Best Recent Derby " Development "

[blackthroatedwind]

Ya know, if you read the DRF, instead of obsessing over Big Brown, you actually can sometimes find the really good stuff going on. Personally, I'm not sure I've seen a more defining story in quite some time.....





Last fall, after Denis of Cork won his debut for trainer David Carroll, Warren said he was contacted by owner Satish Sanan, who was looking to become a partner in the young horse. No deal was made. Flash forward five months later, and Denis of Cork - and Warren - may find themselves at the mercy of Sanan, who is the owner of Behindatthebar.

Behindatthebar won the Lexington Stakes on April 19. His trainer, Todd Pletcher, said he would wait until Tuesday, or even Wednesday, to decide whether to run in the Derby. If Behindatthebar is out, Denis of Cork could be in. According to Warren, Sanan made an offer to have that happen.

"He did contact me after his first race, and he contacted my trainer earlier this week," Warren said Friday from his office in Tulsa, Okla. "He wanted to trade 50 percent of Behindatthebar for 50 percent of Denis of Cork, with the idea of having Denis of Cork in the Derby and Behindatthebar in the Preakness.

"That type of trade was not attractive to me. My ego is such that I'm not going to break my neck to get into the Kentucky Derby. I think very highly of our Denis of Cork. But I've learned over the years that, for me, it's best not to have partners."

Sanan confirmed Warren's version of events.

"I did call his trainer, David Carroll," Sanan said "They're on the outside, we're on the inside, maybe we could partner and one of us could go in the Derby and one in the Preakness."