Jerry Crawford’s Donegal Racing has a real Derby prospect in Dullahan
Donegal Racing, who owns the Grade 1, $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes winner, Dullahan, is headed by Jerry Crawford, and the man is all too familiar with the trail to the Run for the Roses and the actual race itself, because in the 2010 running of the
Grade 1 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, Jerry Crawford mainly had hope to compete in the Derby, but his stable ended finishing third as Paddy O’Prado turned in an unexpected performance on the day.
This year though, the chances are more realistic as the Dale Romans trained Dullahan runs under the banner of Donegal Racing, and his roaring run down the stretch in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes puts him in contention with other big names to win the Kentucky
Derby.
Trainer Dale Romans was all praise for his trainee, and said that he has what it takes to win the Kentucky Derby, and the reason behind is that Dullahan has a big engine and he can accelerate almost at will.
The way he outrun Hansen in the Blue Grass Stakes was emphatic and how he used small holes to get himself through was impressive as well.
Dale Romans, who also trained Paddy O’Prado further went on to say about Dullahan that:
“I felt at the three-eighths pole he had a chance if he got through. Then at the quarter-pole when he did get through and had only a couple of horses to split I thought we’re not going to be any worse than second. Then when he exploded and went past Hansen the
way he did it was an unbelievable feeling. I was so proud of him."
“The first time you’re in the Kentucky Derby, you really don’t know what’s coming at you,” he said. “This year, we’ve heard from over 500 people just in Iowa who want to be present. We have a very big partnership to start with. The big thing is to organize
things so that everyone has a great time.
Dullahan has presented Jerry Crawford a realistic chance of running, but in the Derby anything can happen, and anyone can make the day their own with a perfectly times run, and that is what Dullahan’s connections will be trying and hoping to do.
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