NEWS
Line of David’s meteoric rise
excites connections
Posted: Sunday, April 25, 2010 1:50 PM
LINE OF DAVID
Coady Photography
by Ed DeRosa
From three straight losses to three consecutive wins, Ike and Dawn Thrash’s Line of David comes into the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) as one of the race’s hottest horses.
The Lion Heart colt won the Arkansas Derby (G1) on April 10 at Oaklawn Park (video), less than two months after finally winning a maiden race in his fourth career start. As far as the colt’s past performances go, the difference between the wins and losses might be a small “b” next to the large “L” that lets bettors know the horse races on the antibleeding medication Lasix.
The “b” stands for blinkers, which trainer John Sadler added for the colt’s February 13 maiden special weight win, a race that came just eight days after Line of David lost his three-year-old debut.
The maiden win also came in the colt’s turf debut, and an allowance win on the grass followed on March 11, but the Arkansas Derby was a win on dirt, giving his connections hope that distance and a front-running style is what Line of David needs to win.
“The blinkers on changed his style as well, and we saw a big improvement,” Sadler said. “I would not have sent him out of town [to Oaklawn for the Arkansas Derby] if we didn’t think he would run a big race, but we were happy with his training. I was surprised [with the win] in the sense that he had to run so big to win and he did.”
Sadler also trains Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Sidney’s Candy, who now could be the race’s second betting choice with Sunday’s defection of Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) winner and probable favorite Eskendereya.
Both of Sadler’s Derby hopefuls race on or near the pace, but the trainer said that Line of David probably would be in front of Sidney’s Candy in the early stages of the race. Sadler trains Sidney’s Candy for the Sid and Jenny Craig Trust.
As for the owners of Line of David, Sadler first met them about 25 years ago when they tried to send some of their horses stabled at Turf Paradise in Phoenix to Sadler in Southern California, but Sadler declined.
“I thought we had some horses who could win in California, but knowing what I know now, [Sadler] was right; some of those horses probably couldn’t win anywhere,” Ike Thrash said.
The Thrashes hooked back up with Sadler in 2007 when they sent him Dawn After Dawn, by Successful Appeal, a filly who seemed to like racing on synthetic surfaces. She won three stakes under Sadler’s care, including the 2008 La Canada Stakes (G2).
“He was a good young trainer, and now he’s just a good trainer,” Ike Thrash said.
Ed DeRosa is news editor of Thoroughbred Times
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: Keeneland observer, Lexington, KY on April 27, 2010 at 09:11 AM
Jordan: The Derby starters have to come out of some race, quantity does not make quality. A close finish gives all the beaten horses hope. The winner of the Arkansas Derby ran the last 3/8ths in :38.62. Each quarter was slower than the previous one. Good luck betting Line of David.
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Posted by: Jordan, Louisville, KY on April 26, 2010 at 11:30 PM
Keeneland observer: 3 of those dogs are in the derby and Uh Oh Bango would have qualified, so I think that it was as tough a prep as any. I may be mistaken, but I don't think any other prep had as many Derby horses in it.
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Posted by: Keeneland observer, Lexington, KY on April 26, 2010 at 04:50 PM
Donna from Michigan: He was indeed running against dogs. And he did not win the Arkansas Derby handily. He was all out to win by a neck while tiring badly.
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Posted by: mike, Vancouver, WA on April 25, 2010 at 07:22 PM
I think that if the current rumor is true, that trainer J. Sadler is dumping jockey J. Court (who won the Arkansas Derby which earned Line of David enough money to qualify for the Derby) that Sadlers' real character is more in line of his illegal doping w/steroids back at Delmar 2 summers ago which helped him rise to the top of the S. Ca trainers standings and probably helped him acquire new clients. i believe this low-down move will jinx all chance and rightly so unless, there was a prior understanding or agreement with Mr, court and Bejarano
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Posted by: Donna, Hillsdale, MI on April 25, 2010 at 02:32 PM
Saw Line of David in the Arkansas and unless he was running against dogs, he took it handily. My money will be on him in the Derby. He has stamina as well as speed.
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