Unbeaten Mohaymen tops first Derby poll
Fifteen horse racing experts positioned coast to coast established a clear-cut leading Triple Crown prospect in Sunday’s first Kentucky Derby Top 20 Poll assembled by The (Louisville) Courier-Journal.
Undefeated Mohaymen, last time out a 31⁄ 2- length winner of Gulfstream Park’s Holy Bull Stakes, collected 11 first-place votes, topping Nyquist, the 2year-old champion, and Mor Spirit, a winner of his last two starts on the West Coast.
Voters from Blood-Horse and Daily Racing Form, Churchill Downs handicappers as well as a number of others tabbed the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee No. 1.
“Of course, it’s early, but what’s not to like about Mohaymen?” said Tim Wilkin, racing writer for the Albany (N.Y.) Times-Union.
The $2.2 million son of Tapit has won three consecutive Grade II tests, and “he’s also won at a mile-and-an-eighth, something very few members of his crop can claim at this stage in the game,”
DRF’s Mary Rampellini said. “Mohaymen is further appealing for the versatility he’s shown in his races, winning a maiden special weight sprint on the front end and stalking the leaders in his two-turn debut in the Remsen.”
Scott Jagow, editor-in-chief of the Paulick Report, added, “Mohaymen appears to have the professional mind of a Derby winner.”
Monday’s Grade II San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita Park will go a long way toward determining whether Nyquist, the unbeaten Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner, garners more consideration for the top spot in the Top 20, re- leased at noon ET each Sunday at Courier-Journal.com.
The 7-furlong San Vicente features Nyquist against a field that includes Exaggerator, fifth in this week’s poll behind No. 4 Airoforce, a winner of Churchill Downs’ Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes that next runs in Saturday’s Grade II Risen Star at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.
“I don’t love the distance limitations in Nyquist’s pedigree,” the
Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader’s Alicia Wincze Hughes said, “but freaks can outrun pedigree going 10 furlongs, i.e., Big Brown in 2008.”
Dale Romans-trained Brody’s Cause, Greenpoint-crusader, Mo Tom, Danzing Candy and Smokey Image round out the top 10.
Nyquist garnered two firstplace votes, and Mor Spirit picked up one. An outlier, No. 12 Shagaf, earned one as well from Santa Anita oddsmaker Jon White.
Shagaf has the same Shadwell Stable ownership as Mohaymen and dazzled with a 2-length allowance win Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park, moving his record to 2-for-2.
“While Mohaymen tops most Derby lists, I think Shagaf might be a very special colt,” White said. “No, Shagaf has not posted a big speed figure yet. But I believe he will, perhaps as soon as in his next race. As they say, time will tell if I am right about Shagaf.
“And if it turns out that I am wrong, well, it will be easy enough in the future to move him down, or perhaps even completely off, my list.”