The 4 fastest Derby paces of all-time

[Calzone Lord]

2000: Half mile in 44.86 seconds

Eight different horses were positioned within less than 10 lengths of that pace.





Congaree won the "race within the race" by falling only 4.75 lengths short to Monarchos and Invisible Ink. Point Given finished 2nd, losing by only 11.5 lengths. Express Tour finished 3rd beaten 14+ lengths. Everyone else was defeated by 20 lengths or more.


Congaree, who soundly defeated Monarchos in the Wood Memorial, is not in the Hall of Fame, but he did perform at a Hall Of Fame caliber level for an entire 12 months stretch:




Point Given, who is in the Hall of Fame (much to the chagrin of Pat Cummings) raced four more times, and swept the Preakness, Belmont, Haskell, and Travers. He won the Belmont by more than 12 lengths over Monarchos and Invisible Ink. He won the Haskell in a bar shoe. He won the Travers in a bar shoe over a game E Dubai (sire of Fort Larned)

Express Tour, who finished 14+ lengths behind Monarchos, had just defeated Street Cry and Lido Palace in Dubai in his prior start. Two starts later, he won the Gr 2 Jerome by 5.5 lengths at 8/1 odds.

Monarchos and Invisible Ink never won another stakes race of any kind. 4th place finisher Thunder Blitz lost his next seven races, including the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park and three different N2X allowance races.



2013: Half mile in 45.33 seconds

This time, again, Eight different horses were positioned within less than 10 lengths of that pace.

Here's how all 8 of them performed:



Time will tell the rest.



1986: Half mile in 45 1/5

I don't have the cooler, more modern looking charts for the 80's races, but, according to the official chart, five different horses were positioned within less than 10 lengths of the pace.




Of those five, the horse with the best result was Snow Chief, who finished 11th beaten only 19.5 lengths by last-to-first winner Ferdinand.

In his very next start, Snow Chief won the Preakness by 4 lengths over Ferdinand. Broad Brush finished a soundly beaten 3rd.

Snow Chief won the $1 million Jersey Derby over Mogambo and Tasso at 1 1/4 miles in his next start after the Preakness. He was named that years champion 3-year-old despite his 19.5 length Derby defeat.

[Calzone Lord]

1981: Half Mile in 45 1/5

Here are the top 11 finishers that year:



Only Bold Ego was anywhere near the pace. He was 2nd after a half mile and finished up 10th beaten more than 11 lengths by winner Pleasant Colony.

In his next start, he finished 2nd to Pleasant Colony in the Preakness, and was beaten less than a length.

Splendid Spruce, positioned 9th out of 21 after a half mile, was the next closest to the pace. He had won the Santa Anita Derby in his previous start, and he won the Grade 2 Mervin Leroy at Hollywood Park three weeks later.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

1981: Half Mile in 45 1/5

Here are the top 11 finishers that year:



Only Bold Ego was anywhere near the pace. He was 2nd after a half mile and finished up 10th beaten more than 11 lengths by winner Pleasant Colony.

In his next start, he finished 2nd to Pleasant Colony in the Preakness, and was beaten less than a length.

Splendid Spruce, positioned 9th out of 21 after a half mile, was the next closest to the pace. He had won the Santa Anita Derby in his previous start, and he won the Grade 2 Mervin Leroy at Hollywood Park three weeks later.

Many of us still can't believe we lost that bet on Bold Ego in the Preakness.

[Calzone Lord]

I was still months from being born.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

I was still months from being born.

That's just one of the reasons they are considered the good old days.

[10 pnt move up]

I apply this method of handicapping to most everyday races when playing, try to make it a touch simper then trying to figure out trainer intentions, patterns, etc.

[Calzone Lord]

The 5th fastest Derby half was Spanish Chestnut 45.38 the year Giacomo won.

The 6th fastest Derby half was Bodemeister in 45.39

I'll Have Another was just 8 lengths in back of that half...so he got a little taste of it.

Dullahan and Went The Day Well could only manage a 3rd and 4th place finish despite the big pace setup.

Dullahan was 12.5 lengths back after a half mile, he finished 3rd beaten less than 2 lengths. He was 7th in the Belmont Stakes as the 5/2 post time favorite next time out.

Went The Day Well was 18.5 lengths back after a half mile, he finished 4th beaten just 2.5 lengths in the Derby.

He was 10th beaten 30 lengths at 5/1 in the Preakness to I'll Have Another and Bodemeister.

Pleasant Colony, Ferdinand, Monarchos, Giacomo, and now Orb all capitalized on the setup.

But the record of deep closers who ran well in these Derby's, but didn't win, is downright gruesome.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Calzone Lord

Pleasant Colony, Ferdinand, Monarchos, Giacomo, and now Orb all capitalized on the setup.

.

So your saving the next couple weeks to load up against Orb in Baltimore!