Post Derby

Animal Kingdom proved very strong on Saturday.  Here are some thoughts as I watch the replays and read some of the post chat wraps.

Watch the NBC.com Blimp view of the race.  Animal Kingdom had the "street sense" trip.  Amazingly he never encountered any trouble or had to alter course in the 10 furlongs of the race, if he is stopped or steadied even once on the backstretch it changes the whole outcome of the race.  Credit to the jockey, but soometimes things just happen.

For a 19 horse field, it was a well-behaved bunch.  They all loaded in the gate without fanfare and a good honest trip for everyone.

The pace was fair for a 10 furlong race, but slow for a Kentucky Derby pace, in recent years fast paces have stopped many horses.  This year's crop doesn't have any real "speed balls"  the horses new to Pimlico don't offer any speed to that race as well.

Do we need any more proof that speed figures on the poly are a waste of time?  I'm not sure if the Animal improved from a 94 to a 103.  I think he may have run a 96 and everyone else regressed at the 10 furlong distance.

Nehro has run three strong races in six weeks.  With this crop that is the most consistent everyone has been.

10 preps leading up to the derby and the non-favorite won.  The Derby makes it eleven.  I'm pretty sure the Preakness will make it twelve.

Animal Kingdom shows that a strong outcross of breeding may need what American racing needs to put some new "blood" in the classics.  Four generations of German Breeding makes the Animal Kingdom, unique in his own crop.

As impressive as Animal Kingdom was while running wide, the race did play into someone making a strong outside move.  The only horse who won on the lead on Saturday was the Baffert first time starter.

14 horses are going to line up in Marlyand, the the popularity of the Triple Crown continues, hopefully nice weather awaits as well.