The Kentucky Derby is often referred to as the Greatest Two Minutes in Sports and it lived up to its nickname again on Saturday in a race that featured 21-1 shot Animal Kingdom come roaring down the homestretch from out of nowhere to take the garland of roses by almost three lengths. Animal Kingdom defied not just the betting public but history, by being the first horse to ever win the Derby without having run a race over a dirt track. Animal Kingdom's previous races had all been on turf or synthetic tracks. His four career starts marked the fewest since Exterminator in 1918, and his six week layoff coming into the Derby marked the longest layoff since Needles in 1956. That should help him going into the Preakness in two weeks. The Triple Crown is grueling since it is three races in the span of five weeks, something that these young three year olds are not really used to doing yet. Animal Kingdom should be better prepared than most being considerably more rested than average going in.
The well-beaten favorite Dialed In will be challenging Animal Kingdom in the Preakness and has the chance to earn more money than the Derby winner should he take the black-eyed susans. As the winner of the Holy Bull and the Florida Derby, he is eligible for a $5.5 million bonus for capturing all three races being offered by MI Developments (formerly, Magna Entertainment) the owner of Pimlico, home of the Preakness, and Gulfstream, home of the first two races. Dialed In's trainer Nick Zito acknowledged that the bonus was a definite factor in deciding whether to run in the Preakness and how could it not be, if the horse is sound?
What the Kentucky Derby win means for Animal Kingdom's value is too early to tell. With so few races, we can't tell if the Derby is an aberration or a confirmation of his ability. The Derby was not only his first Grade I win, it was his first Grade II or Grade I race. How he does in the Preakness, Belmont and later in the summer at the Travers and the Breeders Cup in the fall, should he manage to stay in training that long, will ultimately determine his value. Of note, the winners of the last two Derbys never won again.
One thing seems certain, the stud fee for his sire, Leroidesanimaux, who stands at Stonewall Farm Stallions in Ocala, Florida, is going up from the current price of $10,000.
One last lament, this was almost a unique Derby for your loyal scribe, save for a still inexplicable last second decision. You see, I bet a trifecta on the Derby which included both Animal Kingdom and Nehro, but for some reason which I still can't recall I switched out Mucho Macho Man for Archarcharch. In other words I dropped the horse which came in third for one which broke his leg and is now retired from racing. It was the story of my betting day. I cashed three exacta tickets which won a collective $5.80. I didn't cash another ticket all day. Needless to say, that trifecta could have really come in handy.
One last lament, this was almost a unique Derby for your loyal scribe, save for a still inexplicable last second decision. You see, I bet a trifecta on the Derby which included both Animal Kingdom and Nehro, but for some reason which I still can't recall I switched out Mucho Macho Man for Archarcharch. In other words I dropped the horse which came in third for one which broke his leg and is now retired from racing. It was the story of my betting day. I cashed three exacta tickets which won a collective $5.80. I didn't cash another ticket all day. Needless to say, that trifecta could have really come in handy.
