Eskendereya - favourite out of Kentucky Derby
April 25th 2010 22:59
Eskendereya
Sire: Giant's Causeway
Dam: Aldebaran Light (Seattle Slew)
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John Velazquez
Career Record: 6-4-1-0
Graded Earnings (rank for entry): $600,000 (5th)
(pronounced "S-ken-dRAY-uh")
(photo: AP/New York Racing Association)
That was not the headline I had planned when putting this article together over the weekend. A busy weekend of racing Saturday and Sunday had me piecing together a profile of the Kentucky Derby favourite between other tasks.
But sadly Eskendereya has failed to recover from an injury that has not responded to treatment. Todd Pletcher, still searching for that expected, though elusive, first Kentucky Derby winner, will still line up a possible record amount of runners in the race. He is now likely to switch his star filly, Devil May Care, from the Kentucky Oaks to the Kentucky Derby. Perhaps a good move as she avoids Oaks favourite Blind Luck - who she may fail to match - but gets her chance against a very even group of males where she will be in contention.
So here is my advice (mainly to me): never sit on a story until the next day. Hit that create post key.
But if you (I) do sleep on it, publish anyway. Hate to waste all those words and research. They deserve a good home.
(create key hit - see below):
However you wish to pronounce his name, Eskendereya looms as the horse to beat in the upcoming Kentucky Derby (1st of May). Champion trainer Todd Pletcher is looking to finally win a Kentucky Derby at his 25th attempt with this exciting colt. Pletcher is likely to have as many as seven other 3 year olds in his armoury on the day - but it is the chestnut son of Giant’s Causeway who has soared to favouritism on the effort (or should that really be classified as ‘ease’) of his 9 3/4 length win in the 1 1/8 mile Wood Memorial. This margin bettering his 8 1/2 length win at his previous start in the Fountain of Youth Stakes on February 20th. He has been produced four times on dirt - and never been beaten. Of great interest to me - as someone who uses their own adapted version of Beyer Speedfigures on Australian racing - is the fact that Eskendereya clearly has the best speedfigures of any contender for the Triple Crown Series this year.
Eskendereya was purchased by the Zayat Stables for $US250,000 at the Keeneland September Sale in 2008. His name is the Arabic translation for what is the Egyptian port city of Alexandria. Eskendereya can also be described as a bellydance with heavy veil - and flirty attributes.
Similarly to many recent heroes of US Triple Crown races, Eskendereya comes into the 3 year old series with a string of ridiculously easy victories - and an ownership steeped in some financial controversy. Owner of Eskendereya, Ahmed Zayat, has filed for bankruptcy after he defaulted on $34 million in loans. Not so long ago we had the financial haze that surrounded Curlin - and soon after the ridiculous winning margins of Big Brown. Eskendereya blends both into a stunning story. Zayat bred last year’s Kentucky Derby runner-up Pioneerof the Nile.
“It would be big to win the Derby. We’ll try to make it happen. We’ll do the best we can.”
“It’s amazing, the further he goes, the stronger he gets. He’s a horse that has natural stamina.”
“We’ve never had a horse we knew could handle the mile-and-a-quarter and we’ve never had one put together a couple of preps like this one. We’ve had some good prep wins, but none as impressive as these two.” - Todd Pletcher, as told to AP.
“I wish I had him. He is far and away the horse to beat.” - Rick Dutrow, trainer of 2008 Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown, as told to AP.
The 2010 Wood Memorial:
Sire: Giant's Causeway
Dam: Aldebaran Light (Seattle Slew)
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: John Velazquez
Career Record: 6-4-1-0
Graded Earnings (rank for entry): $600,000 (5th)
(pronounced "S-ken-dRAY-uh")
Eskendereya out of Kentucky Derby
(photo: AP/New York Racing Association)
That was not the headline I had planned when putting this article together over the weekend. A busy weekend of racing Saturday and Sunday had me piecing together a profile of the Kentucky Derby favourite between other tasks.
But sadly Eskendereya has failed to recover from an injury that has not responded to treatment. Todd Pletcher, still searching for that expected, though elusive, first Kentucky Derby winner, will still line up a possible record amount of runners in the race. He is now likely to switch his star filly, Devil May Care, from the Kentucky Oaks to the Kentucky Derby. Perhaps a good move as she avoids Oaks favourite Blind Luck - who she may fail to match - but gets her chance against a very even group of males where she will be in contention.
So here is my advice (mainly to me): never sit on a story until the next day. Hit that create post key.
But if you (I) do sleep on it, publish anyway. Hate to waste all those words and research. They deserve a good home.
(create key hit - see below):
However you wish to pronounce his name, Eskendereya looms as the horse to beat in the upcoming Kentucky Derby (1st of May). Champion trainer Todd Pletcher is looking to finally win a Kentucky Derby at his 25th attempt with this exciting colt. Pletcher is likely to have as many as seven other 3 year olds in his armoury on the day - but it is the chestnut son of Giant’s Causeway who has soared to favouritism on the effort (or should that really be classified as ‘ease’) of his 9 3/4 length win in the 1 1/8 mile Wood Memorial. This margin bettering his 8 1/2 length win at his previous start in the Fountain of Youth Stakes on February 20th. He has been produced four times on dirt - and never been beaten. Of great interest to me - as someone who uses their own adapted version of Beyer Speedfigures on Australian racing - is the fact that Eskendereya clearly has the best speedfigures of any contender for the Triple Crown Series this year.
Eskendereya was purchased by the Zayat Stables for $US250,000 at the Keeneland September Sale in 2008. His name is the Arabic translation for what is the Egyptian port city of Alexandria. Eskendereya can also be described as a bellydance with heavy veil - and flirty attributes.
Similarly to many recent heroes of US Triple Crown races, Eskendereya comes into the 3 year old series with a string of ridiculously easy victories - and an ownership steeped in some financial controversy. Owner of Eskendereya, Ahmed Zayat, has filed for bankruptcy after he defaulted on $34 million in loans. Not so long ago we had the financial haze that surrounded Curlin - and soon after the ridiculous winning margins of Big Brown. Eskendereya blends both into a stunning story. Zayat bred last year’s Kentucky Derby runner-up Pioneerof the Nile.
“It would be big to win the Derby. We’ll try to make it happen. We’ll do the best we can.”
“It’s amazing, the further he goes, the stronger he gets. He’s a horse that has natural stamina.”
“We’ve never had a horse we knew could handle the mile-and-a-quarter and we’ve never had one put together a couple of preps like this one. We’ve had some good prep wins, but none as impressive as these two.” - Todd Pletcher, as told to AP.
“I wish I had him. He is far and away the horse to beat.” - Rick Dutrow, trainer of 2008 Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown, as told to AP.
The 2010 Wood Memorial:
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