Although I Want Revenge had run respectably in the Cash Call Futurity (G1) last fall and most recently the Robert B. Lewis (G2), running second and third, respectively, by crushing his rivals in the $250,000 Gotham Stakes (G3), he effectively put the horse racing world on notice on this past Saturday that he commands respect as a legitimate Kentucky Derby contender now.
Watch his first foray into Graded Stakes in the Cash Call Futurity (G1) from TVG Network
Watch his 3-year-old debut in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes
The racing public had generally dismissed him as a second tier prospect, and his odds in the first Kentucky Derby future wager reflected that. Pioneerof The Nile, for example, who had beaten him narrowly the past two times was more highly fancied in the future betting closing as the second lowest individual entry, but I Want Revenge closed at 54 to 1, a fact over which his fortunate backers are no doubt now congratulating themselves.
Prior to the Gotham win, I Want Revenge had only raced on synthetic surfaces during his short career, and it is always difficult to know if a horse is really better than he seems, if he is racing over a surface for which he does not have a particular affinity, or if he is really not as good as he appears to be, if he happens particularly love the synthetic surface.
However, the Gotham win provides convincing evidence that the former case is true; that I Want Revenge prefers natural dirt to synthetic surfaces, an attribute that will help him move over the dirt surface at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May. Of course, the inner track at Aqueduct racetrack is known for being a little quirky itself and the dirt at Aqueduct is not quite the same as dirt at Churchill Downs, but this win I think should give any backer more confidence in his ability to handle Churchill than they had before the race.
Watch the Gotham Stakes from TVG Network Here
The final time was 142.65, which I believe is the fastest time of the meet at the distance over the inner track. And just as impressive is the fact that his final 1/16 of a mile was run in 6.19 seconds, which is significantly faster than the average last 1/16 of a mile run at this distance.
The very good final time and final 1/16th, the fact that he was drawing away from the field as the distance increased, that he has long fluid strides which are most commonly seen in distance capable horses, and that his sire Stephen Got Even was successful at the classic distances, all collectively suggest that this horse will have no trouble getting the 1 ¼ mile distance of the Kentucky Derby.
His next start will be the Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct racetrack (run over the main dirt track) on April 4, 2009 and unless the current crop of three year olds step up their game, he will be the one to beat.
