Sunday, May 06, 2001
Kentucky Derby notebook
Velazquez's objection overruled
By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LOUISVILLE — There was no photo finish Saturday. But there was suspense.
John Velazquez, jockey of runner-up Invisible Ink, contended Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos cut him off at the top of the stretch. Velazquez filed an objection, and Monarchos' connections had to wait a few more minutes to find out their fate.
The Churchill Downs stewards interviewed Velazquez and Monarchos jockey Jorge Chavez and watched a few replays. The stewards concluded that Monarchos made no contact with Invisible Ink, and the results stood.
“I was very confident (awaiting the verdict),” Chavez said. “When I heard somebody claim foul, I said, "Where?' because I didn't know where it was. When the steward said it was at the three-eighths pole, I said, "I was rolling at that point, so it couldn't have been anything.'”
Velazquez contended that he had to steady his horse “for two jumps” after Monarchos got in his way. Velazquez later said Monarchos was the best horse in the race but that he felt obligated to challenge the result.
“This is the Derby,” he said. “I finished second. I had to take a shot. I probably wouldn't claim foul in any other race.”
DEFYING ODDS: Until last year, the last Derby winner who hadn't won a race at 2 was Proud Clarion in 1967. But now Fusaichi Pegasus (2000) and Monarchos have followed that difficult path in consecutive springs.
Only two previous horses since 1969 had won the Derby with just two starts at 2 — Winning Colors (1988) and Grindstone ('96) — but Monarchos did that, too.
Monarchos was also the first horse since Bold Forbes in 1976 to win the Derby without a full workout on the track during Derby week.
POINT TAKEN: Favorite Point Given was a disappointment, finishing fifth. He was second at the mile mark, but faded down the stretch.
“He never felt comfortable out there,” jockey Gary Stevens said. “The odd thing was, he didn't seem to be tired when he pulled up. He wasn't breathing hard at all. It was like he didn't race.
“Maybe the heat had something to do with it. I don't know. He had a hectic two weeks here. Maybe it took something out of him.”
ETC. Monarchos won $812,000 of the $1.112 million purse. Invisible Ink won $170,000. ... Despite the disappointment of losing when having the two favorites in the morning line, trainer Bob Baffert continued an impressive string of top-five finishes. Eight of his 11 Derby starters have finished in the top five, including two winners: Silver Charm in 1997 and Real Quiet in '98. His streak of six consecutive Derbies with at least one entrant is the longest current run.
TRACK RECORDS: Churchill was at its fastest Saturday. Track records were set in the first three races on the dirt track.
For some, it was too fast.
“I think the track did us in,” said Todd Pletcher, trainer of beaten favorite Trippi in the Churchill Downs Handicap. “It's just ridiculous today. What are they going to do, set nine track records today? They might as well run it on Fourth Street (outside the track).”
BIG CROWD: Saturday's crowd of 154,210 was the second-largest in Derby history. The record is the 163,628 at the 100th Derby in 1974, a mark unlikely to be matched because Churchill Downs allowed fans to watch from the turf track.
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Kentucky Derby notebook
