Tom Pedulla is interviewing outstanding homeowners, trainers and jockeys as they journey the Highway to the 148th Kentucky Derby introduced by Woodford Reserve on Might 7 at Churchill Downs.
Patrick O’Keefe, who bred and owns Traditional Causeway with Clarke Cooper, is featured this week. The son of Big’s Causeway looms as a major contender within the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs. The chestnut colt already owns a win on the monitor, posting an emphatic 3 ¾-length resolution within the Feb. 12 Sam F. Davis Stakes.
Traditional Causeway ranks 11th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 16 factors. The 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby, along with a handbag of $400,000, provides 85 Derby qualifying factors on a 50-20-10-5 foundation to the highest 4 finishers.
Traditional Causeway is skilled by Brian Lynch. He adopted a powerful rout in his profession debut at Saratoga with a third-place end within the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland and a runner-up effort within the Nov. 27 Kentucky Jockey Membership Stakes at Churchill Downs.
O’Keefe, 80, is a local of Ogden, Utah, who excelled as an actual property developer. He started a modest breeding operation, often called Kentucky West, in St. Charles, Idaho in 2000. He fervently hopes to have his first Kentucky Derby starter in Traditional Causeway. He participated in a question-and-answer session performed on behalf of America’s Finest Racing:
PEDULLA: What are you able to inform me in regards to the early levels of Traditional Causeway’s profession?
O’KEEFE: Brian known as and mentioned, “I’m taking some horses to New York. I’d wish to take Traditional Causeway with me.” I mentioned, “That’s sounds all proper, I assume.” He went forward and took him down there after which I received one other name and he mentioned, ‘The excellent news is we’re going to run him in a maiden race at Saratoga. The dangerous information is we’re going to run in opposition to among the prime trainers on the earth.” The primary thought that got here to my thoughts was, “We’re going to offer the horse an inferiority complicated.”
PEDULLA: What made you resolve to run?
O’KEEFE: He mentioned, “Patrick, the horse is doing effectively. It’s coaching effectively. It’s doing every thing I’d need him to do. I’m not apprehensive a bit about it.” I mentioned, “That sounds good to me.”
PEDULLA: What do you keep in mind about that promising debut?
O’KEEFE: After I checked out him within the gate, it was like he had fallen asleep. He regarded so comfy. When he broke, he simply exploded out of the gate. He went to the lead and saved it. He went coast to coast. You discuss going zero to hero, I couldn’t imagine it.
PEDULLA: What’s it wish to lastly have a horse of this caliber?
O’KEEFE: The trials and tribulations, you wouldn’t even imagine it. This factor is a fairy story.
PEDULLA: What are your expectations for the Tampa Bay Derby?
O’KEEFE: It may very well be shut or he may blow it out. If this horse needs to go, he’s going to let him go. I can inform you that straight out.
PEDULLA: Do you assume you’re going to win?
O’KEEFE: I feel now we have a 70% probability of profitable.
PEDULLA: How do you provide you with 70%?
O’KEEFE: Properly, there may be all the time one thing that may occur.
PEDULLA: Can he get the Derby distance of a mile and 1 / 4?
O’KEEFE: I don’t assume there may be any horse on the market that may contact him at seven furlongs. However now he’s beginning to transfer into liking distance increasingly more. He’s moved me to pondering we might have an actual probability of profitable the Derby, if we get by means of this all proper.
PEDULLA: Are you able to discuss in regards to the job Brian Lynch is doing in coaching this horse?
O’KEEFE: It’s wonderful. I feel he’s taken every thing he discovered from Bobby (Frankel) and put it into this horse.
PEDULLA: What does it imply to presumably have your first Derby horse?
O’KEEFE: Properly, it’s life-changing for me. I’m on the finish of my life cycle. It solidified every thing I ever believed in that I may do on this business. It’s fairly wonderful.
PEDULLA: Does it add to your satisfaction that you just bred the horse?
O’KEEFE: Oh, sure. That’s what it was all about. Anyone with cash can go purchase a horse and have a shot. However to go on the market and feed the horse for a few years and nurture it, that’s a reasonably good accomplishment.
PEDULLA: What would a Kentucky Derby victory imply to you?
O’KEEFE: I feel it could be nice for the business, for openers. It might get extra folks to imagine in what may very well be finished. When you put sufficient work into it and also you stick with it, you possibly can succeed on this business. I feel that will be a heck of a contribution from me. I’ve received two bottles of Opus One which I’ve saved for 20 years. They’re sitting right here with mud on them. I’ve been ready 20 years to open them.
