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You forgot one time.   The final time.   Daddy Long Legs won in 1:58 and 1 fifth.      TRAKUS charts for Dubai   (UAE Derby is race 4)

Remember Master of Hounds from last year's Derby and Belmont?   He was a nose from winning the same UAE Derby at the same track at the same distance.  His time was 1:58 and 4 fifths.   3 fifths slower than Daddy Long Legs. 

Master Of Hounds (also trained by Aiden O'Brien) went from the UAE Derby, without a single race on regular dirt in his life and finished a hard charging 5th beaten 5.5 lengths in the Kentucky Derby by Animal Kingdom.   He had to weave thru traffic in the stretch of the Derby  LINK

A lot of people including me, liked Master Of Hounds in the Belmont after that performance in the Derby.   The track came up sloppy at Belmont and Master of Hounds broke slowly from the gate and got left behind and had no chance in that race.

Daddy Long Legs already has one race experience at Churchill on dirt. And he's got plenty of excuses as I already pointed out.   He's probably a better horse than Master Of Hounds, if you look at their past performances from Europe.   And if you look at their breeding, Daddy Long Legs might have more of a dirt pedigree than Master of Hounds does.   Scat Daddy was a dirt horse.   KingMambo was a turf horse, one of the great turf sires of all time.   LINK

"Only one of Kingmambo’s top-level winners was a dirt horse, but he was the 12-furlong Belmont Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid, now an accomplished sire in his own right and the sire of many high-class dirt and turf horses."

They weren't going much faster the first half mile in the Dubai World Cup, a 10 million dollar race.   (Race 9 in the TRAKUS charts)    25.72 for the quarter and 49.94 to the half.   2 fifths of a second and 3 fifths of a second faster than the UAE Derby.

"Time is only important in prison"   

Carl Nafzger, March 1990, after Unbridled won the slowest Florida Derby since Nashua in 1955.

Unbridled went on to win the Kentucky Derby that year.   LINK

Grey,

As it relates to time, that's a matter of opinion.  Who am I  to argue with Carl Nafzger when it comes to training Derby Winners, however, I would argue that our friends from across the pond have yet to make a significant dent on the first Saturday in May.

On that note, an American Thoroughbred has yet to stamp himself as my Derby Horse, so I'm going to continue to evaluate those stateside and abroad.

I have been searching for information on Castaway.  Is he officially off the Derby Trail.  I would be disappointed if he was, because I can easily forgive his Sunland Derby.  Anything?  Anyone?

Grey, do you have a "lean" right now?

Fat, great to see you this time of year!

HB

They certainly earned their spot in the gate, so why not?!

You headed to Louisville?

Here's my best guess for the KY Derby ML (early I know, but want to give it a crack!):

Gemologist 5-1 (Undefeated!)

Union Rags 6-1 (It's always been about 5/5)

Bodemeister 8-1  (Will he rate for 1 1/4...love the Empire Maker)

Creative Cause 8-1 (Top 3 credentials in the field)

I'll Have Another 8-1 (I have no doubt you'll get North of this #  race day)

Dullahan 10-1 (Never better than 3rd on dirt)

Hansen 12-1 (Don't forget the Juvie "The more they asked the more he gave!")

Alpha 15-1 (What a number for 3yo with plenty of credentials)

Take Charge Indy 15-1 (Would it shock you to see Borel sliding up the rail?)

Secret Circle 20-1 ( This will probably go North as well, but what a number on a classy horse that will be overlooked)

Daddy Nose Best 20-1 (This on wreaks of the bottom of the tri!)

Went the Day Well 20-1 (Deja Vu all over again)

El Padrino 25-1 (Personally, It would be a shame if he's not in the gate)

Sabercat 25-1 ( He did nothing wrong in the Ark Derby)

Daddy Long Legs 30-1 (I'm from Mizzou on this one.....Show Me!)

Mark Valeski 35-1 (The right running style with the right connections to maybe be ITM)

Liason 40-1 (Not enough substance on dirt for me. If his trainer wasn't Baffert he's be 75-1)

Prosepective 50-1 (When he's raced against classier 3yos he has not risen to the challenge)

Done Talking 50-1 (Why wouldn't you take a shot?)

Reveron 50-1 (Earned his spot in the gate)

Guys, would love to hear your thoughts!  Feel free to rip away.

HB