Derby Meister?
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SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2012 732-747-8060 $ TDN Home Page Click Here DERBY MEISTER? LILIES FOR ROSIE AND BELIEVE YOU CAN Today=s 138th running of the GI Kentucky Derby Owner/breeder Brereton Jones, trainer Larry Jones promises to be a fascinating renewal. For months, the and rider Rosie Napravnik missed out on having a G discussion centered around the I Kentucky Derby progression of last year=s leading entrant when Mark juveniles--Hansen (Tapit), Union Valeski (Proud Rags (Dixie Union), Creative Citizen) was taken Cause (Giant=s Causeway) and out of consideration Gemologist (Tiznow)--but when earlier this week, but Bodemeister (Empire Maker) they instead teamed stormed home in the up to annex the GI Arkansas Derby, the chatter $1-million changed to whether a colt GI Kentucky Oaks Ahmed Zayat & Bodemeister unraced at two could overcome with a daughter of Horsephotos Horsephotos the drought since Apollo in the same Airdrie 1882. Though the J “TDN stallion. Napravnik and Believe You Can outslugged a Rising Star” J lacks experience, his connections game Broadway=s Alibi (Vindication) the length of the certainly don=t. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has stretch and took home the trophy. "It's unbelievable,@ saddled three Kentucky Derby winners and will give a said Napravnik. AI'm just so happy and so grateful to be leg up to Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith, who brought here. There's a lot of people that are a big part of me longshot Giacomo (Holy Bull) home in 2005. Zayat getting to this and winning this race, and I just can't Stables has come agonizingly close in the ARun for the thank everybody enough.@ Napravnik rode St. John=s Roses,@ with two runners-up since 2009. AI=ve brought River (Include) to a runner-up finish in the Oaks 12 some really good horses here, and they were the best months ago. ALast year was kind of a tease, I was so horse, but they got beat,@ said Baffert. AI don=t want to close but not there,@ Napravnik added. AThis year I was get myself too pumped up. Even my son, Bode, doesn=t determined to be the one in the winner's circle, and I want to talk about it.@ Cont. p5 had the right horse to do it." Cont. p3 FROM MYTH TO REALITY Those associated with Camelot (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) have found it hard to contain their enthusiasm for the unbeaten colt, but today=s G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas offers the first true test of his powers as the prospect of a first Triple Crown winner since Nijinsky becomes more realistic. Having flaunted his raw ability with a cruise at Doncaster in the G1 Racing Post The O’Briens with Camelot Trophy in October, Derrick Edward Whitaker/Racing Post Smith=s colorbearer enters the latest edition of Newmarket=s Classic with a weight of expectation to bear. Trainer Aidan O=Brien, who is looking for a sixth renewal since 1998, has been keen to stress that Camelot has not been pushed at home in an effort to avoid a similar scenario to that faced by the stable=s Guineas flop St Nicholas Abbey (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) two years ago. AIf the horse wasn=t going to be ready for the Guineas, we didn=t want to be forcing him, so we were letting him tell us really,@ the Ballydoyle conditioner explained. AHe=s been coming along nicely and everything has gone smoothly so far--we=re using this as a start-off race.@ Cont. p7 In This Issue Let There Be Light 60 Broad St., Suite 100 Lyric of Light (Street Cry {Ire}) is the Godolphin Red Bank, NJ 07701 runner of choice for Frankie Dettori in Sunday’s (732) 747-8060 G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. (732) 747-8955 (fax) (photo Edward Whitaker/Racing Post) www.thoroughbreddailynews.com www.thetdn.com Coverage begins page 9 Barry Weisbord, co-publisher Churchill Stakes Action Friday [email protected] Sue Finley, co-publisher [email protected] Editorial [email protected] Jessica Martini, Editor-in-Chief Juanita takes La Silver Max wins Alan Carasso, Managing Editor Successful Dan Troienne American Turf Marie Kizenko, Senior Editor Contested wins Alysheba wins 8 Belles Christina Bossinakis, Senior Editor Lucas Marquardt, Features Editor Coverage begins page 13 Steve Sherack, Racing Editor Brian DiDonato, Racing Analyst/Soc. Media Dir. Justina Severni, Assistant Editor Advertising [email protected] Alycia Borer, Director of Advertising Lia Kusch, Senior Advertising Designer Sarah K. 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O/B-Brereton C Jones (KY); T-J Larry Jones; J-Rosie Napravnik; $564,200. Lifetime Record: 9-6-0-0, $1,059,484. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+. KY-BRED QUALITY 2--Broadway's Alibi, 121, f, 3, Vindication--Broadway Gold, by Seeking the Gold. O/B-E Paul Robsham Stables LLC (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher; $182,000. Hidden Brook foaled & raised for Robsham Stables 3--Grace Hall, 121, f, 3, Empire Maker--Season's Greetings (Ire), by Ezzoud (Ire). ($95,000 yrl '10 KEESEP). O-Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables & The Elkstone Group; B-Darley (KY); T-Anthony W Dutrow; $91,000. Consigned by BLUEWATER SALES at KEESEP ‘10 Selected by Valerio Bloodstock & Management, LLC Margins: 3/4, 2HF, 3/4. Odds: 13.80, 4.30, 2.80. Also Ran: Summer Applause, On Fire Baby, Hard Not to Like, Sacristy, Amie's Dini, And Why Not, Jemima's Pearl, Colonial Empress, Karlovy Vary, Yara, Eden's Moon. Scratched: Oaks Lily. Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs, the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree or the video, sponsored by Taylor Made Sales. Believe You Can broke alertly and settled nicely in second beneath regular rider Rosie Napravnik. Keeping plenty of pressure on Broadway=s Alibi from the outside through fractions of :23.12 and :47.47, the Brereton C. Jones homebred reached even terms on the turn for home while Napravnik remained motionless. She began Horsephotos to go right-handed in the stretch and, following a prolonged battle, Believe You Can edged clear late for a hard-fought victory. The winner signaled her readiness with a bullet five- eighths in :58 2/5 last Sunday. "This filly gave us that >wow' factor," said winning trainer Larry Jones. "When we blew her out the other day, we knew this filly was going to give us her performance, and we feel like you need that >wow' coming here, because you're facing top horses, and we just got another >wow' this afternoon." Cont. p4 859-873-7270 • www.airdriestud.com P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 5/5/12 • PAGE 4 of 21 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Rise Through the Ranks... Believe You Can was a modest fourth when unveiled at Monmouth June 26, but donned cap and gown next time at Delaware July 12. She drew off by 4 1/4 lengths in an optional claimer at that track Aug. 16 and continued her progression by annexing the GIII Tempted S. at Belmont Oct. 2. In her first trip to Churchill Downs, the bay filly was a non-threatening sixth Horsephotos behind On Fire Baby (Smoke Glacken) in the GIII Pocahontas S. Oct. 30. Sent to Fair Grounds for the winter, Believe You Can was introduced to Rosie Napravnik, and the two wired the Silverbulletday S. Jan. 21, holding Summer Applause (Harlan=s Holiday) at bay. Believe You Can never saw the lead next out in the GIII Rachel Alexandra S. Feb. 25 and wound up fourth to Summer Applause, but turned the tables on that filly with a game effort in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks Mar. 31. All in the Family... Believe You Can is the second Kentucky Oaks heroine campaigned by the Joneses following champion Proud Spell (Proud Citizen), who took home the lilies in 2008 during her Eclipse Award-winning campaign.