Kentucky
Kentucky Derby 2024: Yearling bargains are now contenders
West Saratoga fetched a meager $11,000 when he was one of the last horses sold at Keeneland’s September yearling sale. May foal Honor Marie and Society Man, both hurt by lack of size, brought $40,000 and $85,000 at the same sale.
Those prices do not suggest that any of the three would go on to do something special. In each case, they far outran the values placed on them. And they ran their way into the 150th Kentucky Derby.
“I think that’s part of what makes our game so romantic. It can happen to anybody if you take a bit of a chance,” said Conor Foley of Oracle Bloodstock, the top bidder for Society Man.
Harry Veruchi, who landed West Saratoga, was growing impatient with trainer Larry Demeritte as he rejected one prospect after another, leaving only a handful of yearlings still available.
“Larry, we need to buy something,” he told him.
Demeritte, who has a history of spotting bargains, stood his ground. “Harry, I’m not going to buy something just to buy something. It has to be the right horse.”
Shortly after that, Veruchi received a phone call from an excited Demeritte. He wished to bid on hip 4146, convinced that he was the “right horse.” The son of 2016 Preakness winner Exaggerator lacked size but he passed the eye test with a good shoulder and good hip. Above all, nothing rattled him during the hustle and bustle of the sale.
Veruchi, who once owned a used car dealership in Denver with his brother, likes to shop with Demeritte in the $5,000 to $25,000 range for yearlings. He authorized a top bid of $20,000 and was delighted to spend a little more than half of that.
“I was hoping for an allowance horse and, if he was good enough to win a stakes race on a smaller scale, yeah, we’d probably try that,” Veruchi said.
West Saratoga became the first horse to earn Derby qualifying points when he captured the Sept. 16 Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs, providing Veruchi with his first graded-stakes win. He locked up a Derby berth when he placed second in the March 23 Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) on Turfway Park’s Tapeta surface, hiking his lifetime earnings to $460,140.
Honor Marie, runner-up to Catching Freedom in the March 23 Louisiana Derby (G2), will actually celebrate his birthday on Derby Day. While that may be a nice touch for onlookers, his standing as a May foal undoubtedly diminished his worth. But not in the eyes of Kyle Zorn of Legion Bloodstock. He saw nothing but value.
“Sometimes these May foals sneak in there because they haven’t done the physical change that people are looking for,” said Zorn.
He also was not discouraged by the pedigree, even though Honor Code had shown little as a sire to that point. The dam, Dame Marie, had done well on turf and he thought they would be sending a nice turf horse to trainer Whit Beckman.
“Everybody is looking at the same horses on pedigree, so we try to find some diamonds in the rough,” Zorn said. “He was a no-brainer. He had the walk. He looked like a horse that would mature.”
He and the other partners in Legion Bloodstock could not have been more correct. Honor Marie boast a 5: 2-2-0 record with earnings of $526,175 for majority owners Kerry and Alan Ribble. They bought out their initial partners and later added Michael Eiserman, Earl Silver and David and Kenneth Fishbein.
Then there is Society Man. He was not on the Derby radar until the April 6 Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct. Sent off at 106-1 in the Wood in his first start after breaking his maiden, he made trainer Danny Gargan’s decision to run him look like a stroke of genius when he rallied to snag second to Resilience.
Conor Foley of Oracle Bloodstock, bidding on behalf of West Paces Racing, said he was prepared to offer as much as $300,000 for the son of Good Magic. He was “shocked” when the hammer fell at $85,000.
“He was not a big horse but incredibly athletic,” Foley said. “I bought him with the hope that he would keep that athleticism and still grow some. And I think he did that.”
It appears to have helped the cause that Society Man underwent what Foley described as “the ultimate equipment change.” He made dramatic progress after he was gelded.
Kentucky
Kentucky Derby's thrilling finish draws 16.7 million viewers. It's the biggest audience since 1989
STAMFORD, Conn. — Mystik Dan’s nose victory in the 150th Kentucky Derby drew 16.7 million viewers, the biggest audience for the race since 1989.
Viewership peaked at 20.1 million from 7 to 7:15 p.m. EDT on Saturday, when 18-1 shot Mystik Dan, Sierra Leone and Forever Young hit the wire together in the Derby’s first three-horse photo finish since 1947. That marked the biggest peak audience ever for the Derby on NBC.
The 16.7 million viewers was up 13% from last year’s 14.8 million.
NBC Sports said Sunday it was the biggest Derby audience since 18.5 million watched Sunday Silence win in 1989, when the race was shown on ABC.
NBC Sports and Churchill Downs Inc. have agreed to a multiyear contract extension that will keep the Derby on the network through 2032.
Kentucky
Travis Kelce Attends F1 Race in Miami After Kentucky Derby Outing
Travis Kelce‘s in his Industrial Revolution era … trading horseback riding for car racing — ’cause he just arrived at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix!
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Videos of the Kansas City Chiefs star are starting to populate online … and, we gotta say TK’s rocking a far chiller — and, definitely more comfortable-looking ensemble — for today’s event.
Check out the clip … Travis walks in wearing a loose-fitting green shirt and matching shorts, backward hat and sunglasses on — a far cry from his full suit and fedora ‘fit at the Kentucky Derby Saturday.
Welcome to Florida, Travis 🤙🤙 pic.twitter.com/cEjWG6UCKD
— BWT Alpine F1 Team (@AlpineF1Team) May 5, 2024
@AlpineF1Team
Of course … Travis isn’t just a fan today — he’s actively supporting the team he’s got an ownership interest in, Alpine Racing. Kelce and his teammate Patrick Mahomes bought into the team back in October.
It marks the end of a busy weekend for Killa Trav who seems to be on a tour of star-studded sporting events.
Like we said … Travis partied hard at the KD in Louisville yesterday and even hung out backstage at a Chainsmokers show late Friday night — so, we know the guy’s been throwing down with the best of ’em.
It seems he’s without his better half, Taylor Swift this weekend … who kicks off more international “Eras” tour shows later this week and is presumably in or on her way to Paris — though we don’t know for sure if that’s the case.
Anyhoo … looks like Travis is enjoying his action-packed weekend — even if he’s riding solo on this adventure.
Kentucky
Mystik Dan wins at the 2024 Kentucky Derby
It’s off to the races for Kentucky Derby fans! The 150th annual horse face kicked off on May 4, 2024, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Decorated hats and mint juleps were in abundance hours before the race kicked off on Saturday.
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Mystik Dan’s jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. celebrates with the trophy after winning the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2024, in Louisville, Ky.
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Mystik Dan trainer Kenny McPeek raises the trophy with his family after winning the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2024, in Louisville, Ky.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Jockey Brian J. Hernandez Jr. celebrates atop Mystik Dan in the winner circle after winning the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2024, in Louisville, Ky.
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Mystik Dan’s jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. celebrates after winning the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2024, in Louisville, Ky.
Justin Casterline/Getty Images
Mystik Dan #3, ridden by jockey Brian J. Hernandez Jr., crosses the finish line to win the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2024, in Louisville, Ky.
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Sierra Leone #2, ridden by jockey Tyler Gaffalione (L), and Forever Young #11, ridden by jockey Ryusei Sakai, cross the finish line second and third in the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2024, in Louisville, Ky.
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Mystik Dan #3, ridden by jockey Brian J. Hernandez Jr. (R), crosses the finish line ahead of Sierra Leone #2, ridden by jockey Tyler Gaffalione, and Forever Young, ridden by jockey Ryusei Sakai, to win the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2024, in Louisville, Ky.
Leandro Lozada/Getty Images
U.S. jockey Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr. on Mystik Dan (R) competes to win the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2024, in Louisville, Ky.
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
T O Password, with Kazushi Kimura aboard, and Sierra Leone, with Tyler Gaffalione aboard, head to the first turn during the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2024, in Louisville, Ky.
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
The field heads to the first turn during the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2024, in Louisville, Ky.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
The field breaks from the gate at the start of the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2024, in Louisville, Ky.
-
Politics1 week ago
GOP lawmakers demand major donors pull funding from Columbia over 'antisemitic incidents'
-
World1 week ago
Hamas ‘serious’ about captives’ release but not without Gaza ceasefire
-
Politics1 week ago
Columbia University’s policy-making senate votes for resolution calling to investigate school’s leadership
-
News1 week ago
Both sides prepare as Florida's six-week abortion ban is set to take effect Wednesday
-
World1 week ago
Brussels, my love? MEPs check out of Strasbourg after 5 eventful years
-
Politics7 days ago
House Republicans brace for spring legislative sprint with one less GOP vote
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago
This Never Happened (2024) – Review | Tubi Horror Movie | Heaven of Horror
-
World7 days ago
At least four dead in US after dozens of tornadoes rip through Oklahoma