All you need to know about Gayego heading into the Kentucky Derby is that the colt won the (Grade II) Arkansas Derby.
In the last four years, three Arkansas Derby winners - Smarty Jones, Afleet Alex and Curlin - have gone on to become America's best 3-year-old.
Smarty Jones won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 2004, Afleet Alex won the Preakness and Belmont in 2005 and Curlin won the Preakness last year. And when they didn't win, they were in the mutuel money - Smarty Jones was a close second in the Belmont; Afleet Alex was third in the Derby; and Curlin was third in the Derby and a photo-finish loser to Rags to Riches in the Belmont.
Gayego put in a five-furlong workout Saturday at Churchill Downs. Trainer Paulo Lobo instructed jockey Mike Smith to shoot for five furlongs in 1:01 (the fastest of 20 horses working that distance), and the Brazilian trainer got exactly what he expected.
Gayego was clocked in fractions of :12.40, :24.40, :36.60, and :48.60, and he galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.80.
"Exactly, exactly what I wanted," Lobo said. "I think it was an awesome work."
Gayego has finished first or second in all five career starts, including a victory in the San Pedro and a runner-up effort in the San Felipe (Grade II) prior to his Arkansas Derby win. He has earned $723,420.
Gayego's jockey, Smith, has had good recent history in Triple Crown races. The 42-year-old won the 2005 Derby with 50-1 long shot Giacomo. He also rode Derby runner-up Lion Heart in 2004 and came in third with Giacomo in the Preakness and with Tiago in the 2007 Belmont.
"Winning the Derby certainly makes you want it that much more," Smith said. "Before you could only guess what it's like."The Arkansas Derby was Gayego's first race outside of California. After having the horse compete on California's synthetic tracks, Lobo wanted to run Gayego on Oaklawn's dirt in preparation for the similar surface at Churchill Downs. The horse responded with a career-best 103 Beyer speed figure.
"I wanted to give him a chance to run on the dirt," Lobo said. "I didn't think it would be a problem. He has a very good style. He's a special horse."
In the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby, Gayego lived up to his trainer's expectations, outrunning 12 opponents and defeating runner-up Z Fortune by half a length. Gayego's time of 1:49.63 was better than Curlin's time a year earlier. In the process, Gayego became the first winner of the Arkansas Derby since Balto Star in 2001 to achieve the feat without having previously run at Oaklawn.
Smith has ridden Gayego in all five of his races. He describes the colt as "flying under the radar" and said after the Arkansas Derby: "I wouldn't trade players with anybody."
Gayego comes from less-than-noble roots. He was purchased for just $32,000 at the September 2006 yearling sale at Kenneland in Lexington, Ky. His owners, Carlos Juelle and Jose Prieto, immigrated to the United States from Cuba more than two decades ago.
Perhaps the horse's lone red flag: pedigree experts say his breeding is not suited for the Derby distance of 1 1/4 miles. His sire, Gilded Time, was a speedster who wasn't so accomplished at longer distances.
Bet on the Kentucky Derby at WagerWeb.com
No comments:
Post a Comment