Noble Indy holds on in La. Derby
In recent years, horses coming out of the Louisiana Derby have done well as a group in the Kentucky Derby. Since 2011, Gun Runner, Mucho Macho Man, Nehro, Revolutionary, Perfect Soul and Commanding Curve have all gone on to finish second or third at Churchill Downs. Nevertheless, the last horse to win both races remains Grindstone in 1996. Prior to that, one has to go all the way back to the legendary Black Gold in 1924.
The latest three-year-old to attempt the Louisiana/Kentucky derby double is Noble Indy. The son of Take Charge Indy held off Lone Sailor and My Boy Jack in a rousing edition of Fairgrounds’ signature race on Saturday. After tracking longshot Marmello (141-1) through six furlongs, Noble Indy swept to the front nearing the quarter-pole, only to be passed by Lone Sailor (9-1) in upper stretch. Coming on again under jockey John Velazquez, Noble Indy edged away late, holding off the late charge of My Boy Jack – who had trailed by a dozen lengths midway on the turn – to earn a neck victory in the milliondollar race. My Boy Jack was another half-length back in third.
Noble Indy earned 100 points for the win, his third in four career starts, and thus easily quali-
fies for the Kentucky Derby. So does runner-up Lone Sailor. The Majestic Warrior colt has won only once in eight starts, but his 40 points for Saturday’s effort and two points for his third in last fall’s Breeders’ Futurity should be enough to earn an invitation to Churchill Downs on May 5. My Boy Jack, with 32 points, also has a good shot at making the Derby field.
In the weekend’s other prep race, Ghost Runner secured a spot in the Derby starting gate with a 2 ¾-length off-the-pace score in the Sunland Derby at New Mexico’s Sunland Park. The win was worth 50 qualifying points for the Ghostzapper colt. Next up: Florida Derby With the Louisiana Derby and Sunland Derby results in the books, the stateside Derby prep schedule is essentially down to five races, all of them worth 100 points to the winners: next Saturday’s Florida Derby; the Santa Anita Derby, Blue Grass and Wood Memorial on Apr. 7; and the Arkansas Derby on Apr. 14.
The five nine-furlong races have all had their moments as far as their impact on the Kentucky Derby is concerned. In recent years, however, the Florida Derby has been by far the most influential. Since 2000, six winners of the race have gone on to prevail in the Run for the Roses. That’s one more Kentucky Derby victory than the winners of the other four preps together have accumulated during the same period.
Likely starters for this year’s Florida Derby include the winners of three of this winter’s graded races at Gulfstream Park: Promises Fulfilled (Fountain of Youth), Audible (Holy Bull) and Strike Power (Swale). Audible’s nearly six-length victory was arguably the most impressive of the three, and he may end up the favorite. Another expected starter is Catholic Boy, winner of the Remsen and With Anticipation at two, and runner-up in his 2018 debut in the Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Jeff Scott writes about horse racing Tuesday in The Saratogian. He may be reached at utahpine1@ aol.com.