LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Nick Zito will be rooting from the
sidelines during the Kentucky Derby.
This marks the second year in a row that Zito, a two-time Derby
winning trainer, failed to get a horse into the race. He'll be
pulling for a horse and a person strongly connected with his past
success.
"One is Nobiz Like Shobiz because Albert the Great is the
father and Go for Gin is his grandfather," Zito said.
The sire and grandsire were both stakes winners for Zito. Go For
Gin was his second Derby winner in 1994, following Strike the Gold
in 1991.
The other rooting interest is Teuflesberg, trained and co-owned
by Zito's former exercise rider and assistant trainer Jamie
Sanders. This is Sanders first Derby horse since striking out on
her own in 2005.
"She's terrific. What can I tell you?", Zito said.
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^WELL COACHED:@ Robby Albarado has been well coached heading
into the Derby.
The jockey will be aboard unbeaten Curlin, the 7-2 morning-line
favorite. Albarado consults regularly with childhood pal Jake
Delhomme, the Carolina Panthers quarterback.
They talk several times a week.
"I asked Jake if it's possible to be too confident," Albarado
said. "He said `Absolutely not. If you're not confident, you're
not successful.' He should know."
Albarado has reason to be confident. Curlin crushed the
competition in his three races by a combined 28½ lengths. Delhomme
led the Panthers to the Super Bowl four seasons ago.
Albarado is winless in eight Derby starts. His best finish was
third last year aboard Steppenwolfer.<
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^LONG ODDS:@ Long-shot players take heart -- your day has
arrived.
The Kentucky Derby is traditionally one of the least predictable
races. Only two betting favorites have won in the last 27 editions
of the 1\-mile classic for 3-year-olds.
The payoffs can be huge: Giacomo paid $102.60 to win two years
ago.
The history of upsets encourages trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who
sends out Bwana Bull, 50-1 on the morning line.
This will be the third Derby starter for the Northern California
trainer. His best finish was fifth by Eye of the Tiger in 2003.
Bwana Bull was entered in the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs
last Saturday, but scratched for the bigger prize -- a decision
Hollendorfer does not regret.
"Too many things were going against us, so we decided to get
out and run in the Derby instead," he said. "The way the winner
ran (Flying First Class), I'm glad we didn't run. I don't think
anyone could have beaten him that day."
How many can Bwana Bull beat in the Derby's 20-horse field?
More than most suspect, according to Hollendorfer, who points to
Bwana Bull's fifth-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby.
"My horse made a little run, but he was a little farther back
than we probably wanted," Hollendorfer said. "His race was
probably a little bit better than it looked."
Before the Santa Anita Derby, Bwana Bull had three straight
wins, including victories in the El Camino Real Derby at Bay
Meadows and California Derby at Golden Gate Fields.
Hollendorfer has won over 4,000 races.
Javier Castellano, seventh on Bellamy Road in his lone Derby
appearance in 2005, will ride Bwana Bull for the first time,
replacing Hall of Famer Russell Baze.<
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^A BRIEF SCARE:@ Santa Anita Derby winner Tiago narrowly avoided
a mishap Friday morning shortly after he stepped onto the muddy
track for a routine gallop.
The pony who accompanied him took a brief stumble and Tiago
instinctively wheeled away from potential trouble. Exercise rider
Frankie Herrarte alertly responded, tightening the reins to quickly
get Tiago back under control.
"Fortunately, the rider stayed on," trainer John Shirreffs
said. "You watch it happen and hope everything turns out OK. The
unexpected is always there with horses."
Tiago completed his 1½ mile gallop without further incident.
Shirreffs will be looking for his second Derby win following
Giacomo, Tiago's half brother. They share the same dam, Set Them
Free. Holy Bull sired Giacomo, Pleasant Tap produced Tiago.<
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^A DERBY HAT:@ Larry Jones, Hard Spun's trainer, has been
wearing a trademark cowboy hat for as long as he can remember.
"I've been wearing one since I was about 4," said the native
of Hopkinsville, Ky. "As small as they made them, I had them on."
Jones briefly went bareheaded when he first starting training in
1982.
"I tried to get away from it," Jones said. "I was trying to
please too many people. I gave up on that and went back to being
me."<
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^THE JUVENILE LINK:@ While no Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner has
captured the Kentucky Derby, the two races are tightly linked this
year.
A record six horses from the Juvenile are in the Derby field:
Street Sense, the Breeders' Cup winner; Circular Quay; Great
Hunter; Scat Daddy; Stormello and Teuflesburg.
The previous record was five in the 1987 Derby.
Spend a Buck (1985), Alysheba (1987) and Sea Hero (1993) are the
three Derby winners who raced in the Juvenile the previous year.