The Bluegrass Derby…The Winner’s, and How They Got There

There have been nineteen Bluegrass Derby winners since the first running of the Bluegrass Derby in 1999.  Sure, it was a lot easier running your horses in the infancy stages of Derby Fever, but like life itself, Derby Fever has evolved, and horses are now subject to the wear and tear of modern day racing.

The Bluegrass is the most coveted race by every American trainer/owner, and I would expect just as symbolic a victory for any trainer/owner all over the world, and yet it remains the most elusive, sought- after race in the history of racing.

What does it take to get a horse to the Derby? What ‘Road’ do I choose along the way?  When should I start my Derby campaign?  These are questions trainers and owners ask themselves early in the Two-Year Old season.  Let’s examine the past winners and see if we can clear a path to the Bluegrass Derby.

Let’s start off with some Bluegrass Derby facts:

Only 5 of the 19 Derby winners won a Graded Stakes as a Two-Year Old in the months of November and December.  Two of those five winners, ANTICOSTI and RAS EL HANOUT won the Grade I Club Stakes in November.

The G1 Corkscrew has produced the most Derby winners with four, BUDA WITH THE SLEW, ANTICOSTI, VIRTUOSIO, and ATAUN.

The G1 All Saints has produced two Derby winners, HOT AND SPICY, and INDY STORM CAT.

The G1 California Derby has produced three Derby winners, TOWER STORM, and GRANHEE and CARL’s SHAMELESS, last year’s Derby winner.

MOUNTNOIR, the Dubai 2000 Guineas, GIMLET NEAT, the Legoland and Arkansas, RAS EL HANOUT, the Land’s End, INDY STORM CAT, the Risen Star, ANTICOSTI, the Fountain of Ute, I SEEK U, the Chicago Derby, and DOWN THAT JAZZ, the John Wooden, all exited winning key prep races that have produced one Bluegrass Derby winner.

Here is a look at the Nineteen previous Bluegrass Derby winners:

1999 –  PHARRUN PROSPECT raced 11 times in 1999 before he won the Bluegrass Derby.  His only notable victory during that span was a win in the G3 The Colorful Stork just 32 days prior to the Derby… how times have changed

2000 – DOWN THAT JAZZ started his career as a claimer and was swooped up after his first start by thw wahoo racing stables; talk about foresight.  DTJ won the G3 Holy Bull Stakes and G2 John Wooden Stakes on is way to his Derby victory.

2001 – BUDA WITH THE SLEW was a rare winner of the G1 Breeders Bowl Juvenile to go on to win the Derby, but then BUDA was no ordinary horse.  The big Chestnut son of Danzig went on to win four consecutive starts in the G1 Corkscrew, the G1 Santa Clara Derby, the G1 Bluegrass Derby, and the G1 Middle Jewel. His only hiccup during that span was in the third leg of the Triple Crown, the G1 New Yorker, but was quick to make amends in his next start in the G2 Buckeye Derby where he won by 5 handily.

2002 – TOWER STORM is another horse that went on to win the Bluegrass after winning the G1 Breeders Bowl Juvenile.  What is noteworthy here is that the only Breeders Bowl winners to win the Derby were in 2001 and 2002, long before wear and tear reared its’ ugly head.  TOWER STORM went on to win the G1 Silver Charm Challenger and the G1 California Derby in route to his Derby victory.

2003 – I SEEK U has the distinction of being the only Triple Crown winner in the history of Derby Fever.  I SEEK U was a lightly raced colt that raced only four times prior to his first stakes appearance in the G2 Felipe Alou Cap where he finished a fast closing second before winning the G2 Chicago Derby in his final prep before the Bluegrass.

2004 – GRANHEE was an accomplished sprinter as a 2yo before his connections tested his ability around two turns in the G2 End of the Line Futurity; and pass the test he did, with an eye-opening 3 ½ length victory against the top 3yo’s.  It wasn’t until five races later that he would win again in another jaw dropping performance in the G1 California Derby, his final prep before the Bluegrass.

2005 – ANTICOSTI is one of five horses to win a Graded race as a 2yo in the month of November or December, however his November win came in the G2 Club Stakes where he crushed the field by more than six lengths.  His extraordinary run continued as he went on to win his next four starts in the G1 Sim Racing Form Three-Year Old Series, the G2 Fountain of Ute, the G1 Corkscrew, and of course the G1 Bluegrass Derby…exceptional, you better believe it

2006 – VIRTUOSO took the high road to the Bluegrass with four consecutive wins in the NoCal Hdcp., the G2 New Mexico 2069 Stakes, the G1 Corkscrew, and then the G1 Bluegrass Derby.  He is THE ONLY HORSE to ever finish ITM in the December carded G1 Movieland Stakes and go on to win the Derby.

2007 – ATAUN raced with only moderate success leading up to the Derby having recorded only one Listed Stakes victory in his nine previous starts before his stunning performance in the G1 Corkscrew where he locked in his start for the Bluegrass…the rest is history

2008 – KISSIN STREETCRY used the road less traveled on his way to the Bluegrass using the G2 Bonnie Situation to leap frog his way into the Derby.  The road less traveled? Well if you frown upon ducking the big boys, consider this…KISSIN STREETCRY was only a ½ a length shy in the Middle Jewel from being the second Triple Crown winner in Derby Fever history…anyone got a secret treasure map?

2009 – HOT AND SPICY survived a Graded win in December with a victory in the G1 Eruption Handicap.  Locked his way into the Derby with a win in the G1 All Saints Derby before using an Allowance Turf prep to capture the 11^th running of the Bluegrass Derby.

2010 – LUCKY’S HOWIE hadn’t won a race in six tries before his final Derby prep in the 5.5-furlong INDY’S CAT Memorial.  In retrospect, his 20-1 Derby odds might have been an underlay, but the mrlucky connections are no strangers to the Derby Trail, so if you think it was luck-y, think again.

2011 – INDY STORM CAT was floundering along with just a Maiden and an Allowance win in 10 tries as a 2yo before a win in his first start as a 3yo in the CRAFTY VICTORY Memorial. Impressed with his victory,  his connections gave him a start in the G3 Risen Star which he won going away before locking down a spot in the Derby with a win in the G1 All Saints Derby in his final start before the Bluegrass…talk about a leap of faith

2012 – RAS EL HANOUT another late November G2 Club Stakes winner that, like his predecessor, went on a tear winning the G3 Giant Slayer Classic followed by the G2 Land’s End before his decisive G1 Bluegrass Derby victory…connections for STORMY MO must like what they are reading by now.

2013 – GIMLET NEAT spent most of his 2yo campaign racing on the turf, but a 3-length victory in his first dirt try prompted a start in the G3 Legoland, a victory that propelled him to a win in the G1 Arkansas Juvenile Lock Prep; one of only three horses to win the Derby in gate to wire fashion.

2014 – MOUNTNOIR was an established sprinter in his 2yo campaign, but when he was tested for Class in his final start as a 2yo, his victory in the 7-furlong G3 Los Angeles Prevue encouraged connections to give him a start around 2-turns in the G3 Legoland. His second-place finish earned him a spot in the G3 Dubai 2000 Guineas, a victory that distinguished him as the horse to catch in the Derby…they never did

2015 – SWINGING BIG SHAFT made only two starts as a 2yo before breaking his maiden in his 3yo debut at 9-furlongs.  With only four starts under his belt, and an innate ability to glide over 9 panels, connections new they had a good one in the son of Mineshaft and entered him in his first stakes test in the G2 BBRS Presents The Hustlin Hoosier.  Denied in a photo finish, the rest was history; a win in his next start in the G1 Among The Thirsty Stakes followed by a huge stretch run in the Bluegrass Derby.

2016 – PAPA’S GHOST TED didn’t show much ability in six tries before a victory in the Killerzandglitterz Dirt Challenge in his first start as a 3yo.  What stands out was the 9.5-furlong distance of that race and a much-improved horse with the added distance.  A couple of well-placed finishes in the G1 VEREMONT IS 4 LOVERS and the G1 Sand Castle earned him a place in the Derby field and the 10-furlongs was right in the Cal Bred’s wheelhouse.

2017 – CARL’S SHAMELESS was pretty much hitting up the Local IRE circuit, going unnoticed trying to find his way over the Turf Course when a start over the Dirt Course opened the eyes of the punter34 connections.  A three-race winning streak over the dirt earned him a spot in the G2 Legoland, but it was his victory in the G1 California Derby Lock Prep that earned him the chance to run in the Derby, and in gate to wire fashion,he took full advantage of that opportunity.

You have all the facts, you now know what it takes to get to the Derby, right?  Well probably not, and you are likely more confused than when you started reading this, and if you are a trainer with a horse on the Derby Trail you might be thinking you are doomed…Don’t despair, these are just statistics that are subject to change every time the Derby is run.

Happy Trails…