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Saturday, April 10, 1999
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
Derby picture should get clearer today
Badge is favored to win the Wood Memorial, one of three Kentucky Derby prep races on `Super Saturday.'
By Richard Eng
Review-Journal
JAMAICA, N.Y. -- Badge, the winner of the Gotham Stakes, is a lukewarm 3-1 favorite in today's Grade II $600,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct Racetrack.
With 21 days remaining to the 125th Kentucky Derby, final preparations come to hand today for 26 3-year-olds running in the Wood, the $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes (Keeneland) and the $500,000 Arkansas Derby (Oaklawn Park).
The Wood and Blue Grass will be televised on ABC (channel 13) from 2 to 3 p.m. (PDT). The Arkansas Derby is on ESPN (cable 19) from 3 to 3:30 p.m. Post times are 2:14 for the Blue Grass, 2:44 for the Wood and 3:14 for the Arkansas Derby.
Badge, a son of Air Forbes Won, will be ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan for trainer Joseph Aquilino.
"We went from being the 'Bud Longshot' to Wood Memorial favorite," said Aquilino jokingly. He was referring to the Gotham telecast on ESPN, on which Badge was featured as the value play in the race. He paid $25.60 to backers.
Badge was impressive in winning the March 21 stakes by 7 1/2 lengths. His quick final-mile time of 1:34 3-5 came over a wet, fast Aqueduct surface.
Trainer Nick Zito has two entered -- The Groom Is Red and 4-1 second choice Adonis. Adonis figures to be a "hot horse" wearing blinkers for the first time.
"Jorge (Chavez) has been begging me to put blinkers on the horse," said Zito from Keeneland, where he saddles favored Wondertross in the Blue Grass. "He asked me before the two wins at Gulfstream. The Florida Derby convinced me to try it."
Adonis' sixth-place finish in the Florida Derby was deceptively good. Stuck inside behind horses, he wouldn't extend himself with dirt clods hitting him. When Chavez swung him wide, Adonis took off with a solid middle move before tiring late.
Plus First American, fifth in the Florida Derby, easily won the Flamingo Stakes last week at Hialeah Park. The Gulfstream Park race could be this season's key Kentucky Derby prep.
El Camino Real Derby winner Cliquot is the third choice at 9-2. Rene Douglas rides for trainer John Shirreffs.
As heavy rain fell Friday at Aqueduct, assistant Gary Bensen was pleased.
"Cliquot debuted in the slop at Hollywood (Park), and he absolutely loved it," Bensen said. "I feel bad rooting for more rain, but I know my colt can handle it."
Two interesting long shots are Swamp at 6-1 and David at 12-1.
Swamp won two graded turf stakes -- the Everglades and Palm Beach -- in Florida this winter. The John Kimmel colt never has raced on dirt, though he trains over it.
David is owned by Barry K. Schwartz, who also co-owns top filly Three Ring. Her connections declared her a Kentucky Derby entrant a fortnight ago.
The trio of "Super Saturday" races -- the Wood, the Blue Grass and the Arkansas Derby -- will make up the national Big Pick 3. The Big Pick 3 will be a $1 minimum wager.
The Gotham field in post-position order: Badge, Bridgmohan, 3-1; Karley's Harley, Edgar Prado, 8-1; Bugatti, Robbie Davis, 15-1; Adonis, Chavez, 4-1; Cliquot, Douglas, 9-2; The Groom Is Red, Craig Perret, 15-1; David, Aaron Gryder, 12-1; Robin Goodfellow, Joe Bravo, 20-1; Machine to Tower, Cornelio Velasquez, 20-1; Best of Luck, Jean-Luc Samyn, 12-1; Swamp, Richard Migliore, 6-1.
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