In just a few hours the most exciting 2 minutes in sports will begin as the Kentucky Derby is set to take place at 6:24 pm ET tonight at Churchill Downs in Louisville. There are several Contenders in the event, including Danza, who will start in the 4th slot and has been installed as 8/1 Odds to win the Derby.
Danza’s Record: 2-0-2 in 4 Races. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Jockey: Joe Bravo. Sire: Street Boss. Dam: Champagne Royale. Best Beyer Speed: 102
This horse was actually named after Actor Tony Danza. Just 4 races so far for Danza and he has 2 wins and 2 third place finishes in those races. In his last race he took 1 st in the Arkansas derby, beating out Ride On Curlin. At the Arkansas Derby he was content to stalk the leaders on the stretch out to two turns, and in a large field like the Kentucky Derby, his tactical speed might help keep him up out of trouble. His Beyer Speed of 102 in that race was his fastest ever and it is one of the fastest to enter the Derby.
His Sire is Street Boss, who made a name for himself as a sprinter. He captured a pair of Grade 1 events in California and finished third in the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Sprint. His Dam is Champagne Royale, who raced exclusively at Hastings Park, won and was stakes-placed at 1 1/16 miles. She is the dam of four winners from as many starters, including Majestic Harbor, winner of the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup Stakes at 1 1/2 miles March 29 at Santa Anita.
Riding Danza will be Joe Bravo, or otherwise known as, “Jersey Joe”. Joe has made 234 starts this year with just 30 first place finishes. He is 24 th on the Jockey money list for 2014 at $2.2 million. Bravo is a third-generation jockey, following his grandfather Bartolo and father George into the business. He started out riding Quarter Horses at age 13 in Texas. He became a professional aboard thoroughbreds in 1987.
Danza stepped up in the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby. His class will be tested, but he should handle the Derby’s 1 1/4 miles. Clearly a horse to watch out for.
Here are a few Kentucky Derby Records: There have been two Jockey’s that have won the Derby 5 times each and they are Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack.
The Trainer with the most Derby wins is Ben A. Jones, who collected 6 with 5 of those coming with Jockey Eddie Arcaro.
That fastest time comes from Secretariat, who ran the Derby at 1:59:40 back in 1973. Secretariat is the only horse to run the Derby in under 2 minutes.
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Kentucky Derby Contender: Danza
What horse racing bettors need to know about betting Danza in the Kentucky Derby, which takes place on Saturday (5/03/14)- With insight from Pregame.com's Chuck Edel & host Marco D'Angelo.