Comments on: Measuring the major Kentucky Derby preps, 1952 – 2009

By: Valerie

Valerie — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:13:25 +0000

Great stuff (as always), Kevin! Striking (and depressing) how ineffective Wood Memorial winners have been over the past 5-6 years. Also interesting to see how the surface switch for both Keeneland and Santa Anita will affect those preps in the long haul. I’m thinking we may also be witnessing a mini-upheavel in what we consider “traditional” preps, with the Arkansas Derby playing a much bigger role, and so too those races run at casino-enriched tracks like Sunland and Delta Downs.

Of all the old traditional preps, I miss the Flamingo Stakes most of all

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 23:22:35 +0000

Brian: Don’t know anything about Bambera. She certainly would add an interesting dimension to the Apple Blossum. Would love to see her there.

RG: I think Keeneland’s switch to the synthetic has more to do with it losing some of its stature in the last few years. Street Sense did finish 2nd there in 2002.

Thanks for commenting!

By: RG

RG — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 06:23:08 +0000

It doesn’t seem to me that the Bluegrass is a major prep anymore. To close to the Derby? Another prep that is is probably gone is the Stepping Stone. It was 7f a week before the Derby. It came into being after Swaps won a 6f race the week before the Derby in 55 making Tenney look like a genius. Churchill increased the race to 7f and named it the Stepping Stone. I believe Majestic Prince won it before his Derby win.

Training has changed. Citation had 3 days off between his Derby Trial win and the Derby. That was more than the 2 days he had off before before winning the 2mile Gold Cup at Belmont.

Thank you for your labors. It is a great memory jogger.

By: Zipse at the Track

Zipse at the Track — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:37:28 +0000

Another wonderful piece Kevin…thank you for shining a light on horse racing’s rich and storied past. You do yeoman’s work, and I for one, appreciate! What do you think of the new Venezuelan star?

By: Kevin

Kevin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:06:15 +0000

Canonero was park of the mutuel field so he only paid $19.40. What would his odds have been if he were an individual betting interest? Through the roof, no doubt.