Looking to the Past for This Year’s Derby Winner
Image:
Description:
Bob Ehalt sees a similarity between 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom and 2014 Derby contender Dance With Fate (Photos by Eclipse Sportswire).
History has an unfailing habit of repeating itself, especially in a sport with a long and rich tradition such as horse racing.
In one way or another, a champion of today can often be likened to a hero of the past. The tie might be tenuous at best, but it’s still a similarity.
Kentucky Derby winners offer an excellent example of this phenomenon. Since 3-year-olds follow a relatively narrow path to Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May, there’s usually a little something in a horse from this year’s race that’s reminiscent of a past runner.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at this year’s starters and their doppelgangers from bygone days
2014 Horse
Past Derby winner
California Chrome
Big Brown
The skinny: Both were unknown at two but were so dominant at three that they went off as the betting favorites.
Wicked Strong
Pleasant Colony
The skinny: Both ran well in the Remsen, disappointed in Florida and then won the Wood Memorial.
Dance With Fate
Animal Kingdom
The skinny: Both won their final prep on a synthetic surface.
Vicar’s In Trouble
Grindstone
The skinny: Both won the Louisiana Derby.
Samraat
Funny Cide
The skinny: Both are New York state-breds who finished second in the Wood Memorial.
Danza
Sunny’s Halo
The skinny: Both won the Arkansas Derby.
Intense Holiday
Super Saver
The skinny: Both are trained by Todd Pletcher and finished second in their final Derby prep.
Wildcat Red
Thunder Gulch
The skinny: Both won the Fountain of Youth in a photo finish but lost in their final prep.
We Miss Artie
Animal Kingdom
The skinny: Both won the Spiral in their final prep.
Ride On Curlin
Giacomo
The skinny: Both were are longshots who were Grade 1-placed at two but lost their final three preps while finishing fourth or better.
Chitu
Mine That Bird
The skinny: Both ran in the Sunland Derby.
Tapiture
Super Saver
The skinny: Both won the Kentucky Jockey Club but lost their final two preps.
General a Rod
Go For Gin
The skinny: Both lost in the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby.
Medal Count
Street Sense
The skinny: Both were second in the Blue Grass on Polytrack.
Candy Boy
Ferdinand
The skinny: Both won a Santa Anita stakes at three and then finished third in the Santa Anita Derby by 7 or more lengths and were ridden by jockeys older than 50.
Uncle Sigh
Count Turf
The skinny: Both finished off the board in the Wood Memorial.
Vinceremos
Real Quiet
The skinny: Both lost a 3-year-old prep by 20 or more lengths.
Harry’s Holiday
Charismatic
The skinny: Both ran in a maiden claiming race.
Commanding Curve
Giacomo
The skinny: Both had just one win entering the Derby.