ARKANSAS DERBY : Verdict: A victory
Posted on Sunday, April 16, 2006
HOT SPRINGS — His legal team was so confident that new baseball caps were ordered before court was actually in session. As expected, Lawyer Ron had made it an open and shut case. Heavily favored Lawyer Ron continued his relentless march toward racing’s biggest prize
3 with a 2 / 4-length victory over Steppenwolfer in the $ 1 million Grade II Arkansas Derby on Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn Park. A record crowd of 72, 484 watched jockey John McKee draw on the chestnut colt’s biggest weapon — tactical speed — to record his sixth consecutive victory (fifth in a stakes race ), remain unbeaten in seven races on conventional dirt and cement his status as the possible favorite for the Kentucky Derby on May 6 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky. “He’s a very talented animal,” trainer Bob Holthus of Royal said following his second Arkansas Derby victory, perhaps the most popular in the race’s 70-year history. “He’s got two or three gears, and he hasn’t kicked it into high yet.” Steppenwolfer, trained by Little Rock native Dan Peitz, also earned a ticket to the Kentucky Derby by rallying to
1 finish second, 1 / 2 lengths ahead of Private Vow, the 5-1 second choice in the 13-horse field. Lawyer Ron, bet down to 1-2, paid $ 3, $ 2. 60 and $ 2. 20. Laterunning Steppenwolfer paid $ 4. 40 and $ 3. 20. Private Vow paid $ 3. 60.
1 Simon Pure finished 7 / 4 lengths behind Private Vow in fourth. Completing the order of finish were Nob Hill Deelite, Jealous Profit, Film Fortune, Sayhelltolarry, High Cotton, Red Raymond, Superfly, New Joysey Jeff and With a City. Trainer Walter Bindner scratched Well Said from the race Thursday because of an injured right ankle. Over a fast but dull surface,
1 Lawyer Ron covered 1 / 8 miles in 1: 51. 38. He carried equal top weight of 122 pounds. It was the slowest Arkansas Derby since Hostage (1: 51. 60 ) won in 1982. Lawyer Ron became the second horse in three years to sweep Oaklawn’s trio of Kentucky Derby prep races. He also won the $ 250, 000 Southwest Stakes on Feb. 25 and the $ 300, 000 Grade III Rebel Stakes on March 18. Smarty Jones also won the Southwest, Rebel and Arkansas Derby before winning the Kentucky Derby in 2004.
Ron Bamberger, an Owensboro, Ky., attorney and Lawyer Ron’s namesake, was so convinced of a Bluegrass bash that he had blue and white “Lawyer Ron” caps — the colors of owner / breeder James T. Hines’ silks — ready to pass out to reporters after the race.
“If he had a good trip, I thought he would win,” said Bamberger, executor of Hines ’ estate following his accidental drowning Feb. 21.
Holthus, Oaklawn’s living legend, is heading to Churchill Downs with his best chance yet to smell the roses. “I think the worst he can be is the second choice,” said Holthus, 71, who has wintered in Hot Springs for more than 50 years. “It’s probably going to be close now between him and [Santa Anita Derby winner ] Brother Derek. I think he could be the favorite. He’s a much more seasoned horse than Brother Derek. “ It depends on how the public feels, but I might have a biased opinion.” It was another workmanlike performance from Lawyer Ron, whose only anxious moments
1 came early in the 1 / 8-mile race. From post 5, the son of Langfuhr broke in, bumped With a City and was fifth under the wire the first time.
McKee was then faced with the choice of getting packed down on the rail or sending Lawyer Ron, riding the rail, inside horses on the first turn.
McKee chose the latter, exactly what Holthus wanted.
“The first turn could have been a problem,” Holthus said. “I thought John handled the situation well, getting in and getting out.”
It was yet another display of talent that separated Lawyer Ron from the competition this year at Oaklawn. The versatile colt went wire to wire in the Southwest but came from off the pace in the Rebel.
When McKee pushed the button in the Arkansas Derby, Lawyer Ron cruised to the lead with just over three-quarters of a mile remaining in the race.
“I didn’t want to challenge the other speed, but he was real aggressive with me around the first turn,” said McKee, who has ridden Lawyer Ron in his past 10 starts. “He is just full of himself right now. On the backside, he just took a hold of the race. He never stopped running.”
Lawyer Ron held a half-length advantage over High Cotton after a half-mile in: 46. 49 and was 1 1 / 2 lengths clear of Private Vow through 6 furlongs in 1: 10. 98.
McKee, calling the inside dead, kept Lawyer Ron about three paths off the rail turning into the stretch. He passed a mile in 1: 37. 76 and began to draw clear of Private Vow after McKee went to a brief righthanded whip.
“In the stretch, I was a little concerned and hit him a couple of times and he just took off,” said McKee, who raised his whip in jubilation following his biggest career victory. “And it was like, ‘Wow !’”
Lawyer Ron earned $ 600, 000 for his seventh victory in 14 lifetime starts. He has earned $ 1, 220, 008.
Holthus said Lawyer Ron will be flown to Kentucky on Monday to resume training for the Kentucky Derby.
His bandwagon — no, jury box — is rapidly becoming full.
“I thought Lawyer Ron was the best horse,” said Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who saddled Simon Pure. “I told the press earlier that if they put the Blue Grass field together with this field, I thought he would still be favored. And he ran like it.”
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