New York’s 2015 Kentucky Derby Contenders (The Juveniles)

 

Welcome to the first article in the series highlighting the New York horses that are on the trail to the 2015 Kentucky Derby. Horses that are in the barn of a New York based trainer; spend part of the year at a NYRA track, most likely to be Saratoga; or have won a race at Aqueduct, Saratoga, or Belmont, will be considered as part of my NY Derby Trail coverage.

This article comes after the running of the Remsen (G2) and will look at our New York contenders as juveniles. In 2015 the list will be updated after each of the Derby prep races that are all run at Aqueduct.

 

 

 

Daredevil was the first horse to win 10 Road to the Kentucky Derby points in New York when he blazed to victory in the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. Leave the Light On was the second when he went gate to wire to take the Remsen on a racetrack that was overwhelmingly favoring horses on the lead and on the inside of the Aqueduct main track.

Last year’s Remsen turned out to have an impressive field with Honor Code, Cairo Prince, and Wicked Strong as the top three finishers. Those horses did not have an impact in the Derby, but Honor Code impressively returned to the races recently and Wicked Strong had his big win in the Jim Dandy. This year’s Remsen field will best be evaluated when some of the horses get a chance to run on a non-biased track. I am not yet going to dismiss Classy Class, Frosted, and Eh Cumpari. Those three deserve a chance to show what they can do on a surface that will allow them to run from off the pace.

At this early stage, it is not easy to rank the horses, however, here is my first list of the Top 10 New York Contenders for the 2015 Kentucky Derby.

1) Carpe Diem

2) Blofeld

3) Imperia

4) Competitve Edge

5) Frosted

6) Upstart

7) El Kabeir

8) Big Trouble

9) Classy Class

10) Mawthooq

Below is the current list of New York Contenders. The first group is arranged by Road to the Kentucky Derby points and then horses, that have not earned any points, are listed alphabetically.

Carpe Diem (Giant’s Causeway)

OBSMar14 $1,600,000

3: 2-1-0 $709,800

Owner: WinStar and Stonestreet

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: John Velazquez

2^nd Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) – BSF 93

1^st Breeders’ Futurity Stakes (G1) – BSF 91

1^st MSW Saratoga – BSF 84

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 15-1

El Kabeir (Scat Daddy)

OBSAug13 $250,000

5: 2-1-1 $268,892

Owner: Zayat Stables

Trainer: John Terranova

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr./Calvin Borel

1^st Kentucky Jockey Club – BSF 92

2^nd Nashua Stakes (G2) – BSF 84

4^th Champagne Stakes (G1) – BSF 74

1^st MSW Saratoga – BSF 93

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 74-1

International Star (Fusaichi Pegasus)

EASSept13 $85,000

5: 2-2-0 $200,579

Owner: Ken and Sarah Ramsey

Trainer: Michael Maker

Jockey: R. Hernandez/John Velazquez

4^th Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) –

9^th Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf – BSF 74

1^st Grey (G3) – BSF 66

2^nd With Anticipation (G2) TURF – BSF 75

1^st MSW Saratoga TURF – BSF 73

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5

Daredevil (More Than Ready)

KEESept13 $260,000

3: 2-0-0 $345,000

Owner: Lets Go Stable and WinStar

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Javier Castellano

11^th Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) – BSF 57

1^st Champagne Stakes (G1) – BSF 107

1^st MSW Belmont Park – BSF 96

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 48-1

Leave the Light On (Horse Greeley)

OBSApril14 $210,000

3: 2-1-0 $285,375

Owner: Klaravick/Lawrence

Trainer: Chad Brown

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

1^st Remsen (G2) – BSF 90

1^st MSW Belmont Park – BSF 70

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5

Mr. Z (Malibu Moon)

FTKOct13 $135,000

7: 1-4-0 $439,726

Owner: Zayat Stables

Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas

Jockey: Paco Lopez

2^nd Delta Jackpot (G2) – BSF 90

5^th Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) – BSF 89

2^nd Breeders’ Futurity (G1) – BSF 80

2^nd Saratoga Special (G2) – BSF 79

2^nd Sanford (G2) – BSF 79

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 47-1

Upstart (Flatter)

SARAug13 $130,000

4: 2-1-1 $463,800

Owner: Ralph Evans

Trainer: Rick Violette

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

3^rd Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) – BSF 92

2^nd Champage (G1) – BSF 102

1^st Funny Cide (NY) – BSF 95

1^st MSW (NY) Saratoga – BSF 85

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 53-1

Bold Conquest (Curlin)

4: 1-2-1 $138,576

Owner: Ackerley Bros.

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Jockey: Rosie Napravnik

3^rd Breeders’ Futurity (G1)

2^nd Iroquois (G3)

1^st MSW Saratoga

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5

Imperia (Medaglia d’Oro)

4: 1-2-0 $183,404

Owner: Godolphin

Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin

Jockey: Robby Albarado/Javier Castellano

2^nd Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) – BSF 92

10^th Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf – BSF 73

1^st Pilgrim (G3) TURF – BSF 82

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 27-1

Frosted (Tapit)

4: 1-3-0 $150,600

Owner: Godolphin

Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

2^nd Remsen (G2)

1^st MSW Aqueduct – BSF 89

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 38-1

Classy Class (Discreetly Mine)

OBSMar14 $250,000

2: 1-0-0 $65,800

Owner: Cheyenne Stables

Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

4^th Remsen (G2)

1^st MSW Belmont Park – BSF 88

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 99-1

Big Trouble (Tiz Wonderful)

2: 2-0-0 $235,000

Owner: Team D

Trainer: Tony Dutrow

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

1^st Sanford (G3)

1^st MSW Belmont Park

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5

Blofeld (Quality Road)

FTFMar14 $225,000

3: 3-0-0 $319,800

Owner: Glencrest Farms

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: John Velazquez

1^st Nashua (G2) – BSF 93

1^st Belmont Futurity Stakes (G2) – BSF 94

1^st MSW Saratoga – BSF 88

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 40-1

Competitive Edge (Super Saver)

FTFMar14 $750,000

2: 2-0-0 $509,800

Owner: Favreau, Psoinos, Tabor

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: John Velazquez

1^st Hopeful (G1) – BSF 90

1^st MSW Belmont Park – BSF 90

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 47-1

Eh Cumpari (Elusive Quality)

FTSAug13 $225,000

2: 1-1-0 $44,200

Owner: Anstu Stables

Trainer: Michael Dilger

Jockey: Jose Lezcano

9^th Remsen (G2)

1^st MSW Aqueduct – BSF 78

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5

I Spent It (Super Saver)

FTFMar14 $600,000

4: 2-1-0 $345,000

Owner: Leiblong and Three Chimneys

Trainer: Tony Dutrow

Jockey: Jose Lezcano

6^th Champagne (G1) – BSF 59

2^nd Hopeful (G1) – BSF 78

1^st Saratoga Special (G2) – BSF 85

1^st MSW Belmont Park – BSF 75

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: 99-1

Mawthooq (Distorted Humor)

KEESept13 $850,000

2: 1-1-0 $51,000

Owner: Shadwell

Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin

Jockey: Cornelio Velasquez

1^st MSW Aqueduct

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Pool 1: Mutuel Field 3-5