Giant Finish added, bumps Fear the Kitten from main body of
Derby field
Sunrise Stable and partners’ Giant Finish, who in his most recent start
finished third in the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on March 23 earning 10
points toward Kentucky Derby eligibility, will be entered in Saturday’s 139th
Kentucky Derby at the wishes of his ownership group.
The New York-bred colt’s inclusion in the field for the Run for the Roses
makes him the 20th horse on the Derby leaderboard for the 1 1/4-mile classic and
knocks Frank Irvin’s Fear the Kitten, who was believed to be the final entrant
with six leaderboard points, from the main body of the field.
Fear the Kitten
can still be entered as an also-eligible at Wednesday’s post position draw.
The connections for Giant Finish contacted Churchill Downs officials Tuesday
and indicated their desire to run. Under the new qualifying system for the race,
their point total was 20th best on the Derby list and made them eligible to fill
the last spot in the field.
Trainer Tony Dutrow, who has handled Giant Finish for the Sunrise group, told
Churchill officials that he “has agreed to support my owners’ decision to run in
the Kentucky Derby.”
“I am so surprised at all of this,” Dutrow said. “I was pleasantly surprised
and happy to see he ran as well as he did (in two Kentucky starts during March).
We’ve kept an eye on him since and have made sure he’s had good energy since
those races.”
Prior to his third in the Spiral, the chestnut colt had finished second in
the March 2 Battaglia Memorial, also at Turfway Park.
Dutrow noted that — prior to the surprising Derby inclusion — he had been
pointing Giant Finish toward an allowance race at Belmont Park in early May.
The trainer said the horse would ship by van from Fair Hill Wednesday and
arrive at Churchill Thursday morning, in time to meet the requirement for Derby
horses to be on the grounds in advance of the race. He said the owners were
trying to line up a rider for the race and that he would have someone other than
himself saddle the horse Saturday.
Sunrise Stable ownership is listed as Andrew Cohen, who is also the breeder
of Giant Finish.
Fear the Kitten was fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes in his most recent start.
He is trained by Mike Maker and is currently stabled at the nearby Trackside
Training Center.
Additionally, the partnership group that now owns Carving is considering a
run in the Derby. The horse is based at Emerald Downs with trainer Mike Puhich,
who told Churchill Downs officials that a Thursday morning flight to Louisville
is on standby should there be any defections.
Carving is ranked No. 22 on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby Presented by
TwinSpires.com” Leaderboard with two points. The new ownership group is headed
by Dr. Mark Dedomenico, who was co-owner of 2010 Kentucky Oaks winner Blind
Luck.
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