[stextbox id=”custom”]
Russdiculous, the 2-year-old thoroughbred Rick Pitino named for University of Louisville basketball guard Russ Smith, finished second at Santa Anita in his first race Saturday.
Starting from post position seven on a fast track at 4-to-1 odds, Russdiculous led for most of the five-and-a-half furlongs before being overtaken by Z Big Apple in the stretch. He finished one-and-a-half lengths behind the winner.
Russdiculous paid $3.60 to place and $3 to show. Z Big Apple paid $4.4o to win.
Don’t count on “Russ” being a Derby contender…breeding suggests he’ll be a sprinter and anything over a mile is probably out of his range.
Z Big Apple, the horse that beat him, definitely keep an eye on him on the Derby trail. He’s gonna love Churchill.