the past

Originally uploaded by gabefritz.

The photo was taken by gabefritz in downtown louisville.

100_0608

Originally uploaded by djpop56.

101_0183

Originally uploaded by bhsher.

Courant has a excellent article on the Kentucky Derby

The potential field for the Kentucky Derby should become somewhat clearer today.

There are four key preps for 3-year-olds – the Gotham, San Felipe, Rebel and Tampa Bay Derby. All four are 11/16-mile races.

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A winner in his past three starts, Achilles of Troy faces his toughest task in the $200,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.

“It’s a good test and I expect him to run huge,” said Ernie Paragallo of Paraneck Stable, which owns Achilles of Troy. “Nobody scares me if he runs his race. If he runs his A race, he’s as good as anybody in the country.”

Achilles of Troy will be ridden by Ramon Dominguez

The second choice is Keyed Entry, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Edgar Prado.

At Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., Bob Baffert trains three horses running in the $250,000 San Felipe Stakes. One is Bob and John, owned by Houston Texans owner Bob McNair.

“He wants to get to the Super Bowl quick, and he wants to get to the Derby quick,” Baffert said of McNair. “That’s the kind of owner we need. Someone who wants to do it quick.”

McNair and his wife, Janice, who race as Stonerside Stable, had their best Derby finish with the Baffert-trained Congaree, who was third in 2001.

Baffert, who trained three Derby winners from 1997 to 2002, also entered Point Determined and Sky Diving

Point Determined is a son of Point Given, who won two-thirds of the Triple Crown in 2001. The colt is owned by Beverly Lewis and the estate of Bob Lewis, the two-time Kentucky Derby winning owner who died on Feb. 17.

John Shirreffs, trainer of 2005 Derby winner Giacomo, will saddle A.P. Warrior for the first time in the San Felipe.

The $300,000 Rebel at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., features Lawyer Ron and Private Vow. Lawyer Ron won the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn on Feb. 25, his fifth victory in as many starts on dirt.

In the $250,000 Tampa Bay Derby, the early even-money favorite is Bluegrass Cat, trained by Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez.

Kentucky Derby

Originally uploaded by code poet.

The code poet has done it again! Another beautiful shot of Kentucky.