Zayat Karma strikes again!

Did you hear something Sunday morning? That my friends was people tearing up their Derby future tickets with Eskendereya on them. Today, Esky was declared out of this year's Derby due to an injury. For now, Jackson Bend is on the bubble and Backtalk could be the last horse out. The reason why I say for now is that if Interactif and Devil May Care both go to the Derby (Instead of American Turf and the Oaks repectivly), then both he and Paddy O Prado would be out. Before I talk about why I think Interactif belongs, but Devil May Care doesn't in a paragraph, however I'm going to explain why I think Esky's departure is a case of a little thing I call Zayat Karma.

If you remember from last year, Ahmed Zayat and Mark Allen tried to pull a stunt which would have left Rachel Alexandra on the outside looking in for the Preakness. This would have given Zayat's Pioneerof the Nile, the runner up from the Derby a better chance to turn the table on Allen and Dr. Lenoard Blach's Mine That Bird who won the Derby. MTB would have gotten back his jockey Calvin Borel. Of course that was foiled by Marylou Whitney how said she would not enter Luv Gov if it was going to keep Rachel out. Rachel got in, and well the rest they say is history. Since then, things haven't gone exactly right for Zayat. Here is an example:

• Pioneerof the Nile retiring due to injury after the Preakness
• Thorn Song bolting in a stakes race, then going MIA (I believe he is at a hospital in California right now)
• Zensational losing the BC Sprint, then losing the Eclipse for Male Sprinter to Kodiak Kowboy.
• And to top it off, he got sued

So things have not gone Ahmed Zayat's way.

The two horses to keep an eye on if they go are Interactif and Devil May Care, both are trained by Todd Pletcher (as are Rule (who is now questionable for the Derby, hopefully he pulls out. I think a mile and quarter is too far for him. Plus he had a horrible work yesterday dispite getting the bullet), Super Saver, Mission Impazable, Esky and Discreetly Mine). Interactif is owned by the same connections of Goldikova, the 2 time BC Mile winner. While he hasn't won this year, Interactif has something that Sidney's Candy doesn't: a win over dirt. He probley is a little bit better on turf/synth, but he's by Broken Vow who of course is the sire of Unbridled Belle (another Pletcher trainee), out of a Broad Brush mare who in turn is out of the great late Personal Ensign. So he's got the female family to go a mile and quarter and he's got a sire who has a G1 winner who has won at a mile and a quarter. Devil May Care however, should not. Dispite being by Malibu Moon out of Regal Ransom mare, I'm not sold of her going. Her half brother is Regal Ransom, and dispite being by one of the hottest sires around in Distorted Humor, he failed at the two times he ran at a mile and a quarter. The other thing is, she has been inconsistant throughout her career. Yes she's a G1 winner, but since then she has put together 1 good race, defeating Amen Hallujah who is likely a sprinter, and Christine Daae who ended up being overhyped. Yes DMC is running faster then the males in workouts, however races are a different monster. She's not even the best 3yo filly, that honor belongs to Blind Luck who should also be Derby bound, but will be the overwhelming favorite for the Oaks instead.

While I'm not a huge huge fan of fillies going against the boys (yes I know it's done in Europe and it was done in the US more often before, but that's not the point I'm making), I can understand why they want to face the boys now. However I would love to see DMC in the Preakness, if they want to take on the boys. Yes it's a sixteenth shorter then the Derby, but it's a smaller field (only 14 are allowed, which is the same for the Oaks and Belmont as well), most of the runners are also rans, the winner, and fresh faces, and she would have 1 extra day of rest then the rest of the field. With that being said, this year's Preakness maybe tougher then useal because horses such as Backtalk, Sutsuko maybe left out. We'll find out tomorrow where she lands.

As for this weekend's races, it was a matter of what the heck happend to D' Funnybone? He got a horrendous ride in the Withers. I'm happy for Afleet Again after throwing some clunkers, and Ibboyee, all that work and he settles for second and how about the third place finsher. IMO Ibboyee is now the best 3yo sprinter (IMO Afleet Again can run at longer distances), with D' Funnybone being a little bit behind. With that being said, at a shorter distance I think D' Funnybone can turn the tables on Afleet Again. At Churchill, Calvin Borel showed... that he's the King of Churchill! Now if things go his way on Friday on a certin 4yo filly, we could see her back in the Winners Circle (it was confirmed that Rachel will go the La Trioanne next).

And with that, Derby Week offically begins. Everyday until except Thursday which will be the Live Chat and Saturday also a chat day, a new post will be posted. So check back tomorrow for Derby talk.

Predicitions for the Eclipse Awards

Yes they aren't given out till January, but here are my predictions for this year's Eclipse Award winners except for Horse of the Year. I'll give my explination on why I'm not choosing that catagory at the end.

2yo Female- She Be Wild (Offlee Wild)
A filly who raised from what I call the "ugly ducklings" (maiden claimers) to "beautiful swans" (stakes races), this filly started her career in a 40k maiden claimer, finished second in a G1 before winning the BC Juvenile Fillies. She also got a bit of luck on her side after California's top filly Mi Sueno suffered a career ending injury and New York's best filly Hot Dixie Chick skipped the BC after winning the Spinaway up at Saratoga. Her trainer Wayne Catalano is no stranger to training top fillies, as he also trained 2006 BC Juvenile Fillies winner Dreaming of Anna (Rahy).

2yo Male- Lookin at Lucky (Smart Strike)
Normally the BC Juvenile winner would win this award, however this won't be the case this year. With the winner of the race, a Euro who will be wintering in Dubai, Lucky gets it as he won 2 G1 races and was undefeated until the BC. His form over to dirt should not be a problem as his big bro is G2 winner Kensei (Mr. Greeley).

3yo Female- Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d' Oro)
Dear Eclipse voters,
If one Rachel Alexandra Morrison-Jackson is not an unanimous champion, then I think you should lose your voting previliges
Love a Rachel Alexandra fan

Just kidding ;). In all seriousness she should be unanimous dispite Careless Jewel (Tapit) coming on mid-Summer and winning the DE Oaks and Alabama. Rachel this year did something that no female could do, win the Woodward. And she did it fighting off Macho Again (Macho Uno) and Bullsbay (Tiznow). Plus she became the first female to win the Preakness in 85 years, the second female to win the Haskell and she almost broke the 2 track records (Belmont and Monmouth). All this after she romped home by 20 1/2 lengths in the KY Oaks.

3yo Male: Summer Bird (Birdstone)
Really known as the "Other Bird" from after the Derby until his Travers win. Still to become the first horse since Easy Goer to take the Belmont, Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup in the sam year is quite an accomplishment. Unfortnally with his career no in doubt, we may never know how good he exactly is.

Older Male: Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat)
Really he wins this by default, as this was one of the worst older male classes in a while. However, the good news is he's coming back next year and hopefully we'll see him in the Classic again (I also think he'll do fine on dirt).

Older Female: Zenyatta (Street Cry (IRE))
Dear Eclipse voters,
If Zenyatta Mondatta Moss is not an unanimous champion, then I think you lose your voting previligies.
Love a Zenyatta fan

Just kidding (again) ;). Like Rachel, if Zen is not unanimous it would be a shame. After all she did become the first female ever to win the Breeders' Cup Classic. This in her first try against the boys, in her final race ever (there hasn't been an "offical announcement", but Jerry Moss did say that the Classic was her final race).

Male Sprinter: Zensational (Unbridled's Song)
This is one that is really up in the air and could come down to who did more this year. While Kodiak Kowboy (Posse) will have his supporters, but this guy was just wow all year. His downside is he did finish 5th in BC Sprint to a longshot, and he did retire before he really hit his prime.

Female Sprinter: Informored Decidsion (Monarchos)
It pains me to say this girl deserves it, but she does. I'm sorry, I never could get on board with her, to me she just seems to be a synth specialist. It's really a shame that Music Note (A.P. Indy) wasn't in the BC F/M Sprint as I think she would have won going away. Keep an eye on Sara Louise (Malibu Moon), next year though as she could be a huge factor.

Turf Female: Ventura (Chester House)
This is another up in air situations, but it reality it comes down to this girl and Goldikova (IRE) (Anaaba). And since the 2 time Mile winner is coming back to try for three in a row, I would love to see Ventura get it. She lost by a nose to Gio Ponti, got two tough beats by Informed Decidsion, however was able to beat the boys in the Woodbine Mile and just wrapped up her career in the Matriach. I'm not 100% sure if she'll take it, but I sure hope so.

Turf Male: Gio Ponti (Tale of the Cat)
Had he been in the Turf instead of the Classic, he would have been America's best hope. He won 5 G1's in a roe from a mile to a mile and half. Including outside of of the Turf, the biggest race in the Arlington Million.

Wow that was impressive

Two stakes races this weekend impressed me. The first one was yesterday's UN, when defending champ Presious Passion opened up by almost Secretariat numbers and set a course record in the process. And please tell me why Court Vision was in that race? A mile and a quarter is his max distance. The other one was today's American Oaks, where Gozzip Girl won very impressivly over a nice field. While she doesn't have a chance to win 3yo Champion Filly (That was sewn up in May), she could make some noise on the turf female divison in the upcoming years. Also winning G1's this weekend where Cat Moves and Zenzational (with Zenzational beating older males, he and Tom Fool winner Munnings could meet up in the King's Bishop which could detirmine the top sprinter in the country. Of course this is my hope. Cat Moves will face Justwhistledixie in the Test next).

The DelCap and Del Oaks nominations closed yesterday, I'm hoping that the lists will go up tomarrow. Also Musket Man is done for the year with a bone bruise :(.

Next weekend: Man O War (this was the race Curlin lost to Red Rocks in), Princess Rooney (the return of Indian Blessing after her destarious US seasonal debut) and the Smile (Benny the Bull continues his comeback).

In other news, I've started to recieve e-mails about my query for retirement stories. To read the orginal post, click here. I may start them in a few weeks, instead of waiting until November. I hope everyone had a great 4th of July!