was completely unnecessary.
• Rick Dutrow’s an idiot and trained Big Brown too lightly after the Preakness.
• The Racing Gods do not appreciate hubris. While they have no problem with quiet confidence on the part of a horse’s connections, they take a dim view of people who completely disregard the part the Racing Gods and racing luck can play in the outcome of a race.

So take your pick from the above list or come up with a reason of your own. Whatever the reason or reasons we're still left Triple Crownless for another year. But let’s give the winner some props. That was a fine race run by Da’Tara and a very heady ride by jockey Alan Garcia. And how about Shoeless Nick Zito? His Belmont record just keeps improving. Denis of Cork put in a good run to finish a respectable second, and Ready’s Echo and Anak Nakal finished in an exciting dead heat. An abbreviated chart is listed below.

Belmont S. - Grade: 1
Winning Time:2:29.65

Pgm	Horse	Jockey	Win	Place	Show
6	Da' Tara	Alan Garcia	79.00	28.00	14.80
4	Denis of Cork	Robby Albarado		5.40	4.10
9	Ready's Echo	John R. Velazquez			6.20
8	Anak Nakal	Julien R. Leparoux			7.60

Race Comments: DA' TARA angled in after taking the lead in the early stages, opened a clear advantage on the first turn, raced uncontested on the front while moving to the three path on the backstretch, dug in when threatened briefly on the turn, drifted out after being struck left handed with the whip at the three-sixteenths pole, straightened away when the rider switched to the right hand whip in midstretch and edged away under steady urging through the final eighth. DENIS OF CORK was unhurried early, moved out entering the backstretch, raced in the middle of the pack while four wide for seven furlongs, split rivals while gaining midway on the turn, advanced four wide at the top of the stretch, took up chase after the winner in upper stretch but was no match for that one while clearly best of the others. ANAK NAKAL was bumped by BIG BROWN and carried out on the first turn, angled in a bit approaching the backstretch, raced within striking distance in the three path for seven furlongs, moved between horses when asked for run midway on then turn then closed gradually to gain a share. READY'S ECHO was outrun for a half, saved ground leaving the far turn, swung six wide nearing the quarter pole and failed to menace while improving his position late. MACHO AGAIN was rated in good position between horses, angled to the rail on the far turn, lodged a mild rally along the inside to reach contention at the top of the stretch, but failed to sustain his bid. TALE OF EKATI pressed the early pace from outside, tracked the winner while five wide along the backstretch, raced just behind that rival into upper stretch and steadily tired thereafter. GUADALCANAL stumbled and checked at the start and never reached contention while saving ground throughout. ICABAD CRANE was never a factor while four wide. BIG BROWN steadied and broke outward at the start, moved up inside, steadied sharply while rank in the opening quarter of a mile, steadied and was taken to the outside bumping with ANAK ANKAL on the first turn, swung seven wide moving into the backstretch, stalked the leaders while continuing wide for seven furlongs, was asked for run when tapped left handed on the far turn then dropped back abruptly midway on the turn and was pulled up approaching the quarter pole.

In the 12ARFTCHC Jeane Marie was the only person who picked Da’Tara, so she made a bold move to pass Gordon and wind up in third place in the contest. Peter picked Denis of Cork to widen his lead over Jacqueline coming down the stretch. He finished with a very nice total of $256.30. Congratulations to Peter for winning in his first attempt at the contest. Not an easy thing to do in this company.

So another year, another contest, another Triple Crown miss. Tune in again next spring when the whole process cranks up again with new heroes, villains, horses, and stories. In the meantime the racing on the track continues. Some of this year’s horses have already returned to the track. Smooth Air and Pyro won their return races. Court Vision, Adriano, and Kentucky Bear tried the turf at Colonial Downs yesterday with mixed success. Look for Big Brown to reappear in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in early August. Shoeless Nick will probably have some of his horses in the Travers at the end of August. Lots of good stuff yet to come.

Until next year,

May the horse be with you.

And also with you.
Lift up your bridle.

We lift them up to the jockey.

Let us shower tokens upon the jockey, our commander in the field.

It is right to give him thanks and blankets of flowers.

Sore Loser

I figured that when Rick Dutrow, Jr. finally spoke up about the Belmont Stakes, he'd find a way to place blame. In this AP Wire Report, he does just that.

"I don't know why he had to do that," said Dutrow, who questioned Desormeaux's decisions in the race.

Entering the first turn, Desormeaux took a hard hold of Big Brown and yanked him to the outside, bumping with Anak Nakal before finding running room outside of Tale of Ekati while Da' Tara opened up a three-length lead around the clubhouse turn.

"I'm sure he didn't have any idea what the hell was going on going into the first turn the way (Desormeaux) was switching him all over the damn track," Dutrow said. "I don't know what he was doing."

I'm no jockey, but what I saw Kent Desormeaux do was save a horse. He realized that for whatever reason, he didn't have a horse. Based on his past experience with this horse, he suspected something was wrong, so he pulled the plug on his race. It was a brave move and the right move.

Perhaps Dutrow should just go hide in a barn. No one likes a sore loser.

Triple Crown Winner Photo Gallery

The LA Times posted a very nice photo slideshow showing the Triple Crown winners. You might want to view this before the newspaper takes the link down.