Kentucky Derby BRIS Speed Rating Report April 11: Irish War & Gormley bounce back, Irap surprises
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April 11th, 2017
Three major prep races last weekend provided a clearer picture of who will be running in the 143rd Kentucky Derby but left us without a clear-cut favorite as the first Saturday in May quickly approaches.
The Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct had value as Irish War Cry rebounded from a no-show performance in the Fountain of Youth (G2), drawing off to a 3 ½-length decision. By Curlin, the Graham Motion-trained colt registered a 102 BRIS Speed rating, the same number he earned winning the Holy Bull (G2) two previously and tied for the third-best figure by a Kentucky Derby contender this year.
Irish War Cry promises to be racing up close from the start of the 1 ¼-mile Kentucky Derby.
Battalion Runner set the pace in the Wood Memorial and while he proved no match for the winner in the latter stages, the Todd Pletcher pupil stamped his Kentucky Derby ticket finishing second in his stakes debut.
The Blue Grass featured a couple of horses, McCraken and Tapwrit, with the opportunity to grab the favorite’s mantle in the Kentucky Derby but neither performed to expectations. McCraken may have needed the start, missing a planned appearance in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) due to an ankle strain, and experienced a less-than-favorable trip. He could still wind up as one of top betting choices in the Kentucky Derby despite finishing third. Tapwrit never fired in a dull fifth-place showing.
Irap posted a shocking upset, recording his first victory in eight career starts. He has the right connections – trainer Doug O’Neill has won two of the last five editions of the Kentucky Derby – but the front-runner benefitted from soft early fractions and raced on the wrong lead through the stretch drive.
Along with runner-up Practical Joke and fourth-placer J Boys Echo, the top 5 from the Blue Grass appear to have enough points to make the Kentucky Derby field.
In the Santa Anita Derby (G1), Gormely utilized a change in tactics to rebound from a well-beaten fourth in the San Felipe (G2), rallying to win by a half-length. Kudos to trainer John Shirreffs for orchestrating a switch in run styles and Gormley recorded his third graded stakes victory. He’s the leading 3-year-old male in California, but it’s not a fast contingent with Mastery’s absence and Gormley’s 99 BRIS Speed rating won’t get it done at Churchill Downs.
Gormley and runner-up Battle of Midway posted dismal BRIS Late Pace ratings of 77 and 71, respectively.
Here are the top BRIS Speed ratings from Kentucky Derby contenders in qualifying races this year (90 or above, top four finish required):
|
Horse |
|
Race (finish position) |
|
BRIS Speed |
|
J BOYS ECHO |
|
Gotham (1st) |
|
104 |
|
HENCE |
|
Sunland Derby (1st) |
|
103 |
|
ALWAYS DREAMING |
|
Florida Derby (1st) |
|
102 |
|
GORMLEY |
|
Sham (1st) |
|
102 |
|
GUNNEVERA |
|
Fountain of Youth (1st) |
|
102 |
|
IRISH WAR CRY |
|
Wood Memorial (1st) |
|
102 |
|
IRISH WAR CRY |
|
Holy Bull (1st) |
|
102 |
|
TAPWRIT |
|
Tampa Bay Derby (1st) |
|
101 |
|
IRAP |
|
Blue Grass (2nd) |
|
100 |
|
CLOUD COMPUTING |
|
Gotham (2nd) |
|
100 |
|
GIRVIN |
|
Louisiana Derby (1st) |
|
99 |
|
GORMLEY |
|
Santa Anita Derby (1st) |
|
99 |
|
MCCRAKEN |
|
Sam Davis (1st) |
|
99 |
|
PRACTICAL JOKE |
|
Blue Grass (2nd) |
|
99 |
|
GIRVIN |
|
Risen Star (1st) |
|
98 |
|
BATTALION RUNNER |
|
Wood Memorial (2nd) |
|
98 |
|
BATTLE OF MIDWAY |
|
Santa Anita Derby (2nd) |
|
98 |
|
PATCH |
|
Louisiana Derby (2nd) |
|
98 |
|
ROYAL MO |
|
Santa Anita Derby (3rd) |
|
98 |
|
GUNNEVERA |
|
Holy Bull (2nd) |
|
97 |
|
PETROV |
|
Southwest (2nd) |
|
97 |
|
STATE OF HONOR |
|
Florida Derby (2nd) |
|
97 |
|
TAPWRIT |
|
Sam Davis (2nd) |
|
97 |
|
STATE OF HONOR |
|
Tampa Bay Derby (2nd) |
|
96 |
|
UNTRAPPED |
|
Risen Star (2nd) |
|
96 |
|
LOCAL HERO |
|
Louisiana Derby (3rd) |
|
96 |
|
MCCRAKEN |
|
Blue Grass (3rd) |
|
96 |
|
STATE OF HONOR |
|
Sam Davis (3rd) |
|
96 |
|
MALAGACY |
|
Rebel (1st) |
|
95 |
|
ROYAL MO |
|
Robert Lewis (1st) |
|
95 |
|
PRACTICAL JOKE |
|
Fountain of Youth (2nd) |
|
95 |
|
GUNNEVERA |
|
Florida Derby (3rd) |
|
95 |
|
CLOUD COMPUTING |
|
Wood Memorial (3rd) |
|
94 |
|
SONNETEER |
|
Rebel (2nd) |
|
93 |
|
J BOYS ECHO |
|
Withers (3rd) |
|
93 |
|
LOCAL HERO |
|
Risen Star (3rd) |
|
93 |
|
UNTRAPPED |
|
Rebel (3rd) |
|
93 |
|
IRAP |
|
Sunland Derby (4th) |
|
93 |
|
J BOYS ECHO |
|
Blue Grass (4th) |
|
93 |
|
PETROV |
|
Rebel (4th) |
|
93 |
|
CLASSIC EMPIRE |
|
Holy Bull (3rd) |
|
92 |
|
IRAP |
|
Robert Lewis (2nd) |
|
91 |
|
PETROV |
|
Smarty Jones (2nd) |
|
91 |
|
UNTRAPPED |
|
Lecomte (2nd) |
|
91 |
|
GORMLEY |
|
San Felipe (4th) |
|
91 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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