Zayat Ecstatic After American Pharoah’s Derby Draw
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Ahmed Zayat, whose Zayat Stables entered three horses in the Kentucky Derby, was all smiles this week at Churchill Downs and after the post positiion draw on Wednesday night. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
By Tom Pedulla, America’s Best Racing
LOUISVILLE – Owner Ahmed Zayat described himself as “ecstatic” after American Pharoah drew post position 18 in a field of 20 on Wednesday and was established as a 5-2 favorite to win the 141st Kentucky Derby.
“I was praying and asking for far outside and I got 18,” Zayat said.
Although Gato del Sol (1992) is the only horse to win the run for the roses from that post, the owner believes the position is favorable because a significant number of horses possess early speed and they are to the inside of his swift, 2014 champion 2-year-old male.
Jockey Victor Espinoza, who rode the Derby winner last year in beloved California Chrome, was upbeat about his chances for a second consecutive victory after the draw.
“I like it. I like it a lot,” he said. “Eighteen is good because I can control a little more of the race than being inside. I have a few options being on the outside.”
Upstart, an accomplished New York-bred, will start just outside of him in 19 on Saturday.
Dortmund, a largely overlooked stablemate of American Pharoah’s despite his 6-for-6 perfection, was tabbed by oddsmaker Mike Battaglia as the second choice on the morning line at 3-1. The Santa Anita Derby winner will leave from post eight with Martin Garcia aboard.
His owner, Kaleem Shah, did not view that position as overly significant.
“The only thing that matters to me is if Dortmund is good enough,” he said.
DORTMUND WINNING SANTA ANITA DERBY
BENOIT Photo
Soon after the draw for the 1 1/4-mile classic ended, Zayat walked over to trainer Todd Pletcher to express his regret that Pletcher’s Carpe Diem was stuck well inside in the second position in the starting gate. Pletcher was gracious but later insisted he was not concerned about jockey John Velazquez’s ability to work out a solid trip so close to the rail.
“He’s a good gate horse. He breaks alertly,” Pletcher said of Carpe Diem, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up. “He won his first career start from the rail.”
Pletcher, seemingly a perennial leader in the trainer standings in North America, will have three other starters in his bid to improve on a dismal 1-for-40 Derby record. He will be represented by Materiality (post three, 12-1), Stanford (post 11, 30-1), and Itsaknockout (post 13, 30-1). Materiality is 3-for-3 this year but does not have history on his side after minor issues kept him from debuting last year. Apollo (1882) was the last unraced 2-year-old to bring home the roses.
MATERIALITY WINNING FLORIDA DERBY
Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
Irish-bred Mubtaahij, attempting to become the first horse to ship from Dubai and win the Derby, received post six. Christophe Soumillon will have the mount. Battaglia established them at 20-1 even though Mubtaahij comes off an eight-length rout in the UAE Derby that was worth 100 points in the system employed by Churchill Downs and stamped his ticket here.
The odds may be generous given that he, more than any other horse in the crowded field, he demonstrated the ability to last the taxing distance. In addition, his style of closing with a dramatic rush should help him capitalize on the amount of anticipated early zip in the contest.
Zayat also has El Kabeir (post seven, 30-1) and Mr. Z (post 17, 50-1). But all eyes will be on American Pharoah, who is drawing comparisons to some of the sport’s legendary horses with the way he crushed recent foes and the seeming ease of his crackling workouts. His trainer, Bob Baffert, a three-time Derby winner, calls this the toughest Derby he has entered. He is wary of the hype.
“I don’t want to hear that. I just want to get him there and enjoy it,” he said. “He has to prove that.”
$2-million Kentucky DerbySaturday, May 2, Churchill Downs, 6:34 p.m. ET1 ¼ miles, dirt, 3-year-olds TV: NBC 4-7:30 p.m. ET
No.
Horse
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Odds
1
Ocho Ocho Ocho
Elvis Trujillo
Jim Cassidy
DP Racing
24-1
2
Carpe Diem
John Velazquez
Todd Pletcher
WinStar Farm and Stonestreet Stable
7-1
3
Materiality
Javier Castellano
Todd Pletcher
Alto Racing
14-1
4
Tencendur
Manny Franco
George Weaver
Phillip S. Birsh
56-1
5
Danzig Moon
Julien Leparoux
Mark Casse
John Oxley
20-1
6
Mubtaahij
Christophe Soumillon
Mike de Kock
Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum
12-1
7
El Kabeir
SCRATCHED
SCRATCHED
SCRATCHED
N/A
8
Dortmund
Martin Garcia
Bob Baffert
Kaleem Shah
4-1
9
Bolo
Rafael Bejarano
Carla Gaines
Golden Pegasus Racing and Earle Mack
33-1
10
Firing Line
Gary Stevens
Simon Callaghan
Arnold Zetcher
8-1
11
Stanford
SCRATCHED
SCRATCHED
SCRATCHED
N/A
12
International Star
SCRATCHED
SCRATCHED
SCRATCHED
N/A
13
Itsaknockout
Luis Saez
Todd Pletcher
Starlight Racing
29-1
14
Keen Ice
Kent Desormeaux
Dale Romans
Donegal Racing
37-1
15
Frosted
Joel Rosario
Kiaran McLaughlin
Godolphin Racing
9-1
16
War Story
Joe Talamo
Tom Amoss
Loooch Racing Stables Glenn K. Ellis and Christopher T. Dunn
41-1
17
Mr. Z
Ramon Vazquez
D. Wayne Lukas
Zayat Stables
30-1
18
American Pharoah
Victor Espinoza
Bob Baffert
Zayat Stables
3-1
19
Upstart
Jose Ortiz
Rick Violette
Ralph Evans and WinStar Farm
21-1
20
Far Right
Mike Smith
Ron Moquett
Robert LaPenta and Harry Rosenblum
37-1
21
Frammento
Corey Nakatani
Nick Zito
Mossarosa
94-1