NOTEBOOK
LOUISVILLE – Roy and Gretchen Jackson, who race their horses under the nom-de-course Lael Stables, are the first owners in history to start two undefeated horses in the same Derby: Barbaro, 5-for-5, trained by Michael Matz, and Showing Up, 3-for-3, trained by Barclay Tagg.
Barbaro, winner of the Holy Bull and Florida Derby in his past two starts, has been pointed to the Derby all along. But Showing Up didn’t punch his ticket until he won the Lexington Stakes two weeks ago.
By all logic, Showing Up has no shot. No horse has won the roses without starting as a 2-year-old since Apollo in 1882. The last Derby winner with just three lifetime starts was Regret in 1915.
This is the same Tagg, as conservative a horseman as there is, who practically had to be dragged kicking and screaming to Churchill Downs three years ago with his first Derby starter, Funny Cide.
What’s up with that?
“[Showing Up] is very, very fast,” Tagg said yesterday, smiling like the cat who ate the canary. “He’s very easy-going. He’s tenacious. If he’s crowded, he works his way out. If there’s a hole to go through, he’ll go through it.
“I don’t have Derby Fever and all of that stuff. It’s just that he’s a tough little colt who’s done everything easily.”
Future wager odds
PP Horse Pool 1 Pool 2 Pool 3
A.P. Warrior 31-1 3-1f 24-1
Barbaro 19-1 15-1 9-1
Bluegrass Cat 15-1 11-1 15-1
Bob and John 31-1 19-1 13-1
Brother Derek 16-1 10-1 5-1
Cause to Believe 59-1 32-1 24-1
Deputy Glitters 3-1f 3-1f 72-1
Flashy Bull 45-1 32-1 15-1f
Jazil 3-1f 3-1f 15-1f
Keyed Entry 53-1 21-1 32-1
Lawyer Ron 21-1 17-1 8-1
Point Determined 18-1 29-1 13-1
Private Vow 14-1 13-1 25-1
Seaside Retreat 3-1f 3-1f 15-1f
Sharp Humor 3-1f 3-1f 35-1
Showing Up 3-1f 3-1f 15-1f
Sinister Minister 3-1f 3-1f 15-1f
Steppenwolfer 3-1f 24-1 47-1
Storm Treasure 3-1f 3-1f 15-1f
Sweetnorthernsaint 3-1f 30-1 10-1