Sabercat
Kentucky Derby
Contender Profile
5/5/12
Trainer: Steve ASMUssen (21.1%)
Jockey: Corey Nakatani (16.8%)
(Starts: 8 Win: 3 Place: 0 Show:2 Earnings: $782,849)
THE CONNECTIONS: See Daddy Nose Best for information on trainer Steve ASMUssen. Jockey Corey Nakatani has won 9 Breeders’ Cup races, but never a Triple Crown race. He was second in the Kentucky Derby last year aboard Nehro. More than capable, we count Nakatani among the best riders in America.
THE HORSE: We have always been a big fan of Sabercat. He was Our top selection when drawing away to win the Grade 3 Delta Jackpot by Four lengths at 8-1. since then, he failed to produce a run in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes and came on strongly to be a well beaten third in the wake of Bodemeister in the Arkansas Derby. A horse that clearly needs some extra ground, Sabercat will benefit from this long distance race. Winning will take a big move forward, but this is clearly a talented runner and one of the best live long shots in the race. He has the latent ability; can he show it? There is only one way to find out.
THE PEDIGREE: Stallion Bluegrass Cat was second in the Kentucky Derby and won the Haskell Invitational later that year. His sire, Storm Cat, once stood for as much as $500k and produced some of the best milers in the world. The dam sire, Forty Niner, was a Travers winner that produced such great horses as Belmont Stakes winner Editor’s Note and multiple graded stakes winner and prolific sire Distorted Humor. Sabercat is built to go two turns and will be running very hard to the wire.
CONCLUSION: Winning the Kentucky Derby won’t be easy, but this runner is very capable of finding his way into the exacta and maybe even the trifecta. He will be a very large price and that makes him worthy of use in the exotic wagers.
PEDIGREE GRADE: A
OVERALL GRADE: B
FAIR ODDS: 20-1