DERBY NOTES: Uh Oh.. No Bango; Noble's Promise 50-50

[Kasept]

Uh Oh Bango injured, out of Derby
By Jay Privman

Uh Oh Bango, the fourth-place finisher in the Arkansas Derby and the 21st horse on the list of graded earnings among prospects for the May 1 Kentucky Derby, came out of the race Saturday with a fractured left front cannon bone and will be sidelined from four to six months, his trainer, Kory Owens, said Tuesday morning.

"He's going to have surgery sometime this week in Oklahoma, where a lot of people at Oaklawn send their horses," Owens said from Turf Paradise in Phoenix, where he is based during the winter. "He cooled out okay after the race, but the next day, we could tell something was not really right. He'll have a screw put in it. He should be out four to six months."

Uh Oh Bango's defection, and the continued uncertain status of Noble's Promise, helps horses on the bubble in terms of Derby earnings, such as Jackson Bend and Backtalk.

[VOL JACK]

too bad....he is a nice horse.

they are dropping like flies.

[tector]

Originally Posted by VOL JACK

too bad....he is a nice horse.

they are dropping like flies.

Pretty typical, actually. Last year you had the two faves drop out--that's bad.

[slotdirt]

Yeah, last year was way worse. Nowhere to Hide. Flying Private. Mine that Bird. Er...

[Kasept]

McPeek puts Noble's Promise at 50-50 for Derby
By Marty McGee

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Ken McPeek said Tuesday morning that Noble's Promise, second on the graded earnings list and a potential key domino in who does and doesn't make the field for the May 1 Kentucky Derby, is "maybe 50-50 to make the race."

Noble's Promise colt emerged from his fifth-place finish in the Arkansas Derby with cuts and scrapes and a lung infection. The Cuvee colt has $738,000 in graded earnings, second only to Lookin At Lucky on a lengthy list that extends far beyond the 20-horse cutoff point.

"He went to my farm [Magdalena] in Lexington [on Monday], and he'll stay there until we bring him over to Churchill Downs very early Thursday morning," said McPeek. "He'll gallop after the break Thursday, and if all goes smooth, he'll work on the 20th or 21st.

"The cuts are a non-issue; we're already taking care of them. His status for the Derby will depend a lot on how he works and how he scopes after."

[tjfla]

Gotta love the excuses of why a horse didn't run

Ran 5th cause of a lung infection? Is that what McPeek is saying or he just got it in past 2 days?

Also I wouldn't mind Jackson Bend in the race to add more speed at the front however is there any chance he even makes it around the 1st turn

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by tjfla

Also I wouldn't mind Jackson Bend in the race to add more speed at the front however is there any chance he even makes it around the 1st turn

'Any chance he makes it around the first turn'? What's that supposed to mean? For starters, he isn't a speed horse or need the lead type in the slightest. Jackson Bend has repeatedly demonstrated uncommon gameness and has already outrun his pedigree in a career that has seen him finish, let's see, no worse than 2nd in 9 career starts. His efforts in the Fountain and Wood leave some doubt as to how honest he is? I personally would prefer to see him tackle more suitable targets, but you best believe he will give everything he has when many others have quit by the eighth pole.

[the_fat_man]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Jackson Bend has repeatedly demonstrated uncommon gameness and has already outrun his pedigree in a career that has seen him finish, let's see, no worse than 2nd in 9 career starts. His efforts in the Fountain and Wood leave some doubt as to how honest he is? I personally would prefer to see him tackle more suitable targets, but you best believe he will give everything he has when many others have quit by the eighth pole.

Much has been made about how Awesome Act was supposed to get by him in the Wood. I just don't see it with this horse. Where's his good race? Clearly, he has a knack for hanging around but that only gets you home when good fortune knocks.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by the_fat_man

Much has been made about how Awesome Act was supposed to get by him in the Wood. I just don't see it with this horse. Where's his good race? Clearly, he has a knack for hanging around but that only gets you home when good fortune knocks.

There's nothing to see or get... He is what he is. He's never been worse than 2nd in 9 starts. That's not an accident. He's a commonly bred hard-trying type. A quintessential "Calder horse". A knack for hanging around = keeps trying when supposedly classier foes quit.

[tjfla]

I like Jackson Bend as well

More speed at the front I meant as he can push them if need be(Didnt mean he was a front runner speed only horse)

Also agree he is a horse that wont give up,I just dont think he will factor in with the other horses out at the end is what I meant. He has shown he can run on dirt as well as push horses.

[Kasept]

Jackson Bend in Fast Workout at Churchill
By Blood-Horse Staff

Jackson Bend, runner-up to Kentucky Derby favorite Eskendereya in both the Fountain of Youth (gr. II) and Wood Memorial (gr. I) stakes, displayed a fondness for Churchill Downs as the Nick Zito trainee worked a fast four furlongs April 15 in :47.40.

He is owned by Jacks or Better Farm and Robert LaPenta.

The work over fast footing under exercise rider Carlos Correa ranked third among 30 at the distance. The son of Hear No Evil --Sexy Stockings, by Tabasco Cat, worked in company with stablemate Thomas Got Even and covered the half-mile in fractions of :11.60, :23.60,:35.40 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.20. Thomas Got Even covered the distance in an identical time.

"I love it," said Zito of the move, the first by Jackson Bend since his arrival at Churchill Downs, in a statement released from Churchill Downs. "If he could actually do that next week, maybe Thursday or Friday, I’d be happy. Obviously he’s not a big horse and, more importantly, he’s just as good as can be and we’re happy about all that."

Jackson Bend has never run worse than second in nine career races, including five victories. He has earned $707,820.

[slotdirt]

I note that Baffert is going blinkers off with Lookin at Lucky. What to make of that decision?

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

I note that Baffert is going blinkers off with Lookin at Lucky. What to make of that decision?

Good question. Gary Stevens also said on HRTV last night that his workout was terrible for what it's worth. He said the horse looked exhausted afterwards and didn't finish up well.

NT

[the_fat_man]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Good question. Gary Stevens also said on HRTV last night that his workout was terrible for what it's worth. He said the horse looked exhausted afterwards and didn't finish up well.

NT

Let's not put stuff like this out there. We need people to HAMMER this plug.

[cannonman]

Calling a champion a plug sort of sums up your game.

[Gate Dancer]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

Good question. Gary Stevens also said on HRTV last night that his workout was terrible for what it's worth. He said the horse looked exhausted afterwards and didn't finish up well.

NT

Not to be too sarcastic, but this comment is from a guy that lasted 6 months as a 'trainer'. Not sure what to make of that.

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Gate Dancer

Not to be too sarcastic, but this comment is from a guy that lasted 6 months as a 'trainer'. Not sure what to make of that.

Oh, absolutely. I usually would disregard his remarks or just about anyone's on workouts, especially with horses they see very rarely in the mornings.

NT

[cakes44]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

I note that Baffert is going blinkers off with Lookin at Lucky. What to make of that decision?

I'm guessing he wants the horse to relax better and make one big grinding run instead of the way he ran his last race.