@ThorobredZone: Kentucky Derby 2015 Top 12

2015 ThoroughbredZone’s Kentucky Derby 12 is back! Same format as in previous years. Name, sire, dam, damsire, date of birth, and the original purchase price if available. A tie at the top! American Pharoah and Dortmund. Thats a first. More Kentucky Derby links are available at the bottom of this post.

A Kentucky Derby 141 Close Up & Preview Coming

ThoroughbredZone’s Kentucky Derby 12

April 30, 2015

1) Dortmund - Big Brown Our Josephina by Tale of the Cat (Feb 12) $90,000 Bob Baffert has two formidable thoroughbreds in this years Kentucky Derby. The imposing son of Big Brown is a perfect 6 for 6 in his career. He lost a shoe in the Santa Anita Derby, but still won drawing away. He ran an impressive race, battling back to beat Firing Line in the Robert Lewis Stakes. He certainly looks the part.

1) American Pharoah - Pioneer of the Nile Parlez by Yankee Gentleman (Feb 2) (Homebred Buy Back $300,000) The morning line favorite of the race will be American Pharoah who was nothing short of sensational in the Arkansas Derby. It was the most impressive prep race of the year. He won in a hand ride with out ever being asked for much. Before that he was an easy winner of the Rebel Stakes in the slop. A fast horse with different gears. Bob Baffert called him the best horse that hes ever trained. Thats a bold statement. He has an effortless stride.

2) Firing Line - Line of David Sister Girl Blues by Hold for Gold (Jan 19) $150,000 Firing Line is a fast son of first crop sire Line of David. He was the blowout winner of the Sunland Derby winning by 14 lengths with ease. He was just beaten by Dortmund in his race before. Firing Line has two wins and three places in fiver career starts.

~~3) International Star~~ - Fusaichi Pegasus Parlez by French Deputy (Mar 3) $85,000 The late rallying son of Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus in number 3 on the list. International Star is a perfect 3 for 3 so far in 2015. He swept the Fair Grounds Triple Crown Prep races closing each time in the process. He won races from the rail, to post 9 in large fields each time. He is a battle tested, experienced horse who is used to big fields. He also sports six races as a 2-year-old. Scratched On Saturday Morning

4) Carpe Diem - Giants Causeway Rebridled Dreams by Unbridleds Song ( Feb 29) $550,000 Carpe Diem has only run one bad race in his five career starts and that was in the Breeders Cup Juvenile. In his other races he was an easy drawing away winner. He won the Bluegrass Stakes by three measured lengths over Danzig Moon.

5) Frosted - Tapit Fast Cookie by Deputy Minister (Apr 18) Homebred Frosted is coming off winning the Wood Memorial over Trecendur at Aqueduct. He was not at his best at Gulfstream Park earlier in the spring. He has since improved. He will have to improve even more in the Derby and thats a distinct possibility. Frosted has a good foundation.

6) Upstart - Flatter Party Silks by Unbridleds Song (Apr 13) $130,000 New York Bred Upstart has been as consistent as they come. The sharp looking colt has three wins and three places in seven career starts. It was a tough luck disqualification in the Fountain of Youth that took a two length win away over Itsaknockout. He came back to run a solid race right behind Materiality in the Florida Derby. Upstart has a good foundation.

7) Materiality - Afleet Alex Wildwood Flower by Langfuhr (Apr 9) $260,000 The lightly raced and undefeated colt was a gate-to-wire winner in the Florida Derby over Upstart. It was an impressive win in only his third career start. The sharp looking son of Afleet Alex will have to run that same race in the Kentucky Derby.

8) Mubtaahij (Ire) - Dubawi (Ire) Pennegale (Ire) by Pennekamp (Apr 28) $600,000 The stately looking son of Dubawi (Ire) was an impressive winner in the UAE Derby. He sat a perfect trip and showed a big kick in the stretch as he ran away from the rest of the field. He is a good looking colt. He has beaten the most horses in his last five races. He has been in big fields.

9) Far Right - Notional Zindi by Vindication (Mar 4) $2,500 Far Right was a distant second to American Pharoah in the Arkansas Derby. Far Right is the 2015 value horse of the Kentucky Derby. He was only a $2,500 original purchase. He has gone to earn over $600,000 on the track. He is a good looking son of first crop sire Notional. Far Right was the late rallying winner of the Smarty Jones And Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

~~10) El Kabeir~~ - Scat Daddy Great Venue by Unbridleds Song (Mar 18)$250,000 El Kabeir has been a solid performer in 2015. He was the winner of the Jerome and Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct. He was third to Frosted in the Wood Memorial. Scratched

11) War Story - Northern Afleet Belle Watling by Pulpit (Mar 25) $90,000 War Story was chasing International Star all spring at the Fairgrounds. But that may have not been a bad thing. He ran good races. He ran second 34 1/2 behind him in the Louisiana Derby. Ran second to him in the Lecomte and Risen Star in big fields. He is a horse that that has room for improvement.

12) Itsaknockout - Lemon Drop Kid Stormy B by Cherokee Run (Mar 16) $350,000 A son of Lemon Drop Kid. And he looks like his dad. He is coming into the Kentucky Derby off a poor effort in the Florida Derby. This is never a positive. He was a non-factor finishing in fourth place 21 lengths behind Materiality. The Derby will only be his fourth career start. But he has some upside. He still has room for improvement off the Florida races.

Others Kentucky Derby Horses

Danzig Moon (Can) 2nd by 3 lengths to Carpe Diem in Blue Grass

Keen Ice 3rd in Risen Star to International Star

Bolo 36 behind Dortmund Santa Anita Derby and 32 in San Felipe

Tencendur 2nd to Frosted in Wood Memorial

Mr. Z Finished 58 behind American Pharoah in Arkansas Derby

Ocho Ocho Ocho 35 behind Carpe Diem in Blue Grass

Frammento 47 behind Carpe Diem in Blue Grass and 34 to Upstart in Fountain Youth

Additional Kentucky Derby Links

Kentucky Derby 141 Horse Profiles & Images
Kentucky Derby 141 Contenders Dosage And Other Useful LInks

****