Take Charge Indy, riden by Calvin Borel, races down the final streatch during the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on March 31, 2012 in Hallandale, Florida. (Matthew Stockman, Getty Images)
(PhatzRadio / AP) — HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Thoroughbred racing fans looked for Union Rags to use Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby to stamp himself as an overwhelming favorite for the Run for the Roses.
It was not to be.
Take Charge Indy capitalized on a speed-favoring track and jockey Calvin Borel provided another memorable rail-hugging ride to fend off Reveron by a length. Union Rags, who had dominated the Fountain of Youth Stakes by four lengths in his only previous start as a 3-year-old, made a belated move to finish third.
“I think he will improve,” Borel said after their wire-to-wire score. “He’s a colt you want to be looking at for the Derby, I’ll tell you that.”
Owner Chuck Sandford believes track conditions had worked against his colt in some previous starts. They were much more favorable at Gulfstream Park, where horses on or near the lead thrived throughout the warm afternoon.
Sandford pointed to Borel as he said, “The rail was just golden, and there is nobody better than this guy with those conditions.” Borel is so well known for taking the quickest route home that his nickname is “Bo-rail.”
In an unprecedented stretch, Borel owns three victories in the last five runnings of the Kentucky Derby. He broke through with Street Sense (2007), then tacked on victories with long shot Mine That Bird (2009) and Super Saver (2010).
Take Charge Indy needed a top-two finish to ensure that he would have enough graded stakes earnings to qualify for what is typically a full field of 20 horses on the first Saturday in May.
“We were going win, lose or draw,” said Sandford. “I just didn’t know if Indy was going.”
Trainer Patrick Byrne had waited patiently for the son of A.P. Indy to fulfill his potential.
“If I said it once, I said it 100 times. This horse will only get better in time,” Byrne said.
Take Charge Indy ran away with his debut last July 30 at Arlington Park in Chicago, prevailing by 6 ½ lengths. In his previous Grade 1 efforts, he ran fourth in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., before he needed to be steadied and came home fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs.
Borel gained the mount when the dark bay or brown colt placed second in an allowance race at Gulfstream in his 3-year-old debut on Jan. 29. He surrendered the lead that day to be two lengths behind El Padrino, another Florida Derby starter. El Padrino lacked a late punch this time and was fourth for jockey Javier Castellano.
Julien Leparoux, who was aboard Union Rags, noted that Castellano kept him pinned inside for most of the backstretch run during the 1 1/8-mile contest.
“Nobody paid attention to the winner. They just let him go,” Leparoux said. “I guess they just target the favorite.”
Union Rags, whose misfortune started when he lost a right hind shoe in the paddock that had to be reattached, received overwhelming support at the betting windows. He was sent off at 2-5. Take Charge Indy paid $17.40 for a $2 win wager.
Michael Matz, who trained Barbaro to a 2006 Florida Derby victory and had hoped to follow that path with Union Rags, said Leparoux blamed himself rather than the horse.
“He said he should have been closer the way the track has been right now,” Matz said. “Horses aren’t coming back.
“Pat’s horse got an easy lead and he got a head start on me and we just didn’t get him. Julien said he just didn’t get out in time.”
Participation in the Florida Derby has often been a precursor to success. In the first 60 editions, 40 starters went on to win 55 Triple Crown races. The group is comprised of 21 Kentucky Derby champions, 19 Preakness winners and 15 Belmont Stakes victors.
Willa B Awesome wins Santa Anita Oaks
ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) – Willa B Awesome edged Reneesgotzip by a nose to win the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday.
Ridden by Martin Pedroza, Willa B Awesome ran 1 1-16 miles in 1:42.47 and paid $29.20, $7 and $2.40 at 13-1 odds. Reneesgotzip returned $3.80 and $2.10, while 1-2 favorite Eden’s Moon was another 1½ lengths back in third and paid $2.10 to show.
Derby Gold, trained by Bob Baffert, won the $200,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for California-bred 3-year-olds, while 11-1 shot Warren’s Amber rallied between horses to win the $200,000 Evening Jewel Stakes for fillies.
Willa B Awesome’s victory, worth $180,000, increased her career earnings to $428,896, with four wins in 12 starts.
Derby Gold’s win in the Echo Eddie salvaged a tough day for Baffert, who was in Dubai recovering from a heart attack on Monday. His Game On Dude and The Factor were soundly beaten in their rich races there, while Eden’s Moon failed to deliver for the Hall of Famer in the Santa Anita Oaks.
“This saves the day,” said Jim Barnes, Baffert’s assistant, who saddled Derby Gold to a three-length victory.
Derby Gold and Martin Garcia covered 6½ furlongs in 1:14.77 and paid $21.40, $8.40 and $6.20. The Black returned $4 and $3.60, while Real Conundrum was another 1¼ lengths back in third and paid $10.40 to show.
Derby Gold earned $110,000, increasing his career earnings to $121,200, with one win in two starts.
In the Evening Jewel, Warren’s Amber won by three-quarters of a length over Starlight Magic, covering the 6½ furlongs in 1:15.97. The winner rallied from 10th in the field of 11 to earn her second win in seven starts under 19-year-old Eswan Flores.
Warren’s Amber paid $24.20, $8.40 and $5.80. Starlight Magic returned $3.60 and $3.20, while 59-1 River Kiss paid $15.40 to show.
Horse Racing Recap: Take Charge Indy pulls off Florida Derby upset is a post from: PhatzRadio.com
