There are only three weeks until the Kentucky Derby, and Strong Contender still has not started in a single stakes race. He has not had a race around two turns or cracked US$36,000 in total earnings. He has a lot of catching up to do, a process that starts Saturday at Keeneland.
Despite his modest credentials, Strong Contender, a winner of his only two career starts, will be among the favorites in Saturday's US$750,000 Blue Grass Stakes. It will be an opportunity to prove that he is talented enough to overcome his inexperience.
The Blue Grass is one of two major Kentucky Derby prep races Saturday. It shares top billing with the US$1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park, where the morning-line favorite, Lawyer Ron, will attempt to extend his winning streak to six.
Not much has gone right for Strong Contender since he won his career debut last August at Arlington Park. Afterward, he incurred a small fracture in his left front shin and did not race again until a Feb. 22 allowance race at Gulfstream. He dominated 10 rivals that day, winning by four and a half lengths with Edgar Prado aboard.
Strong Contender's trainer, John Ward Jr., is hoping to get in three races before the Derby, which is a traditional way to prepare a horse for the May 6 race.
He pointed Strong Contender toward the Lane's End Stakes at Turfway Park on March 25, but the race was oversubscribed and Strong Contender did not have enough career earnings to get into the field. Forced to scramble, Ward shipped Strong Contender back to Florida and penciled in the Blue Grass.
But Ward, who won the 2001 Kentucky Derby with Monarchos, said Strong Contender was more experienced than his record would suggest.
"It's amazing how experienced he was when he won his second race," Ward said. "You'd be amazed at how good and how professional he was. Other horses challenged from the inside, from the outside. He had a lot of horses come at him. If we get the same performance out of him, we will be OK. I think we will be heading to the Kentucky Derby with a fresh horse."
Even with a victory Saturday, Strong Contender will have history working against him in the Kentucky Derby. The last time a horse won the Derby with three or fewer previous starts was in 1915.
"We don't need to go over there just to get a box for Derby Day," Ward said. "This horse does have talent, and we've known that all along. He is a late foal. He was born May 15, which makes you a little bit cautious about maturity. But he has done some exceptional things. He has done things that good, older handicap horses do."
The 1.8-mile Blue Grass has drawn a field of nine. First Samurai, who was placed first through disqualification in the Fountain of Youth, is the morning-line favorite. But given the opportunity to ride First Samurai or Strong Contender, Prado chose Strong Contender.
Lawyer Ron will be heavily favored against 13 others in the Arkansas Derby. His emergence from a struggling maiden to one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby has been one of the major stories of the spring.
He lost seven of his first eight starts, including a US$50,000 maiden claiming race. But all seven losses came on grass courses or the synthetic Polytrack surface at Turfway Park. He has not been beaten in six races on conventional dirt tracks. But his trainer, Bob Holthus, is not sure that the switch to the dirt has made the difference.
"I think he's matured physically," Holthus said. "He was kind of an immature colt when we first started racing him. It seems like around the first of December, he's just turned into a man. He really developed. He's a beautiful animal now. And he's probably 75 to 100 pounds heavier than he was the first of December. And with all of his racing and training he's had, that's kind of remarkable."
Holthus will also send out Red Raymond, who was second behind Lawyer Ron in the Rebel Stakes on March 18.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care