Well it appears that Gulfstream Derby ran by Itsmyluckyday WASN'T his best performance! He didn't bounce off that performance, he just beat Shanghai Bobby down the stretch, setting a new track record of 1:41:81 seconds. According to my rough calculations that's a 129 Beyer Speed Figure. If I'm right, he just ran the highest Beyer of all time, beating Ghostzapper's 128 in the Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth. Which means I must be wrong. But it looks like we have a new Derby favorite!
UPDATE: 104 Beyer for Itsmyluckyday in the Holy Bull
Here's a write up:
Saturday, Gulfstream Park
HOLY BULL S.-GIII, $400,000, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:41.81 (NTR), ft.
ITSMYLUCKYDAY (c, 3, Lawyer Ron--Viva La Slew, by Doneraile Court) ran a huge race in the Gulfstream Park Derby on New Year’s Day, earning a 111 BRIS while winning off by 6 3/4 lengths, and proved that was no fluke with a track-record performance that came at the expense of last year’s unbeaten champion juvenile Shanghai Bobby (Harlan’s Holiday). The latter broke fast from the inside draw and set legitimate :23.34 and :46.68 fractions while hounded by Clearly Now (Horse Greeley) and a three-wide Itsmyluckyday. Clearly Now backed out of it at the 3/16th pole, and Itsmyluckyday wore down the game GI BC Juvenile S. winner to win going away by 2 3/4 lengths in the end. Clearly Now held for third, with rank outsider Joshua’s Comprise (Comprise) getting up for fourth. Lifetime Record: 9-5-1-1.
O-Trilogy Stable & Laurie Plesa; T-Eddie Plesa Jr; B-Liberation Farm & Brandywine Farm; J-Elvis Trujillo.
What this means:
This rockets Itsmyluckyday up to a tie for fourth in Derby Points standings with 10, tying him with Overanalyze, Uncaptured, Power Broker, Steeler, Will Take Charge, River Seven. While his second place finish only earns him four additional points, Shanghai Bobby is now tied with Goldencents atop the leader board with 24 points apiece.
Looking Ahead:
Next we have a three way stop on the road to the Kentucky Derby: first stop is the Santa Anita Racetrack and the Robert B. Lewis Stakes. This is the race that I'll Have Another announced himself as 3 year old to be reckoned with, going off at 43/1 before taking down the first two legs of the Triple Crown and winning the Eclipse award as 3 year old of the year. Unfortunately, we will never see the great horse run again.
Next stop is the 1 1/16 mile Sam F. Davis Stakes at the deep and sandy Tampa Bay Downs, which only recently became a grade 3 and hasn't really factored in any many Derby runners and no Derby winners in it's 21 year history. Although 27 years ago, when the race was known as the Santa Catalina Stakes, Ferdinand scored here before winning the Kentucky Derby. But it's still worth 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Last stop on the road to the Kentucky Derby is Aqueduct Racetrack in beautiful Queens, New York and the Grade 3 Withers Stakes. First run in 1899, previous winners feature Alsab, Hill Prince, Aloma's Ruler, Native Dancer, including Triple Crown winners, Count Fleet, Sir Barton and Man o'War, which should give you an indication on how important this event has been recently. Although Bernardini did find his first graded stakes victory here before winning the Preakness, Jim Dandy, Travers and Jockey Gold Cup, despite Javier Castellano dropping his whip in the stretch! Last year Alpha took it down as a prohibitive favorite. Now this classic event is given even more importance, being one of the last few stops in the Derby Prep season before moving on to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series, where a win is worth five times as much.
Stay tuned for more news, analysis, race replays, free PP's and more!
UPDATE: 104 Beyer for Itsmyluckyday in the Holy Bull
Here's a write up:
Saturday, Gulfstream Park
HOLY BULL S.-GIII, $400,000, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:41.81 (NTR), ft.
ITSMYLUCKYDAY (c, 3, Lawyer Ron--Viva La Slew, by Doneraile Court) ran a huge race in the Gulfstream Park Derby on New Year’s Day, earning a 111 BRIS while winning off by 6 3/4 lengths, and proved that was no fluke with a track-record performance that came at the expense of last year’s unbeaten champion juvenile Shanghai Bobby (Harlan’s Holiday). The latter broke fast from the inside draw and set legitimate :23.34 and :46.68 fractions while hounded by Clearly Now (Horse Greeley) and a three-wide Itsmyluckyday. Clearly Now backed out of it at the 3/16th pole, and Itsmyluckyday wore down the game GI BC Juvenile S. winner to win going away by 2 3/4 lengths in the end. Clearly Now held for third, with rank outsider Joshua’s Comprise (Comprise) getting up for fourth. Lifetime Record: 9-5-1-1.
O-Trilogy Stable & Laurie Plesa; T-Eddie Plesa Jr; B-Liberation Farm & Brandywine Farm; J-Elvis Trujillo.
What this means:
This rockets Itsmyluckyday up to a tie for fourth in Derby Points standings with 10, tying him with Overanalyze, Uncaptured, Power Broker, Steeler, Will Take Charge, River Seven. While his second place finish only earns him four additional points, Shanghai Bobby is now tied with Goldencents atop the leader board with 24 points apiece.
Looking Ahead:
Next we have a three way stop on the road to the Kentucky Derby: first stop is the Santa Anita Racetrack and the Robert B. Lewis Stakes. This is the race that I'll Have Another announced himself as 3 year old to be reckoned with, going off at 43/1 before taking down the first two legs of the Triple Crown and winning the Eclipse award as 3 year old of the year. Unfortunately, we will never see the great horse run again.
Next stop is the 1 1/16 mile Sam F. Davis Stakes at the deep and sandy Tampa Bay Downs, which only recently became a grade 3 and hasn't really factored in any many Derby runners and no Derby winners in it's 21 year history. Although 27 years ago, when the race was known as the Santa Catalina Stakes, Ferdinand scored here before winning the Kentucky Derby. But it's still worth 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.
Last stop on the road to the Kentucky Derby is Aqueduct Racetrack in beautiful Queens, New York and the Grade 3 Withers Stakes. First run in 1899, previous winners feature Alsab, Hill Prince, Aloma's Ruler, Native Dancer, including Triple Crown winners, Count Fleet, Sir Barton and Man o'War, which should give you an indication on how important this event has been recently. Although Bernardini did find his first graded stakes victory here before winning the Preakness, Jim Dandy, Travers and Jockey Gold Cup, despite Javier Castellano dropping his whip in the stretch! Last year Alpha took it down as a prohibitive favorite. Now this classic event is given even more importance, being one of the last few stops in the Derby Prep season before moving on to the Kentucky Derby Championship Series, where a win is worth five times as much.
Stay tuned for more news, analysis, race replays, free PP's and more!
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