Inside the Trip: Derby Preps

Frosted took the overland route when earning his first Grade 1 win in Saturday's Wood Memorial. (Photo by NYRA/Chelsea Durand)
The first weekend in April coincides with most of the final major preps for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, as well as opening weekend of the Keeneland meet. Racing from coast to coast was both exhilarating and constant, and we have a load of data to review.
Kentucky Derby Preps
Carpe Diem was an overwhelming 2-5 shot in the headlining Toyota Blue Grass Stakes and ran to the support, easily putting away his foes and winning by three lengths. While the Todd Pletcher trainee sat off Ocho Ocho Ocho in the two path before fanning wide on the far turn, runner-up Danzig Moon had an even wider trip. Danzig Moon was six wide coming into the stretch, and over the course of the Blue Grass, covered 28 feet more than the winner. That’s the equivalent of 3 1/4 lengths, just more than his margin of defeat.
2015 BLUE GRASS STAKES

Video courtesy Keeneland
Danzig Moon’s final furlong of 12.81 was the quickest in the race, just slightly faster than Carpe Diem’s 12.84. The only other horse to break the 13-second mark was fourth-placer Frammento who ran on from well off the pace before closing on the rail, getting the last furlong in 12.98 seconds.
In the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, Frosted finally got the victory that the promising son of Tapit had been seeking. Racing three wide throughout, Frosted cruised into the lead down the stretch and pulled away to a two length victory. George Weaver’s Tencendur was second after almost an equally wide trip, running just two feet less than the victor. Frosted’s run was widest of the field, covering 21 feet more than El Kabeir in third, and 28 feet more than Daredevil in fifth.
Noticeably, El Kabeir had a bit of an irregular ride as he dropped to last through the early stages until hitting the far turn. He rallied for third with the co-fastest final furlong of 12.46 seconds, matching that of Frosted.
2015 WOOD MEMORIAL STAKES

Video courtesy NYRA
Dortmund asserted his claim as one of the clear Kentucky Derby favorites with his romp in the Santa Anita Derby. The strapping copper colt took the lead from his inside draw and stayed there, charging away to a 4 1/2-length victory over another Bob Baffert entrant, One Lucky Dane. Dortmund’s rail run meant that most of the horses covered more ground than he did, with One Lucky Dane travelling 21 feet, about 2 1/2 lengths more, and Bolo in third covering 65 feet, about 7 3/4 lengths more.
2015 SANTA ANITA DERBY

Video courtesy Santa Anita Park
Bolo endured the widest trip in the race and actually averaged 37.7 mph during the race, the same speed averaged by Dortmund. Beaten 6 1/2 lengths, there is little reason to think the wide trip alone was the cause for Bolo’s distant finish, but it likely is reason to think it would not have been as significant were it not for voluminous extra ground.
Kentucky Oaks Preps
Stellar Wind put on a show for trainer John Sadler as she cantered home to a 5 1/4 length victory in the Santa Anita Oaks. She had a wide trip, in the four path through the far turn, and covered more ground than any of her competitors. The daughter of Curlin ran 17 feet, about two lengths, more than pacesetter Luminance, who held on for second. Stellar Wind’s final quarter of 25.91 seconds was almost a full second quicker than Luminance’s 26.89 seconds.
2015 SANTA ANITA OAKS

Video courtesy Santa Anita Park
Condo Commando did it again in New York, an easy winner of the Gazelle Stakes at Aqueduct, heading forward early and staying there. Racing outside of the somewhat surprising pace attendee Puca, Condo Commando got to the rail down the backstretch and ran off to a 2 ¾-length victory. She ran 18 feet more than Puca in second, the equivalent of 2 1/4 lengths. Significantly, Wonder Gal in fourth ran 51 feet more than Condo Commando, the equivalent of about six lengths, and 69 feet more than Puca, about eight lengths. And while Condo Commando ran the fastest final quarter of 25.54 seconds, .20 seconds quicker than Puca, it was Money’soncharlotte who had the fastest final furlong of 12.90 seconds. Condo Commando and Puca were tied for the second-quickest with times of 13.18.
2015 GAZELLE STAKES

Video courtesy NYRA
Jockey Kerwin Clark earned his first Grade 1 victory as he piloted home Lovely Maria in Keeneland’s Ashland Stakes. The filly sat three wide, tracking the leading pair before making a big move in the far turn and pulling away to. She had the widest trip of the field, running 25 feet (about three lengths) further than second-placed Angela Renee, and 44 feet, or about 5 1/4 lengths, further than Lassofthemohicans in fourth. Lovely Maria’s final quarter of 24.67 seconds was the exclamation mark on her race as the next quickest time, belonging to Angela Renee, was 0.63 seconds slower, at 25.30.
2015 ASHLAND STAKES

Video courtesy Keeneland
Stakes Roundup
Something Extra had just enough to last in the the Shakertown Stakes at Keeneland. He went straight to the lead and never looked back, despite a late charge from longshot Channel Marker, who came from last. While Something Extra was sitting pretty on the rail throughout, Channel Marker, Undrafted, and Power Alert raced wide around the turn, running 22, 24, and 29 feet more than the winner, respectively. Those figures are the equivalent of about 2 ½, 2 ¾ and 3 ½ lengths. Channel Marker’s race-fastest final quarter came in 23.37 seconds, 0.78 seconds faster than Something Extra’s 24.15. Undrafted’s time of 24.06 seconds was second-quickest.
2015 SHAKERTOWN STAKES

Video courtesy Keeneland
March may have won the Bay Shore Stakes, but all eyes were on Lord Nelson and his erratic run that just missed the wire. The chestnut colt broke sharply and raced on the inside, then checked and dropped back significantly. With three furlongs remaining, he was dead last and something seemed amiss. Lord Nelson reengaged, though, sprouting wings and soaring home, coming six wide off the turn, only to fall a half-length short of March.
2015 BAY SHORE STAKES

Video courtesy NYRA
While March himself had a wide trip, Lord Nelson covered 21 feet more than the winner, the equivalent of 2 1/5 lengths. Lord Nelson’s final quarter was completed in 24.21 seconds, compared to March’s in 24.73. Both eclipsed third-place Ready for Rye’s time of 25.80 seconds. After a lengthy inquiry involving the top four finishers, March remained on top, but with little doubt, many will be interested in following Lord Nelson’s path forward.
Mackenzie Kirker-Head contributed significantly to this report.