Contenders

Todd Pletcher

A native of Dallas, TX, Pletcher grew up around Thoroughbred racing as his father, Jake Pletcher, trained Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds. After graduating from the University of Arizona with a degree in animal science, he went to work for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. He stayed with Lukas for six years, eventually becoming his main East Coast assistant trainer. Pletcher went out on his own in 1996 and he currently trains for such powerhouse owners as: Michael Tabor of Coolmore, Aaron and Marie Jones, Padua Stables, and Eugene Melnyk. In less than 10 years, Pletcher has conditioned such top-class performers as Ashado, Bluegrass Cat, Left Bank, Speightstown, Strong Hope, Forest Danger, Flower Alley, Balto Star and others. While he has been very successful since taking out his license, 2006 was yet another banner year for the Pletcher stable. He set a season earnings record in 2005 with his horses winning more than $20.8 million in purses, surpassing the previous record of $19.1 million set by Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel. Pletcher recently won the 2006 Eclipse as the nation's top trainer, his third win in a row. After going winless with his first 12 Breeders' Cup starters, Pletcher won two races in the event in 2004: the Sprint with Speightstown, and the Distaff with Kentucky Oaks champ Ashado. Both would also go on to be Eclipse winners in their respective divisions. Pletcher's best Derby finishers to date are the aforementioned Bluegrass Cat and Invisible Ink, second in 2006 and 2001, respectively, and a fourth with Limehouse in 2004.

John Velazquez

A native of Puerto Rico, born on November 24, 1971, Velazquez is perennially among the top 10 riders in New York, where he currently lives. He has six Breeders' Cup wins - Caressing, Da Hoss, Storm Flag Flying, Starine, Speightstown, and Ashado - and on Sept. 3, 2001, he became the first jockey in Saratoga history to ride six winners on a single card. On April 22, 2001, Velazquez won his 2,000th career race. His mounts earned in excess of $22.4 million in 2004, tops in the nation, while his 335 wins were good for third last year. After attending jockey's school and riding in Puerto Rico, came to New York in March 1990. He has ridden in seven Derbies, his best a second on Invisible Ink in '01. He and his wife Leona, daughter of trainer Leo O'Brien, have one daughter and one son.

Starlight Stable & Donald Lucarelli

Starlight Stables is the Thoroughbred racing partnership of Atlanta residents Jack and Laurie Wolf, They are relative newcomers to the horse industry, buying their first horses at the 2000 Fasig-Tipton July sale. One of the horses in that set of six was Harlan’s Holiday, winner of the 2002 Florida Derby and Blue Grass. While that colt gave them some thrills, it pales in comparison to the career of their filly Ashado. In addition to winning the 2004 Kentucky Oaks (GI), Ashado won 10 other graded stakes, including the Breeders' Cup Distaff (GI) the same year. She was named champion in both 2004 and 2005. After being retired following the 2005 Breeders' Cup, Ashado was sold at the Keeneland November sale for a world record $9 million. Lucarelli became involved in racing after selling his Bellevue Builders Supply business, and formed a partnership with Wolf after meeting him in 2003. Octave was his first winner at Saratoga, his home track.

Mr. & Mrs. Martin Wygod (KY)

The Wygods are both New York State natives; they currently reside in Rancho Santa Fe, California. They also own River Edge Farm in Buellton, Cal., where their stallions Bertrando and Benchmark stand. Martin founded Medco Containment Services, built it into the largest mail order prescription drug company in the U.S.; then sold it to pharmaceutical giant Merck for $6.5 billion. He is currently chairman of the board for WebMD and a member of the Jockey Club since 1996. Pam is on the board at Children's Hospital of San Diego. Martin's involvement with racing was as a hotwalker at age 15. He is now on the board of TOBA and Del Mar. The couple owns about 100 mares that are kept in California and Kentucky. They have bred over 70 stakes winners, including Sweet Catomine, Tranquility Lake and Officer.

Octave is by Unbridled’s Song, who sold at auction for $1.4 million as a two year old, and then won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in his third lifetime start in 1995. He sired two Grade one winners in his first crop: Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) winner Unbridled Elaine and Fountain of Youth Stakes (GI) winner Songandaprayer. From eight crops to race, he has 49 stakes winners to date, including Splendid Blended, who won the Hollywood Starlet (GI); Buddha, winner of the Wood Memorial (GI); Marylebone, winner of the Matron Stakes (GI); Even the Score (GII Californian); Eurosilver (GII Lane's End Breeder's Futurity), and Domestic Dispute, (GII Santa Catalina). The success of his offspring has raised his stud fee considerably over the past few years, and he currently stands for $200,000 at Taylor Made Farm in central Kentucky. Unbridled’s Song showed flashes of brilliance on the racetrack throughout his career, winning the Breeder Cup Juvenile in only his third start and taking the Florida Derby (GI) by 5 ¾ lengths, defeating Horse of the Year Skip Away, and classic winners Louis Quatorze and Editor’s Note. He was favored in the 1996 Kentucky Derby, but faded to fifth behind Grindstone after having the lead in mid-stretch.

Octave's dam Belle Nuit has proven to be one of the better producers over the last decade or so. With six foals to race, she has produced three stakes winners: Octave, Belle Cherie and Be Mine Tonight; and one stakes placed horse: Unbridled Behavior. The latter is a full brother to Octave. The New York bred Belle Nuit won five of 25 starts, including the Alluvial Stakes on the turf, and was Grade Two placed in the Spicy Living Handicap, also on the grass. All five of her wins came going a route of ground, and with her grandsires being Caro (to whom Octave is inbred 3x3) and Tom Rolfe, her affinity for longer grass races should come as no surprise. Octave is also inbred 5x4 on her dam's side to 1965 Broodmare of the Year Pocahontas through her sons Tom Rolfe and Chieftain. - by Mark Hoard

OCTAVE has never been worse than second in seven lifetime starts, but with five runner-up finishes, she gaining a reputation that her backers would rather not see. A closer, she’s been at the mercy of a slow pace on occasion, such as in the Breeders’ Cup, but there’s been times when it looks like she should be able to get the job done and just doesn’t seal the deal. As you might figure, she has had some traffic problems in some of her races. She gets a rider change to Velazquez, but that’s because Gomez is sticking with favorite Rags to Riches. Octave’s style should work well in here, as the race has enough speed to set up her late move. She’s going to be one of the top four choices, but maybe it’s wiser to play her in second and hope for a bomber on top to round out a nice exacta.