In his pre-race analysis of the 138th Kentucky Derby, for both his
students at the North American Racing Academy and his own gambling
pleasure, retired Hall of Famer and two-time Derby winner Chris McCarron
liked Bodemeister, Sabercat, Gemologist, and Union Rags in a four-horse
exacta box. He conceded that Santa Anita Derby winner I’ll Have Another
had a shot, but he tossed him anyway. Why?
“Because of Mario Gutierrez,” McCarron confessed. “He didn’t really
ride a good race in the Santa Anita Derby. He had every opportunity to
keep Joel Rosario on Creative Cause trapped around the turn, and he let
him out. He didn’t ride aggressively enough, and with I’ll Have Another
breaking out of the 19-hole in the Derby, I envisioned him about seven
deep going around the first turn because of the horse’s style, wanting
to stalk.
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