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Fox Hill Farms & # 39; Omaha Beach Kentucky made a strong showing at the May 4 Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) to Churchill Downs.
The son of War Front , who won on April 14 Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park in his last game, shot to the post 12 on 20. The match for the Derby, worth $ 3 million, is scheduled at 18:46. EDT and will be broadcast nationally on NBC. The hour of gratification is May 3rd at 9 am
Twenty-one were entered for the race to the roses, with Bodexpress listed as the only one also eligible.
Omaha Beach, formed by Richard Mandella, enters the Derby after a strong breakthrough: April 59, April 27. Omaha Beach has won its last three outings, a first win at Santa Anita Park On February 2, then on the road to take the second division of the Rebel Stakes on March 16 (G2) before the Arkansas derby. He is the favorite 4-1 in the morning on the line to win the Derby.
"We could not be happier," Mandella said after the draw. "This gives him a chance to measure the race.It's really nice to be on the outside and not having to engage too fast." In his last two races, he is sitting back and waiting for his time a little earlier, then decides when to just sail (Jockey) Mike (Smith) will have to find a solution.
"Usually, if you're the favorite rather than the 100-1, you have a better chance – it's a great feeling – I hope it will happen that way."
On the importance of winning the Derby: "It would be a good thing, everyone knows this Kentucky Derby and wants to win it, no matter what you do, I'm part of this group."
Coach Bob Baffert, five-time Derby winner and coach of the two Triple Crown winners, will have three runners in the Derby: Winner of the game, 2-year-old champion of 2018, shot post 16 and was selected 5-1 second choice; Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Roadster (6-1) will separate from station 17; and Unlikely (6-1) will be in post 5.
Baffert is satisfied with all his messages.
"All but one, two or three, I'm fine," he said. "And I think the good horses all drew well, so there was not much shock."
With two of his runners next to each other, he said, "They will be easy to watch.
Post 17 is historically from 0 to 40. Baffert compared it to the "Apollo Curse" shattered by the winner of the Triple Crown To justify last year.
"I'm fine, it's not the end of the world," he said.
Hall of Fame coach Bill Mott has two riders for the Derby in Tacit and Villa. Tacitus of Juddmonte Farms shot eight post and was ranked 10-1. Country House (30-1) did not have the same luck, pulling out the 20-point outdoor post.
"I was hoping to be in the middle with him," says Mott about Tacitus. "It's a kind of horse a little different, he has a little more speed at the beginning, a kind of tactical speed, stalker type, maybe the kind of horse that could maybe be in the middle In fact, it probably has to run the risk of meeting as much traffic, maybe even more than Country House, even if Country House comes from further afield, just because it starts in some way. so in the middle of the pack, but all we can do is hope for a clear trip.
"I thought he'd probably deserve 6-1 or 8-1 I thought he was so good, I thought what he showed, but they're professionals and I guess we will see how that happens when they start putting money through the windows because that will really tell what the disabled think.
"I think he's more concerned about business," said Mott. "He was a little under two years old and he is a big, strong horse, he wants to play a little bit, so to speak, but it seems like we've seen him a bit more concentrated. 39, he may be aware that there is something more important than what he had to deal with when he was a baby. "
As for Country House: "When they said 20 for Country House, I told them" I'm fine. "Given his racing style, I think it's okay, no reason for that, it should not be clear enough until the first corner anyway." You do not know what will happen next. that he will be back, he will have to find When one is at someone's house, one has to worry about being mixed up, because in these great grounds and these good horsemen, they will want to finish. They want to move to the first round, I think for Country House it's fine. "
Gary Barber & # 39; s Will war, winner of the Lecomte Stakes (G3) and Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2), was the unfortunate, pulling the rail. He is 20-1 on the morning line.
"There are a lot of drawbacks to being one," said coach Mark Casse. "Once you load early, you sit there, and then there is this little space, which sometimes the horses like to go to, leave a little bit, this is certainly not where you really want to go. I've just talked to Gary and I kept laughing .. What are you going to do? I've been doing this for 40 years, you'd better learn to laugh. .
"I do not know the numbers, but it did not seem worse than 17," said Casse. "He breaks, he'll run out of there and will probably catch me if you can, he's very lively right now, very keen, I've never seen him so keen." breaks the way it breaks normally, at least we have the shortest way.I think it will probably be in the lead. "
Historically, the rail has proved successful, but recently, it is the most difficult place to win. Ferdinand (1986) is the last winner of Post 1. Post 2 is perhaps just as difficult, as the Triple Crown winner in 1978, Affirmed, is the last Derby winner to be separated from this place. Tax will start his trip this year.
Outside 20 posts produced a winner, Big Brown In 2008.
This will be the seventh Derby race under the Kentucky Derby points system, in Churchill Downs' Road. The post-time favorite has won the previous six races.
The best producer this year is Tacitus, with 150 points based on his scores in Lambby South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). Omaha Beach was second in the points race with 137.5. Spin off, with 40 points, is the last main road leading to the Kentucky Derby. Master Fencer, who won 19 points on the Japan Road to Kentucky Derby and was the only horse in his country to accept this nomination, is the first Japanese horse to race in the Derby.
R. A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables & # 39; Vekoma, winner of the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2), 100 points, April 6 to Keeneland, shot post 6 and is listed as a 20-1 shot on the morning line.
"I wanted between five and nine hours, so six is fine," said coach George Weaver. "I must have had a bit of love in my hometown He should have a tactical speed. (Xpressbet Florida Derby [G1] winner Maximum security) is just outside us, they were very advanced with this horse, so we will try to use our tactical speed and get a good spot before the first corner. "
Spinoff is 30-1 and Master Fencer is tied with Gray magician like the longest strokes on the morning line at 50-1.
The draw was conducted by Ben Huffman, vice president of racing and race secretary for Churchill Downs, and Dan Bork.
Greg Hall, Ron Mitchell, Christine Oser and Lenny Shulman contributed to this story.
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