Kentucky Derby Already!

The icicles have barley melted from my front porch but somehow I find myself thinking about mid May and Kentucky’s annual Run for the Roses.

Colt’s This ones for Phil (117) , You Luckie Mann (1**) and Notonthesamepage (115) have already ripped off record setting triple digit Beyer speed figures to become the youngest trio since the Daily Racing Forum began publishing (1992) these figures to achieve such lofty numbers.

It’s a little bit early to be day dreaming about mint-juleps and the Louisville heat but after Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. lead This ones for Phil to a two length victory at an astoundingly fast 1 minute 9.1 seconds over six furlongs in Saturday’s Sunshine Millions Dash at Gulfstream Park the subject has been broached.

The second place horse in the Sunshine Millions, You Luckie Mann was the odds on choice going to gate but was left at the turn when Dutrow’s This ones for Phil powered passed, four wide to scoop the lions share of the $250 000 purse.

The third member of this incredible trio, Notonthesamepage has completed the same six furlong distance in a blistering time of 1 minute 8.4 seconds in the Spectacular Bid Stakes. A victory made all the more impressive by the presence of Sunshine Million favourite You Luckie Mann. Notonthesamepage lived up to his name, at least in the Spectacular Bid beating race favourite You Luckie Mann to the finish line by more than 8 horse lengths and grabbing a 115 Beyer speed figure, a figure that would temporarily make Notonthesamepage the fastest three-year old since the speed figures inception.

I must admit, the fish tale that was this years Spectacular Bid is better told by a qualified journalist like the Forum`s Dick Jerardi Hard to predict Notonthesamepage's 115

Zoltan Black