Correll’s Kentucky Derby Top Ten: Locked out

Ron Correll
Senior columnist
Tracksideview —-

TRINITY, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Derby in Oldsmar, Fla., was the only 3-year-old Kentucky Derby points race on March 9 and Domestic Product (Practical Joke) came out on top when the race was finally run after more than a 45-minute delay because of a tote board issue. Several tracks across the country were dealing with the tote system problem.

The following information came directly from the track:

At 4:52, about a minute after 3-year-old filly Waskesiu won the Grade 3, $200,000 Florida Oaks on the turf, the tote board displaying the amount wagered on that race, the time of day and the top four finishers froze in place. And stayed that way for almost an hour.

In the interim, the 10 entrants for the day’s showcase event – the Grade 3, $400,000 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby, a “Road to the Kentucky Derby” points race – made their way to the paddock for saddling, then endured a much-longer-than-usual wait before the decision was made to proceed with the race, even though no more wagers could be taken.

Track officials also decided to cancel the 12th and final race.

“Due to the ongoing delay, the status of all wagers involving the 10th (Florida Oaks), 11th (Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby) and 12th races have yet to be resolved,” Vice President of Marketing & Publicity Margo Flynn said shortly after 7 p.m.

“The issues will be addressed tomorrow, with our first priority to pay out on all winning wagers made prior to the tote shutdown and for refunds to be made where appropriate.”

The Grade 3 event was finally run as a non-betting race and Domestic Product nosed out No More Time for the top prize. The Kentucky Derby prep looked more like a grass race as the early fractions were woefully slow. The field ran the first three-quarters of a mile in 1:16.21; then ran the next quarter in 23.15, before getting the last sixteenth in 6.11. The final time for the mile-and-a-sixteenth race was 1:45.47.

Winning trainer Chad Brown said, “He showed a lot of heart after getting bumped by (third-place finisher Grand Mo the First) and he showed a lot of perseverance. He got good seasoning today. He had to rate and he was pulling a little bit off a slow pace, and I was really impressed with his heart and the fact he got his nose down on the wire. I think this race will serve him well moving forward. That’s why I wanted to run him here because he needed a race like this for a little more experience and a little more seasoning.”

Brown said the delay was the same for all. “I was concerned about it a little because you know how much time it usually takes these horses to warm up and get ready to run, but then again everyone is in the same boat. So any way you look at it, from that perspective the race is going to be run fairly regardless. I’m happy management here decided to go ahead, because this is an important race for the Kentucky Derby and I think they should be commended for putting the (wagering) aside and running the race.”

The Tampa Bay Derby did little to clear up the Derby picture because I was not impressed with any of these colt. Locked comes out of my top 10 because he is injured and Speak Easy appears to be running out of time after his gate scratch from the Fountain of Youth.

Nysos (sire: Nyquist) was scratched from the San Felipe and trainer Bob Baffert said he would wait for the Santa Anita Derby on April 6.

Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) received a 98 Equibase speed figure in winning the Risen Star.

Timberlake (Into Mischief) earned a 105 E-speed figure for his effort in the Rebel.

Track Phantom (Quality Road) was second in the Risen Star and got a 98 E-speed figure. He is trained by Steve Asmussen and he may stay at Fair Grounds for the Louisiana Derby.

Catching Freedom (Constitution) was third in the Risen Star, but he wasn’t catching the top two.

Dornach (Good Magic) won the Fountain of Youth on March 2 at Gulfstream Park and trainer Danny Gargan is looking at the Florida Derby on March 30 or the Blue Grass on April 6 at Keeneland.

Muth (Good Magic) was second in the Juvenile and won the San Vicente on Jan. 7 at Santa Anita in Southern California. He is trained by Baffert.

Fierceness (City of Light) was third in the Holy Bull.

Maymun (Frosted) is another Baffert that won’t be in the Derby but is one of the better 3-year-olds in the country. He’s waiting for a stakes race.

Imagination (Into Mischief) won the San Felipe on March 3 and you guested it, he’s another Baffert.