Kentucky Derby looms ever closer
While UK racing is abuzz and aglow with the Cheltenham Festival as Paul Nicholls Kauto Star looks to contest the Gold Cup once more, over in America preparations are underway for the Kentucky Derby which is run on May 7th. The current favourite - Uncle Mo - returned to action last weekend and registered another victory with the minimum of fuss.
Uncle Mo was last year’s 2-year old champion in the US and his first victory as a 3-year old took his unbeaten run to four as he recorded an easy victory by 3 ¾ lengths at Gulfstream Park in Florida. The 4 ½ length winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November at Churchill Downs looked in good form but wasn’t extended to beat four rivals; he’s likely to continue his preparations for the Derby at Aqueduct in New York on April 9th when he takes in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial race. He’s still a short-priced favourite for the Derby with the majority of British bookmakers making him around a 2/1 chance for the event and although UK punters won’t be able to look for familiar names such as trainer Paul Nicholls, plenty will still take an interest.
Uncle Mo’s trainer – Todd Pletcher – also had before Saturday the second favourite for the event in Brethren but he didn’t do his prospects any good at all for the future when he was beaten at odds of 1/2 in the Tampa Bay Derby. The finish of that race being contested by Watch Me Go and Crimson Knight, with the former prevailing in a driving finish to proceedings, neither is expected to be aimed at the race in Kentucky in May.
The other major mover in the betting markets for the Kentucky Derby was Premier Pegasus, who routed his opponents at Santa Anita in California. He’s owned and trained by 68-year old Korean Myong Kwon Cho and this was only his third lifetime start but he’s now won two and looked impressive in routing his field by seven and three-quarter lengths. That performance earned him a 16/1 quote for the Kentucky Derby but he’ll need to keep on improving to reach the standards set by Uncle Mo as we move towards what is known as “The Run for the Roses” on the first Saturday in May and the first leg of the American Triple Crown.
