AP News, March 11th, 2007
Another day of Kentucky Derby preps, another winning day for Todd Pletcher.
The nation's top trainer watched two of his many talented 3-year-olds come through Saturday as Circular Quay won the Louisiana Derby impressively, about an hour after Cowtown Cat took the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.
That gives Pletcher six different winners in six Derby preps this season. For a trainer looking for his first Derby win _ he's 0-for-14 since saddling his first starters in 2000 _ Pletcher has to feel pretty good about his chances to break through.
"At this point, March 10, the Derby is still a ways away," Pletcher said. "But this is by far the strongest hand we've had." The Derby is May 5.
Also among Todd's squad of Derby hopefuls are Fountain of Youth winner Scat Daddy, Sham winner Ravel, Sam F. Davis winner Any Given Saturday and Hutcheson winner King of the Roxy.
Next stop for Circular Quay could be a matchup against Nobiz Like Shobiz in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 7. Cowtown Cat's next start is undecided.
On a warm and sunny day at the Fair Grounds, Circular Quay finally found room to run and rolled to 2 1/4-length win over local favorite Ketchikan, with Zanjero another three lengths back in third place.
The win was a long time coming for Circular Quay, who last won six months ago but ran well in his next three starts despite several troubled trips.
It was clear sailing this time. The chestnut colt came from far back in the field of eight for his fourth victory in seven starts for owner Michael Tabor, who also owned the colt's sire, 1995 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Thunder Gulch.
Winning jockey John Velazquez took Circular Quay wide around the far turn, and the colt easily dispatched Ketchikan and Liquidity in the stretch.
"He always comes off the pace, he's that kind of horse," Tabor said. "You always have your heart in your mouth, but I think he's more focused now as a 3-year-old than he was last year."
Circular Quay, the 8-5 favorite, covered the 1 1-16 miles in 1:43.01. Imawildandcrazyguy was fourth, followed by Birdbirdistheword, Liquidity, Slew's Tizzy and Soaring By.
The winner paid $5.20, $3 and $2.20. Ketchikan paid $4.20 and $3.60, and Zanjero returned $4.20 to show.
In his last start, Circular Quay finished fifth in the Risen Star here although he nearly fell at the top of the stretch when the horse in front of him clipped heels and threw his rider. Circular Quay just about stopped running, but gathered himself for a strong finish.
Before that, he started poorly in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November but managed to finish second behind Street Sense.
"Finally, we got a good trip and we got it done," Velazquez said. "He really ran well. The last time (in the Risen Star), when he got going, everything happened in front of him. You can't get stopped at the quarter pole and start running again. Today, he did it without any trouble."
Pletcher has always bee high on Circular Quay.
"I think he has shown from day one that he's one of the best of his generation," Pletcher said. "Anyone who watched his last race knows he was the best horse in that race."
Circular Quay earned $360,000 to boost his bankroll to $1,147,434.
Only two Louisiana Derby winners have gone on to take the Kentucky Derby _ Grindstone in 1996 and Black Gold in 1924. Funny Cide finished third in the 2003 edition (later moved to second through a disqualification) before taking the Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
In earlier stakes at the Fair Grounds, the Pletcher-trained Master Command ($2.60) won the New Orleans Handicap by 3 1/2 lengths over Patriot Act; Einstein ($8.80) held off Cloudy's Knight for a half-length victory in the Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Handicap on the turf; and Mistical Plan ($16.40) ran off with an easy victory in the Louisiana Oaks for 3-year-old fillies.
