Bluegrass Derby: A Cool Look At The History

There were some very interesting stories on the main board forum about past Bluegrass Derby runners and winners.

And, more interesting, there were also some stories about horses who never ran in the big race at Kentucky Race Course, the mecca of three year old thoroughbred racing that hosts the most famous and prestigious of all American three-year old races–the Bluegrass Derby.

Some of the stories were about horses who never entered the big race, yet still managed to shape Bluegrass Derby history, when their non-entry paved the way for horses to make the field and go on to win the Bluegrass Derby.

Probably the most famous non-entry of all, according to Topicount, was a horse named Crafty Assault in 2003, the year I Seek U won not only the Bluegrass Derby but went on to be Derbyfever’s only Triple Crown winner.

“I Seek U wouldn’t have had the chance to be the first (and only) Triple Crown winner, if it wasn’t for (trainer) kbsweet and Crafty Assault,” said Topicount, who joined Derbyfever in 2001. “If I remember correctly, they were ahead of I Seek You in terms of points, but she held Crafty Assault out, and so I Seek U drew in, and history was made.”

There was another non-entry who paved the way for our only Triple Crown winner, I Seek U. Platero had an interesting story to share about his 2003 Bluegrass Derby non-entry, Atakachaw.

You see, Platero also helped shape Derby history, when he decided not to run sprint specialist Atakachaw in the big race that our only Triple Crown winner I Seek U won that year.

“My horse would have thrown I Seek U out of the field, too,” said Platero, who joined the game after hearing two friends debating their Derbyfever horses on a German real life racing forum. “I sat the whole Wednesday evening at my computer, contemplating whether I should take that chance to have a Derby entry or not. I refused to, because it was obvious that my horse would have no chance.”

Good karma would pay off for Platero the following year, when his horse Mount Ghostly was sitting on the bubble at number 21 on the list of Derby entrants. “The following year (2004), I went to sleep as the horse I shared with joe333, Mount Ghostly, was sitting at number 21. Imagine our surprise the next morning when we woke up to find we were in. One very nice and adorable guy scratched his horse, because he thought our horse would have a better chance in the race than his own. I think this guy is still around. His name is Rich, if I remember correctly, though I’m not sure whether it’s richgins or lilbitfarm. Ahh, those sleepless pre-Derby nights!”

Platero’s horse, Mount Ghostly, would finish seventh in that 2004 Bluegrass Derby, but his horse did get his chance to run, thanks to another gracious owner’s non-entry gesture, and sometimes that in itself is just a big thrill–the chance to know you do indeed have the chance to grab the brass ring on Bluegrass Derby day. Thanks, Platero, for sharing that story!

Another interesting non-entry who shaped Derby history was trainer mtk76’s Making Bank, who did not run in the 2010 Bluegrass Derby, the year Lucky Howie won the big race.

“I changed Derby history by not entering (Making Bank) in,” said mtk76. “I could have prevented that Derby winner in 2010. Making Bank had enough entry points off his two-year-old races two seconds in two grade 1’s, including a heartbreaking finish in the (2009) Breeders’ Bowl Juvenile. Then, in 2010, his two races, including the Indian Wood, were brutal, so I passed. I nearly ran him, and I should have, but I passed, allowing bubble horse Lucky Howie in.”

And again, Derby history was made by a trainer who decided to not run his horse, because Lucky Howie went on to become the longest shot to ever win the Bluegrass Derby at odds of 20.90 / 1. Thanks for sharing that, mtk! Very sporting gesture of you not to run your horse, and, in the process, you helped shaped Derby history by giving us our longest shot to ever win the big race.

Trainers cadet and atthewire had an interesting story to share. Two of the long-time players of the game, cadet and atthewire joined Derbyfever in late 1999. Both talked about the first Bluegrass Derby winner, Pharrun Prospect, who won the inaugural Bluegrass Derby in 1999.

Pharrun Prospect was listed as a CPU horse on his past performance charts for his first seven races, a curious designation for a Bluegrass Derby winner. Pharrun Prospect ended up in the barn of trainer mpm12, right after Pharrun Prospect won a grade 2 stakes–under the ownership of the CPU.

So how did he end up in the barn of mpm12?  Trainers cadet and atthewire offered a little insight.

“Back then you could find monsters in claiming races for cheap,” said Cadet. “All horses were created by the computer, including the starting pool. I also think the computer had a lot of nice horses when converting from the private game Mike (the owner of Derbyfever) started out with to the public game he opened. I remember seeing some very good horses who had raced a few times in the old game.”

Atthewire said Cadet was right. “They were all CPU horses back then, and the horse pool was full of good stuff. For the first year or two, before breeding was implemented, we had a two-year-old draft. Anyway, Pharrun Prospect’s Derby run itself was a few months before I joined, but he was indeed the first winner of the Bluegrass Derby.”

So, apparently our inaugural Bluegrass Derby winner came from that draft of pool horses. Pretty interesting stuff there. Thanks, guys, for shedding the light on that interesting scenario of our first Bluegrass Derby winner!

If you’ve ever worried that your horse might not be up to par for a race, for instance, if he is only “ready to go,” think again. The runner up in that 1999 Bluegrass Derby, a horse called Gatling Prospect, ran at the training condition of “a little groggy” the week of the Bluegrass Derby, according to long-time veteran trainer roys.

Billg51 owned Gatling Prospect. “Billg was in the old white-out chat with several of us, Mike, too,” said roys. “And the condition was discussed endlessly–to run or not to run. Mike said, paraphrasing, the condition was only a guideline, that the horse might not give his best effort, or the horse might be a bit tired, or he might be fine.”

Apparently, billg listened to Mike, and he ran Gatling Prospect in that inaugural Bluegrass Derby, and he came up just a length shy of winning the whole ball of wax in 1999. Again, interesting stuff to know, Roys, and thanks!

Bill of Nextbonus had a pretty interesting story about the 2008 Bluegrass Derby, but it wasn’t exactly about a non-entry. It was more about a near miss of getting in the field in 2008.

“My ‘never ran’ story involves my horse Listening,” said Bill. “He was a true 10-furlong graded threat in his prime. He came up just shy of Lock City in the Florida Derby, so his Bluegrass Derby chances rested on points–124 if I remembered correctly. There were four horses with 124 points that year. After all was said and done, Kissin Street Cry (124.xy points) ended up being number 20. Kissin Street Cry came up 1-2-1 in the Triple Crown, just missing the sweep, and Listening became just another good story.”

“There are a million of them in the Naked City,” laughed Bill.

Bill had a very good year in 2010, though. You see, Bill also happens to own the only filly to have almost won the Bluegrass Derby, when his monster super filly, You See LA, finished second behind the longest shot to ever win the Derby, Lucky Howie. Thanks, Bill! Great story there!

Trainer davarto talked about another near-miss Triple Crown winner, a horse called Down The Jazz, who nearly became the first horse to sweep the Triple Crown in the year 2000. Down The Jazz won the first two legs of the Triple Crown, but he went down in flames when he finished fourth in the New Yorker, the third leg of the Triple Crown.

“I remember,” said Davarto, “there was that one guy that missed back in the early days, too. The owner of Down The Jazz. He was pretty shattered when it lost, if memory serves. I think he’s been drowning his sorrows in a bar the last 11 or 12 years, along with the owner of Saddle Delicate. Those were the days–happy, happy times.”

Thanks, davarto! Cool story!

Thanks, again, for everyone who contributed to this story! Great, great stuff, guys and gals! Very much appreciated, all your insight and terrific memories gave us all some great behind-the-scenes stories!

Here is a list of the winners of our Derbyfever Bluegrass Derby through the years. Horses with the designation (***) next to their post-time odds indicates they were the post-time betting favorites.

**********

1999 — PHARRUN PROSPECT              Post-time Odds: 7.70 / 1

(Breeding: Distinctive Pro x Lyphard x In Reality)

Time: 2:02 4/5        Margin of Victory: 1 Length

Runner Up:    Gatling Prospect

**********

2000 — DOWN THE JAZZ           Post-time Odds: 9.70 / 1

(Breeding: Benny The Dip x Tom Rolfe x Sister’s Prince)

Time: 2:02 4/5       Margin Of Victory: 5 ¾ Lengths

Runner Up:    Alykurtz Kat

**********

2001 — BUDA WITH THE SLEW         Post-time Odds: 8 / 1

(Breeding: Danzig x Seattle Slew x Night Invader)

Time: 2:02 2/5          Margin Of Victory: 3 ½ Lengths

Runner Up:    Buckschott

***********

2002 — TOWER STORM              Post-Time Odds: 6.30 / 1 ***

(Breeding: Storm Cat x Forty Nightmare (Forty Niner x Tower Walk(GB)

Time: 2:01                Margin Of Victory: 3 ½ Lengths

Runner Up:     Unbridled Fury

**********

2003 — I SEEK U               Post-time Odds: 11.70 /1

(Breeding: Gone West x Prospect Dealing (Unfuwain x Mr. Prospector))

Time: 2:01 1/5            Margin Of Victory: 4 ½ Lengths

Runner Up:   Silverwore

**********

2004 — GRANHEE             Post-time Odds: 10 / 1

(Breeding: Sakhee x El Gran Senor x Dixieland Band)

Time: 2:01               Margin Of Victory: 1 Length

Runner Up:   Tern Of The Wheel

**********

2005 — ANTICOSTI          Post-time Odds: 9.1 / 1 ***

(Breeding: Unbridled’s Song x Your Hill (Danehill x Fappiano))

Time: 2:01 1/5              Margin Of Victory: 2 Lengths

Runner Up:    Dubai Prospector

**********

2006 — VIRTUOSO              Post-time Odds: 17.60 / 1

(Breeding: Cryptoclearance x Fight Earn (El Prado x Fit To Fight))

Time: 2:01 4/5          Margin Of Victory: ¼ Length

Runner Up:   Ermington Pegasus

**********

2007  —  ATAUN                   Post-time Odds: 14.60 / 1

(Breeding: Gone West x Aguirre (Sadler’s Wells x Blushing Groom))

Time: 2:02 1/5            Winning Margin Of Victory: Head

Runner Up:   Passing Stone

**********

2008  —  KISSIN STREET CRY            Post-Time Odds: 13.50 / 1

(Breeding: Street Cry x Kissin Cousin II (Sadler’s Wells x Gone West))

Time: 2:01 2/5             Winning Margin Of Victory: 3 Lengths

Runner Up:    Sunset Mesa

**********

2009  —  HOT AND SPICY        Post-Time Odds: 14.90 / 1

(Breeding: Awesome Again x A.P. Superwoman (A.P. Indy x Kingmambo))

Time: 2:01             Winning Margin Of Victory: 1 Length

Runner Up:   E Five

**********

2010  —  LUCKY’S HOWIE          Post-Time Odds: 20.90 / 1

(Breeding: Gone West x Lucky’s Megan (Dynaformer x Nijinsky II)

Time: 2:01 3/5               Winning Margin Of Victory: 3 Lengths

Runner Up:   You See LA

**********

2011  —  INDY STORM CAT      Post-Time Odds: 17.70 / 1

(Breeding: Indy x Catsaway (Forty Niner x Storm Cat))

Time: 2:00 4/5          Winning Margin Of Victory: 2 ¾ Lengths

Runner Up:    Eric’s Fast

**********