Kentucky Derby 145!

[crazymomof4]

My Oaks fave is Jaywalk. John Servis, Smarty's trainer, has had a way with the fillies lately. Although she will have to step it up for this race. She was one of those fillies that didn't transition well from her form in the fall to this springtime. Happens sometimes to those 2 yr olds when the calendar flips over.

 

[Sanchez]

So, relevant to our discussions about Mike Smith, it looks like he will not be without a Derby mount.

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-ra...l64YRfd4_J7t2ZKk3viUivLJ-JlGhsLDlXWGKwU5jthJU

Feel bad for the jock he replaced, though.

There seems to be no honor among jockeys. On the positive side, the ownership group indicates that they will pay customary 10% of winnings to Lanerie and Smith. Additionally, Baffert says he never thought about replacing Geroux with Smith.

This is not a good look for Smith UNLESS he demanded that Lanerie receive a full share of winnings. Even then, I'm sure that Lanerie would love to ride in the Derby.

 

[crazymomof4]

There seems to be no honor among jockeys. On the positive side, the ownership group indicates that they will pay customary 10% of winnings to Lanerie and Smith. Additionally, Baffert says he never thought about replacing Geroux with Smith.

This is not a good look for Smith UNLESS he demanded that Lanerie receive a full share of winnings. Even then, I'm sure that Lanerie would love to ride in the Derby.

To add to this story, Cory Lanerie lost his 42 yr old wife less than a year ago.
I hope Mike and Cory had a long talk behind the scenes and worked this out somehow. Maybe Cory giving Mike his OK. I don't know... maybe I'm just wanting to see things in the best light. I know Mike is a religious guy. What does the Bible say about "the love of money"?
ETA: Ugh. Put a line through the last part above. Just read this:

Mike Smith: "You never want to pick up a horse this way but I am certainly not going to turn a mount down." Smith said he has not spoken to Lanerie, but he will. "We've all been there," he said.
​

Oaks Day coverage now. Lanerie just took second in the Eight Belles S. on Bell's the One.

 

[crazymomof4]

Hmmm Baffert says of Maximum Security, “I think he is a quiet secret. I think he could do it. He is a good horse. No one is talking about him, but I think he is a very good horse. I think Gary West is looking pretty good for the Kentucky Derby."

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Another one bites the dust. Haikal is out with a foot abscess. I think (not sure on timing) that means Signalman is now in the gate.

Hmmm Baffert says of Maximum Security, “I think he is a quiet secret. I think he could do it. He is a good horse. No one is talking about him, but I think he is a very good horse. I think Gary West is looking pretty good for the Kentucky Derby."

Alas, my husband had already decided on Maximum Security as his pick, so I can't take him. I'm going to go with Tacitus. I just love what he did in the Wood Memorial.

 

[crazymomof4]

Alas, my husband had already decided on Maximum Security as his pick, so I can't take him. I'm going to go with Tacitus. I just love what he did in the Wood Memorial.

I remember in 2006, even tho he had 3 Derby entrants, Baffert was similarly praising Barbaro in the days leading up the Derby. Called him "a man among boys". His wife, Jill, took one look at Barbaro being vanned off and she said to Bob, "You're gonna need a bigger horse" (parodying the famous Jaws quote)

I think Tacitus has a real shot and would love to see Bill Mott get a Derby win

 

[NYDisGuy]

Jockeying is a volume based business, none of these guys would turn down any horse especially for one of the bigger purses of the year.

 

[crazymomof4]

Jockeying is a volume based business, none of these guys would turn down any horse especially for one of the bigger purses of the year.

Very true but Mike Smith is not exactly standiing in lines at the soup kitchen.
And it's not that he needs to establish/maintain a connection with Pletcher bc he's never been a regular rider for Todd, being based on opposite sides of the country.
And as to the "fame" aspect he's got a check in that box too so....

 

[NYDisGuy]

Very true but Mike Smith is not exactly standiing in lines at the soup kitchen.
And it's not that he needs to establish a connection with Pletcher bc he's never been a regular rider for Todd, being based on opposite sides of the country.
And as to the "fame" aspect he's got a check in that box too so....

Corey isn't standing in the soup kitchen either. Mike Smith is also staring at the end of his career and is the hottest jockey on the market after last year. He was always going to be in this race. It's just a scummy move in a business filled with scummy moves.

 

[crazymomof4]

Ya. Hate to say it. Longtime fan of Mikie.
On the otherhand, everyone loves to bash Baffert but this from Bloodhorse:

"On Thursday, Baffert dismissed the possibility that he would replace Geroux with Smith.

"No, Flo is on," Baffert said. "I never thought of that. I actually called Flo up last night and it was so funny. He was like 'Are you taking me off horse?' I was like 'No, I'm all in.' I could never do that."

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Boxing (My Standards, Cutting Humor, Roadster and Max Security)

 

[crazymomof4]

If you get a chance, watch the replay of The Edgewood S. on the Oaks Day undercard. On the turf. Will give you goosebumps.

 

[crazymomof4]

Mandella: "You couldn't have asked a horse to train any better or look any better this whole period we've been here. You've all seen it. He galloped yesterday. If you didn't look up his nose with a scope, you wouldn't know anything is wrong. "But I'm sure by the time he'd hit the quarter pole (in the Derby), he would know it was there, and it would be a terrible feeling. As bad as it felt yesterday, it would be a horrible feeling to have him not finish well and know that I was at fault for running him. So we had to do the right thing by the horse, and that is give it up and go to the next step."
"The two weeks off just throws out the Triple Crown. … Having not run and try to train up to (the grade 1 Belmont Stakes) with two weeks off wouldn't be fair to the horse. I wouldn't try to put him through that."

What a class act!

 

[crazymomof4]

.
In other news, it's Kenucky Oaks day! I like Serengeti Empress. I have no handicapping reasons for this, I just like her.

Well, there you go!!! .she won

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Happy Derby Day!!!!!

Well, there you go!!! .she won

I'm much better at picking Oaks winners. I think I'm 0 for 29 on Derby winners.

 

[crazymomof4]

I'm much better at picking Oaks winners. I think I'm 0 for 29 on Derby winners.

I'm the reverse. But often the horse I start eye-balling through the preps ends up being the favorite, so it just comes off that I'm going with the favorite LOL.
My DD picked Animal Kingdom and we thought she was nuts! haha

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

could be a little more
interesting early with war of will moving to second gate

 

[belle032]

Exciting race, but have to say I don't really agree with that call! I don't think he impeded Country House enough to be disqualified. Feel so horrible for that jockey!

 

[lovin'fl]

What the heck! We saw the race and changed the channel and now it looks like he was disqualified.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Exciting race, but have to say I don't really agree with that call! I don't think he impeded Country House enough to be disqualified. Feel so horrible for that jockey!

I agree. I feel like the best horse won the race. I was surprised to see they disqualified him. It was the first disqualification because of something that happened during the race in Derby history.