Kentucky Derby (was: Dunkirk)

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Powerscourt see this? Any idea how decent a maiden it was?

Dunkirk, $3.7 million Yearling, Romps

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]by Steve Haskin[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Date Posted: January 24, 2009
Last Updated: January 25, 2009[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Dunkirk, a $3.7 million yearling purchase owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, made that price look like a potential bargain when he overcame traffic problems, swung six wide and blew his opposition away in his career debut at Gulfstream Park.

The 3-year-old gray son of Unbridled's Song, out of 2000 Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Secret Status, by A.P. Indy, drew off at will from his 11 opponents to win by 5 3/4 lengths, covering the seven furlongs in 1:25 flat over a track that was playing slow for the first five races.

Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Edgar Prado, Dunkirk, who was sold at the 2007 Keeneland September sale by Lane's End Farm as agent, had been working steadily at Palm Meadows since last November. The colt was sent off as the 8-5 favorite. Longshots Santana Six and Spanish Fortune finished second and third, respectively.

Prado kept Dunkirk in seventh behind horses through quick opening fractions of :22.35 and :45.34. Blocked by a wall of horses, Prado moved out but was unable to find any holes. He then swung him six wide, and Dunkirk quickly leveled off and stormed to the lead, drawing off with every stride.
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I´ve seen the race and to be honest, I am not very impressed.
He didn´t have a good trip and had to switch to the outside of the field. He quickened well in the strench, but the fractions were slow and he has a huge long stride. I very much doubt he is Derby material, but looking forward to see him again in a better field.
 
It was a nice introduction for him and he was doing his best work at the end despite trouble in running. He will appreciate a longer trip too but I doubt if he beat much in that race. Be interesting to see how he gets on in his next. Will probably go for a Derby prep race.

Good to see Edgar Prago back riding for Team Coolmore again.
 
Dunkirk, the highest-priced yearling sold at a North American public auction in 2007, gained command near the quarter pole and posted a 4 3/4-length win in a $37,000 allowance race on Thursday at Gulfstream Park.
Hung at least five wide on the first turn, Dunkirk tracked the pace in the field of ten through a quarter-mile in :23.55 and half-mile in :47.39 under Garrett Gomez. After moving up to third through six furlongs in 1:11.70, two lengths off the pace, Dunkirk gained command on the turn, and opened a two-length in early stretch.
Increasing his advantage in the closing strides, Dunkirk won the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:50.15 on a track rated as fast as the 6-to-5 favorite.
Gomez flew in from Southern California to ride Dunkirk.
“I got pushed wide on the [first] turn, but when I asked him he was super,” Gomez said. “That’s the way a special horse responds. He did what I asked of him and pulled us out of a little trouble.”
A $3.7-million purchase by Demi O’Byrne, the three-year-old Unbridled's Song colt was the sale topper at the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale
Dunkirk entered Thursday’s race off a 5 3/4-length debut win in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race on January 24 at Gulfstream. Todd Pletcher trains the colt for Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.
Pletcher said he was very pleased with the way the colt ran.
“It was a lot to ask to go from one seven-eighths race to a mile and an eighth against a stakes-quality field, and then he got carried very wide in the first turn,” Pletcher said. “But he overcame it all with no problem.”
Pletcher said the Florida Derby (G1) on March 29 at Gulfstream would be a likely choice for Dunkirk's stakes debut.
Bred in Kentucky by William S. Farish, James Elkins, and Temple Webber Jr., Dunkirk is one of two winners from three starters out of the multiple Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Secret Status, a full sister to multiple Grade 3 winner Alumni Hall.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
 
dunkirk2-bcog.jpg
 
Sue Magnier will have named him. Odd to see their colours in the US outside of an O'Brien raid.
 
Anyone for a grey trifecta on the first Saturday in May?

It could be on the cards - Dunkirk, Stardom Found and Old Fashioned :)
 
Nice idea IS! Remind us at the time LOL

I must say Trudi I think he looks lovely too - fantastic deep chest
(though I don't like those white bridles, esp with different coloured reins!)

I wonder if he will stick to artificial or be seen soon on turf? I guess it's an out and out dirt pedigree? (sorry I'm not too hot on US pedigrees and form)
 
His pedigree is pure dirt HS - he's been running on dirt so far and other than maybe a trip to California for the BC Classic I see no reason to run him on anything other than conventional dirt :)
 
That's what I thought, but thanks for the info. it will be interesting to watch how he does.
I love watching anything with Halfbridled in the immediate pedigree, prob because of the great Julie Krone riding him at the Breeders Cup
 
Indeed! Blame the time of night LOL (though we all know about my scrambled memory)
Thanks for the furhter and better particulars!
 
No you were right about that bit HS - Julie Krone did ride Halfbridled, she was the first female jockey to win a Breeders Cup race on her on that brilliant night in Santa Anita in 2003. I remember it well!
 
Connections of Dunkirk are running pacemaker Europe ($2.6 million purchase maiden) to insure Quality Road does not get an easy lead in the Floriday Derby on Saturday.

Because he has no graded stakes earnings, Dunkirk would need to finish first or second to ensure a spot in the May 2 Kentucky Derby. He has been installed as the 9/5 fav.

$750,000 Florida Derby (gr. I, Race 10, 5:44 p.m.), 3-Year-Olds, 1 1/8 Miles
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Toby the Coal Man (KY), 122, Julien R. Leparoux
2. Quality Road (VA), 122, John R. Velazquez
3. Casey's On Call (FL), 122, E. T. Baird
4. Dunkirk (KY), 122, Garrett K. Gomez
5. Sincero (FL), 122, Elvis Trujillo
6. Theregoesjojo (KY), 122, Kent J. Desormeaux
7. Danger to Society (KY), 122, Mario Madrid
8. Europe (KY), 122, Christopher P. DeCarlo
9. Stately Character (KY), 122, Rene R. Douglas
 
Another really interesting race for this weekend.

Of course a lot can happen between now and Derby day, but I think that finishing second will not earn enough graded stakes earning to guarantee a place for Dunkirk in the big race. He must win the Florida Derby if he wants to take part in the KY Derby.
 
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