Illinois Derby Field

[Kasept]

4/7 -- ILLINOIS DERBY:

All carry 122

1 Sacrifice Bunt (Campbell J M/Mott William I) 12-1
2 Bold Start (Melancon L/McPeek Kenneth G) 9-2
3 Reporting for Duty (Emigh C A/Asmussen Steven M) 15-1
4 Cowtown Cat (Jara F/Pletcher Todd A) 5-2
5 Cobalt Blue (Espinoza V/O'Neill Doug) 9-5
6 Quite Acceptable (Zimmerman R/Ritter Shannon) 20-1
7 Catman Running (Martinez W/Reed Eric R) 8-1
8 Family Talk (Thompson T J/O'Neill Doug) 20-1
9 Love Dubai (Mena M/Maker Michael J) Blk-On 15-1

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by Kasept

4/7 -- ILLINOIS DERBY:

All carry 122

1 Sacrifice Bunt (Campbell J M/Mott William I) 12-1
2 Bold Start (Melancon L/McPeek Kenneth G) 9-2
3 Reporting for Duty (Emigh C A/Asmussen Steven M) 15-1
4 Cowtown Cat (Jara F/Pletcher Todd A) 5-2
5 Cobalt Blue (Espinoza V/O'Neill Doug) 9-5
6 Quite Acceptable (Zimmerman R/Ritter Shannon) 20-1
7 Catman Running (Martinez W/Reed Eric R) 8-1
8 Family Talk (Thompson T J/O'Neill Doug) 20-1
9 Love Dubai (Mena M/Maker Michael J) Blk-On 15-1

Steve, do you know anything about his last race? I watched it, but don't remember if it seemed fast or not. Do you know if it came back fast, or just sort of average for a short field HAW stake?

Of course I always want the Hawthorne homer to win the IL Derby, just wondered how up against it he is without checking it out.

[Scav]

Who cares about the Illinois Derby, COURTHOUSE is running on Saturday....

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by Scav

Who cares about the Illinois Derby, COURTHOUSE is running on Saturday....

I saw that right before I left work. Wonder what the price is gonna be like in a shorter field than last time.

I'd say the price will definitely be right, and he had a useful comeback race.

GET ON IT.

[Scav]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

I saw that right before I left work. Wonder what the price is gonna be like in a shorter field than last time.

I'd say the price will definitely be right, and he had a useful comeback race.

GET ON IT.

Price will be right but he has no shot, load is blown on the horse.....Never even heard of the jockey

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by Scav

Price will be right but he has no shot, load is blown on the horse.....Never even heard of the jockey

He also had no shot when he won at 35-1, no shot when he ran second at ~80-1 or when he ran 3rd in the Cigar two years ago. He ran better than he should have on paper first back. The only times he ever wins or runs well is when he "has no shot."

I don't go after him the way I used to, but hell if I"m going to get caught watching him possibly blow up the board yet again.

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

Steve, do you know anything about his last race? I watched it, but don't remember if it seemed fast or not. Do you know if it came back fast, or just sort of average for a short field HAW stake?

Of course I always want the Hawthorne homer to win the IL Derby, just wondered how up against it he is without checking it out.

Looks like a "live longshot" to me...local connections and with horses like Cowtown Cat and Cobalt Blue looking for this easier spot, he would "spice up" your exotics. Love Dubai could be interesting too...shipping in from "across the pond."

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Steve, I thought I heard on Weds. you had on Eric Reed, did he say or did you ask why Catman Running didn't race two weeks ago in the Lane's End? Missed the show that day.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by Hickory Hill Hoff

Steve, I thought I heard on Weds. you had on Eric Reed, did he say or did you ask why Catman Running didn't race two weeks ago in the Lane's End? Missed the show that day.

Hoff..

Reed had always intended Catman Running for the IL Derby from right after the Battaglia. He considered the Lane's End but his preference was another race for the colt over a 'real' dirt track. And considering Catman's 2yo run at HAW, going to Illinois was a logical move.

Am really pulling for this one Saturday. I met Reed's dad, who's been suffering from severe heart problems, when I attended my first Derby in '01. Herbie Reed and his wife have a nice B&B ("Rabbit Creek") near Keeneland and are lovely people. And the story behind Catman and his owner Joe Harris, who is a miraculous cancer survivor after complete blood marrow transplanting in Germany, is great. Reed had this colt's brother, who was a barn pet but brokedown in a workout in 2005. When Catman came up in the KEE '05 'Fall Sale, Reed jumped on him with Harris' OK. Reed has felt this was a special runner from the day he got him.

[paisjpq]

'rabbit creek' steve, rabbit creek....and it's not that close to keeneland...it's 20 minutes away in versailles.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by brianwspencer

Steve, do you know anything about his last race? I watched it, but don't remember if it seemed fast or not. Do you know if it came back fast, or just sort of average for a short field HAW stake?

Of course I always want the Hawthorne homer to win the IL Derby, just wondered how up against it he is without checking it out.

BDub,

Not sure about what's come back out of Quite Acceptable's last, but standing alone, he's... 'quite acceptable' as the race's local hero. Shows nice forward progress and should sit the catbird trip off Cobalt's flank from the bell. Depending on the pace, he has an outside chance of hanging on for a small share, but seems slow in comparison to those who will come calling...

If we're looking for value here, the Asmussen DepComm red Reporting for Duty looks like the right one. Will save all the ground; may get a pace target; has the capable Broad Shoulders rider in Emigh; broke his maiden in Cicero from a tough launch; and has the FG effort behind Ketchikan that is good enough here for a nice check.

It's a very interesting edition of this race's 50th renewal.

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by Kasept

BDub,

Not sure about what's come back out of Quite Acceptable's last, but standing alone, he's... 'quite acceptable' as the race's local hero. Shows nice forward progress and should sit the catbird trip off Cobalt's flank from the bell. Depending on the pace, he has an outside chance of hanging on for a small share, but seems slow in comparison to those who will come calling...

If we're looking for value here, the Asmussen DepComm red Reporting for Duty looks like the right one. Will save all the ground; may get a pace target; has the capable Broad Shoulders rider in Emigh; broke his maiden in Cicero from a tough launch; and has the FG effort behind Ketchikan that is good enough here for a nice check.

It's a very interesting edition of this race's 50th renewal.

Anyone playing this race, since you spoke of pace, be SURE to watch the earlier races at Hawthorne. The speed bias hasn't been as pronounced on most days of late -- but at Hawthorne, when speed is holding, it's really seriously holding. A freight train couldn't pass a turtle in the stretch some days.

[Scav]

Originally Posted by Kasept

4/7 -- ILLINOIS DERBY:

All carry 122

1 Sacrifice Bunt (Campbell J M/Mott William I) 12-1
2 Bold Start (Melancon L/McPeek Kenneth G) 9-2
3 Reporting for Duty (Emigh C A/Asmussen Steven M) 15-1
4 Cowtown Cat (Jara F/Pletcher Todd A) 5-2
5 Cobalt Blue (Espinoza V/O'Neill Doug) 9-5
6 Quite Acceptable (Zimmerman R/Ritter Shannon) 20-1
7 Catman Running (Martinez W/Reed Eric R) 8-1
8 Family Talk (Thompson T J/O'Neill Doug) 20-1
9 Love Dubai (Mena M/Maker Michael J) Blk-On 15-1

As far as this race goes, it is extremely wide open....I don't think you can like Bold Start with Desormeaux staying in KY so you toss him. I think you have to love the fact that Victor, who is a main stay in California, makes the one race trip to a frigid Chicago. With Pletcher in the race, chicago commons will unload on him, so I think you might be able to get 2/1 on Cobalt. I would look for Reporting for Duty to run well also and grab a piece.

It really depends on how things are playing there. With this cold (20's at night) the track will start to compact and the rail will become golden again.

[Mortimer]

Mortimer Dexter Foxworthy selects:



Gee.




It got awful quiet in here......don't ya think?





Number 7....Rag Wiping.......I mean Catman Running.