New Orleans and lower Louisiana are know for their unique cemeteries and grave yards. You see, the area is actually below Sea Level so they have to bury their loved ones above the ground instead of in it. This makes for a macabre and yet somehow beautiful maze among the ornate tombstones that visitors to the area find irresistible.

Unfortunately, there are many unsavory characters that prey on these visitors, hiding among the stones and robbing the tourists of their belongings. In my research for the upcoming ALL SAINTS Derby which is a “Lock” race for the Bluegrass Derby, I may have found a thief of a different kind.

Last season, with the advent of the Lock System, whereupon three year olds who win designated races leading up to the Grand Daddy of them all, the BLUEGRASS Derby gain an automatic entry into that esteemed race regardless of where they fall in the Stakes Points system that usually sets the field for Stakes races. This builds the excitement as spots in the big race may be taken by horses that are outside of the top twenty in points which makes it tougher to get in if you don’t have a Lock Race in hand. With that in mind, I decided to do a little research into how the top horses in last years All Saints did in the Derby. It just stands to reason that some of the top horses in the Sim would run in both races. What I found led to more research to previous years races which up until last year was known as the LOUISIANA Derby. The results may surprise you as much as they did me.

The 2007 winner of the ALL SAINTS who gained a lock into the BLUEGRASS was EL INDUSTRIAL when he breezed to a one and a quarter length victory. How did he do in the Derby? He was nowhere to be found, not only in the Derby but in any of the Triple Jewel Races for the year. Perhaps the second place horse EIGHT TRACK MIND or the show horse SISSON’S CHANT fared better. Neither of them participated in the Derby either. As a matter of fact, the only horse that ran in both races was SCHOOLOFHARDKNOCKS who finished seventh in the ALL SAINTS and sixteenth in the Derby. He did not participate in any other Triple Jewel races last year.

That all seemed a bit odd so I looked at the 2006 LOUISIANA DERBY to see how they had fared in the BLUEGRASS. Although it was a couple of weeks different on the schedule it was still a prestigious early season Grade II leading up to the Derby. The winner of the race TOXICSUPERFREAKOUT did indeed run in the Derby but not particularly well finishing seventeenth. The second place finisher in the race was SO SLEW ME who finished sixteenth in Derby. The only other horse in the entire field of fourteen who made the Derby was fourth place finisher AB FAB who was buried in the eighteenth spot in the Derby. Do you see a pattern here?

More of the same in 2005…winner of the LOUISIANA PRINCE MURF finished eighth in the Derby. The only other entry in both SEEKING STARDOM was fifth in the first race and a desultory fourteenth in the Derby.

2004…MOUNTAIN REEF won the LD but was no where to be found at Derby time. PULLING STRINGS finished second and seventh in the Derby and third place finisher TUFF ENUFF actually finished a respectable fifth in the Derby the highest we would see for some time.

There wasn’t even one horse that competed in both races during 2003 and in 2004 there was only one…BRASS LIGHTNING finished second in the bayou race and then lagged behind in thirteenth place in the BLUEGRASS. In 2001 there was only one entry as well, THE STING finished tenth in the LOUISIANA and sixteenth in the Derby.

The winner of the 2000 Derby on the Bayou was AGAIN FIND who finished sixth in the Bluegrass. Not bad. The inaugural race for both had three runners with three of the top four LOUISIANA runners competing in the Derby and only SENIOR DANCER having any success with a fourth place finish.

From my time at the Bluegrass last year I can tell you that most owners and trainers would do most anything to just be able to compete in the race and drink in the pageantry and fun of the week before it. I know that I would love to be able to look at if from inside the paddock instead of from the media rooms. One sure way to get there is to win a Derby Lock race. You have to wonder a bit though whether the ALL SAINTS Derby may be the kiss of death for a youngster heading for Kentucky.

At the time of this writing on Monday, there are currently fifteen horses entered in the All Saints. They are led by trainer Hewitt’s ZABEEL WARRIOR who is a former GI winner and has a number eight ranking and is only joined by MayFlowers INDY PROSPECTOR and Sadlier’s AZZA MUSSwith a ranking in the top twenty five. I am sure that there will be at least a few more entries before Wednesday evening, perhaps even a couple more top ranked colts. There will be disappointed owners who horses don’t get a chance at this Lock Prep. Maybe they will be the lucky ones.

I don’t think there is really any rhyme or reason to the results that I just presented for you. We all know how hard it is to have a horse win multiple Graded races, especially at such a young age. It is hard to argue with the results of my research though. Maybe there is more to this New Orleans Voo Doo than meets the eye. Horse trainers can be mighty superstitious and there is a lot of black magic in this area of the country. You might just see some of them saying, “CALIFORNIA DERBY, Here I come!”

I will see you again soon from the Road to the Derby!