Hello race fans and welcome to lushly green Kentucky for Derby week . Trepidation accompanies this weekend every year . All the training , all the preparation and all the anti acid tablets chewed up the night before all comes down to this day . While the big draw is the 3 yo colt showdown in race 15 , race 16 is the race that defines stamina , class and the will to win . The Whiskey Cup - G I brought to you by the Kentucky Horsemen is a grueling 2 miles of dirt for horses 4 yo + with a purse of $ 500,000 .

 

 

 

 

          On the rail at 9 / 1  and ridden by virtuoso youngster O A Haack is Worst Day Ever  ( Kingmambo x Sadler's Wells x Secretariat )  representing trainer  Lenny16 . Ranked # 10 in the Long Route Division , this 4 yo colt is really hitting his stride and finding his identity . A winner first asking , his 2 yo season was a roller coaster ride yet a glimpse of brilliance going 2 turns was a precursor of things to come . Back to back wins coming out sophomore year had his trainer thinking Derby hopeful yet  the 9 furlongs of the Derby prep races just wasn't enough ground for this colt . A trip of 11 panels followed by another win going 12 in the GR Simsters Belmont Stakes-Stk June 10th of 2006 catapulted this colt into a string of Graded and Stakes wins . Clearly a Long Router , he is coming off back to back Turf wins going 13 and 16 furlongs respectfully and a 2 nd place finish last outing in Germany's The Apple Marathon - G III in 3:29:00  100 Spf where he lead the field and ran out of steam the last 100 yards . This week he steps it up to G I company and boldly takes on all whom would stand in his path .

 

          In post 2 is Invincible  11 / 1 ( Awesome Again x Seattle Slew x Halo )  wearing the colors of trainer  Pirate , F. Gossett is on fire this season and gets the nod today . Unraced at 2 , this 4 yo colt is a fierce competitor going 16 panels on the main track . He has managed to accumulate 7 wins in his last 9 appearances including 3 of those among Stakes company . His only start in Graded company ended in a shellacking in Germany's The Apple Marathon - G III where he let the field get too far ahead of him to make an effective late run . A switch of running style is a must today in this field to make him heard at the wire .

 

          In post 3 representing trainer Sdmforlife    with hotshot veteran jockey J. White aboard is This Love  12 / 1 ( Thunder Gulch x Easy Goer x Halo ) . An ocean of patience has made this 5 yo horse a multiple Stakes winner in his career over both sloppy and fast dirt . Graded victory has eluded him thus far and father time is creeping up on us all . Ranked # 6 in the Long Route Division respectively , he has run against some of the best and today is no different as he looks to break into the win column where Graded company is concerned .  He has won 1 of his 3 starts this season in Georgia's 16 furlong The High Escort Challenge -Stk in  3:32:00  89 Spf .

 

          Starting from the 4 hole at 15 / 1         Qwickvet1         Enter the Beast (GB) ( Diesis (GB) x Kingmambo x Blushing Groom (FR)  )  ridden by slick veteran jockey M. Margolf . A stakes winning son of Stakes mare Groom Dixie , this 6 yo horse has been in virtual limbo for a while yet has managed to shake off the cobwebs and bring home a win this year over this very same track last month over 12 furlongs in Alw company . he hasn't seen a Stakes win since 2005 and steps into Graded company for the first time today against some of the toughest company as can be assembled for the distance .

 

          In post 5 is Miracle to Me  6 / 1  ( Deputy Minister x Alydar x Secretariat )  ridden by the excellent journeyman jockey D. Givins and trained by Soulbleed . Ranked # 32 in the Long Route Division , this 5 yo horse finally caught the wind in his sail last year at 4 going 4 for 5 at 16 panels . Graded winner was added to his resume' this season in Germany's The Apple Marathon - G III where he came from mid pack and utterly destroyed the field winning by 5 lengths  3:29:00  103 Spf . Conventional thinkers may say : You can't teach old dogs new tricks . Well this horse obviously liked the distance all along so it isn't anything new to his genetic package . I like this horse and will be putting down a wager on him .

 

          In post 6 is Pharao's Tornado (IRE)   14 / 1 ( Doyoun (IRE) x Darshaan (ENG) x Sir Ivor ) representing trainer Stars1 , the very clever veteran  Rolling gets the nod today . Unraced at 2 with a less than spectacular sophomore season on turf a wash , the switch to dirt was like a spark on a black powder keg going off where he remains today . With multiple Stakes and Graded wins under his belt , G I's are old hat to this veteran of the main track . Ranked # 7 in the Long Route Division , his last win came by an easy romp over 14 furlongs in Malaysia's The A'Arab Zaraq Handicap- Stk February 17 th of this year . He is lookin more like his old self after a layoff from an non descriptive injury December of last season .

 

          In post 7 at 11 / 1   is the # 12 ranked Long Router trained by  Texashair    : Castle Bridge (IRE)  ( Falbrav (IRE) x Sadler's Wells x Kris S. ) with prodigal youngster jockey sensation B F Abman in the irons . A winner at 2 , this G I placed horse was claimed for $ 5000 by his current owner whom saw the obvious potential as a long router ... which he won first asking going 16 panels . And as they say .. the rest is history with Stakes wins aplenty with a career record of  32 : 10-7-1 and over $ 321k in earnings to date . He has been uncharacteristically sporadic of late in his efforts ; could it be age , boredom or the horse plainly needing a rest ?

 

          In post 8 is the Frosty trained co betting favorite Sinanju  4 / 1 ( Rahy x Nijinsky II x Key to the Mint ) with the sensational P. Haynes in charge . Ranked # 17 in the Long Route division , this multiple Graded winner has yet to see 16 panels but seem to be getting better the more you stretch him . With back to back wins in both Stakes and Graded company to start the season , he boldly steps up to challenge all whom showed up today for G I glory . His last win came by a 14 panel romp in Arizona's The Account Counting Handicap -Stk 3:00:3/5  105 Spf . His late running style will make for a nail biter at the wire .

 

          In post 9 is the # 133 ranked Long Router Decathlete Ted ( Storm Cat x Theatrical (IRE) x Creme dela Creme )  5 / 1 ridden by youngster J. Yount and representing trainer  Tedstables . A Stakes winner and Grade placed at 3 , this 4 yo colt has yet to be tested past 12 panels to date . His last win came by an 11 furlong romp in Iowa's The Manila Deed Cap - Stk  2:15:4/5  105 Spf . His historical G I starts have ended badly to date but who knows , maybe he can shake the bad mojo and capture his first career Graded win today .

 

          In post 10 with the legendary W. McClendon aboard is the second co betting favorite Xtremely Gold  4 / 1  ( Touch Gold x Unbridled x Alydar )  . Trained by Grracers , this 6 yo multi Million dollar winner comes in today ranked # 1 in the Long Route division with a sterling record of 31 : 22-4-0 . Unraced at 2 , this determined competitor started off hot as a pancake griddle winning 9 in a row including the 14 furlong South African Gold Cup - G I over 2 years ago . Lost by that owner in a $ 25k Claimer , he has won 9 of his 13 starts for his current owner including 5 G I 's and his last 2 back to back . With slick W. McClendon back aboard this fellah ... he's gonna be XTREMELY hard to beat today so don't drop your beer if he wins yet again .

 

          In post 11 is Alpine Reel (IRE) ( Pilsudski (IRE) x Assert (IRE) x Seattle Dancer )  at 18 / 1 . Ridden by veteran H . McCoy and trained by Chelseydek , this 5 yo horse has won on both surfaces at today's distance and is undefeated this season going 2 miles . Predominately a runner across the pond in Europe and Asia , he makes the trip this week to take on the upper echelon of the division on American soil amidst the festivities surrounding the start of another Triple Crown racing series . He likes to set the pace and bully his competition into submission and with what looks like career best efforts in The Mad Con Cap - Stk and The Harry Storm Cap -Stk this year ... it makes me wonder if this horse is just starting to hit his stride and has yet to give his best effort . Only the end of the race today will tell that tale .

 

          On the far outside and completing the field at 22 / 1  is the Gosome  trained long shot  Incredible Homer  ( Came Home x Storm Cat x Riverman )  with venerable veteran jockey S. Blood in the irons . With 2 wins lifetime , he makes his first career start in G I company and 16 panels today against the giant's of the division , someone call 911 . A much better runner at 12 furlongs , I doubt he will be much of a threat today unless every jockey slips off his mount down the stretch .

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