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Bonde Headed To Kentucky Derby
Trainer Jeff Bonde of Pleasanton is headed to the Kentucky Derby with his 3-year-old colt Twice the Appeal, who scored a 25-to-1 upset in the $800,000 Sunland Derby last Sunday at Sunland Park in New Mexico.
Bonde said Twice the Appeal, who is stabled at Santa Anita, would train up to the “Run For The Roses.” The 137th running of the Kentucky Derby will be held Saturday, May 7, at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
“I haven’t decided on what date he’ll ship (to Louisville),” said Bonde, who will be at Golden Gate Fields Thursday (post time is 12:45 p.m.) to saddle Not In This Life in the sixth race. “It’s exciting.”
Twice the Appeal secured himself a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate by virtue of the $400,000 in graded earnings he banked by winning Grade 3 Sunland Derby. Twice the Appeal paid $53.20 after defeating Astrology by 1 1/2-lengths in the
1 1/8-mile Sunland Derby.
Twice the Appeal will be looking to duplicate the feat of Mine That Bird, who won the 2009 Kentucky Derby after competing in the Sunland Derby. Mine That Bird went into the Kentucky Derby off a fourth-place finish in the Sunland Derby and paid $103.20 to win at Churchill Downs.
Twice the Appeal, who was winless in three tries at Golden Gate Fields last year, has three victories in 10 career starts. A Kentucky-bred son of Successful Appeal, Twice the Appeal is owned in partnership by Southern Californians Rusty Brown, Victor Flores and Henry Hernandez.