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Home , 2017 Preakness Stakes, Bayern (horse), Blue Grass Stakes, California Chrome, Chris Antley, Clyde Van Dusen (horse)

May 3, 2014 www.PaulickReport.com SPECIAL

Kentucky Derby Karma

By Ray Paulick

There’s a certain amount of karma – usually good– that world, including the and Arc de Triomphe accompanies America’s most famous horse race, the Ken- with , but the Derby had been elusive to tucky Derby. It’s the horses that win, of course, but the sto- him and his longtime trainer and friend, MacKenzie Miller. ries of the people behind those horses are what we often Two of the most respected men in the history of the sport remember. – Mellon was named an Exemplar of Racing at the National Museum of Racing and Miller was voted into the Hall of Just in the last 30 years alone we’ve seen some of the Fame – made that Derby one to remember. most satisfying and deserving winners in the long history of the Run for the Roses. But the force that controls Derby karma doesn’t just re- ward the wealthy. It’s a race that can’t be bought. Start with in 1987. Owned by the Scharbauer family of Texas, the son of was trained by Jack Van No one represented the common man better than the Berg, whose father, Marion Van Berg, earned his way into Sackatoga partners who campaigned , the Hall of Fame despite toiling in the trenches of claiming winner of the 129th in 2003. While some races at small Midwestern tracks. When Jack achieved what his father never could, standing in the infield winner’s Continued on Page 5 circle on Derby day, he wept like a baby. The tears said more than words ever could.

Three years later came the call heard ‘round the world, captured wonderfully by the ABC Sports telecast. Carl Nafzger, the trainer of , described the action to the ’s frail 92-year-old owner, Frances Genter, as her horse swept to the lead in the stretch. It was a moment of joy, not just for “Miz Genter,” who’d spent a lifetime in racing and never came close to winning the Kentucky Derby, but for everyone who saw it all on televi- sion.

Similarly, three years later, carried the fabled silks of Rokeby to victory in the 1993 Kentucky Derby. Owner had won big races around the

ASK RAY

QUESTION: What Kentucky Derby prep race has been the most productive?

ANSWER: Of the last 25 Kentucky Derby win- ners, only 11 won their final preps. Win or lose, the and were most productive final preps in the last 25 years, resulting in five Kentucky Derby winners; followed by the and Wood Memorial (4 each); Derby (3); and Turfway’s Spi- ral, Sunland Derby, Illinois Derby, and Lexington Stakes (1 each). www.PaulickReport.com Page 2 Spotlight Harlan’s By Frank Mitchell

A very good-looking son of the Storm Cat stallion Harlan, In the Run for the Roses, Harlan’s Holiday started the tep- Harlan’s Holiday was a classic prospect held in high regard id 6-1 favorite in a wide-open Derby and finished seventh, in 2002, and after his retirement to he rose to fame three-quarters of a length ahead of the previous season’s as the sire of quick horses who could sometimes contend juvenile champion, Johannesburg. won the for the classics, as well. 2002 Derby by four lengths at odds of 20-1, with Proud Citizen (23-1) second ahead of the more favored Perfect This year, Harlan’s Holiday is represented by two prob- Drift (7-1) and Medaglia d’Oro (6-1). able Derby entries: Harry’s Holiday, who ran second in the G3 Spiral Stakes, and Intense Holiday, who won the A Kenny McPeek trainee, Harlan’s Holiday went next in the Grade 2 Stakes at the Preakness, where he finished fourth. Harlan’s Holiday was Fair Grounds. In his final Kentucky subsequently transferred to train- Derby prep, the G2 , er and won the G1 Intense Holiday was second as the Donn as a 4-year-old, when he was race favorite behind Vicar’s in Trou- also second in the G1 Dubai World ble (by ). Into Mischief is Cup and G1 Hollywood Gold Cup. a son of Harlan’s Holiday. Into Mis- Entering stud in 2004, Harlan’s chief was from his sire’s first crop Holiday got Into Mischief in his and was the leading money earner first crop, then G1 winner Majes- for Harlan’s Holiday as a juvenile ticperfection in his second. Each when he won the G1 Hollywood Fu- was a strong advertisement for turity. the sire, but Harlan’s Holiday had With his first crop racing at 3 last other stakes winners and graded year, Into Mischief was represented performers. Interestingly, some of by classic players and these possessed aptitudes notably Vyjack. Goldencents won the G1 Santa Anita Derby last different from the sire’s own. Will- spring before finishing unplaced in the Derby and Preak- cox Inn showed his best form on turf, winning the American ness, but the handsome returned to win the G1 Breed- Derby and Hawthorne Derby; Denis of Cork ran second in ers’ Cup Dirt Mile in the fall. Vyjack won the G2 Jerome and the at 12 furlongs; and Shanghai Bobby G3 Gotham before finishing third in last year’s G1 Wood became champion juvenile of 2012. Memorial. Much like his grandsons, Harlan’s Holiday was a With his acclaim at its highest, Harlan’s Holiday died all too flashy 2-year-old, racking up a win in the G3 Iroquois Stakes early last year at 14 while in Argentina as a shuttle stal- at Churchill Downs. The bright bay matured with a second lion. The stallion’s last crop of are still being born, and in the G1 Fountain of Youth before springing into favoritism those sons and daughters will be eligible to challenge for for the Kentucky Derby with sharp victories in the G1 Blue the classics of 2017. PRS Grass Stakes and .

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14-500-109 MyAdvPartner_7.5x2.5_PaulickReportKeeneland_final.indd 1 3/7/14 11:29 AM www.PaulickReport.com Page 3 Looking Back One Derby performance can hook a viewer on the sport for life By Natalie Voss

the track on the first Saturday in May. In the days before I had Equineline or a credit card, I spent hours making Excel sheets tracking his three American crops based on sales entries and announcements. I kept notes on their race careers and studied pedigrees. I learned the business through that horse, and without that I don’t know where I’d be now. This year, one of the entries in that Excel sheet has cropped up in the Derby field. I remember tracking Moyne Abbey, a 2002 out of Classic Approval, through her 12 starts. She is now the dam of , winner of the G1 Wood Memorial. People have asked me for my Derby pick, and all I can say is The author meets 1999 Kentucky Derby winner after his retirement to Lane’s End Farm when the band plays ‘My Old Kentucky Home,’ I’ll be hunting for Centennial Farm’s red and tan silks. I’ll also be hoping Everybody I’ve ever asked about it says they can pinpoint that for someone watching at home, one of the horses’ their racing bug bite to one horse, whose name forever coats will gleam just a little more than the others, and in brings goosebumps to their arms and whose photo graces that wonderful second when the field swings for home, that their living room wall. For me, that horse is 1999 Kentucky horse will deliver a racing bug bite. PRS Derby and Preakness winner Charismatic. If a former claimer stepped into the Derby starting gates now, I’d write him off immediately, but on the afternoon Charismatic and ALL Chris Antley walked out of the tunnel at Churchill, I was NATURAL ten years old and the horse was a copper superhero. I still don’t know what drew me to him in the post parade, but Remarkable Products!! when he won I was convinced he would be the next Triple Crown winner. It was all the more special because I had Remarkable Results!! believed in him when he was the still unheralded 31-1 shot who even trainer D. Wayne Lukas admitted was the ‘fat kid’ in his barn. Last Triple Crown Race Winners When Antley pulled ‘Matic up at Belmont, I felt my heart break as surely as his sesamoids had. He recovered (with all supplemented by the help of a few screws) and so did I, but I was left want- ing more. It had never occurred to me before to wonder Guess Who? what racehorses did after Belmont Day. I turned my atten- tion to looking for a Charismatic son or daughter to take – Kentucky Derby Winner – Preakness Winner – Belmont Winner Random FactS All from weanling to racetrack on

by Ray Paulick ® More than 7,800 liters of bourbon (about palaMOUNTAINS EQUINE PRO 175,000 “shots”) will be needed as Join us this year in the Winner’s Circle! the major ingredient for Mint Juleps on Saturday. Churchill Downs will go through 475,000 Distributed Exclusively by Aragon Nutraceuticals pounds of shaved ice for Oaks and Derby day. www.AragonInternational.net 704.588.5590 www.palaMOUNTAINS.net www.PaulickReport.com Page 4

Making the Call The lighter side of Churchill Downs announcer

What got you interested in ? way in the field. One day that happened at Golden Gate and My father put in the sound system at Timonium (in Mary- he split through the field in the stretch. There was a race land) when I was a kid. I followed him to the track and be- at this winter where was un- came more interested in racing than his business and it seated on the turf course and the field had to come around went from there. the track again. The state steward came into the booth and gave me the cut sign (Collmus then told riders to pull Do you have a single moment that defines why you’re up their horses and the race became a “no contest”). doing this? Calling my first Kentucky Derby with . At When you’re immersed in horseracing, what’s your fa- that point, you’re like, “OK, this is what every announcer as- vorite sport and/or team? pires to do, and I got to do.” If you want to go farther back, I’m a big fan of all the Boston you could say ’s second MassCap in 1996. He was teams, more of a Red Sox fan the horse of the world at that point and it was a big day at than anything…the World Cham- . pion Red Sox I might add. Favorite horse racing movie? Have you Googled anything “Let It Ride.” I’m more of a comedy guy and an absolute lately? “Airplane” and “Naked Gun” freak. I’m Googling stuff all the time. Most recent would have been What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen from announc- to make sure I’m pro- er’s booth? nouncing the name right. It’s It probably would be when a loose horse runs the wrong buy-earn. Oak tree pleasanton racing Who were favorite announcers at when you decided you wanted to call the races? june 18-July 6 (Thurs-Sun) There’s a bunch of them, but my favorite announcer grow- ing up was Dave Johnson. And I always enjoyed Costy Oak Tree Handicap Caras from Charles Town. I usually don’t do impressions Purse $100,000 (Guaranteed), Three- any more but every once in a while I’ll do one of him. year olds & Upward, 11/8 Miles. To be run Saturday, June 21. Who is your best race call impression? Pleasanton Oaks It’s a bit obscure but I’d have to say my best impression Purse $50,000, 3 Year-olds is a guy named Alan Buchdahl. As a kid, he was calling at ,$50,000 added Overnight Hollywood Park and my voice is close enough to his. I’ve Stakes ($15,000 to Cal Breds), 6 Furlongs. I’ve never met him but did an impression for a friend, Jude To be run Sunday, June 22. Feld, and he was rolling on the floor laughing. PRS

Oak Tree Distaff (Golden Gate Series Stakes) $100,000 (Guaranteed) ($40,000 CTBL), Three-year olds & Upward F/M, 6 Furlongs. To be run Saturday, June 28. About Oak Tree Sprint $75,000 (Guaranteed), Three-year olds & Upward, 6 Furlongs. To be run Friday, July 4. For advertising inquiries please Juan Gonzalez Memorial Overnight Stakes call Emily at 859.913.9633 36th Running $50,000 Added Overnight Stakes (Plus up to $15,000 to Cal- Ray Paulick - Publisher [email protected] Breds), Fillies Two-years old, 51/2 Furlongs. Emily Alberti - Director of Advertising [email protected] To be run Saturday, July 5. Scott Jagow - Editor-in-Chief [email protected]

Everett Nevin futurity – 53rd Running Mary Schweitzer - News Editor [email protected] $50,000 Added Overnight Stakes (Plus up to $15,000 to Cal- Natalie Voss - Features Writer [email protected] Breds), Two-year olds, 51/2 Furlongs. To be run Sunday, July 6. Emily White - Weekend Editor [email protected] Contact: Tom “Bomber” Doutrich Frank Mitchell - Contributing Writer 415-271-4613 Copyright © 2014, Publishing LLC www.PaulickReport.com Page 5

PR Trivia: Know Your Kentucky Derby History? By Scott Jagow

1. Jockeys Jose and Irad Ortiz, Jr. will only be the fourth pair of brothers to compete in the same Derby. Name the other two. 2. This won the Derby in his first start as a 3-year- old. Who was he? 3. Who won the first “photo finish” in the Derby? 4. Who won the last Derby decided by less than a length and what was the margin? 5. Which letter of the alphabet begins the names of the most Kentucky Derby winners? Which letter has the sec- ond most? 6. Who ran the slowest 1 1/4-mile Derby? 7. Who was the only Derby winner to have the same name as his trainer? 8. Who was the last Derby winner to also win the Breed- ers’ Cup Classic? 9. Likely Derby favorite Chrome would become the 4th California-bred to win the Derby. Who was the last one? 10. Since 1980, which post position has seen the most PRS winners? Second most? Continued from Page 1 owners of Derby runners travel by private jet and stretch limousine, the Funny Cide crew, led by upstate businessman Jackson Knowlton, arrived at Churchill Downs on a yellow school bus that became their calling card throughout a fun and unforgettable Triple Crown.

This year’s Derby abounds in great and unusual stories. There are the two partners who dreamed big with a mare who never competed outside of low-level claiming races yet somehow produced , the Kentucky Der- by favorite. There is the Wood Memorial winner, Wicked Strong, named to honor the people of Boston whose char- acter and resolve came through so proudly in the wake of last year’s Boston Marathon terror attack.

There’s a story behind every horse in the race – some more magical than others. It’s those stories, year in and year out, that make the Kentucky Derby the national trea- sure it is. PRS

Trivia Answers

9. , 1962; 10. 10 (6 winners), 5, 8, 16 (4 winners) (4 16 8, 5, winners), (6 10 10. 1962; Decidedly, 9.

Street, 1908, 2:15.20; 7. , 1929; 8. Unbridled, 1990; 1990; Unbridled, 8. 1929; Dusen, Van Clyde 7. 2:15.20; 1908, Street,

ismatic, 1999, a neck; 5. S - 19 winners, B - 13 winners ; 6. Stone Stone 6. ; winners 13 - B winners, 19 - S 5. neck; a 1999, ismatic,

- Char 4. 1947; Pilot, Jet 3. 1918; , 2. 1976; McCarron, 1.Milo/Angel Valenzuela, 1960, Eddie/Sam Maple, 1984, Chris/Gregg Chris/Gregg 1984, Maple, Eddie/Sam 1960, Valenzuela, 1.Milo/Angel www.PaulickReport.com Page 6

Five Longshots to Watch

By Scott Jagow

Part of the enjoyment of handicapping the Derby is picking Medal Count: ’s Poly hasn’t been a bad Derby bombs that might fill out your superfecta or even surprise prep lately and has certainly produced a few winners on everyone and win. Here are five intriguing contenders, the Churchill’s dirt, which is kind to synthetic and turf types. De- requirement being that none of them won their last Derby spite three races in a month, it’s always wise to roll with prep race: young colts rounding into form instead of tailing off.

Intense Holiday: Excuses, excuses. It’s fair to say he needs General a Rod: Shown up every race so far with the very to run straight. Hitting the rail in the G2 Louisiana Derby real possibility he wants further--grandsire won the Derby won’t get into the winner’s circle. Still second, the Harlan’s and broodmare sire produced a Derby winner. No real ex- Holiday colt has presented himself well at Churchill, picks cuse in the Florida Derby but perhaps sick of and up Derby-winning mount John Velazquez, and like Pletcher needs a switch. As a 2-year-old, showed affinity for Churchill, stablemate Palace Malice last year, if Intense Holiday can 2nd of 12 on a swift pace all the way. shake off immaturity, look out. Ride On : This year’s Oxbow? Out of the trifecta only Commanding Curve: Beware the also-eligible! Trainer Dal- once in nine races, the farther they go, the more this son las Stewart helped Golden Soul, at 34-1, finish second be- of Curlin is likely to enjoy it. As opposed to the wide trip he hind Orb last year. Commanding Curve was also pinched got in Arkansas, should hug the rail and back in the Louisiana Derby and still managed to go from hope for the best May 3. Son of Curlin has a serious tem- last to third, splitting horses in a race finished off by a front- per, which can go one of two ways. PRS runner and stalker favorite.

KENTUCKY DERBY CONTENDER

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