Coolmore’s CONNEMARA (Giant’s Causeway), an undefeated colt in the Todd
Pletcher stable, heads a field of six three-year-olds in Saturday’s $100,000
California Derby at Golden Gate Fields. The Kentucky-bred made his debut on
October 4 at Turfway Park and overcame a horrible start to win a one-mile maiden
allowance test by five lengths. Pletcher, a four-time winner of the Eclipse
Award as the nation’s leading trainer (2004-2007), sent the chestnut to Santa
Anita for his second start and the colt responded by winning a 1 1/16-mile
allowance race by a half-length on November 4.
“I thought his first race was pretty impressive,” Pletcher said. “He broke
very, very poorly that day and he has very little gate speed. It really
looked to me like he was in a position early in the race where it was impossible
for him to win from, and he actually came on to win very impressively. His
second start we felt was a workman-like effort, maybe not quite as good as his
first start.
“We’ve kind of freshened him up a bit since then and we feel like he’s doing
well and ready to run an improved race.”
The California Derby will be held at 1 1/16 miles over the Tapeta, and
distance is the reason Pletcher is running Connemara at Golden Gate Fields
rather than Santa Anita, which offers the one-mile San Rafael S. (G2) on
Saturday.
“Even though he’s training at Santa Anita and we had the option of the San
Rafael, we just felt like the little bit of added ground would be in his favor
at Golden Gate,” Pletcher said. “We’re looking to get him some experience and
looking to see some improvement from him.”
Pletcher has had two horses run second in the Kentucky Derby — Bluegrass Cat
in 2006 and Invisible Ink in 2001 — but has yet to win the “Run for the Roses.”
He is hoping Connemara can join his upper tier of prospects for the 2010 Derby.
“We’ve got some very accomplished colts like Super Saver (Maria’s Mon), who
won the Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill, and we’ve got Rule (Roman Ruler),
who won the Delta Jackpot (G3),” Pletcher explained. “We’ve got Eskendereya
(Giant’s Causeway), who ran in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) (finishing ninth)
and then came back and has already won an allowance race this year at Gulfstream
Park. We feel like (Connemara) is one that has a chance to fit in that league if
he continues to improve.”
Russell Baze will pick up the mount.
Stakes hero SHUDACUDAWUDYA (Marino Marini) has shown an affinity for the
track, recording a 5-3-2-0 mark at Golden Gate Fields. Winner of the Golden
Nugget S. two back, the Lloyd Mason-trained gray colt exits a third in the Stuka
S. at Hollywood. Local stakes winner OUR MINESWEEPER (Cause Ur Mine), who exits
a second in the Gold Rush S. on December 12, is also entered, and Doug O’Neill
will ship in THOMAS BAINES (Johannesburg), who finished a late-running third
in the grassy Eddie Logan S. at Santa Anita. Last-out starter allowance winners
RANGER HEARTLEY (Lost Soldier) and CAHILL COUNTRY (Cahill Road) complete the
line-up.