May, 2023 | Horse Racing Free Tips

Kentucky Derby Replica Trophy Goes on Display at Epsom

The Kentucky Derby Museum is partnering with The Jockey Club in England to display a replica Derby Trophy at the Epsom Downs Racecourse for the 244th running of the Epsom Derby June 3. The Epsom Derby was the inspiration for the Kentucky Derby, which will celebrate its 150th running in May 2024.

A representative from Kentucky Derby Museum will attend the Epsom Derby to answer questions about the trophy and to engage guests in the unique ties between British and American racing. The trophy's journey to England will launch the museum's line-up of celebrations leading up to Kentucky Derby 150.

“The Kentucky Derby Museum is honored to be a guest at the Epsom Derby,” said Patrick Armstrong, Kentucky Derby Museum President and CEO. “We're excited to travel back to our Derby roots and share how the greatest two minutes in sports is an integral part in Louisville's story and Kentucky's success. We believe a trip to Derby 150 will be a bucket-list item for British horseracing fans, and we're excited for the museum to be part of Louisville's continued growth in international tourism.”

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Kentucky Derby Museum Brings Trophy To Saturday’s Epsom Derby

Kentucky Derby Museum is partnering with The Jockey Club to bring an iconic piece of the Kentucky Derby back to where it all began — the Epsom Derby in England.

The replica Derby Trophy will be on display at the Epsom Downs Racecourse, just 20 miles south of London, for the 244th running of the Epsom Derby on Saturday, June 3, 2023. The Epsom Derby was the inspiration for the Kentucky Derby, which will celebrate its 150th running in May 2024.

A representative from Kentucky Derby Museum will attend the Epsom Derby to answer questions about the trophy and to engage guests in the unique ties between British and American racing. The trophy's journey to England will launch the Museum's lineup of celebrations leading up to Kentucky Derby 150.

“The Kentucky Derby Museum is honored to be a guest at the Epsom Derby,” said Patrick Armstrong, Kentucky Derby Museum President and CEO. “We're excited to travel back to our Derby roots and share how the greatest two minutes in sports is an integral part in Louisville's story and Kentucky's success. We believe a trip to Derby 150 will be a bucket-list item for British horseracing fans, and we're excited for the Museum to be part of Louisville's continued growth in international tourism.”

The Museum is diligently working to bring Derby history to life for the 150th Run for the Roses with a new exhibit, exciting events, unique merchandise, and much more.

“We're thrilled to be welcoming the Kentucky Derby trophy and the team from Louisville to Epsom Downs this weekend for The Derby Festival,” said Matt Woolston, Assistant Racing and International Director at The Jockey Club. “We're keen to do more to link up with the different Derbys around the world that can trace their origins back to Epsom in 1780, and initiatives like this can only help in growing the international audience for this iconic event.”

To learn more about the history of the Kentucky Derby and its ties to the Epsom Derby, go to DerbyMuseum.org/Derby150.

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Monmouth: Samy Camacho Excited To Challenge Paco Lopez For Leading Rider Title

With Paco Lopez already off to a fast start in his quest for his 10th riding title at Monmouth Park, the annual question is out there again: Can anyone challenge him for the top spot?

For the first time since 2019, when Lopez caught and passed Nik Juarez for leading riding honors on the final day of the meet, the answer could be yes.

Samy Camacho arrived at the 51-day meet off his third straight riding title at Tampa Bay Downs, and fourth in the past five years, and with a commitment to ride first call for trainer Chad Brown's horses at Monmouth Park.

With Friday racing being added to the live racing calendar this weekend, Camacho is listed to ride in four of the eighth races. First race post time for Friday racing, which will run through the end of August, will be 2 p.m.

“I know Paco is the jockey to beat here,” said Camacho. “But everywhere I ride, every meet, my goal is to be leading rider. Paco has the business. But I know what I have and I have confidence in my ability.”

Camacho, a 35-year-old native of Caracas, Venezuela, already has some catching up to do, since Lopez currently holds a five-win lead (14 to 9) over him.

“Realistically, we know it's tough beating Paco Lopez at Monmouth Park,” said Mike Moran, Camacho's agent and the brother of Lopez's agent, Cory Moran. “But we're going to give it a try. That's the goal. Paco has been on top for a long time here so you know it's a big challenge.”

Lopez's stranglehold on the top spot at the Jersey Shore track is the stuff of sports dynasties. He has won four straight Monmouth Park riding titles and eight of the past 10. Only Joe Bravo, with 13, has won more riding titles in track history.

But Camacho is closing in on 1,200 career wins and has momentum from his Tampa Downs success.

“I'm very happy where I am right now,” he said. “I never thought I would be the leading rider anywhere.”

Born into a racing family, Camacho started riding in the United States in 2012, winning 32 races. But a combination of homesickness and youthful impatience saw him return to Venezuela for almost two years. He rode and galloped in his native country until deciding to give it another try in the United States.

“I didn't have the patience or the maturity then. My riding was nowhere near what it is now,” he said.

The light bulb moment for Camacho's career came in 2018.

“I started to wonder why I was winning but not riding for the top trainers. What was the reason?” he said. “So I started watching videos of Ramon Dominguez and Garrett Gomez and I started to learn a lot more. I watched them break, saw how they got good position, saw how they would save ground and be patient and then save enough to get something out of a horse when it mattered most. I saw things I needed to do to be successful.”

The highlight so far of Camacho's career was booting home 49-1 shot King Guillermo in the 2020 Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, which had him Kentucky Derby-bound. Two days before the Derby the horse was scratched.

“I cried a lot when that happened. I still cry when I think about it,” said Camacho. “That's one of my next goals – to ride in the Triple Crown, the Breeders' Cup, graded races. I want more. I feel I am still learning. I don't think you ever stop learning. That is how you get to the next level. That's why I started coming to Monmouth Park, to get more opportunities.”

Camacho finished tied for third in the Monmouth Park standings a year ago with 41 winners (Lopez had 91) but dominated at the Tampa Downs meet with 114 wins, more than double the total of runner-up Jose Ferrer.

It was Ferrer in 2018 who was the last jockey to finish ahead of Lopez in the Monmouth Park rider standings.

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“It’s All To Play For” – Murphy Team Place Faith In Derby Hope White Birch

John Murphy has described himself as very lucky to have come across Betfred Derby contender White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) and says that his 14-1 chance for Epsom glory is more than worthy of his shot in the line-up for the eagerly-awaited Classic.

White Birch identified himself as a bona fide Derby prospect when streaking to G3 Ballysax S. glory at Leopardstown earlier in the season. From there, he went on to overcome a tardy start to finish an excellent second behind The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in the G2 Dante S. at York, enhancing his Derby credentials in the process.

Murphy, who turned 62 last week, said, “It's hugely exciting. It gives you a pep in the step and we're really looking forward to it.”

Murphy is best known for sending out Newmill (Ire) (Norwich {GB}) to win the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in 2006. That was the Upton-based trainer's first ever top-level triumph and he followed it up with another when Newmill went on to win at the Punchestown Festival later that spring.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since the days of Newmill, with Murphy almost entirely concentrating on the Flat now, the fruits of which will be in full bloom on Saturday.

“We're just very lucky,” he added. “We're very thankful to everyone who has made it possible, especially all of our staff, who have done a great job with White Birch.”

However, it's not entirely true to say that White Birch will be Murphy's first Derby runner. The man who describes himself as a producing trainer, a nod to the fact he gets as much of a kick out of selling horses as he does winning with them, pinhooked Papal Bull (GB) many moons ago.

Papal Bull went on to finish a luckless 10th in the Derby for Sir Michael Stoute the same year Newmill won the Champion Chase and is just another horse that Murphy enhanced the value of, having bought him as a foal for just 20,000gns and selling him on to Demi O'Byrne as a yearling for 100,000gns.

But it is Murphy's son George, along with the help of Tally-Ho Stud's Roger O'Callaghan, who deserve all the credit for finding White Birch. O'Callaghan highly recommended the grey to the 29-year-old and a private deal was brokered.

Recalling the story, Murphy said, “It was George who saw White Birch first. The horse had been recommended by Roger O'Callaghan of Tally-Ho Stud and you have to listen when Roger speaks. When George went to see him, he loved him. He's a beautiful-looking horse. He had everything.”

There may have been a certain amount of luck in White Birch finding his way to the Murphys but even more when it came to hanging on to the horse. The phone calls were endless when White Birch won his maiden by over six lengths at Dundalk last November but it was long-standing owner Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez, who has had Big Time (Ire) (Kheleyf) and Charterhouse (GB) (Charming Thought {GB}) here and won the Oaks with the Aidan O'Brien-trained Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who came up trumps.

Murphy said, “He always did it easy and always had a lovely brain. He did it very well at Dundalk and there was a lot of interest in him after that.

“The owners [Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez] expressed an interest and we were delighted that they bought him and were kind enough to leave him in training with us. They are long-standing owners of ours and love their racing. They are here for a good one now anyway.”

A good one might be putting it mildly. White Birch is well found in the Derby market and, with Shane Foley committed to riding Jessica Harrington's Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), Colin Keane has been booked to ride.

Murphy said, “We're delighted to have Colin on board. We have had a good relationship with Colin over the last number of years and White Birch definitely won't be lacking in the saddle anyway.”

And what would success mean to this father-and-son operation who have been without a flagship Group 1 horse for the best part of a decade?

“It's huge,” comes the response. “We might seem calm but, inside, a lot is going on. It's all to play for in the Derby. He probably has as much entitlement to go there as anything else in the race. Everything is good with the horse and we are happy.”

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