Photo: Hollywood Park
A wide-open Kentucky Derby Saturday left many
horsemen in the Hollywood
Park stable area
scratching their heads Thursday but the three entrants most often mentioned to
win the Run for the Roses were morning-line favorite Dialed In, Archarcharch
and Nehro.
A sample of horsemen’s opinions:
Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg, who won the 1987 Derby with Alysheba--“I
like Archarcharch. He runs where it counts. He finishes well. I like Pants On
Fire too.”
Retired Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, who
won the Derby with Gato Del Sol in 1982 and Sunny‘s Halo in 1983--“I’m going
for my good friend, Jinks Fires (trainer of Archarcharch). I’ve known him and
his family for many years. It’s a wide-open race and he was impressive winning
the Arkansas Derby.”
Trainer Barry Abrams--“Dialed In. He’s very
consistent. He’s got a good post, a good trainer and he’s got the right style.”
Trainer Jim Kasparoff--“My wife, Danielle, got Dialed
In at 35-1 in Las Vegas
in December. We went there to get married on opening day of Santa Anita and
made the future book bet at Caesar’s Palace.’’
Trainer Mark Glatt--“Maybe Archarcharch, even with
the rail draw. I think he’ll handle the distance well and we’ll see what kind
of trip he can get.”
Trainer Art Sherman--“I’m going for Archarcharch. I’m
going for (jockey) Jon Court
to come through. There should be enough speed in front of him, and he’ll be
laying in there on the rail.”
Trainer Bobby Troeger--“(Trainer Bob) Baffert with
Midnight Interlude. He’s a local guy. You’ve got to root for the home team.”
Trainer Carl O’Callagahan--“Dialed In. I think
(trainer Nick) Zito always shows up in big time. The horse ran well in Florida.”
Trainer Vladimir Cerin--“I think Jon Court has a shot (with Archarcharch).
The rail is the shortest way around.”
Trainer David Bernstein--“I like Dialed In, which
doesn’t surprise anybody, but it’s no slam dunk.”
Trainer Melody Conlon--“I like Nehro. I like him
because he closes and should stay out of trouble.”
Dan Ward, assistant to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer--“I
like Zito (with Dialed In.) He’s a nice guy, and the year I was back there, he
said his horse, Strike The Gold (1991), was going to win. Dialed In is not
going to be bothered by a mile and a quarter or a big crowd.”
Larry Benavidez, assistant to trainer John
Sadler--“Dialed In to beat Mucho Macho Man.”
Jockey Alonso Quinonez--“Baffert’s horse, Midnight
Interlude. He won the Santa Anita Derby impressively. In the morning, he’s a
superhorse. He’s fresh too.”
Jockey Joe Steiner--“I like Nehro. He was coming on
strong in the last part in his last two races.”
Martin Panza, vice president-racing--“I’m all Dialed
In.”
Jockey agent Scotty McClellan--“I like Dialed In, and
I like Nehro. They should both like a mile and a quarter.”
Jockey agent Richie Silverstein--“Nehro. I think
he’ll go that far.”
Jockey agent Brian Beach--“I like Stay Thirsty and
Nehro. Uncle Mo has gotten all the attention in the Stay
Thirsty barn, and people forget that he also has some talent.”