D. Wayne Lukas - KY Derby, or bust?

[horses4courses]

Titletown Five goes to post for Saturday night's Derby Trial.
It's a "win and you're in - maybe" situation for a horse that lost months of preparation due to a knee chip.
That would give Lukas three horses in the gate on May 4th; Oxbow and Will Take Charge being the other two.

http://www.drf.com/news/kentucky-derby-must-win-situation-titletown-five-derby-trial



What do you think of the Lukas approach?
Assuming that a horse can win the Derby Trial this weekend, and make the top-20,
do you think it's in the best interest of the horse to run a week later?
Does the man (one of the most successful Derby trainers of all time) know what he's doing, or is it merely an ego trip?

[Beachbabe]

Titletown Five goes to post for Saturday night's Derby Trial.
It's a "win and you're in - maybe" situation for a horse that lost months of preparation due to a knee chip.
That would give Lukas three horses in the gate on May 4th; Oxbow and Will Take Charge being the other two.

http://www.drf.com/news/kentucky-derby-must-win-situation-titletown-five-derby-trial



What do you think of the Lukas approach?
Assuming that a horse can win the Derby Trial this weekend, and make the top-20,
do you think it's in the best interest of the horse to run a week later?
Does the man (one of the most successful Derby trainers of all time) know what he's doing, or is it merely an ego trip?

With Lukas, who knows? Although it would be refreshing to see a horse win the Derby off a short rest rather than the interminable race-spacing that's so prevalent nowadays.
Anyway, though I'm not a big Lukas fan, I voted that the connections know what they're doing. :confused:

[Striker]

After reading the article it would seem that he will send the horse named after former Green Bay Packer(#5) Paul Hornung right into the derby if he wins. Lukas has done okay with the races 2 weeks before the derby with Charismatic, who won the derby, and Proud Citizen, who got 2nd, so anything can happen I guess.

[DJofSD]

I think Derby 114 was a long time ago and I wish DWL the best of luck. IOW, no way, Jose.

[mountainman]

Anyway, though I'm not a big Lukas fan, I voted that the connections know what they're doing. :confused:

Nice guy, gracious, down-to-earth and easy to deal with. With some famous trainers, you gulp, steel yourself and rehearse your spiel before phoning them. Not with Lukas. He immediately sets you at ease.

[Beachbabe]

Nice guy, gracious, down-to-earth and easy to deal with. With some famous trainers, you gulp, steel yourself and rehearse your spiel before phoning them. Not with Lukas. He immediately sets you at ease.

Mountain...I said I'm not a big Lukas fan. However I don't hate him as some others do. Anyway, what you said about him is nice to know. I'll give him points for being one of the nice guys.

[Tom]

I like Ruble in the Trail.
Good form, good at the one turn mile.

Not impressed with Lukas's horse or Baffert's.

[Tom]

Pletcher 1-2. Oh boy, how nice. :rolleyes:

[Beachbabe]

So much for "Pletcher can't win at Churchill".

[Tom]

When he is facing Maiden and NW1 winners at a one turn mile, maybe.
This race has nothing in common with the Derby.
You won't find either of those two tonight in the front half of the field next week.

[rastajenk]

When he is facing Maiden and NW1 winners at a one turn mile, maybe.
This race has nothing in common with the Derby.Sure it does. The winner gets tested by the same lab. That was the main point of the Pletcher/Churchill thread, if I recall. The same lab that would have tested his four winners from nine starts at Keeneland this month, by the way.

It's almost as if someone in the lab stealthily gave Todd the GO sign to open his big bag of medical chicanery. :eek:

[PaceAdvantage]

Sure it does. The winner gets tested by the same lab. That was the main point of the Pletcher/Churchill thread, if I recall. The same lab that would have tested his four winners from nine starts at Keeneland this month, by the way.

It's almost as if someone in the lab stealthily gave Todd the GO sign to open his big bag of medical chicanery. :eek:It's amazing how continually bashed Pletcher gets here...despite his last reported CAREER "starts per medication violation" number being RIGHT IN LINE WITH BILL MOTT.

Good thing Baffert is starting to catch some heat here lately, because his career starts per med violation number was one of the worst on the list, only behind Ness and Dutrow...

Which begs the question...with such DISPARITY between them in terms of actual violations per start, why would Pletcher be such a magnet for this type of criticism over Baffert, who, according to the NY Times, is a far worse violator of the medication rules?

[wisconsin]

Nice guy, gracious, down-to-earth and easy to deal with. With some famous trainers, you gulp, steel yourself and rehearse your spiel before phoning them. Not with Lukas. He immediately sets you at ease.


Struck up a conversation with him at Turfway. He took the time to talk about 5-10 minutes. I never asked for anything, not even a tip. Talked mostly about Serena's Song. Very friendly man.

[PaceAdvantage]

Call Lukas what you will...the one thing he has always been is accessible, and a great ambassador for the game.

[SharpCat]

Call Lukas what you will...the one thing he has always been is accessible, and a great ambassador for the game.


Agreed.

[Valuist]

Its irrelevant now but seemed like a "hey look at me publicity stunt". Derby Trial horses are not serious KY Derby horses. Just because a horse might qualify doesn't mean they should run.

[dilanesp]

Assuming that a horse can win the Derby Trial this weekend, and make the top-20,
do you think it's in the best interest of the horse to run a week later?

It hasn't happened recently, but way back when horses used to run in the Derby Trial or the Stepping Stone Purse and then win the Derby a week later. I don't think anyone's won the Derby on 7 days rest in a long time, though Alysheba and Charismatic, I believe, won it on 11 days rest (the Lexington Stakes used to be run closer to the date of the Derby). Conquistador Cielo, I believe, wheeled back into the Belmont(!) on 5 days rest and destroyed the field

There's no magical reason why horses can't run more often than they do. Modern trainers don't like to do it for various reasons (some legitimate, many not). But actually, now that they have the point system, I suspect we may eventually see another horse use the Derby Trial to qualify for the Derby and then win it.

[horses4courses]

It hasn't happened recently, but way back when horses used to run in the Derby Trial or the Stepping Stone Purse and then win the Derby a week later. I don't think anyone's won the Derby on 7 days rest in a long time, though Alysheba and Charismatic, I believe, won it on 11 days rest (the Lexington Stakes used to be run closer to the date of the Derby). Conquistador Cielo, I believe, wheeled back into the Belmont(!) on 5 days rest and destroyed the field

There's no magical reason why horses can't run more often than they do. Modern trainers don't like to do it for various reasons (some legitimate, many not). But actually, now that they have the point system, I suspect we may eventually see another horse use the Derby Trial to qualify for the Derby and then win it.

Good post :ThmbUp:

[wisconsin]

It hasn't happened recently, but way back when horses used to run in the Derby Trial or the Stepping Stone Purse and then win the Derby a week later. I don't think anyone's won the Derby on 7 days rest in a long time, though Alysheba and Charismatic, I believe, won it on 11 days rest (the Lexington Stakes used to be run closer to the date of the Derby). Conquistador Cielo, I believe, wheeled back into the Belmont(!) on 5 days rest and destroyed the field

There's no magical reason why horses can't run more often than they do. Modern trainers don't like to do it for various reasons (some legitimate, many not). But actually, now that they have the point system, I suspect we may eventually see another horse use the Derby Trial to qualify for the Derby and then win it.

Alysheba won the Derby 9 days after running in the Bluegrass, which used to be run on a Thursday.

[Tom]

Alysheba won the Derby 9 days after running in the Bluegrass, which used to be run on a Thursday.


http://horseracing.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=horseracing&cdn=sports&tm=73&f=00&su=p284.13.342.ip_p504.6.342.ip_&tt=11&bt=8&bts=81&zu=http%3A//www.hitak.com/home/alydar/alysheba.html

[lamboguy]

after finding out about his horses works, i would say that all the D.Wayne horses have no chance this year.

[johnhannibalsmith]

after finding out about his horses works, i would say that all the D.Wayne horses have no chance this year.

Didn't attack the feed tub afterwards?

[lamboguy]

Didn't attack the feed tub afterwards?lets put it this way, this race has been bi-sected and di-sected properly just in case i can find some mistakes. and this years Kentucky Derby don't have to many mistakes from the better horses. even Pletcher is putting out all legit good horses this time around.