Race pits popular selections at Derby
ELMONT, N.Y. — The Kentucky Derby was perfectly set up with two undefeated horses next to each other in the starting gate. Essential Quality, the favorite, was in the 14th position, and Rock Your World, the second favorite, was in the 15th. What could go wrong?
Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the finish line. Way before the finish line.
The gates opened and Rock Your World broke a step slow, but jockey Joel Rosario hustled him forward. That’s when Essential Quality veered to the outside and Highly Motivated, in the 16th position, veered to the inside. Rock Your World was hit from both sides and dreams of winning the Kentucky Derby are over within seconds.
Essential Quality was able to rally and finish fourth while Highly Motivated came in 10th. As for Rock Your World, a deflating 17th.
The buzz surrounding the two horses has certainly subsided in five weeks, but the anticipation is still there as they are against each other Saturday in the Belmont Stakes. Essential Quality is the 2-1 morningline favorite. Rock Your World has slipped to the fourth choice at 9-2, and in between are Rombauer, winner of the Preakness Stakes, at 3-1 and Hot Rod Charlie at 7-2.
In the Kentucky Derby, Rock Your World was running his fourth race and second on dirt. Calling him lightly raced would be an understatement.
Essential Quality, despite the early trouble, was able to put his race back together and finished fourth, a length behind winner Medina Spirit. An analysis of the race showed that starting from the outside post, Essential Quality ran 68 feet farther than Medina Spirit in the race. Medina Spirit’s victory is under review after the colt tested positive for a medication not allowed on race day.
“[Essential Quality] had a lot more seasoning,” trainer John Sadler said. “He’s a 2-year-old [Eclipse Award] champion and had run more times. It was our second time on dirt. I’m just hoping having more time with him will help. He came back to California and worked well. A smaller field obviously will also help.”
Brad Cox, trainer of Essential Quality, had no explanation on
why his horse recovered and Rock Your World did not.
“He’s a race horse when he showed that [kind of recovery],” Cox said of his colt. “He was five for five leading up to the Derby. He’s seemed to have won all of his races different ways whether sitting off a hot pace or laying close to the pace. He’s able to adapt. He’s a race horse, bottom line. He brings it every time.”
The final leg of the Triple Crown is very different in that it’s 1½ miles, a distance a horse might only run once in his life on dirt. Yet despite the daunting distance, the first half-mile isn’t run that hard and horses are used to galloping 2 miles a day.
Still, there is what’s called a “Belmont Stakes horse.” Cox proclaimed Essential Quality that kind of horse last summer at Keeneland.
“I’ve probably said that about a lot of horses,” Cox said with a laugh. “But this is the only time I’ve had a Belmont horse. He just displayed a lot of stamina early on.”
It’s almost impossible that there will be a repeat of the collision between the two horses on Saturday. Essential Quality will break from the second gate and Rock Your World from the seventh in a field of eight.
Most are expecting a very contested race.
“It’s an evenly matched race,” said Michael McCarthy, trainer of Rombauer. “I think there are a few players in there that will be very live.”