Contenders Earn Derby Berths as Unbridled’s Song Wins Big

Skip Away and Zarb’s Magic ran their way into berths in the Kentucky Derby Saturday, but the horse they’ll have to beat, Unbridled’s Song, also won and he’ll show up as a big favorite on May 4 at Churchill Downs.

While Skip Away was winning the $700,000 Blue Grass Stakes by six lengths in a record time at Keeneland and Zarb’s Magic was scoring an 11-1 upset in the $500,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, Unbridled’s Song made his final Kentucky Derby prep an easy win in the $500,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.

Trainer Sonny Hine saddled Skip Away for a victory worth $434,000 in the Blue Grass, but he’s realistic about the assignment at Churchill Downs.

“My horse will make Unbridled’s Song run,” Hine said, “but Unbridled’s Song is at the top of the class right now.”

Hine remembers that Skip Away was third, beaten by 6 1/4 lengths, when Unbridled’s Song won the Florida Derby on March 16. Unbridled’s Song won the Wood by only 1 1/2 lengths over In Contention, but he was never under pressure and jockey Mike Smith only had to shake the reins at him through the stretch.

“He did what he had to do,” said Jim Ryerson, who trains Unbridled’s Song.

Unbridled’s Song is likely to be only the third odds-on betting choice for the Kentucky Derby since 1980. The other two, Easy Goer and Arazi, finished second and eighth, respectively, and the other obstacle for Unbridled’s Song’s is that he’ll be trying to become the first favorite to win the Derby since Spectacular Bid in 1979.

Unbridled’s Song, paying $2.40 to win, earned $300,000 for owner Ernie Paragallo in the Wood and increased his purse total to $1.2 million. He went by the pace-setter, Romano Gucci, with half a mile to go and finished the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49 4/5. After In Contention, the other finishers, in order, were Romano Gucci, Secreto De Estado, Feather Box and Harrowman.

Skip Away’s winning margin and his time of 1:47 1/5 for 1 1/8 miles puts him in some exclusive Blue Grass company. The time, over a wet but fast track, broke the stakes record of 1:47 2/5, set by Round Table in 1957, and the margin was the biggest for the race since Spectacular Bid’s seven-length win in 1979. Both Round Table and Spectacular Bid are in the Racing Hall of Fame.

Skip Away, who races for Carolyn Hine, the wife of the trainer, has been an improved horse since he was outfitted with blinkers and treated with Lasix, the medication for bleeders, this winter at Gulfstream Park.

“I undertrained him for the Florida Derby,” Sonny Hine said. “And then he had a bad trip in the race.”

On a Keeneland track that has favored front-runners, Ensign Ray and Skip Away battled for the lead on the backstretch while the jockeys of the other five horses waited. On the turn, Skip Away left Ensign Ray, and his rider, Shane Sellers, smelled victory.

“When we got to the turn for home, I felt that it was over,” Sellers said.

Louis Quatorze finished second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of the 19-10 favorite, Editor’s Note. Following them across the finish line were Draw, Diligence, Semoran and Ensign Ray.

Both of trainer Nick Zito’s horses, Louis Quatorze and Diligence, swerved and hit the gate at the start. Zito, who has won the Derby twice in the last five years, said that Louis Quatorze will run at Churchill Downs. Zito will have to talk with Diligence’s owner, George Steinbrenner, before a decision is made on that colt.

Bob Baffert, who trains Semoran, said that he won’t know until later this week whether the Derby is next. Semoran, who had been undefeated in four starts as a 3-year-old, was in third place early, but couldn’t keep up on the far turn. Baffert has a definite Kentucky Derby starter in Cavonnier, the Santa Anita Derby winner.

Editor’s Note, second in the Florida Derby, is also headed for Churchill Downs.

“This was a useful race for him and should set him up for the Kentucky Derby,” jockey Gary Stevens said. “We used him more early in this race than we usually do, and that took him out of his running style.”

Skip Away, who has three wins, three seconds and two thirds in 10 starts, paid $11.20 for $2 at Keeneland.

The Arkansas Derby was a reversal of the Louisiana Derby result a month ago. This time, Zarb’s Magic wouldn’t let Grindstone pass him in the stretch, and the Louisiana-bred won by a neck for jockey Ron Ardoin, with Halo Sunshine beating out Zanferrier in a photo for third place. Blow Out, trying to rally from the outside, was carried into the center of the track when the early leader, Jewelled Road, bolted. Blow Out finished fifth.

Grindstone, who beat Zarb’s Magic by 3 1/2 lengths in the Louisiana Derby, broke from the outside post in a 12-horse field Saturday, was carried wide into the first turn and was seventh early, farther back than he usually is.

Zarb’s Magic, running outside Louisiana for the first time, won his fifth race in 12 starts, paying $24.40 and running 1 1/8 miles in 1:49 1/5.

Zarb’s Magic, like Cavonnier and Alyrob, is a gelding. Alyrob, who finished second in the Santa Anita Derby before being disqualified to last, has no earnings in graded stakes and may qualify for the Kentucky Derby only if 20 or fewer horses want to run. The Derby hasn’t been won by a gelding since Clyde Van Dusen, trained by Clyde Van Dusen, won in 1929. More than two geldings haven’t run in a Derby since four competed in 1961.

Grindstone’s race left trainer Wayne Lukas with five Kentucky Derby hopefuls who have been beaten in their most recent races. Lukas, who has won the last five Triple Crown races, also trains Editor’s Note, and earlier his Honour And Glory and Prince Of Thieves ran third and sixth in the Santa Anita Derby and Victory Speech was third in the Jim Beam. Even before Saturday, Lukas was comforting himself with the reminder that Thunder Gulch, his Derby winner last year, had run only fourth in the Blue Grass.

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Horse Racing Notes

Argonnier, another of Bob Baffert’s 3-year-olds, lost by a nose to Regal Rhythm in Saturday’s San Pedro Stakes at Santa Anita. . . . In the next race, Bit Of Petrone won for the fifth time in seven starts at the meet and was claimed from trainer Richard Baltas by Fidel Cardiel for $12,500. . . . Pike Place Dancer, ridden by Corey Nakatani, won the $200,000 California Derby at Golden Gate Fields, becoming the first female to win the stake since Miz Clementine in 1954. Let Bob Do It finished second, 2 1/2 lengths back. Pike Place Dancer paid $3.60. . . . Jockey Julie Krone revealed that she will undergo a surgical procedure Monday at Saratoga Springs, N.Y., for the removal of what she described as precancerous tissue. Krone, 32, said she expected to be riding again by opening day at Belmont Park May 1.