Iowa may well have yet another contender for the 2017 Kentucky Derby, as Not This Time, who is trained at the Albaugh Family Stables, won the recent Iroquois, a race worth $150,000. The two-year-old has now established himself as the early points leader for next year’s race, and will look to follow in the footsteps of Brody’s Cause, who placed in this year’s derby before finishing sixth in the famous Belmont Stakes. His most recent victory by over eight lengths certainly demonstrates his undoubted credentials for such a high profile run.
Not This Time has now won twice in his last three races, earning almost $115,000 in the process, and is now among the outsiders for the Kentucky Derby with bookmakers Coral. Trainer Dale Romans was recently quoted as saying that Not This Time was “the best horse I have ever trained”, and will be looking for his prized asset to lay down a marker in the upcoming Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Romans continued by saying:
“He’s the real deal. He’s spooky good and I think he’s everything I’ve always thought he was. “He’s just so talented.”
At just 9/2 with bookmakers Coral to claim what would undoubtedly be the most famous win of his young career at Santa Anita. With the race on November 5 worth $2 million, it is certainly a step up in class for Not This Time and Romans, however having gone half a mile in just 49 seconds during a recent workout alongside Singing Bullet and Sweeping Paddy, there is certainly reason for optimism. In the build up to the week of racing, each meeting’s odds is listed at Coral’s website.
As far as the Breeders Cup Classic is concerned this year, 2014 Kentucky Derby winner California Chrome currently heads the betting with Coral, with odds of 11/10 on. The two-time Eclipse winner dazzled for the sixth straight occasion this season with a front-running success at Santa Anita, with trainer Art Sherman understandably confident of continued success into 2017.
