Four OBS graduates, representing all of the company’s juvenile auctions, have been entered in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs. Chitu, Commanding Curve, Dance With Fate and Wildcat Red will each try to become the fourth OBS graduate to win the Run for the Roses, joining Lil E. Tee (1992), Silver Charm (1997) and 2012 winner I’ll Have Another.
They’ll meet for the first time in the Derby, having taken separate paths to Louisville since being sold at OBS last year. Chitu, who will break from post 13 and be ridden by Martin Garcia, comes to the race off a 2-1/4 length victory in the $800,110 Sunland Derby (G3) on March 23rd. The lightly raced colt, trained by Bob Baffert, has won three of his four starts, his only loss a second place finish to Derby starter Candy Boy in Santa Anita’s Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G2) in February. After the colt by Henny Hughes worked a quarter in :20 3/5 at the Under Tack Show for the 2013 OBS March Sale, he was purchased by the successful team of Baffert and Donato Lanni on behalf of Susan Chu for $300,000 out of the Southern Chase Farm, Inc.(Greg and Karen Dodd) consignment Racing in the colors of Ms. Chu’s Tanma Corporation, he comes into the Derby with earnings of $501,800. watch his under tack video
Trainer Dallas Stewart, who sent out longshot Golden Soul to a second place finish in the 2013 Kentucky Derby, will saddle West Point Thoroughbreds’ Commanding Curve in the 2014 renewal. The son of Master Command, who drew the 17 post and will be ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, comes into the Derby off a credible third place finish in the Louisiana Derby (G2). Purchased for $75,000 by West Point out of the Eddie Woods consignment at the 2013 OBS April Sale after an Under Tack quarter in :21 3/5, he brings earnings of $142,434 into the race. watch his under tack video
Sharon Alesia, Bran Jam Stables and Ciaglia Racing LLC’s Dance With Fate comes into the Derby fresh from a length and three quarter victory in the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland on April 12th. Trained by Peter Eurton, his credentials also include a runner-up finish in Golden Gate’s El Camino Real Derby (G3) at three and second place finishes in both Santa Anita’s FrontRunner Stakes (G1) and the Del Mar Futurity (G1) at two. After breezing an eighth in :10 flat at the Under Tack Show for the 2013 OBS April Sale, he was purchased by Joseph Ciaglia, Jr. on the recommendation of Larry Zap and Eurton for $120,000 out of his breeder’s Best A Luck Farm consignment. The Florida-bred colt by Two Step Salsa, who drew the 12 post and will be ridden by Corey Naklatani, comes into the Derby with a 8-3-3-0 record and earnings of $680,050. watch his under tack video
Since his purchase by trainer Jose Garoffalo for $30,000 from Classic Bloodstock (Danzel Brendemuehl), Agent, at the 2013 OBS June Sale after an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5, Honors Stable Corp.’s Wildcat Red has never been worse than second, winning four of his seven starts. He comes into the race off a narrow loss to Constitution in the Florida Derby (G1) in March after winning the $415,000 Besilu Stables Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) over General a Rod, who he’ll meet for the fourth time in the Derby. The seventh OBS grad to win the Fountain of Youth, the Florida-bred colt by D’wildcat, who also has a victory in the Hutcheson Stakes (G3) on his resume, brings earnings of $690,850 to the Kentucky Derby. He will break from post 10 with Luis Saez aboard. watch his under tack video
On Friday, Arnold Zetcher LLC & Michael Tabor’s Fashion Plate will try to become the third OBS graduate to win the Kentucky Oaks, joining Blind Luck and Plum Pretty, who captured consecutive renewals in 2011 and 2012. Since breaking her maiden in late December, Fashion Plate took Santa Anita’s Las Virgenes Stakes (G1) in February then returned to defeat Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner Ria Antonia in the $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G1) on April 5th. Purchased by her trainer Simon Callaghan for $340,000 out of the de Meric Sales consignment at the 2013 OBS April Sale after the daughter of Old Fashioned sped an eighth in :9 4/5 at the Under Tack Show, she’s compiled a 5-3-0-1 record and has earned $459,250 en route to the Kentucky Oaks. watch her under tack video