NEWS
Owner hopes to enter Nicky Boy in Arkansas Derby
Posted: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 4:01 PM
by Ed DeRosa
New York Racing Association Director of Racing P.J. Campo on Wednesday refused Solange Chadda’s entry of the maiden filly Nicky Boy for the $750,000 Wood Memorial Stakes (G1) on Saturday at Aqueduct.
A dejected Chadda said on Wednesday that she would try to enter Nicky Boy in the $1-million Arkansas Derby (G1) on April 10 at Oaklawn Park as a final effort to qualify for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) on May 1 at Churchill Downs, but she is disappointed that she could not run the three-year-old Anziyan Royalty filly at Aqueduct as a gift to New York racing.
“[NYRA Stakes Coordinator] Andrew Byrnes told me we were all set, but somebody went above him,” Chadda said. “She’s ready to run, and I want her to run because I want everyone to see how good she is. She was going to be my gift to New York racing.”
Campo said Wednesday before the close of entries that it was his decision alone as to whether to accept or deny Nicky Boy’s entry. He said that officials from his office, including himself and Byrnes, had talked to trainers Nick Zito, Todd Pletcher, and Derek Ryan.
“I've spoken to Zito a few times, and our stakes coordinator [Byrnes] spoke to Pletcher and Ryan, and none of those gentlemen raised any concerns,” Campo said before entries closed. “I'm completely aware of what's riding on the race, but no one has brought up any concerns other than this phone call.”
Pletcher will saddle likely favorite Eskendereya in the Wood with the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) winner likely needing at least a third-place finish to qualify for the Kentucky Derby based on graded stakes earnings. Zito and Ryan are in similar boats with their Jackson Bend and Schoolyard Dreams, respectively, as both likely need at least a third-place finish and possibly better to qualify.
But Chadda said that she also has Derby dreams, and although she did not nominate her filly to the Triple Crown during the initial period, she did say that she made Nicky Boy a late nomination and that she would ship to Kentucky to prepare for the Derby with at least a third-place finish in a stakes race this month.
“It's a very touchy subject,” Campo said. “The horse is coming all the way from New Mexico, and he ran in a legitimate [Kentucky Derby] prep race [Mine That Bird finished second in the Borderland Derby last year two starts before winning the Kentucky Derby].
“[Nicky Boy] just runs slow, though. Looking at the [Borderland Derby] chart, it didn't look like the horse did anything wrong. She's just slow.”
Chadda tried to enter Nicky Boy in the Wood off two career defeats. She was last of seven, beaten 39 3/4 lengths, on February 5 at Sunland Park before finishing last of nine, beaten 81 lengths, in the Borderland Derby against males 22 days later at the same track.
Nicky Boy began her career in the barn of Jeff Mullins, but Chadda said she transferred her filly to Arnulfo Ascencio because Mullins would not enter Nicky Boy in a stakes race and because she thought Mullins would have a hard time racing in New York. Mullins served a seven-day suspension last year for violating detention barn rules on Wood Memorial day.
“We started with Mullins, but he is a bad apple in the industry,” Chadda said. “Mullins did not want to come to New York, but New York opened its arms to us, and I want to reward them with the gift of Nicky [Boy].”
Oaklawn might have some precedent for being more welcoming than other tracks. In 2007 the Hot Springs, Arkansas, track accepted the entry of first-time starter Olympic Chief in the Arkansas Derby after he was denied entry in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland Race Course. The Chief Seattle colt finished last of nine, beaten 55 1/4 lengths, as the eighth choice in the race won by eventual Horse of the Year Curlin.
Ed DeRosa is news editor of Thoroughbred Times
