Betting The Horses

With the Kentucky Derby just a few weeks away, Interactif is right inside the bubble on the graded stakes earnings list.  The Todd Pletcher-trained horse is sitting at $307,950, which is good enough for 17th place.  The top twenty get preference to start in the Run for the Roses.

The colt has gained some valuable experience in graded stakes races, participating in 6 leading into the Kentucky Derby.  He won the With Anticipation Stakes (G3) and the Bourbon Stakes (G3) and finished second at the San Felipe Stakes (G2).

Most recently, Interactif raced in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes.  The winner of the race, Stately Victor, was a 40-1 long shot.  Interactif, the pre-race favorite, finished in fourth place.

Interactif is owned by his breeder, Alan Wertheimer.  He was sired by Broken Vow and is the son of Broad Pennant.

His earnings have him in the top twenty but Pletcher is still undecided on whether he will start him in the Derby.  Pletcher recently said that it is “doubtful” that Interactif will start in the Derby.  He said that he “would have to work lights out” at Churchill Downs in order to progress to the Derby.

His status in the Derby is being watched closely by many.  If he were to drop out of the race, it opens the door for horses outside the top 20 to start in the first leg of the Triple Crown.  Uh Oh Bango, Jackson Bend, Backtalk, and Make Music for Me are ranked 21-24 and will watch anxiously to see what Interactif does.