Big Brown

Jockey Robby Albarado, a finalist for last year's Eclipse Award as America's leading jockey who ranks seventh among the all-time riding leaders at Churchill Downs, earned his first "leading rider" title under the historic Twin Spires as the home of the Kentucky Derby wrapped up its 52-day Spring Meet on Sunday, July 6. 

Trainer Tom Amoss won two races on the meet's closing day to nail down his second title of leading trainer, and Ken and Sarah Ramsey continued their assault on the Churchill Downs record book as the Nicholasville, Ky., couple won a record 13th "leading owner" crown. 

Albarado, 34, ended the meet with 73 victories. The highlight was clearly his victory aboard reigning "Horse of the Year" Curlin in the $1 million Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) on June 14, but Albarado said earning his first "leading rider" crown since his arrival at Churchill Downs in 1996 was special. 

"It means a lot," Albarado said. "I know I'm at a point in my career where ‘leading rider' titles probably won't make a difference in my business that I've established, but it was one of my own personal goals, and I'm glad I got it accomplished here at Churchill." 

Albarado won his meet-leading 73 races from 287 mounts, a significantly smaller total than those of runner-up Miguel Mena, who won 65 races from 364 mounts. He is generally considered to be more selective in regard to the quality of the mounts he selects, but Albarado said his first championship meet belies that assumption. 

"I've been injured quite a few times, so I've got to be a little more selective," he said. "A lot of trainers think I don't give 100 percent on all of the horses, but I do. I've won $5,000 claiming races here this meet - I've won them all in all different areas of it. So it kind of instills a little confidence in the trainers also that I can ride seven or eight a day and make it happen." 

Albarado now has 753 career victories at Churchill Downs. Julien Leparoux, the riding leader in the 2007 Spring Meet, finished third with 56 victories and was followed by Calvin Borel (52), Jamie Theriot (48) and Shaun Bridgmohan (44). Six of Albarado's victories came in stakes competition, including a victory aboard Einstein in the $500,000-added Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) on Kentucky Derby Day.

The New Orleans-born Amoss opened the meet on a hot streak and closed with a rush to collect his second "leading trainer" crown - and his first outright title. He had previously tied with Dale Romans for the Spring Meet title in 2002. Amoss' stable collected 35 victories from 87 starts - a 40 percent win rate for a barn in which 72 percent of its starters finished in the top three in their races. 

"We caught fire and we were able to keep it going all meet, which is truly a credit to everybody in the barn," Amoss said by telephone. "I've got probably five managerial people that have been with me for more than 15 years each, and this is a proud moment for all of us." 

Amoss wrapped up the meet with victories by Alfred Kent ($4) in the fifth race and Our Dancer ($7) in the 10th. The highlight of the Spring Meet for Amoss was a victory in the $125,000 Aristides (GIII) with Maggi Moss' Indian Chant. 

"This is a special feeling," said Amoss. "This is a prestigious meet. Not to take anything away from any of the other titles we've won, but this is big. It's really important to us and there's a great deal of satisfaction amongst everybody." 

The strong closing day performance by Amoss allowed him to pull away from runner-up Steve Asmussen, the 2007 Spring Meet leader who finished with 30 victories. Ken McPeek was next with 26 wins. 

The "leading owners" title for Ken and Sarah Ramsey was their record 13th overall and their seventh Spring Meet crown. They earned their first Churchill Downs Spring Meet title in 2000 and have taken seven of the nine spring titles since. The latest title allowed the Ramseys to tie legendary Calumet Farm's record for the most Spring Meet "leading owner" crowns. 

"Did you notice how long we're delaying leaving the winner's circle?" asked a beaming Ken Ramsey in special winner's circle ceremony. "It never gets old." 

Sarah Ramsey accompanied her husband to the winner's circle ceremony. Mrs. Ramsey was in a wheelchair as she made her first appearance at Churchill Downs since she suffered a stroke early last year. "She told me that if we won another ‘leading owner' title that she'd come to the track with me," Ken Ramsey said. 

The Ramseys horses finished with a record of 20-11-17 in 75 starts, which reflects a winning rate of 27 percent and 64 percent of their horses recorded top-three finishes. Maggi Moss, the leading owner in the 2007 Spring Meet, finished second with 15 wins while Richard, Elaine and Bert Klein were third with 10 victories. 

The 2008 Spring Meet got off of to a memorable, if bittersweet, start with a dominant 4 ¾-length victory by IEAH Stable and Paul Pompa Jr.'s Big Brown in the 134th running of the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI). The Derby victory was the third for jockey Kent Desormeaux and the first for trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. But the day was marred by a fatal injury suffered by Fox Hill Farm's filly Eight Belles well past the finish of the "Run for the Roses." A crowd of 157,770 witnessed the Derby - the second-largest attendance in the history of the race. 

One day earlier Brereton C. Jones' Proud Spell scored an emphatic five-length victory in the 134th running of the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks. Kentucky native J. Larry Jones scored his first Oaks victory with the daughter of Proud Citizen, who was ridden by Gabriel Saez. Despite heavy rain that fell throughout the afternoon, a crowd of 100,046 attended the Oaks, which marked the 10th time in 11 years that Kentucky Oaks attendance had topped the 100,000 mark. 

Competing with those spectacular races for the honor of meet highlight was the 27th and richest running of the $1 million Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) for 3-year-olds and up. Reigning "Horse of the Year" Curlin cruised to an easy 4 ¼-length victory under Albarado in his first race since a victory in the $6 million Dubai World Cup (GI) in March. Einstein finished second on the dirt in the Stephen Foster, and returned to finish second to Thorn Song in the $200,000-added Firecracker Handicap (GII) on July 4. Other notable stakes efforts included wins in the Crown Royal American Turf (GIII) and Jefferson Cup (GII) by the 3-year-old turf start Tizdejavu, the meet's only two-time stakes winner; Intangaroo, who notched an upset in the Grade I Humana Distaff on Kentucky Derby Day; Pure Clan in the Regret (GIII); Dreaming of Anna in the Early Times Mint Julep (GIII); Pyro in the Northern Dancer (GIII); Hystericalady in the Fleur de Lis (GII); Ginger Punch in the Louisville Stakes (GII); Elite Squadron in the Louisville Stakes (GII); Lattice in the Louisville Handicap (GIII); Acoma in the Dogwood; Say You Will in the Locust Grove (GIII); Garden District in the Debutante (GIII); and Screen Your Friend in the Bashford Manor (GIII).

 

Churchill Downs' 26-day Fall Meet is scheduled for Oct, 26-November 29.

Trainer Helen Pitts was already looking to have an explosive Fourth of July holiday weekend with her stable star Einstein headed for Friday’s Firecracker Handicap (GII). An added bonus could come in Sunday’s one-mile Locust Grove Handicap (GIII) with Meribel. 

Owned by Catesby Clay’s Runnymede Farm, Meribel came to the Pitts barn about six weeks ago. Her two races this year include a close third-place finish to Dreaming of Anna in Endeavor (GIII) at Tampa Bay Downs and a fourth in Keeneland’s Doubledogdare (GIII).

“They tried to breed her,” Pitts said of Meribel, who last ran in the April 18 Doubledogdare (GIII) at Keeneland. “She is a lovely filly and great to be around.”

Pitts described the acclimation process for a new arrival in her barn.

“I like to give them a couple of weeks to adapt to their new surroundings,” Pitts said. “Then when you work them, you get an idea of what you have.”

Meribel had her first work for Pitts on June 22, an easy half-mile on the dirt in :51. On Tuesday, Meribel worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 on the turf that had Pitts thinking about the Locust Grove.

“Her last work was great,” Pitts said Thursday morning. “Right now, I am planning on running. It is a just a mile off a layoff and after that, we’ll see.”

Previously trained by Christophe Clement, Meribel has compiled a career record of 6-2-7 in 22 races for earnings of $462,398. She won the 2006 Valley View (GIII) over Polytrack at Keeneland – beating future Grade I winner Precious Kitten – and has placed in four other graded stakes. Her lone Grade I try resulted in a fourth place finish in last year’s Diana at Saratoga in which she was beaten less than two lengths by My Typhoon.

The $150,000-added Locust Grove would be the second start for Meribel over the Matt Winn Turf Course. She finished sixth, beaten two lengths by Precious Kitten, in the 2006 Mrs. Revere (GII). That race was at 1 1/16 miles, a distance at which she has done most of her racing.

Sunday’s running of the Locust Grove will be the first at the mile distance since it was moved to the turf course in 1987. It had been run at 1 1/8 miles since 1990.

DESORMEAUX RETURNS ON FRIDAY, NEARING 5,000-WIN MARK – Three-time Kentucky Derby-winning rider Kent Desormeaux will be back at Churchill Downs on Friday to ride Zayat Stables’ Thorn Song in the Firecracker Handicap (GII) in addition to four other mounts.

Desormeaux entered the Thursday card at Belmont Park with 4,994 wins, six shy of becoming the 23rd rider in North American to reach the 5,000-win plateau. He was scheduled to ride two horses on Thursday.

In addition to winning this year’s Kentucky Derby aboard Big Brown, Desormeaux also scored wins in the Run for the Roses in 1998 with Real Quiet and 2000 with Fusaichi Pegasus.

A few other milestones are within reach on Thursday’s card at Churchill Downs.

Trainer David Vance will send out Doubleband in the second race. With a victory, Vance would become the 22nd North American trainer to achieve 3,000 victories.

Jockey Calvin Borel, who rode one winner on Wednesday, is seven victories away from becoming the 34th rider in North America to reach 4,500 wins. Borel’s victory on Wednesday came aboard Ol Memorial Stable and C.E. Glasscock’s Coach Ryan in the eighth race. Borel has six mounts Thursday.

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas will saddle four horses Thursday in his quest to become the sixth trainer in North American to reach 4,500 victories. Lukas currently stands at 4,496.

RAMSEYS CLINCH RECORD 13TH ‘LEADING OWNER’ TITLE – With the regard to the chase for the leading owner of the 52-day Churchill Downs Spring Meet, just say that the fat lady is in full-throated song.

Ken and Sarah Ramsey, who had combined to win a record 12 owners titles at Churchill Downs, extended that mark to 13 with a pair of victories on Wednesday’s racing program.

Those victories opened a seven-win lead (19-12) over Maggi Moss, who was the leading owner of the 2007 Spring Meet and has only five horses entered races over the current meet’s final four days. The Ramseys’ title-clinching victories on Wednesday were supplied by Duty Roster in sixth race and Self Made Man, who added win No. 19 in the seventh race.

The wins by the Ramsey runners were part of a big day for trainer Mike Maker. He also saddled Rollin Fishback and Charles Logsdon’s Kippersol to victory in the third race to become the third trainer of the meet to enjoy a three-win day. Others who accomplished the triple were Ken McPeek on May 24 and Steve Asmussen on June 19.

The Ramseys won nine consecutive meet titles (Spring 2000-04, Fall 2000-03) en route to their record overall haul of 13.

BARN TALK – Miguel Mena apparently will not let Robby Albarado coast to his first riding title at Churchill Downs. Mena rode four winners Wednesday to slice Albarado’s lead in race for leading jockey to 66-61 with four days left in the 52-day meet. Mena has nine mounts on Thursday’s card and Albarado has seven. … Tom Amoss extended his lead in the race for leading trainer to 31-29 over Steve Asmussen thanks to the victory by Coach Ryan in Wednesday’s eighth race. Amoss has one horse entered Thursday; Asmussen two. Ken McPeek, who is third with 26 winners, was scheduled to saddle four runners on Thursday.

WORK TAB (Turf: FIRM) – Craig Bernick’s You Go West Girl, prepping for Sunday’s Locust Grove Handicap (GIII), breezed three furlongs around the dogs on “firm” turf Thursday morning in :37.60. … Ballymore Lady, runner-up in the Early Times Mint Julep (GIII) for trainer Eddie Kenneally, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.20.

 
2008 SPRING MEET LEADERS
Through Wednesday, July 2

Jockeys (Starts 1-2-3)

1. Robby Albarado (255 66-39-32)
2. Miguel Mena (328 61-47-45)
3. Julien Leparoux (289 52-54-49)
4. Jamie Theriot (260 47-35-34)
5. Calvin Borel (271 44-40-38)
6. Shaun Bridgmohan (204 41-38-26)
7. Jesus Castanon (243 26-25-29)
8. Corey Lanerie (209 18-27-27)
9. Brian Hernandez Jr. (186 15-29-20)
10. John McKee (143 12-21-20)

Trainers

1. Tom Amoss (77 31-14-12)
2. Steve Asmussen (131 29-23-19)
3. Ken McPeek (73 26-13-7)
4. Mike Maker (65 20-13-9)
5. Dale Romans (134 15-27-23)
6. Ian Wilkes (49 14-12-7)
7. Eddie Kenneally (61 12-10-10)
8. Cody Autrey (56 10-9-11)
9. Greg Foley (61 9-9-8)
-. Todd Pletcher (47 9-5-7)
-. Bret Calhoun 24 9-2-4
Six (6) trainers tied at eight (8) wins

Owners

1. Ken and Sarah Ramsey (64 19-10-13)
2. Maggi Moss (29 12-7-4)
3. Zayat Stables, LLC (51 8-12-11)
4. Richard, Elaine & Bert Klein (36 7-7-7)
5. Heflin & Driver Racing (29 5-5-6)
-. Heiligbrodt Racing Stable (17 5-1-0)
Seven (7) owners tied at four (4) wins

If unbeaten Big Brown wins Saturday’s $1 million Belmont Stakes, all fans in attendance at Churchill Downs that day will receive a free, limited edition commemorative Triple Crown print to be given away at the Louisville racetrack on Sunday, June 22.

Only 11 horses have won horse racing’s coveted Triple Crown: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1997) and Affirmed (1978).

Should Kentucky Derby 134 and Preakness Stakes champ Big Brown become the first 3-year-old in 30 years to join that elite cast, all fans leaving Churchill Downs after the Belmont Stakes simulcast will receive a coupon for the commemorative print that can be redeemed on Sunday, June 22.

Even if Big Brown doesn’t win – 10 have failed in sweep attempts since 1978, including previously unbeaten Smarty Jones in 2004 – fans will receive a coupon worthy of a champion, good for free general admission to Churchill Downs’ upcoming “Stephen Foster Super Saturday” program on Saturday, June 14, featuring reigning “Horse of the Year” Curlin.

The possibility of a commemorative Triple Crown print giveaway complements one of the most anticipated racing dates of the year. Churchill Downs will open admission gates Saturday at 11:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) with the first of 10 live races scheduled for 1:15 p.m. The first of 13 simulcast races from Belmont Park is noon.

The 140th running of the Belmont Stakes – the third and final leg of the Triple Crown – is scheduled as Belmont Park’s Race 11 at approximately 6:25 p.m. Coverage of the historic race will be featured prominently at Churchill Downs on the giant infield and paddock screens as well as television monitors throughout the facility. Race 10 at Churchill Downs, the final live race of the day, is scheduled for 6:02 p.m.

Other Belmont Stakes Day festivities at Churchill Downs include live jazz music by Lexington-based Upshaw Briggs in the paddock area between 3-7 p.m., as well video replays of past Triple Crown sweep attempts and Triple Crown trivia between live races. Also, officially licensed Big Brown merchandise will be sold on-track. Special wagers on the day include $1 million guaranteed pools for Belmont Park’s Pick 6 (Races 6-11) and Pick 4 (Races 8-11).

Also, advance wagering on the Belmont Stakes will be available at Churchill Downs on Friday (Note: Gates open at 1 p.m. and the 11-race twilight program begins at 2:45 p.m.). Betting on a special two-day Brooklyn Handicap/Belmont Stakes Double also will be offered.

STEWART GLANCES AT FORECAST, WORKS BELMONT STAKES HOPE MACHO AGAIN – West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again, runner-up to Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) champ and Triple Crown hope Big Brown in the Preakness (GI), turned in his final major work for next week’s Belmont Stakes in a strong four-furlong move at Churchill Downs on Friday.

            Macho Again covered the distance over a “fast” track under former jockey Kenny Bourque in :48.20.  The move ranked 11th of 55 works at the distance.

            Trainer Dallas Stewart had planned to work the 3-year-old son of Macho Uno, the winner of Churchill Downs’ $100,000-added Derby Trial, on Saturday.  But he called an audible in part because of a weather forecast that called for storms late Friday evening that would continue into Saturday morning.

            “It was the combination of the weather and the shipping (schedule),” said Stewart.  “With the combination of those two, we thought it would be better to work today.”

            Churchill Downs’ clockers caught Macho Again’s first quarter in :25.  Stewart timed his star colt in similar fractions.

            “I’m very happy,” Stewart said.  “He went off in :13 for the first eighth, and then he went like :25-and-a-couple (for the quarter).  He went three-eighths in :37 and then came home in :11 flat for the last eighth.  We just opened him up a little bit the last three-sixteenths.”

            Macho Again is scheduled to board a flight to New York on Tuesday, with a rematch with Big Brown set for Saturday, June 7 in the $1 million Belmont Stakes, the third jewel of the Triple Crown. 

            “He’s doing real well,” said Stewart.  “He came out of that race (the Preakness) good and his work showed the he’s on top of his game.  He was actually pretty fresh cooling out and he had no problems.  We’re excited about taking him up there and going through another fight and see how we do.”

            Macho Again will bring a career record of 3-3-0 in nine races and earnings of $343,761 into the Belmont Stakes.  Despite his colt’s runner-up finish in the Preakness, Stewart knows his colt will be a long shot to upset the heavily favored Big Brown as the Kentucky Derby winner bids to become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to win the Triple Crown.  But Stewart said Macho Again is ready to challenge the overwhelming favorite in the raced that has been dubbed the “Test of the Champion.”

            “They’ve got to go around there and run,” said Stewart.  “He’s had a couple of bumps in the road.  His trainer is very positive about the way he’s doing, but you know he’s got a couple of hoops to jump through to get him to the race, too.”

            The other Churchill Downs-based Belmont Stakes contender, Mr. and Mrs. William Warren’s Denis of Cork, is scheduled to work at Churchill Downs on Monday. 

            Both horses are scheduled to fly to New York on Tuesday.

 

KENNEALLY SAYS KELLY’S LANDING COULD BE ‘BETTER’ THAN EVER, READY FOR ARISTIDES – Trainer Eddie Kenneally is getting a much later than expected start on the 2008 campaign of Summerplace Farm’s veteran sprint star Kelly’s Landing, but likes the look of the 7-year-old gelding as the son of Patton prepares to bid for a second victory in Churchill Downs’ $125,000-added Aristides Stakes (GIII) on Saturday.

            Kelly’s Landing won the six-furlong race in 2005, then finished a strong second to champion Lost in the Fog in its 2006 renewal. 

            This year’s running of the Aristides will be only the second start of 2008 for Kelly’s Landing, and his second since a fifth-place finish to easy winner Midnight Lute in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) in the slop at Monmouth Park.  That race was the final start of a 2007 campaign highlighted by a victory in the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (GI) at Nad Al Sheba.

            “After the Breeders’ Cup he got sick,” said Kenneally.  “We were hoping to run him in January in the (Grade III) Mr. Prospector (at Gulfstream Park), which he won last year before he went to Dubai.  But he was sick all winter.  He had an abscess on his lungs – for whatever reason, we don’t know.  It took forever to get back, to play catch-up and get a prep into him.”

Kenneally’s star made that anticipated return to competition at Churchill Downs on May 11, where he finished third on a “sloppy” track to Aristides rival Indian Chant in a six-furlong allowance prep for the Aristides.  That race matched the past two track record-setters for the Aristides distance at the Louisville track. Kelly’s Landing had established a track record of 1:07.59 in winning the 2005 renewal of the Aristides, in which he eclipsed a record set by Kona Gold in the 2000 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI).  Kelly’s Landing’s standard lasted until July 8, 2007, when Indian Chant flew through the distance  in 1:07.55 in winning an allowance race on the Spring Meet’s closing day.

            Indian Chant led most of the way in notching his five-length victory in this spring’s head-to-head meeting with Kelly’s Landing.  But Kenneally’s star, ridden by Julien Leparoux, offered a strong rally over a wet surface that Kenneally said his veteran star clearly disliked.

            “He ran very well,” said Kenneally.  “He just got tired, and Julien didn’t beat him up.  He was very easy on him – he knew that we were prepping for this stake.  He didn’t like the mud – he’s never liked mud.  He’s not a mud horse.  But the horse came out of it good and he’s ready to go.”          

            With that lone start of his 2008 campaign under his belt, Kelly’s Landing will bring a career record of 9-3-2 in 23 starts and earnings of $1,811,557 into the Aristides.  Despite the late start on his 2008 campaign, Kenneally has an ambitious plan for the rest of the year that includes another bid for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, which will be run this year over a synthetic surface at Santa Anita.  He believes that, as good as Kelly’s Landing has been over the past three racing seasons, his star could just be hitting his best stride.

            “I think he’s as good, or better, than ever,” Kenneally said.  “When he’s good, he’s real good – and I think he’s good again.”

 

BARN TALK – The race for leading jockey of the 52-day Spring Meet has been a nose-to-nose battle throughout this week between Robby Albarado, who is looking for his first Churchill Downs riding crown, and Julien Leparoux, who is bidding for his third straight Spring Meet crown and his fourth Churchill title overall.  Each jockey won a pair of races on Thursday and that allowed Albarado to maintain a narrow 30-29 advantage over Leparoux.  Miguel Mena stands in third with 27 victories. …Thursday’s biggest riding star was Jamie Theriot, who notched three wins on the day to improve his Spring Meet record to 14 wins from 108 starts.  Theriot won the 2nd race on Splish ($3.20), the 3rd on Angelica Delight ($3.40) and the 9th with Night Book ($15). …Trainer Eddie Kenneally will seek a stakes double on Saturday’s three-stakes program as he saddles Gary and Mary West’s La Troienne (GIII) runner-up Keep the Peace in the $100,000-added Dogwood.  Winner Game Face is passing the race in favor of Belmont’s Acorn (GI), but Keep the Peace will be joined in the Dogwood starting gate by the 3-year-old fillies that finished in the third-through-fifth positions in the La Troienne: Tiz to Dream, Alina, and Secret Gypsy.  “This filly’s a little bit unlucky,” said Kenneally.  “She’s been second in two graded stakes – she hasn’t won one yet.” … Cougar  Cat, the Ronny Werner-trained runner-up to Fabulous Strike in the 2007 Aristides, breezed four furlongs over a “fast” track on Friday in :49.

 

2008 SPRING MEET LEADERS

          Through Thursday, May 29

 

Jockeys                          Starts   1-2-3

Robby Albarado                  114  30-11-15

Julien Leparoux                  163   29-28-32

Miguel Mena                       161   27-22-23

Calvin Borel                        162  22-23-24

Shaun Bridgmohan             103   22-19-12

Jesus Castanon                   126   17-12-11

Jamie Theriot                     108    14-15-9

Brian Hernandez, Jr.            84     7-13-10

Elvis Trujillo                        34      7-5-9

Corey Lanerie                     98      6-16-9

John McKee                        69     6-11-12

Larry Sterling, Jr.                 47       6-5-7

Kent Desormeaux                 31      5-8-6

Tracy Hebert                       63      5-3-5                  

Trainers

Ken McPeek                        38     17-5-4

Steve Asmussen                  63    14-11-10

Tom Amoss                        39   13-6-6

Mike Maker                         29      8-5-3

Ian Wilkes                           23      8-5-3

Dale Romans                       61     6-13-10

Greg Foley                          39       6-7-5

Eddie Kenneally                  31       6-2-7

   Five (5) trainers tied with five (5) wins

Owners

Ken and Sarah Ramsey         26      8-3-5

Maggi Moss                         15      6-2-3

Zayat Stables, LLC                26      5-5-5

Richard, Elaine & Bert Klein   19      4-4-2

Padua Stables                       6       4-1-0

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable       7       4-0-0

 Four (4) owners tied with three (3) wins

 

 

 

A busy Monday at Churchill Downs saw significant training moves by several major stakes winners, including works by reigning “Horse of the Year” Curlin and Belmont Stakes (Grade I) contender Denis of Cork.

Stonestreet Stables LLC and Midnight Cry Stables Curlin, winner of the $6 million Dubai World Cup in his most recent start, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.80 over a “fast” track under exercise rider Carlos Rosas. Curlin breezed in the company of a stablemate and the move by the Steve Asmussen-trained son of Smart Strike ranked as the 17th fastest of 31 at the distance. It was the colt’s sharpest move since his return to training following his World Cup victory at Dubai’s Nad Al Sheba on March 29.

“I thought he went beautiful,” said Asmussen. “I think we’re in a very good spot with him and he seems to be coming around as expected.”

Curlin, the winner of the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge and third in last year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), is being pointed toward a return to racing in the $750,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) at Churchill Downs on June 14. Monday’s work was Curlin’s third since his return from Dubai. He had breezed a half-mile in :52.20 over a “fast” track at Churchill Downs on May 5 and followed that with a slow five furlongs in 1:06 on a “muddy” track on May 12.

Mr. and Mrs. William Warren’s Denis of Cork, third to unbeaten Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands and winner of the Southwest (GIII) at Oaklawn Park, turned in a solid five-furlong breeze as he worked for the first time since his strong effort in “Run for the Roses.” The David Carroll-trained son of Harlan’s Holiday, who is being pointed toward a run in the mile and a half Belmont Stakes (GI) on June 7 at Belmont Park, covered the distance in 1:01 just after the break for track maintenance. Jockey James Lopez was in the irons for the breeze, which ranked fifth among the 31 at the distance.

“He’s just starting to come back to himself,” said Carroll. “He finished up strong in the Derby and galloped out. With all the rain we’ve had here, I didn’t do a whole lot with him since the Derby – you don’t have to do a whole lot with him. Today we just let him stretch his legs, and he just went beautiful.”

Carroll said the work was everything he had hoped to see in Denis of Cork’s first significant training move since his Kentucky Derby bid. The colt is expected to breeze twice more before he travels to Belmont Park in an effort to derail Big Brown’s bid to become the 12th horse to sweep Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown.

“It’s good to get his head back in the game,” Carroll said. “We’ll see what happens in the Belmont. Big Brown is just a beautiful horse – a fantastic horse. But it wouldn’t hurt me to see him get beat. (Grade II Peter Pan winner) Casino Drive will be the second choice, but after that I don’t know. We fit well in that race with him.”

Denis of Cork won his first three starts, including the Southwest on Feb. 18, but turned in a poor effort in a fifth-place finish in the Illinois Derby (GII) at Hawthorne on April 5. Carroll’s colt rebounded in the Kentucky Derby, where he was last in the field of 20 in the early going and trained the leaders by 19 lengths. He rallied in the stretch to finish 8 ½-lengths behind the unbeaten Big Brown in third. Denis of Cork was ridden by Calvin Borel in the Kentucky Derby, but jockey Robby Albarado will have the mount on Warren’s colt in the Belmont Stakes.

Other works of note on Monday at Churchill Downs included moves by several stars from the Asmussen stable, including two horses that represented the barn in the Kentucky Derby. Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Pyro, winner of the Louisiana Derby (GII) and eighth in Kentucky Derby, breezed five furlongs in 1:04.40. Zayat Stables’ Z Fortune, tenth in the Kentucky Derby, covered the same distance in 1:02.20. Asmussen said Pyro would run next in the $175,000-added Northern Dancer (GIII) on June 14 at Churchill Downs, while Z Fortune would run in the Ohio Derby (GII) at Thistledown.

Indiana Derby (GII) and West Virginia Derby (GIII) winner Zanjero breezed four furlongs for Asmussen in :49.80 in preparation for a run in the $400,000 Lone Star Park Handicap on May 26. Fantasy (GII) runner-up Alina breezed five furlongs in 1:02.90 in preparation for a run in the $100,000-added Dogwood (GIII) on May 31 at Churchill Downs, while Churchill Downs Handicap (GII) runner-up Noonmark breezed the same distance in 1:03.40 in a prep for the $125,000-added Aristides (GIII) on the same date. Kodiak Kowboy breezed five furlongs for Asmussen in 1:02.80.

Other Monday works included a move by Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) runner-up Blackberry Road, who breezed four furlongs in :52.80. … Veteran sprint stakes winner Off Duty breezed four furlongs in :51 for trainer Lynn Whiting. … Cowtown Cat, 20th in last year’s Kentucky Derby, breezed six furlongs in 1:12.40 for trainer Todd Pletcher. … Tessa Blue breezed five furlongs for trainer Frank Brothers -in 1:01.40.

 

(May 16, 2008) – Louisville-based UPS employees are expected to deliver strong support for their namesake Big Brown on Saturday at Churchill Downs as the historic racetrack hosts a “UPS Day at the Races” in conjunction with a simulcast of the Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Race Course.

Unbeaten Kentucky Derby 134 champ Big Brown is the 1-2 morning line favorite against 11 rivals in the 133rd running of the $1 million Preakness Stakes (Grade I) and will continue his attempt to become horse racing’s first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978.

On Saturday at Churchill Downs, UPS employees and their guests will receive free general admission at a Gate 10 registration table located next to a UPS truck. Sections 115 and 116 will be available for UPS employees and their guests to enjoy a day at the races.

Employees also will have an opportunity to choose between a free program, a complementary food voucher or to enter prize drawings for either a trip to the June 7 Belmont Stakes in New York if Big Brown wins the Preakness or a unique Kentucky Derby 134/Big Brown gift basket.

Also, ESPN will broadcast live “cut-ins” of UPS employees and Kentucky racing enthusiasts celebrating the day from the Churchill Downs paddock area during their Preakness Day telecast at approximately 2:30 p.m. (all times Eastern) and 4:45 p.m.

Admission gates will open at 11:30 a.m. Saturday and the first of 10 live races is 1:15 p.m. The simulcast of the Preakness Stakes is set for 6:15 p.m. following the final live race of the day.

Last week, UPS announced a marketing agreement with jockey Kent Desormeaux and IEAH Stables, the majority ownership group for Big Brown, to make UPS the exclusive marketing partner of the “Big Brown” team.

Big Brown, named after the world’s largest package delivery company, will fly the UPS colors in the Preakness. Minority owner Paul Pompa Jr., who operates the Truck-Rite Corp. in Brooklyn, N.Y., named the colt after renewing a contract with UPS Freight in 2007.

“Big Brown circles the track almost as fast as UPS aircraft circle the globe,” said UPS spokesman Mike Mangeot. “We’re a great combination, a solid exacta box, and we’re proud to be sponsoring the Big Brown team in the Preakness. Our own Big Brown team will be coming out in force to cheer our horse to victory.”

- 30 -

An hour before Kentucky Derby champ Big Brown tries to keep his Triple Crown hopes alive in Saturday’s $1 million Preakness Stakes, another IEAH Stables’ 3-year-old will attempt to land the $100,000-added Matt Winn at Churchill Downs.

Inner Light, an impressive first-level allowance winner at Gulfstream Park in March for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, is one of seven 3-year-olds scheduled to compete in the six-furlong sprint – the first post-Derby stakes event under the historic Twin Spires. Zayat Stables’ Swale Stakes (Grade II) winner Eaton’s Gift, conditioned by eight-time Churchill Downs training champ Dale Romans, heads the field as the 5-2 morning line favorite.

The seventh running of the Matt Winn highlights a 10-race live program that will precede a simulcast of the 133rd Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Race Course. Churchill Downs’ first race Saturday is 1:15 p.m. (all times Eastern), while the finale is set for 5:51 p.m. The Preakness, headed by dominant Kentucky Derby 134 winner Big Brown, will run as Pimlico’s 12th race and has an approximate post time of 6:15 p.m.

Inner Light, listed at 5-1 on the morning line with jockey Larry Melancon in the saddle, returns to a sprint after a last place effort in the 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial in April. Prior to that effort, the Songandaprayer colt scored his second career win with a two-length tally over Jockey Ridge and Samba Rooster in a March 7 one-turn mile allowance at Gulfstream.

Meanwhile, Eaton’s Gift, who garnered headlines in February with a 3 ½-length romp in the 6 ½-furlong Swale in South Florida, will attempt to rebound from a seventh place finish in the $100,000 Derby Trial on April 26. He’ll break from post 3 under Elvis Trujillo.

Here’s the complete Matt Winn field from the rail out (with jockey and morning line odds): St. Joe (Tracy Hebert, 8-1), Georgetown (Calvin Borel, 4-1), Eaton’s Gift (Elvis Trujillo, 5-2), Saratoga Seven (Miguel Mena, 10-1), Inner Light (Larry Melancon, 5-1), Devereux (Shaun Bridgmohan, 9-2), and Ling Ling Qi (Jesus Castanon, 3-1).

Churchill Downs admission gates will open Saturday at 11:30 a.m. General admission is $3 ($1 for senior citizens and Twin Spires Club members), but will be free to all UPS employees with proof of identification in honor of Big Brown.

In addition to the 10-race live program and simulcast of the Preakness Stakes, Churchill Downs will host the inaugural “Brassapalooza.” Track bugler Steve Buttleman and Dr. Michael Tunnel, the University of Louisville trumpet professor, have organized what would be the world’s largest “Call to the Post” for Race 8 at 4:49 p.m. Approximately 50 buglers are expected to perform.

Also, the Derby City Brass Band, the University of Louisville Trumpet Ensemble and registered participants will entertain patrons with a free concert after the Preakness simulcast near Gate 17.

Brassapalooza is being staged as a fundraising effort to benefit a trip to Europe for the U of L Trumpet Ensemble. Each bugler will donate $20 to participate in “The World’s Largest ‘Call to the Post’”.

Unbeaten Big Brown, winner of the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), got in a final gallop at Churchill Downs on Wednesday before rain started to fall on the historic Twin Spires. After a daylong wait, Big Brown boarded a van around 4:45 p.m. (EDT) for the short ride to Louisville International Airport, where he boarded a Sutton Forwarding Co. equine transport plane that was scheduled to fly to Baltimore for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes (GI) at Pimlico Race Course.

IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr.’s colt turned in a mile and a half gallop under exercise rider Michelle Nevin over a “fast” surface prior to the break for track maintenance and in advance of heavy rain that pelted the track a short time later. The gallop was just the third for Big Brown since his resounding 4 ¾-length victory in the Kentucky Derby on May 3 and marked the first time he had been able to gallop on back-to-back days. Trainer Rick Dutrow had chosen to jog his Kentucky Derby winner a mile on days that the track was wet or sealed.

“It hasn’t been an issue because he just ran – we don’t have to go out there an ask him to train real hard in the mornings,” said Dutrow. “A little break ain’t gonna hurt him none. It might even be good for him, you never know. So I can’t complain about what’s happened since he’s run. He’s been really good every day.”

Dutrow planned to accompany Big Brown on the van and the plane ride to Baltimore. He remained confident about his colt’s chances in the second jewel of the Triple Crown as Big Brown departed Churchill Downs following a two-week stay.

“I feel he’s the horse to beat in the race,” Dutrow said. “I feel he’s the best horse – I feel they’ve got him to deal with.”

Other Preakness contenders scheduled to take the same Sutton flight to Baltimore include Beau Greely, John Greely IV and Phil Houchens’ Tres Borrachos, the third-place finisher in the Arkansas Derby (GII), and Jerry Carroll, Stan Kaplan, Ronald Plattner and Mark Guilfoyle’s Racecar Rhapsody, fourth in the Coolmore Lexington (GII) for trainer Ken McPeek.

Robert LaPenta’s Stevil, fourth in the Toyota Blue Grass (GI) for trainer Nick Zito, and West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again, winner of the Derby Trial for trainer Dallas Stewart, left Churchill Downs by van on Wednesday morning. Those horses traveled to Lexington to catch a mid-morning flight to Baltimore.

SIZZLING AMOSS TOPS SPRING MEET TRAINER STANDINGS – The Spring Meet at Churchill Downs was highlighted early by a significant career milestone for trainer Tom Amoss, but the Louisiana-born veteran seems intent on making the 52-day racing session memorable in other ways.

The meet’s opening week saw the 46-year-old Amoss notch career victory 2,000 when Maggi Moss’s Cat Splendor won race for $25,000 claiming horses by 5 ½-lengths on April 29. But Amoss quickly picked up another win later in that racing card and has maintained that momentum since. He entered Wednesday’s racing program with eight wins on the meet and sat atop the standings in the race for “leading trainer.”

“How long we can stay leading trainer, I don’t know – but we’re obviously enjoying it,” Amoss said. “These things have a way of building on themselves. When we get a good start, typically we’re able to carry that through the meet, so it’s very exciting that it’s going that way.”

Amoss led Ken McPeek by one victory heading into Wednesday’s racing program at Churchill Downs, with Steve Asmussen one victory farther back. He tied with Dale Romans for the 2002 Spring Meet training title for his only other “leading trainer” crown at the historic track.

“A lot of it is a little bit of luck and things falling into place,” Amoss said. “When you look back at other meets here or even other meets in general, that luck seems to even off. We had no luck at Keeneland. We won our first race there, which was a stake, and we didn’t win another race until the end of the meet. So I thought we had some bad luck there, but things have just worked out for us.”

The 2,000th career victory was a major milestone for Amoss, who has collected several training titles in his native Louisiana. But Amoss was quick to share credit to his stable team that includes Frank Bernis, who started as a groom with Amoss and now serves as his assistant trainer.

“It felt great, but it’s really important to not that it’s a group accomplishment. A lot of the guys in the barn have been here a long time with me. Frank Bernis has been here since day one, and that’s going back to 1988. As a group, we’re very proud of that.”

Another important victory came on Sunday when Moss’ Indian Chant notched a sizzling victory in an allowance race. The 5-year-old gelding defeated five rivals that included Summerplace Farm’s third-place finisher Kelly’s Landing, who won the Aristides (GIII) at Churchill Downs in 2005 and took the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen (GI) last year at Nad Al Sheba.

Indian Chant set the Churchill Downs record of 1:07.55 in an allowance victory on the final day of the 2007 Spring Meet at Churchill Downs and would go on to win minor stakes races later in the year at Iowa’s Prairie Meadows and Pennyslvania’s new Presque Isle Downs. He could get a rematch with Kelly’s Landing, who was making his first start since a run in November’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) in Sunday’s meeting, in the $125,000 Aristides on May 31.

“Indian Chant has been a great horse for us,” Amoss said. “He loves Churchill’s strip and I think there’s a very good chance he’ll come back in the Aristides. That would probably be the biggest race he’s competed in, so obviously we’d like to win it.”

While Amoss could not catch Steve Asmussen in last year’s race for “leading trainer” in the Spring Meet, Moss – his primary client – did earn her first “leading owner” crown at the historic track. Wins by her horses have accounted for five of Amoss’ wins during the meet’s opening weeks and he his hoping that the former Des Moines, Iowa attorney – who perennially ranks among the nation’s top owners – can earn a second in the ongoing meet.

“Obviously with (current leader) Ken Ramsey being a strong participant this year and very active at the claiming box, her winning that title at the end is going to be very hard to do,” Amoss said. “But it’s our goal – our goal is to try to win the title for her.”

Amoss said he currently has “between 50 and 60” horses in his care. His stable has been bigger, but that’s a number that he likes.

“When we go to a new meet, we always try to carry a strong win percentage,” he said. “We set a goal of a win percentage and we try to maintain that. We don’t always get there – it’s not always an achievable goal. But that’s what our goal is: to try to win and win often.”

‘HORSE OF THE YEAR’ CURLIN NOMINATED TO LOUISVILLE ‘CAP – Stonestreet Farm and Midnight Cry Stable’s reigning “Horse of the Year” Curlin, winner of the $6 million Dubai World Cup (GI) in his most recent start, heads a roster of 24 older grass stars nominated to the 71st running of the $150,000-added Louisville Handicap (GIII) on Saturday, May 24.

But chances are very slim that the horse that is currently acknowledged as the world’s best Thoroughbred would show up in the 1 ½-mile turf race. The 4-year-old son of Smart Strike is currently being pointed toward the $750,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) at Churchill Downs on June 14, but nomination to the Louisville would make the colt eligible to work Curlin over the Matt Winn Turf Course should trainer Steve Asmussen decide to give him a try over that footing.

Curlin has been nominated to France’s classic Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Group I) at Longchamp on Oct. 5.

Even without Curlin, the roster of Louisville nominees is strong. It includes Bushwood Stable’s Better Talk Now, winner of the John Deere Breeders’ Cup Turf (GI) in 2004 and runner-up in the same race a year later; Fred Bradley’s Brass Hat, winner of the 2006 Donn Handicap (GI) and runner-up in the 2007 Clark Handicap (GII) at Churchill Downs; Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Inca King, winner of the 2007 Jefferson Cup (GII) at Churchill Downs, and Chrysalis Stables, LLC’s Silverfoot, who won three consecutive runnings of the Louisville from 2004-06. The Dallas Stewart-trained Silverfoot did not run in the race last year.

Nominations for the fifth running of the $100,000-added Winning Colors (GIII) for fillies and mares 3 & up at six furlongs are headed by West Point Thoroughbreds’ Dream Rush, the winner of the Test (GI) and Prioress (GI) at three. The Rick Violette Jr.-trained daughter of Wild Rush has not competed since a fifth-place finish behind Maryfield in the first running of the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

Others on the list of 16 fillies and mares nominated to the Winning Colors include Roll Reroll Stables’ multiple stakes winner Miss Macy Sue and Stonerside Stable and Oakcrest Farm’s Sutra, winner of the 2006 Frizette (GI).

WORK TAB (FAST before the break for track maintenance, SLOPPY afterward) – Grade I winner Sutra breezed four furlongs in :49.20 over a “sloppy” surface…Secret Gypsy, fifth in the La Troienne (GIII) on Kentucky Derby Day, breezed a half-mile over a “fast” surface in :47.40, the second fastest of 35 moves at the distance.

• KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER BIG BROWN IN EAGER IN GALLOP
• TYLER BAZE VISITS TO WORK TRES BORRACHOS
• ZITO WORKS STEVIL IN COMPANY IN FINAL PREAKNESS PREP
  

BIG BROWN FINALLY GALLOPS ON DAY BEFORE DEPARTURE – IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr.’s Big Brown, a comfortable 4 ¾-length winner of the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) on May 3, took advantage of a perfect spring morning and dry track on Tuesday to eagerly gallop 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Michelle Nevin.

Trainer Rick Dutrow had chosen to jog the 3-year-old son of Boundary over a recent series of wet or sealed tracks and the colt’s gallop was just his second since his authoritative Kentucky Derby victory. Big Brown will have one more trip over the Churchill Downs track on Wednesday before he boards a plane that afternoon for the flight to Baltimore and a run in Saturday’s $1 million Preakness (GI), the second jewel of the Triple Crown which will be run at Pimlico Race Course.

“I’m happy with what I see,” said Dutrow. “I don’t know that I’d be looking for much more than what I see. I’m completely satisfied with everything. The horse has eaten everything since he’s run, he’s been aggressive when he goes to the track – he can’t wait to get there. He bounces off the track when he comes off. This is only the second time we were able to gallop him since the race, but both times it just couldn’t have went better. I just really see a really good picture here – he’s doing really good.”

The Kentucky Derby winner went to the track after the morning break for track maintenance. He stood calmly midway around the first turn for several minutes before Nevin spotted a gap in traffic on the busy track and took Big Brown into his gallop. The colt was very eager on his full turn around the track as he threw his head around playfully and clearly wanted to do more than Nevin’s restraint would allow.

“I rather gallop him than jog him,” said Dutrow. “He’s a lot happier when he gallops, but it’s not a big deal to jog him – especially since he’s got to run back in two weeks. That’s not going to take too much out of him. We’re just kind of playing it safe and cautious and don’t want him to do too much. He’s still got two big races he’s looking at and they’re all cramped in so close together that we don’t want to take too much out of him in his training. We want to watch that.”

A victory in Saturday’s Preakness at a mile and three sixteenths would give Big Brown the opportunity to become racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner – and the first since Affirmed in 1978 – with a victory in the mile and a half Belmont Stakes (GI) at Belmont Park on June 7.

Dutrow said he remains “on target” to give Big Brown a short “blowout” work – perhaps a quarter-mile – at Pimlico on the morning of the race.

“I really like that idea,” he said. “It just seems to work sometimes, and especially in this scenario I really like it because I don’t like breezing my horses until I wait two weeks after they run and this is two weeks exactly. So I’ll just blow him out a little bit the morning that he’s in. That seems to have horses more on their toes for that afternoon, plus it tells them that they’re going to be running later on that day. Sometimes it might be an edge to where they break good – just to sharpen him up a little bit, you know? Not saying that he needs it, but I’m just going to go ahead and try it. I don’t see it being a bad move.”

Big Brown is scheduled to leave Churchill Downs at 3:30 p.m. (EDT) on Wednesday for the short van ride to Louisville International Airport, where he will board his flight to Baltimore. Dutrow plans to ride on the van and the plane with his colt.

Regarding Saturday’s Preakness and its still-developing cast of opponents, Dutrow continues to believe that he trains the best horse in the race. He expects jockey Kent Desormeaux to ride Big Brown with as much confidence as in the Kentucky Derby, but Dutrow will insist that his jockey be wary of making the colt do any more than is necessary. And Dutrow is hoping for another outside post draw after winning the Kentucky Derby from post 20, becoming just the second horse in the 134-year history of the race to do so, and from the outside gate in a field of 12 in the Florida Derby (GI).

“If we draw the outside, it would make me very happy, but we don’t have a choice, so we’re going to take what comes,” he said. “I’m pretty confident things are going to be okay with him come Saturday.”

TYLER BAZE WORKS TRES BORRACOS FOR PREAKNESS – Beau Greely, John Greely IV and Phil Houchens’ Tres Borrachos worked a half-mile after the morning renovation break in :50.40 over a “fast” track under jockey Tyler Baze.

The move rated as the 43rd best of the morning out of 61 at the distance. Trainer Beau Greely got Tres Borrachos in :49.98 while watching the work from the grandstand.

Baze, who rode Tres Borrachos for the first time in the April 12 Arkansas Derby (GII), flew to Louisville on Monday afternoon and returned immediately after the work to Los Angeles where is the leading rider at the Hollywood Park meeting. He plans to catch a redeye to Baltimore Friday night for Saturday’s Preakness.

Baze, who will be riding in his first Preakness, was happy with the work, the fourth at Churchill Downs for Tres Borrachos since arriving in Louisville April 14 after the Arkansas Derby.

“It was so beautiful, it was ridiculous. He went in 49 and change; 13 (seconds), 13, 12 and 11,” Baze said. “He did it the right way and finished well. He is so impressive, the way he worked today, to go over a dirt track like that and not be blowing.”

Greely also was happy with the move.

“That’s what I wanted; 26 and 23,” Greely said. “We are good to go.”

Baze watched Big Brown’s Kentucky Derby victory from Hollywood Park.

“My impression is he’s a good horse, but a horse can’t have his day every day,” Baze said. “I am hoping Saturday is my day. I know this is a good horse, now that I have ridden him in Arkansas and I know him, I am really looking forward to it.”

 

STEVIL TURNS IN FINAL PREP FOR PREAKNESS – Robert LaPenta’s Stevil, fourth in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) on April 12 in his most recent start, worked a half-mile in company with 3-year-old stablemate Da’ Tara in :47.80 after the renovation break Tuesday morning over a “fast” track.

Megan Smillie was aboard Stevil for trainer Nick Zito.

“He went nice and easy,” said Zito, who had postponed the work from Monday because of muddy track conditions. “I’m happy with it. We are ready. He has been running good all winter. Hopefully, he will put in another good effort and we will see what happens.”

John Velazquez has the Preakness mount on Stevil.

ALBARADO EYES PREAKNESS REPEAT – In the 2007 Preakness, Robby Albarado derailed the Triple Crown aspirations of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense by rallying Curlin to a head victory. On Saturday, Albarado has the mount on Racecar Rhapsody, who will try to hand Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown his first defeat.

“He leaves himself a lot of work to do and hopefully he will give himself a chance early in the race,” said Albarado, who has ridden Racecar Rhapsody in all six of his starts for trainer Ken McPeek. “It seems like he will be able to handle the tighter turns at Pimlico. He will be coming late.

“Hopefully, we will get some pace up front to run at, but at the same time, I don’t want to be too far out at the back that I can’t get to them.”

Racecar Rhapsody galloped a mile and a half after the renovation break with Jose Castanon up Tuesday morning. The colt is scheduled to leave for Pimlico on Wednesday afternoon.

Albarado finished 10th in the Kentucky Derby on Z Fortune behind Big Brown and he is looking forward to taking another shot at the Derby winner.

“You like to have a target for somebody to aim at,” Albarado said. “It’s the same as with Street Sense last year. He was the target after winning the Derby and we got lucky and caught him. Hopefully, we can do the same this year.”

Albarado will be riding at Pimlico on Friday and Saturday. He will ride Briarwood Stable’s Highest Class for trainer Neil Howard in Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (GII).

MACHO AGAIN SLATES EARLY WEDNESDAY DEPARTURE – West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again galloped a mile and a half under Kenny Bourque on Tuesday morning, hitting the track just before 6:30.

“He is training so good right now,” trainer Dallas Stewart said. “He was nice and smooth this morning.”

Stewart plans to have Macho Again out in the first set Wednesday when the track opens at 6 a.m. After Macho Again gallops and cools out, Stewart intends to put the winner of the April 26 Derby Trial on a van to Lexington to catch a 10 a.m. flight to Baltimore rather than wait for the 3:30 p.m. flight that will bring Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown and other Preakness starters to Pimlico.

Julien Leparoux, currently the leading rider at Churchill Downs with 19 victories through the first 12 days of the 52-day meet, will make his Preakness debut Saturday on Macho Again.

BARN TALK – Trainer David Carroll appears to have a nice three-year-old filly in Acoma, an impressive allowance winner here Sunday in the slop.

“She had a lot of trouble in the race,” Carroll said of the mile and a sixteenth event in which Acoma lost position on the far turn and was shuffled back to fifth in the field of six. “It wasn’t until Julien (Leparoux) got her outside that she finally relaxed.”

A daughter of 2003 Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Empire Maker out of the Danzig mare Aurora, Acoma has won two of three starts for owners Helen Alexander and Helen Groves.

“I am going to talk it over with the owners,” Carroll said about what’s next for Acoma. “The Dogwood (a $100,000 stake here on May 31), maybe, but that’s a one-turn mile and there are better races down the road.”

WORK TAB – Working a bullet three-eighths Tuesday morning was Arthur Hancock III’s Wanderin Boy. Winner of the 2007 Alysheba (GIII), Wanderin Boy covered the distance in :36 flat, best of 30 at the distance for trainer Nick Zito. … Chrysalis Stables’ Silverfoot, a three-time winner of the Louisville Handicap (GIII), worked six furlongs on the turf in 1:13.80 for trainer Dallas Stewart.

2008 SPRING MEET LEADERS

Through Sunday, May 11

 

Jockeys  Starts 1-2-3

Julien Leparoux 92 19-13-16

Miguel Mena 71 13-9-16

Robby Albarado 61 12-6-7

Shaun Bridgmohan 55 11-8-4

Jesus Castanon 57 10-5-3

Calvin Borel 87 9-12-15

Kent Desormeaux 31 5-8-6

Jamie Theriot 51 5-4-5

Larry Sterling, Jr. 26 5-3-5

Edgar Prado 17 3-5-3

John Velazquez 15 3-3-0

Rafael Bejarano 12 3-0-2

Trainers

Tom Amoss 20 8-3-4

Ken McPeek 17 7-2-1

Steve Asmussen 28 6-4-2

Eddie Kenneally 22 5-5-5

Ian Wilkes 15 5-3-2

Greg Foley 22 5-3-1

Mike Maker 16 5-2-1

Ronny Werner 14 3-4-3

Bill Mott 19 3-3-3

Nick Zito 12 3-2-1

John Fahey III 7 3-1-2

Bobby Frankel 10 3-1-1
Mark Casse 8 3-0-0

Owners

Ken and Sarah Ramsey 18 6-2-2

Maggi Moss 7 5-0-2

Zayat Stables, LLC 18 3-4-2

Padua Stables 3 3-0-0

Six owners tied with two (2) wins

 

• DERBY WINNER BIG BROWN JOGS AGAIN ON MUDDY TRACK
• ZITO DELAYS BREEZE BY PREAKNESS HOPE STEVIL
• BLINKERS OFF FOR PREAKNESS CANDIDATE TRES BORRACHOS

BIG BROWN HAS ANOTHER EASY DAY, GALLOP LIKELY TUESDAY – IEAH Stable and Paul Pompa Jr.’s Big Brown, a dominant winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) on May 3, had another easy morning on Monday at Churchill Downs as Saturday’s bid for the Preakness (GI), the second jewel of racing’s Triple Crown, drew closer.

The 3-year-old son of Boundary jogged a mile over a sealed racetrack that was listed as “muddy.” Exercise rider Michelle Nevin was aboard as Big Brown turned in his light exercise under the gaze of trainer Rick Dutrow just after the break for track maintenance.

“He’s good,” said Dutrow. “He came out of the race good and he’s been training good.”

Big Brown has jogged for several days at the Louisville track because of wet weather and Nevin said the colt is getting a little bored with his limited activity. The weather forecast calls for warm and dry conditions over the next couple of days, so Dutrow hopes to let his Kentucky Derby winner to gallop on Tuesday.

“He’d rather do more, but he’s still okay with this,” Dutrow said. “Hopefully we can gallop tomorrow. If not, we’ll jog him again. I only gallop my horses when the track is good. When it’s sealed like that, I never gallop anything. So, if the track’s good tomorrow we’ll gallop him. If not, we’ll jog him. It’s not a big deal. Hopefully we can do the same thing Wednesday and then get out of here.”

Dutrow’s colt is scheduled to ship to Baltimore on Wednesday for Saturday’s $1 million Preakness at Pimlico Race Course. His current plan calls for Big Brown to have one small “blowout” work after his arrival in Baltimore.

“We’ll probably do it the day of (the race) if the track’s good,” Dutrow said. “I don’t know if we’ll do it if the track’s no good. Maybe we will, maybe not. We’ll see.”

Dutrow indicated the blowout would be a quarter-mile or “something like that.” He said that is not an uncommon move for his horses.

“Yesterday we had two horses – one won and one just got beat – and I blew them out yesterday morning,” he said. “It was only because of spacing from their last breezes and stuff like that, you know? But I would like to do with him the day he’s running. It just seems to fit his schedule at this point. I’m not following what they’ve done in the past.”

The Kentucky Derby victory by Big Brown was his fourth victory in as many starts and lifted his earnings to $2,114,500. He won the Kentucky Derby by 4 ¾ lengths and has won his four races by a collective margin of 33 ¾ lengths.

STEVIL WORK DELAYED BY ZITO – A muddy track Monday morning at Churchill Downs caused trainer Nick Zito to push back a half-mile work for his Preakness hopeful Stevil until Tuesday.

“We will have a better track in the morning and one day doesn’t make a difference,” Zito said. “He’ll work an easy half tomorrow and then ship Wednesday (to Pimlico).”

Owned by Robert LaPenta, Stevil will enter the Preakness off a five-week break from his fourth-place finish in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) at Keeneland. John Velazquez has the mount in the Preakness.

“Hopefully, Stevil will make a good showing and we can go on to the next town,” Zito said, alluding to the June 7 Belmont Stakes (GI).

BLINKER EXPERIMENT OVER FOR TRES BORRACHOS – Trainer Beau Greely, John Greely IV and Phil Houchens’ Tres Borrachos galloped a mile and five-eighths after the renovation break Monday morning at Churchill Downs with Andy Durnin up.

Unlike the day before, Tres Borrachos was not equipped with blinkers.

“It was just an experiment we thought we’d try,” Beau Greely said. “It looked like it didn’t make any difference, plus he has shown speed in his races and I didn’t want to take a chance.”

Tres Borrachos is scheduled to work a half-mile Tuesday morning and ship to Pimlico on a 3:30 p.m. flight Wednesday that also will carry Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown to Baltimore.

Tyler Baze has the Preakness riding assignment.

OTHER PREAKNESS HOPEFULS BACK ON TRACK – West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again jogged with a pony about a mile and a half with Kenny Bourque up Monday. Macho Again had worked a half-mile in :50.80 on Saturday and walked Sunday.

Jerry Carroll, Stan Kaplan, Ronald Plattner and Mark Guilfoyle’s Racecar Rhapsody galloped a mile and a quarter under Jose Castanon before the renovation break. The Ken McPeek trainee had worked five furlongs in 1:01 on Saturday and walked Sunday.

BARN TALK – Fifth-place Kentucky Derby finisher Recaptureglory left Churchill Downs before noon on Monday headed for Arlington Park in Chicago. Lara Van Deren, assistant to trainer and co-owner Louie Roussel III, said the colt’s temperature was normal two days after a fever forced Recapturetheglory to be withdrawn from Preakness consideration.

WORK TAB – The two Kentucky Derby runners for trainer Steve Asmussen worked over a “muddy” track Monday morning at Churchill Downs. Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Pyro, who was eighth behind Big Brown, worked a half-mile in :53.60, while Zayat Stables’ Z Fortune, 10th in the Derby, covered the same distance in :52.60. Also working for the Asmussen barn was reigning Horse of the Year Curlin, who worked five furlongs in 1:06; Student Council, the 2007 Pacific Classic (GI) winner, worked a half-mile in :49.60; Bashford Manor (GIII) winner and Derby Trial runner-up Kodiak Kowboy, who breezed five furlongs in 1:02.40; Indiana Derby (GII) and West Virginia Derby (GIII) winner Zanjero, who covered five furlongs in 1:02.40; and Noonmark, runner-up in the Grade II Churchill Downs on Derby Day, worked a half-mile in :50. … Silverton Hill Farm’s St. Joe, gearing up for a start in Saturday’s Grade III Matt Winn, worked a half-mile in :48.60, the second fastest of 37 at the distance, for trainer Darrin Miller. Bruce Lunsford’s multi-graded stakes winner Tessa Blue worked a half-mile in :49.40 for trainer Frank Brothers. …C J’s Leelee, runner-up in the 2007 Golden Rod (GII), breezed four furlongs for trainer Ken McPeek in :50.60.

2008 SPRING MEET LEADERS

Through Sunday, May 11 Jockeys Starts 1-2-3

Julien Leparoux 92 19-13-16

Miguel Mena 71 13-9-16

Robby Albarado 61 12-6-7

Shaun Bridgmohan 55 11-8-4

Jesus Castanon 57 10-5-3

Calvin Borel 87 9-12-15

Kent Desormeaux 31 5-8-6

Jamie Theriot 51 5-4-5

Larry Sterling, Jr. 26 5-3-5

Edgar Prado 17 3-5-3

John Velazquez 15 3-3-0

Rafael Bejarano 12 3-0-2

Trainers

Tom Amoss 20 8-3-4

Ken McPeek 17 7-2-1

Steve Asmussen 28 6-4-2

Eddie Kenneally 22 5-5-5

Ian Wilkes 15 5-3-2

Greg Foley 22 5-3-1

Mike Maker 16 5-2-1

Ronny Werner 14 3-4-3

Bill Mott 19 3-3-3

Nick Zito 12 3-2-1

John Fahey III 7 3-1-2

Bobby Frankel 10 3-1-1

Mark Casse 8 3-0-0