134th New Zealand Derby - Feb 29, 2009

[_ed_]

I know it's still more than 3 weeks away, but it's starting to get pretty exciting now so why not start early?

NEW ZEALAND DERBY
Ellerslie, Auckland, NZ
G1
2400m (mile and a half)

The Derby is New Zealand's richest (NZ$2.2 million - about US $1.0-1.2 million) and most prestigious race, and has been won by many of our greatest ever racehorses - including Desert Gold, Gloaming, Kindergarten, Mainbrace, Dalray, Sobig, Balmerino, Uncle Remus, Bonecrusher, Tidal Light, Castletown, The Phantom Chance, Zonda and Xcellent.

We've had a couple of disappointing 3yo crops lately, but last year's was great - the winner C'est La Guerre and Nom du Jeu, Red Ruler, Fritzy Boy and Prince Kaapstad have all performed well at G1 level this season as older horses.

This year's 3yo crop looks very good to me at this point as well.

ORDER OF ENTRY, Feb 4 2009 (done by earnings)
Tell A Tale
Alagant Satin
Le Baron
Juice
Coniston Bluebird (AUS)
Skirmish
Moveovr
The Meista
Spontaneous
Court Ruler
My Scotsgrey
Easy Ryder
Takeanotherchance
Down The Road
Izonit
I Robot
The Spaniard
Sufficient

All of those are safely in the field. The others still hoping to get in:
Jungle Boots
Heza Karma Kazi
Fears Nothing
Late Addition
Gallant
Carchelo
Quinta De Lago
Diamond Glitter
Brunel
Sun Ruler

Jungle Boots is running in a non-stakes race this Saturday that he should win, which would put him into the 18.

Alagant Satin and Juice are fillies, who I think will go to the Oaks instead of the Derby. They run in a G2 fillies race this Saturday.

MY TOP 5 (at the moment, subject to change)

Tell A Tale - Proved himself to be the best 3yo in the country earlier in the season with four stakes wins in a row, including the G1 2000 Guineas. Distance is the only concern.

Le Baron - Undefeated beyond a mile, with two stakes wins on the Derby track.

Jungle Boots - So much potential, but a bit of a nutcase. If he hasn't grown up by Derby day, he'll lose it in front of the crowd.

Gallant - I really like this horse. He's running in a G2 next week, probably needs to win or be 2nd to get enough money to make the Derby field. I think he can.

Easy Ryder - It was a 20-1 upset when he won one of the main prep races last weekend, but he did it very stylishly, and he's trained by 4-time Derby winner Roger James.

Since university doesn't start again until 2 days after the Derby, I have nothing to do until then. So I'll do one post for each horse, at about one post per day (or just a bit faster to squeeze in the 28 in 24 days).

EDIT: Oops, typo in the title. It's the 28th, obviously.