Run for the Roses 2019 – Can WIN WIN WIN…WIN?

By Jennifer Thibodeaux Bourque and Michael – Louis Ingram

BASN NEWSROOM

 

MAURICE, LA and PHILADELPHIA, PA (www.basnnewsroom.com) The fastest two minutes in sport await as fancy hats and sharps ‘n flats meet at Churchill Downs for the 145th running of The Kentucky Derby.

By the time it takes to perform “My Old Kentucky Home” the field of 20 will be swinging ’round the bend and headed down the back stretch, hustling on Hoss Power to snatch the first jewel in the Triple Crown.

It has been awhile that the Hoss Most Likely to win the Derby gets scratched, but a potential danger will put Omaha Beach on the sidelines…

“The entrapment of the epiglottis essentially cuts off the hosses’ wind,” says my l’il sis Jennifer Thibodeaux Bourque,  our resident bloodlines expert. When asked to whether this is a hereditary issue, Jenny says, “It’s looking like it’s more congenital than anything. It’s only now starting to be studied.”

The good news is that the procedure should correct the problem. “It’s a relatively minor surgery done under standing anesthesia where they split the flap which releases the epiglottis. It takes awhile to heal and relapse is common.

“Not life threatening, but it definitely affects racing because it cuts air flow by at least a third. It’ll lose a race big time. The horse had some coughing this week during training which is how they found it. He had a sore throat a few weeks ago which they successfully treated until the coughing at a gallop occurred. The trainer made a sound decision to pull him.”

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella and veterinarian Dr. Foster Northrop are providing the right prescription for this Noble Beast; and we approve. “I’d trust this guy even with my mini horses,” sez Jenny. “He’s in it for the right reasons. His disappointment is obvious – but he put his horse first.” 

So…Now What?

It looks like the table may be set for a legit long shot to get to the wire first. While the sweet spots seem to be from posts 5-8, there are several X-factors in play:

Bob Baffert brings much to the dance, with Improbable and Game Winner in the mix, but the secret weapon in hand may well be Roadster (Florent Geroux up). We expect any one of the Baffert Bunch to get late money come post time. Scratching long shot Haikal brings the field to 18…

 

 

Geroux is crafty and seems to ride better on turf, but the forecast would likely put all the riders in goggles. A 60 percent chance of rain is in the forecast, and by post time, the hosses may be deep in slop soup!

Which brings us to our Hero…

Dry track or wet, Win Win Win is a legitimate closer. Jockey Julian Pimentel may be in position to have his first great hoss with the right trip. He likes the mud and his Mr. Prospector/Hat Trick/Codex/A.P. Indy pedigree tells you he can get the distance, too!

Jenny likes Vekoma, and he’s in that sweet spot at post position #6.

THE PLAY…

Thanks to the ten cent superfecta, we can have some fun and maybe get some value!

We will box #5 Improbable, #6 Vekoma, #7 Maximum Security, #8 Tacitus, #14 Win Win Win, and #17 Roadster for $36; a ten cent superfecta key with #14 over #3, #5, #6, #7, #8, #17 for $12; and a 50 cent trifecta wheel with #6, #14, and #17 with all for $27…

Finally, $5 across the board on #14 – for a total of $90.

So good luck, good handicapping, and when you see your Hoss gliding through the mud, get up and scream at the top of your lungs:

 

WORK THAT NOBLE BEAST!!

 

basneditor@basnnewsroom.com