Louisiana Derby Day w/ Kevin Kilroy

But a man who is not upset about the brackets is on the line with

us. His name is Kevin Kilroy, his

Kansas Jayhawks. We'll talk to Issel next, and

that is a we'll we'll celebrate The Jayhawks with Issel as well.

Kevin, in a weird way, you are the meat in the sandwich of Jose

Ortiz and Dan Issel. How are you?

Oh, God, What a what a what a spot to be.

I mean, I don't know. I don't know what you know

Heaven Is will come after me, though.

It's just it's sad because he's going to basically remember what

he says and they're going to forget that little little Kevin

was on air with you. Thanks for having me on, you

guys. Good.

Are we going to talk trash on Kentucky?

Oh man, I I got plenty of that to do the next, I don't know,

five years. Of my life.

Or something. So we'll do that whatever,

whatever we need to. But you are down there in New

Orleans and we begin in earnest. The real for sure qualifiers for

the Kentucky Derby this weekend. Obviously.

Louisiana Derby for you all. Fairgrounds Oaks for a starting

spot in the Kentucky Oaks as well.

Man, it's awesome. Video of some rain.

What are we looking at for tomorrow?

Yeah, the the storms. I think that they're all done.

But it came pretty hard this morning.

It came very hard. So definitely a drenching,

soaking rain. We're off the turf today.

Track. I'm just staring at it right

now. It's sloppy, but the sun's going

to be coming out. It's going to be warming up.

I think we're going to be all good for tomorrow.

It might, it might be listed as having a little moisture in it,

but I think it's going to throughout the day as well.

I think. I think we'll be OK.

There you go. Kevin Kilroy with us.

He's at Trust your luck on Twitter if you have not followed

him. Joins us as he does every time.

We need to talk about Louisiana here on Roboco.

ESPN 680-1057 ahead of that of that Louisiana Derby tomorrow.

Hey man, you know this. We'll get into it later, but do

you like this $1.00 minimum, 15% Take out Bayou Bluegrass Pick.

Five. I do like it.

I do like it a lot. I like, I like a higher minimum

like that. The $3 all turf pick.

Three that we've been seeing. Yeah.

I think you know just the sort of going wisdom is the sort of

higher the denomination the more it's it knocks out basically big

old computer players who were just able to play a lot of

different combinations and and get their little whatever

percent they're trying to to clear out the top.

So it does also knock out some of the smaller players who

quickly sort of you know get get out price by not having you know

having using horses or whatever. But it forces you to take a

stand. You just have to single right.

You just have to find hopefully 2 singles and just acknowledge

the races where your opinion isn't strong, right.

And you don't want to to to take a, you know, take a stand on the

hill and see how it comes. So I like it a lot.

I like it a lot. I think it sets up well.

I'm going to try to play those Turfway Park races for for value

coming home and lean on a little bit of more chalk here here at

Fairgrounds. He is at fairgrounds.

His name is Kevin Kilroy. I think of tomorrow really as

two cards. You have the local card 1st and

then you have the national card second.

Do you think that's a fair characterization of what happens

at fairgrounds? I'd Louisiana Derby Day.

Yeah, we've got the big three steaks, Crescent City Derby,

Crescent City Oaks, you know, just for the LA breads, those 3

year olds and the coast are rising too.

So it's pretty fun. You know, it is almost a

celebration of of both things that go on here, both me and it

continues on Sunday too. We've got three more LA bread

steaks. So it's fun man that's that's

sometimes that brings out more of the people that are regularly

here at the track and part of the community and it becomes it

becomes quite great. So yeah, study up on your LA

breads and we've got a we've got a big one running in the the New

Orleans classic that touch upon a star.

Assuming that he's in there not the star guitar stakes.

He's a three to one morning line favorite owned by Jake Delome

Set Hut Jake Delome. And I think he can, I think he

can beat that field. So that would be pretty cool to

see. Is there a la bread we should

concentrate on in that early part of the card?

I think sounds like power in the in the Derby tough trip last

time clipped heels in a big way and just was out of it from the

from you know from the start. I think you just crossed the

line out that last race and assume that he's going well.

I think he can get the distance and that's a big question with

with a few of these. El De Niro has been looking good

again and again but I think sounds like power is going off

some value. So I think I think that's one

that you you want to lean on and then accommodate Eva.

She's also cross centered right. She's in the Crescent City Oaks

on the card and then in the Fairgrounds Oaks.

She ran huge. Last time she was the the

spotlight from Ragazan for like the you know the figure of the

week ran 11 on the rags and A5 on 3rd raft and it's always been

a question she could she go two turns?

She went out to the Breeders cup.

You know she broke her maiden at at Keeneland.

Dallas has been aggressive with her.

He's not going to decide till Saturday what where she's going

to run. But if she's in the Crescent

City Oaks, I think she's very dangerous.

And if she's not Sister Ella, wire to wire.

There you go. Kevin Kilroy with us.

He's down there at Fairgrounds NOLA.

He'll be on the simulcast tomorrow as part of their

coverage there at the Fairgrounds Louisiana Derby Day

and of course, Fairgrounds Oaks Day, both of those qualifiers.

Look, you win and you're healthy.

You're going to run on the Derby.

You're going to run the Oaks here.

First weekend in May here at Churchill Downs, a texture has

texted him that he walked into a small liquor store.

And I don't need to read the rest of the text, but those are

our people, Kevin. It is 11 O 7 the day after a

disappointing basketball game and they're walking into liquor

stores at 11:00. And those are our people.

All right, well, let's get into it.

And I'm. I'll ask you and watch

basketball and. Then watch Working.

Yeah, right. Yeah, exactly.

I know it right? So what do you expect to pay

more? The All Stakes pick five at

Fairgrounds tomorrow, or that Bayou Bluegrass pick five

between the two tracks. Oh, that's a good question.

I think that the, you know, the turf races that we have that are

not part of that. They're in all stakes Big 5, but

not in the Bayou Bluegrass are very wide open, the Tom Benson

and the Munis. So I think prices are going to

come rolling home and that like I was saying those Turfway

races, I think some prices could come home too.

I might have to lean towards the all stakes pick 5 to be honest

just because of those turf races and there's a couple Chad Brown

horses in there they're going to lean on, I don't think they

should. And then there's that Robert

Falcone Junior Spirit and Glory that I think will get hit pretty

hard in the Benson and I'm not sure if she can get it done.

So I think they might be over aggressive with the favorites on

the turf here which will clear up some value if they if they do

lose. And then I think just looking at

the Bourbon net and the Jeff Ruby, there are some favorites

in there, but it does seem kind of wide open from the get go.

The Fairgrounds Oaks, you know, let's go to that New Orleans

classic race. 9 mile and an eighth.

This is a a very very old race down there at the fairgrounds.

Half million bucks and a grade 2GO on a mile and an eighth on

the dirt course. They're older horses.

We keep getting these fun to turn dirt races down there at

your spot. Do you have a favorite here to

is it touch upon a star? Do we have to admit that?

Yeah, Touch upon a star. I mean, the pace is going to

heat up though, because you have best actor in there.

He's definitely ready to roll. And then you have that Peter

Walter horse black belt who seems quite forward so the pace

could heat up. Touch upon a star doesn't need

the lead, neither does best actor.

But I just have been so impressed.

I mean, when he turned back Tumbarumba, you know that fellow

lobber Ed who has had the big wins against open company,

including at Gulfstream recently in the Louisiana Champions Day

Classic, it was just like, are you kidding me?

Are you kidding me? He just like, sat there, you

know, just Thornton was just totally in hand.

And as soon as he just sort of gave just a little bit of a

nudge, it's just like gone. He's he's in the toughest spot

he's ever been. But I don't think it's too

tough. I think it's a great spot for

him to take on open company and I do want to single that guy.

You have a bunch of jockeys obviously coming in for the day.

You've been at Louisiana for a couple of years now, John

Velazquez, a Tyler Gaffalion, an Irad Ortiz, a Flavian Pratt.

How much do you lean on guys who have been at the track more and

how much are are visiting jockeys able to win races at at

a place like fairgrounds? Yeah, they can get it done here.

They can get it done here big time.

OK. You can see a lot of times where

they where they take, you know, multiple Joel, Joel Rosario

specifically. Pratt had a big day on Rising

Star day, you know, but there's so many of them this time I

haven't seen, I read down here since I've been down here.

So that's going to be interesting to see.

You know he's going to get bet. So a lot of times, you know

people use those jockeys very defensively.

So if you do like somebody who is has a local rider or sort of

a connection that's not known quite as much as a lot of value

in that opinion. So that's a good thing to

remember and maybe just lean on that one more than getting

offenses with the with these jocks, but yeah, they can get it

out here. Race a left booth.

Reef in the fairgrounds. Oak Smile on a 16th on the dirt.

Obviously 100 points to the winner for the Kentucky Oaks to

get into that starting gate. $400,000 on the line here.

Tarifa's in here. I have her as my #1 horse in my

Oaks rankings. Intricate is going to be

alongside. Ran second behind her last time

out in that Rachel Alexandra. Do we get a repeat performance

you think from Tarif or are you going to look somewhere else?

I'm going to go to our Pretty Woman.

I think she's going to have the the lead and be loose.

Commanding speed is just so dangerous on, you know, depends

on how the track is playing. I'm going to keep a feel on that

throughout the day, but I think she just has that, that tactical

advantage and she looked great. She's done it over sloppy tracks

2 times but she's been training on a fast track, just fantastic

and it doesn't make. I don't see why she wouldn't

move forward on it. So I think she's going to be in

a great spot. You know she out worked Hall of

Fame there on the 11th and that could be a knock on Hall of Fame

or it could be a plus for our Pretty Woman.

But she really looked good just doing it easy and seems to be

yeah she seems to be ready to move forward now.

Tarifa is doing outstanding as well moving forward intricate

likewise. So no knock on those two at all.

I do like intricate in a more fair set up, tactically best.

But you know VB's dream is a big question mark 2 the Barn loves.

Yeah right. They love her top level Philly,

but her form line has just been regressing.

So it's hard for me to get behind it.

But this could be the one, right?

This could be the the spot where you actually get value on her.

So that's that's another one to consider I think.

I will tell you, I think Alpine Princess, the three horse here

at 8:00 to 1:00 because of that performance in the slop for the

Rachel Alexandra man. If it dries out and we get the

untappable version of her, I think she's got a real shot

tomorrow. Oh, so she she'll be a turf way.

She's not here. She shipped up for the

bourbonnet. Alpine is running up here.

That's awesome news for me. Fantastic.

OK, good. Let's.

Move on then to the Louisiana Derby then now you're good.

Mile and 316th. The longest of the Derby preps

run down there at fairgrounds same distance as the Preakness

kids. It's OK they'll go for $1

million for three-year olds. Obviously starting gate spot in

the Kentucky Derby available as well.

Triple espresso. The one will be up here as well

for trader Todd Fletcher. I just talked to.

Hi welcome back in. Apologies for that.

We dropped for just a second. Kevin Kilroy with us from down

there at the fairgrounds. We do want to get right into the

Louisiana Derby track Phantom on the outside.

I was asking about Aggart Rd. Is he expected to be in the

starting gate? Because he will not be up here

at the Jeff Ruby. Yeah yeah he should be here he

should be here and he, I think he's in a great spot to to trip

out there on the rail. I think those two inner horses

with triple espresso gone are going to be full fins and IRAD

should be able to just save every inch and and come running

late. So we'll see if he can repeat

that that good figure that he ran last out there at the at

Goldstream right? No Sam Davis at at Tampa.

Sam Davis. Yep, Tampa.

Yep. Is there someone else?

I mean, because of the the length of the race and the fact

that they're going to have the full stretch twice, does a horse

like track Phantom drawing the 12?

Is it less of a problem than, say, if we were going to mile 70

at fairgrounds? Yeah, totally right.

Because there's plenty of room to to sort things out.

You're not going to get stuck wide.

You know, You're not going to get stuck wide.

And he's, you know, the big question I think is what the

strategy is, you know, is it's Hall of Fame.

I think he's a full send from that inside spot.

I think Steve would just let the both horses take their gloves

off and just see who's best. You know he has track Phantom is

in. He's got 55 points he's he's

he's in the starting games for the Derby.

He'd love to get Hall of Fame in there too right.

I know the connections would love that.

So I think Hall of Fame will will run his race which is more

forward not being taken back like the Risen star and if he's

good enough he can get it done. I'm just wondering if he's if

he's good enough now, you know? Do you have do you have a

favorite in the race itself? Common defense Love common

defense in this race. Yeah.

Kim Mcpeak's other horse, the one that's coming in now, I

think he's, I think he's the now horse in the in the Rebel.

He he just made a great move to put himself into the race

seemingly all on his own and just showed, you know he showed

his big long stride. He's got a big stride.

He can eat up ground. I think he's just got great

stalking speed. I think he'll be more forward

than we've seen in the past few because he had been sort of

coming off of it. But he showed that he minded to

be forward and I think he's got a tough draw, but I do think

he'll be more than six to one. I think he's he's coming forward

nicely and he should have some pace in front of him and get

that first run and I think he can hold him off.

So I like common defense in here a lot.

There you go. Well he is Kevin Kilroy.

Do you have a favorite say in the Ruby?

Is it a race that you've looked at?

A lot. No, no, no, no.

I wouldn't want to turn anybody in the wrong direction.

But in the bourbonette, pink polka dots, you've got to take

pink polka dots very seriously. She's she's been the most

impressive. I think the most impressive 3

year old that I've seen here has been on the turf.

She's forward and she's got a ton left at the end.

She goes fast early and she still has so much left in the

tank. So she just scratched that last

race at the Black Gold because we were off the turf.

And I think it's a real good sign that we're we're going to

the bourbon net. So yeah, you got a pink polka

dot I do like. Pink Polka Dots is the 8 horse

in Race 11 tomorrow up here at Turfway Park.

Kevin Kilroy. He joined us from down at

Fairgrounds in New Orleans at Trust Your Luck on Twitter.

He'll be on that simulcast feed as part of their coverage for

Louisiana Derby Day. Another season come and gone at

Fairgrounds. Can you believe it?

Can't believe it. Can't believe it.

I'm ready to see you in Louisville, though.

I'll be up there soon, Louis. You're damn right.

All right, buddy. We'll we'll see you when that

happens. Have a great day tomorrow.

Great day on Sunday. We'll talk to you soon.

All right. Good luck, man.

Thanks.