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Daily Derby Dose (April 22)
Check this blog daily for all the latest updates on Kentucky Derby contenders and other news as the Run for the Roses is now just 15 days away.
Watch Mo go: Eclipse champion Uncle Mo galloped a mile and a quarter at Churchill Downs on Friday and will have his first work since finishing third in the Wood next Tuesday. The colt’s schedule was knocked off a few days because of treatment for a gastrointestinal tract infection detected following the Wood, but he’s still on course for two more works before the Derby. The colt won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last fall at Churchill Downs and is now bedded down in the same stall he used that week.
Last chance: Multiple stakes winner Silver Medallion is the favorite in a field of six for the Grade 2 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland today, one of the final graded stakes races remaining before the Derby. With the graded earnings cutoff this year hovering well over $200,000, the $120,000 winner’s purse won’t realistically be enough to push anyone but Silver Medallion into the field. The son of Badge of Silver is currently 24th on the list with $184,334. A victory would secure him a spot in the starting gate, placing him 15th on the list; a runner-up effort would move him to 22nd, meaning he would need help from others to make the field. Silver Medallion won the El Camino Real Derby over a synthetic track at Golden Gate in February, defeating, among others, Grade 1 winner Comma To The Top. But the colt was a lackluster fourth after tracking the pace in the Santa Anita Derby last time out. Silver Medallion is the only horse in the field to run with distinction in a graded stakes event. Taptowne raced with some success through Turfway Park’s prep series, finishing third in the WBEN Stakes and second in the Battaglia Memorial; however, he finished fifth when bumped up to graded company in the Spiral Stakes. The last horse to come out of the Lexington and win the Derby was Charismatic, who pulled off the double in 1999. Interestingly, Silver Medallion’s prep schedule nearly mirrors that of Charismatic; the eventual Horse of the Year was beaten just a head in the El Camino Real, finished fourth in the Santa Anita Derby, then won the Lexington, Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
Musical jockeys: Three-time Derby winner Calvin Borel is scheduled to work Gotham winner Stay Thirsty for trainer Todd Pletcher on Sunday morning. Borel and Pletcher won the Derby together with Super Saver last year – however, the rider hasn’t committed to Stay Thirsty, and Ramon Dominguez, who rode the colt in the Gotham, is still available. Borel’s longtime agent, Jerry Hissam, said he will approach the connections of European hopeful Master of Hounds as well; no rider has been named on the colt, scheduled to ship in Derby week. Meanwhile, Shaun Bridgmohan will ride beaten Blue Grass favorite Santiva in the Derby. The colt is scheduled to have the first of two works on Tuesday.
Worktab watch: Spiral winner Animal Kingdom had been scheduled to work at Churchill Downs on Saturday, a move intended to shed some light on his status for the Derby, as the colt has never run on a dirt track before. However, thunderstorms expected in the Louisville area tomorrow have caused trainer Graham Motion to keep the colt at Keeneland to work on the synthetic surface there. Risen Star winner Mucho Macho Man and Florida Derby runner-up Shackleford will both work Saturday at Churchill, while Louisiana Derby winner Pants On Fire will breeze at Palm Meadows.
Oaks watch: Fantasy runner-up Arienza, daughter of Horse of the Year Azeri, turned in her first work at Churchill Downs on Friday morning, going an easy half in :49 2/5. ... Likely favorite R Heat Lightning is scheduled to work on Saturday at Churchill Downs. Also likely appearing on the worktab will be multiple graded winner Kathmanblu.
Notes: Santa Anita Derby winner Midnight Interlude and Oaks contender Plum Pretty arrived together on a flight from California Friday afternoon. ... No decision has yet been made on whether multiple graded winner JP’s Gusto will start in the Derby. ... Sunland Derby winner Twice The Appeal breezed six furlongs in 1:17.20 Friday in his first move at Churchill Downs. ... The special Derby and Oaks training hours begin tomorrow morning from 8:30-8:45 a.m.
Watch Mo go: Eclipse champion Uncle Mo galloped a mile and a quarter at Churchill Downs on Friday and will have his first work since finishing third in the Wood next Tuesday. The colt’s schedule was knocked off a few days because of treatment for a gastrointestinal tract infection detected following the Wood, but he’s still on course for two more works before the Derby. The colt won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last fall at Churchill Downs and is now bedded down in the same stall he used that week.
Last chance: Multiple stakes winner Silver Medallion is the favorite in a field of six for the Grade 2 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland today, one of the final graded stakes races remaining before the Derby. With the graded earnings cutoff this year hovering well over $200,000, the $120,000 winner’s purse won’t realistically be enough to push anyone but Silver Medallion into the field. The son of Badge of Silver is currently 24th on the list with $184,334. A victory would secure him a spot in the starting gate, placing him 15th on the list; a runner-up effort would move him to 22nd, meaning he would need help from others to make the field. Silver Medallion won the El Camino Real Derby over a synthetic track at Golden Gate in February, defeating, among others, Grade 1 winner Comma To The Top. But the colt was a lackluster fourth after tracking the pace in the Santa Anita Derby last time out. Silver Medallion is the only horse in the field to run with distinction in a graded stakes event. Taptowne raced with some success through Turfway Park’s prep series, finishing third in the WBEN Stakes and second in the Battaglia Memorial; however, he finished fifth when bumped up to graded company in the Spiral Stakes. The last horse to come out of the Lexington and win the Derby was Charismatic, who pulled off the double in 1999. Interestingly, Silver Medallion’s prep schedule nearly mirrors that of Charismatic; the eventual Horse of the Year was beaten just a head in the El Camino Real, finished fourth in the Santa Anita Derby, then won the Lexington, Kentucky Derby and Preakness.
Musical jockeys: Three-time Derby winner Calvin Borel is scheduled to work Gotham winner Stay Thirsty for trainer Todd Pletcher on Sunday morning. Borel and Pletcher won the Derby together with Super Saver last year – however, the rider hasn’t committed to Stay Thirsty, and Ramon Dominguez, who rode the colt in the Gotham, is still available. Borel’s longtime agent, Jerry Hissam, said he will approach the connections of European hopeful Master of Hounds as well; no rider has been named on the colt, scheduled to ship in Derby week. Meanwhile, Shaun Bridgmohan will ride beaten Blue Grass favorite Santiva in the Derby. The colt is scheduled to have the first of two works on Tuesday.
Worktab watch: Spiral winner Animal Kingdom had been scheduled to work at Churchill Downs on Saturday, a move intended to shed some light on his status for the Derby, as the colt has never run on a dirt track before. However, thunderstorms expected in the Louisville area tomorrow have caused trainer Graham Motion to keep the colt at Keeneland to work on the synthetic surface there. Risen Star winner Mucho Macho Man and Florida Derby runner-up Shackleford will both work Saturday at Churchill, while Louisiana Derby winner Pants On Fire will breeze at Palm Meadows.
Oaks watch: Fantasy runner-up Arienza, daughter of Horse of the Year Azeri, turned in her first work at Churchill Downs on Friday morning, going an easy half in :49 2/5. ... Likely favorite R Heat Lightning is scheduled to work on Saturday at Churchill Downs. Also likely appearing on the worktab will be multiple graded winner Kathmanblu.
Notes: Santa Anita Derby winner Midnight Interlude and Oaks contender Plum Pretty arrived together on a flight from California Friday afternoon. ... No decision has yet been made on whether multiple graded winner JP’s Gusto will start in the Derby. ... Sunland Derby winner Twice The Appeal breezed six furlongs in 1:17.20 Friday in his first move at Churchill Downs. ... The special Derby and Oaks training hours begin tomorrow morning from 8:30-8:45 a.m.
posted by Nicole at
6:21 PM
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