Dubai Majesty

DUBAI MAJESTY’S CONNECTIONS GOING FOR THIRD WINNING COLORS – One year ago, Martin Racing LLC and Morgan Thoroughbred LLC’s Dubai Majesty scored the second of her back-to-back victories in the $100,000 Winning Colors (Grade III) under Miguel Mena – a key victory in what turned out to be an Eclipse Award championship campaign. 

            The Bret Calhoun traineed has since retired, so there will be no bid for a Winning Colors three-peat by the talented mare.  But her connections are seeking a three-peat of their own when the send Beat the Blues into the six-furlong feature on Monday’s special Memorial Day holiday card.

            Beat the Blues, a 4-year-old daughter of Great Pyramid-IRE, will face a field of 10 as she makes her second start against stakes company in the eighth running of the Winning Colors.

The Florida-bred is coming into the Winning Colors off an allowance victory over the Polytrack at Keeneland.  It was the first win for Calhoun with Beat the Blues, who has also won while in the barns of trainers Scott Volk, Robert Dibona, and Justin Sallusto.

Beat the Blues’ main rival Monday will be Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image, fresh off a 16-1 upset victory in the Humana Distaff (GI), her third stakes win at Churchill Downs. Trained by Dale Romans, Sassy Image will be ridden by Corey Lanerie, who currently sits atop the Spring Meet jockey standings.

The field for the Winning Colors, from the rail out (with jockey) includes Indian Ink (Fernando De La Cruz), Stephanie Got Even (Shaun Bridgmohan), Wind Caper (Jesus Castanon), Beat the Blues (Miguel Mena), Bell’s Shoes (Kent Desormeaux), Fortune Play (Freddie Lenclud), My New Lady (Jon Court), Sassy Image (Corey Lanerie), Starlite Starbrite (Leandro Goncalves), and Jocata (Calvin Borel). All horses will carry 118 pounds, except for Sassy Image, who will carry high weight of 124.

The Winning Colors will be the ninth race of a special 10-race Memorial Day program at Churchill Downs that begins at 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern). Approximate post time for the Winning Colors is 4:59 p.m.

STRONG FIELDS TAKING SHAPE FOR GRADE III ARISTIDES AND WINNING COLORS – Great racing is on tap at Churchill Downs next weekend as the racing program on Saturday, June 4 will feature a pair of Grade III stakes races in the $100,000-added Dogwood and the $100,000-added Aristides.

            The latter has a attracted an impressive group of probable starters (with trainers) headed by a pair of Grade I stakes winners in Rosemary Rausch and David Zell’s Capt. Candyman Can (Ian Wilkes), winner of the 2009 King’s Bishop, and Marianne and Brandon Chase’s Here Comes Ben (Charles Lopresti), winner of the 2011 Forego.

Twenty-three older sprinters were nominated for the 23^rd running of the six-furlong Aristides, which looms as an important early prep for the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI), which will be run over main track at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Nov. 5.

            Other Aristides “probables” include Zayat Stables’ defending Aristides winner Riley Tucker (Steve Asmussen); R.E.V. Racing’s Atta Boy Roy (Valorie Lund), winner of the 2010 Churchill Downs (GII) and runner-up in the Aristides; Richard, Bert and Elaine Klein’s Cash Refund (Steve Margolis) third in the 2010

Aristides and winner of a recent Churchill Downs allowance prep for this year’s renewal; Chasing Dreams Racing’s Noble’s Promise (Ken McPeek), fifth in the 2010 Kentucky Derby (GI) and a close fifth to Aikenite in the 2011 Churchill Downs on Derby Day; Homewrecker Racing and Avalon Farm’s Custom for Carlos (Eddie Kenneally), winner of the Mr. Prospector (GIII) at Gulfstream Park and Oaklawn Park’s Count Fleet (GIII) in 2010, and runner-up to 2010 Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Big Drama in this year’s Mr. Prospector; and Patrick Donahoe’s Posse Cat (Jinx Fires), a sharp allowance winner at Oaklawn Park in April.

            Listed as “possible’ for the Aristides is Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s Chief of Affairs (Bret Calhoun), fourth in last year’s Aristides and third to Smiling Tiger in the 2011 Count Fleet.

            The 37^th running of the Dogwood (GIII), a one mile race on the main track for 3-year-old fillies, closed May 21 with 23 nominations and its field of probable starters is headed by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s promising Might (Al Stall, Jr.), K.K. and V.D. Jayaraman’s Holy Heavens (Benard Chatters), who finished 13^th to Plum Pretty in the Kentucky Oaks (GI), and Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s Gran Lioness (Bret Calhoun).

            Might is a homebred full sister to 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) and Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) winner Blame who brings a two-race winning streak into the Dogwood that includes an impressive allowance victory at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day.  Holy Heavens won Oaklawn’s Marsha Washington and finished second to Joyful Victory in the Honeybee (GIII) and third to that rival in the Fantasy (GII).  Gran Lioness won the Prima Donna at Oaklawn Park and finished sixth to Grade I winner Turbulent Descent in the Beaumont (GII) at Keeneland, her first start over a synthetic racing surface.

            Others listed as “probable” for the Dogwood include Angelica Zapata (Ron Pellegrini), fourth in the Eight Belles (GIII) on Kentucky Oaks Day; Fantasy of Flight (John Terranova), an impressive debut winner at Churchill Downs on Oaks Day in her only start; and Salty Strike (Ken McPeek), a narrowly beaten third in last year’s Debutante (GIII) who returned to form in a seven-length romp in a seven-furlong allowance race on May 20 at Churchill Downs.

            The list of “possible” starters for the Dogwood includes Henny’s Hurricane (McPeek) and Juanita (Mike Maker)..  .

            Ailalea won last year’s running of the Dogwood under Calvin Borel for trainer Todd Pletcher.  

    Entries for both the Dogwood and the Aristides will close on Wednesday, June 1.

LOUISVILLE HANDICAP WINNER KEERTANA’S HALF-SISTER POINTS TO MINT JULEP – Trainer Tom Proctor was still on cloud nine the morning after Barbara Hunter’s homebred Keertana scored a breathtaking photo-finish win over males in the 74^th running of Saturday’s Louisville Handicap (GIII).

             “I was so excited last night that I couldn’t even go to sleep,” Proctor said of the first victory by a filly or mare in the history of the Louisville, which was first run in 1895.

            While Proctor barn was thrilled with Keertana’s historic performance; the team hopes to make more noise in a couple of weeks with Keertana’s half-sister, Snow Top Mountain. The 4-year-old homebred daughter of Najran won the 2010 Arlington Oaks (GIII) is now being pointed to the 35^th running of the Early Times Mint Julep (GIII) for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles over the Matt Winn Turf Course on June 11.

            One might think that the half-sisters would have similar personalities, but Proctor says that couldn’t be further from the truth.

            “Keertana is one of the sweetest horses I’ve ever had and Snow Top Mountain is flat-out nasty,” Proctor said. “A couple of weeks ago my friend’s seven-month-old was petting Keertana and she just loved it. You wouldn’t want to do that with Snow Top (Mountain). You have to avoid being bitten by her when you walk down the shedrow.”

            The half-siblings out of Hunter’s homebred Storm Cat mare Motokiks might have differing dispositions, but Proctor has happily found that they have one thing in common.

            “They can both run,” Proctor said. “They definitely share that characteristic.”

            Snow Top Mountain will enter the Mint Julep off an impressive allowance victory on the Kentucky Derby (GI) undercard. The win improved her record to 4-6-0 from 12 starts with earnings of $270,102.

BARN TALK – Three-time Kentucky Derby winner Kent Desormeaux is leading the Churchill Downs jockey colony in Spring Meet stakes victories with three. Desormeaux’s stakes-winning mounts include Diva Ash in the Edgewood, Victoria’s Wildcat in the Eight Belles (GIII), and Aviate-GB in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (GII).  Three trainers are tied for most stakes victories with two each: Preakness (GI) winner Dale Romans, whose wins came in the Humana Distaff (GI) with Sassy Image and the Edgewood; Proctor, whose Louisville ‘Cap triumph with Keertana joined an earlier victory by Banned in the American Turf (GII), and three-time Kentucky Derby winner Bob Baffert, who won the Kentucky Oaks and Alysheba (GIII) with First Dude. …

            Leading Spring Meet jockey Corey Lanerie top all riders in turf victories with four. Overall, Lanerie had won with 20 of his 92 mounts heading into Sunday’s racing beneath the Twin Spires.  Trainers Dale Romans and Tom Proctor have three turf wins each to lead all trainers in that category. …

The majority of Shaun Bridgmohan’s 19 wins have come in sprints. The journeyman jockey was 16-for-51 in sprint contests heading into Sunday’s 10-race program. …

            Little Miss Muffet’s victory in the ninth race at Churchill Downs on Friday gave trainer Tom Amoss his third victory with a 2-year-old during the meet. Sum of the Parts and Culotte were the other winners for Amoss, who is a perfect 3-for-3 with juveniles this spring.   

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (May 21-28) are Corey Lanerie (9-for-35), Shaun Bridgmohan (6-for-28) and Miguel Mena (6-for-29). Brad Cox (4-for-7), Merril Scherer (3-for-7) and Steve Asmussen (3-for-15) are the hottest trainers over the same period. The hottest owners are Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. (3-for-6) and Ken Sentel and Merrill Scherer (2-for-2).     

WORK TAB (Track: FAST) – Dundalk 5 LLC’s  Dundalk Dust, upset winner of the 2010 Falls City Handicap (GII) for trainer Chris Block, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80, the third fastest move of 19 at the distance.

CALIFORNIA FLAG, SWEET AUGUST MOON WORK FOR KORINER – Defending Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint champion California Flag worked five furlongs over a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:00.80 on a warm and windy Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs.

With exercise rider Colleen Hartford aboard, California Flag posted fractions of  :11.20, :23.20, :36.40 and :48.60.

“That was fine,” said trainer Brian Koriner, who never has started a horse at Churchill Downs. “We will train him light this week and maybe blow him out three-eighths next Monday.”

California Flag won last year’s race at Santa Anita, coming down that track’s unique 6 ½-furlong downhill course.

"We don’t have our home-court advantage here this time,” Koriner said. “The five furlongs (of this year’s race because of the track configuration at Churchill Downs) is not a concern, because he likes to be near the front anyway. If he fires his race, he’ll be OK.”

Owned and bred by the Hi Card Ranch, the 6-year-old California bred did not run his race the last time out, finishing last in a field of 11 in the 5 ½-furlong Woodford (GIII) at Keeneland on Oct. 9.

"It was depressing to watch,” Koriner said. “He ran to the top of the lane and then slowed down. But I have had assistants to Bobby Frankel and Neil Drysdale tell me their horses would get on that sandy turf at Keeneland and not try, but they would come over here and return to form.”

One other possible explanation for California Flag’s poor Keeneland showing was the presence of front bandages.

“He had hit himself before the race and we put the bandages on him and maybe he thought he was just going to work,” Koriner said. “I’ll tell you one thing; he won’t have bandages on Breeders’ Cup day.”
Victor Espinoza will have the mount on California Flag in the Breeders’ Cup.

Koriner has one other Breeders’ Cup candidate in Legacy Ranch and Shirley MacPherson’s Sweet August Moon for the seven-furlong $1 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI).

With Hartford up and working immediately after the morning renovation break over a fast track, Sweet August Moon worked five furlongs in 1:00.80. The move was the fourth fastest of 34 at the distance.
Fractions for the work were :12.20, :24.20 and :35.80 with a six-furlong gallop-out time of 1:15.

“She got a little tired, but this was the first time she has worked on dirt,” Koriner said. “It was fine and I will probably come back with her next Monday for three-eighths.”

Sweet August Moon came off a seven-week layoff on Oct. 9 to run fifth in the Thoroughbred Club of America (GII) at Keeneland. Koriner left both her and California Flag at Keeneland after the race instead of shipping back to California. The two horses worked at Keeneland on Oct. 19 and then vanned to Churchill Downs on Oct. 21.

“It was an advantage to get here early for our horses,” Koriner said, especially for Sweet August Moon.

Before she was saddled (for the TCA), she was throwing her head around and walking to the walking ring, she was trying to run off with me,” Koriner said. “She did not handle all those people well at all. Then she did not want to load. Everything that she could do that day, she did.

“But even with all of that, she only got beat 2 ½ lengths (in the six-furlong race) and the seven-eighths is her best distance. You have to stay optimistic.”

Espinoza, who has ridden the 5-year-old mare in her past three starts, will have the mount here.

JAPANESE FILLY & MARE TURF HOPEFUL RED DESIRE ARRIVES – The Tokyo Horse Racing Co.’s Red Desire (JPN) arrived at Churchill Downs shortly before 10 a.m. (all times Eastern) on Tuesday after an overnight van ride from Belmont Park.

“We left Belmont Park at 7:30 last night and had no problems,” said Nobutaka Tada, racing manager for the ownership.

Tada said the 4-year-old filly would have one work at Churchill Downs prior to the $2 million Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI) on Nov. 5, most likely on Saturday. Kent Desormeaux, who rode Red Desire in her U.S. debut in the Flower Bowl Invitational (GI) at Belmont Park on Oct. 2, would have the mount.

A Group I winner in Japan, Red Desire closed out 2009 with a third-place finish against males in the Japan Cup (GI) and then went to Dubai and challenged males again, winning the Group II Maktoum Challenge (Round 3) in which she defeated eventual Dubai World Cup (GI) winner Gloria de Campeao. Red Desire finished 11th in the Dubai World Cup, but was beaten only 5 ¾ lengths.

Trainer Mikio Matsunaga is not expected to arrive in Louisville until just before the Breeders’ Cup, according to Tada.

DUBAI MAJESTY TUNES UP FOR FILLY & MARE SPRINT WITH TURF WORK – The Martin Racing Stable and Dan Morgan’s Dubai Majesty, who earned a spot in the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint with a victory on Polytrack in the Thoroughbred Club of America (GII) at Keeneland, worked a half-mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course in :49.60 under jockey Jamie Theriot on Tuesday morning.

“I am not sure if Bret (trainer Bret Calhoun) has done this in the past before a dirt race,” said Dennis “Peaches” Geier, Calhoun’s assistant at Churchill Downs. “But the turf is a lot easier on her.”

A two-time winner of the Winning Colors (GIII) here, the 5-year-old Dubai Majesty also is a two-time stakes winner on grass.

Also working on the turf on Tuesday was Glen Hill Farm’s Banned, who covered a half-mile in :51 with a first quarter-mile in :26.40. Banned, an allowance winner at Keeneland who is pointing for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GII), had company in the work by accident as he hooked up with Expansion, who was working seven furlongs. “It was perfect. Mary (exercise rider Mary Donald) gets a brownie. She didn’t let him run off when that other horse came up to her,” trainer Tom Proctor said. … A. Stevens Miles Jr.’s Warrior’s Reward (Sprint), trained by Ian Wilkes, worked five furlongs in 1:01 with jockey Julien Leparoux up. Fractions for the move, seventh fastest of 34 at the distance, were :13, :25, :36.80, :48.60 and out six furlongs in 1:15.20.

BARN TALK – The first wave of trainer Todd Pletcher’s Breeders’ Cup contingent from New York arrived early Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs. Edwards Evans’ Quality Road, one of the favorites for the $5 million Classic, and Malibu Prayer, headed for the $2 million Ladies’ Classic, arrived at 4 a.m. and stabled in Barn 34. Mike McCarthy, Pletcher’s assistant at Churchill Downs, reported both horses made the trip without incident. A plane carrying Pletcher trainees Rose Catherine (Turf Sprint), Life At Ten (Ladies’ Classic), Stay Thirsty (Juvenile), Uncle Mo (Juvenile), and R Heat Lightning (Juvenile Fillies) arrived at Louisville International Airport at 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, and the van that carried those horses on the short ride to Churchill Downs pulled into the barn area shortly after 2:30 p.m.. The flight was 40 minutes late leaving New York and was re-routed to the south in mid-flight to avoid a storm front that blew through the Louisville area around noon.  Juvenile Fillies Turf candidate Allure d’Amour had been scheduled to be on that flight, but stayed behind with Pletcher’s New York stable until it can be determined whether she will make the field for the Breeders’ Cup race.

Morton Fink’s Wise Dan, winner of the Phoenix (GIII) on Oct. 8 at Keeneland and a candidate for the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI), worked five furlongs over the Polytrack at Keeneland in :58 early Tuesday morning. Fractions for the move, the best of 20 at the distance, were :24.60, :46.20 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.20 while working on his own for trainer Charles Lopresti. Working at Calder for the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) was Jacks or Better Farms’ undefeated Awesome Feather, who covered five furlongs in 1:02 under regular rider Jeffrey Sanchez for trainer Stanley Gold. Awesome Feather is scheduled to ship to Louisville on Thursday. …

Trainer Al Stall Jr. said that his Breeders’ Cup Classic hopeful Blame would train at Keeneland on Wednesday morning and then depart the Lexington track around 9:30-10 a.m. for the van trip to Churchill Downs. Also coming with Blame will be Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (GI) winner J. B.’s Thunder. …

Trainer Mark Casse said that WinStar Farm’s Blue Laser would pass on the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) and point instead for the $1 million Delta (Downs) Jackpot (GIII) on Nov. 20. WinStar won the Jackpot last year with Rule, who did his training for the race at Churchill Downs. Casse said that Blue Laser would be here at least through the Breeders’ Cup. …

The Breeders’ Cup has been staged at Churchill Downs six previous times and several World Championships marks have been established here. Here are a few of note:

• Perfect Sting (2000) owns the Breeders’ Cup record for the Filly & Mare Turf run at 1 3/8 miles of 2:13.07. The race has been run at that distance five times in 11 runnings.
• Three record win payoffs have been produced beneath the Twin Spires: Spain in the 2000 Distaff (now the Ladies’ Classic) of $113.80; Caressing in the 2000 Juvenile Fillies ($96); and, Sheikh Albadou in the 1991 Sprint ($54.80).
• Of the 26 previous runnings of the Distaff/Ladies’ Classic, two renewals have been decided by a nose: 1988 with Personal Ensign just catching Winning Colors and 1998 when Escena just held off Banshee Breeze.
• The largest and smallest margins of victory in the Juvenile and Mile came at Churchill Downs. The Juvenile extremes were provided by Street Sense, a 10-length winner in 2006 and Macho Uno, who prevailed by a nose in 2000. In the Mile, Miesque was a four-length winner in 1988 and Da Hoss won by a head in 1998.

CORRECTION – In Monday’s Barn Notes, it was incorrectly reported that Julien Leparoux was on Forever Together in a workout at Keeneland. Leparoux was on Fantasia (GB), who is a candidate for the Cardinal Handicap (GIII) to be run at Churchill Downs on Nov. 7.

FROM FINAL DESTROYER TO OLD MAN BUCK, McPEEK HAS ENJOYED FUN RIDE – Trainer Ken McPeek was all smiles Tuesday morning as he accepted congratulations on getting his 1,000th victory during the Memorial Day holiday card at Churchill Downs.
    “That’s a nice milestone; I’ve had a lot of fun,” said McPeek, who hit the mark in the eighth race with a win by Lawrence E. Carroll’s  Old Man Buck. “I’ve been training 24 years now.”
    A 46-year-old native of Fort Chaffee, Ark., McPeek saddled his first winner on Oct. 27, 1985 at River Downs. The horse was Final Destroyer.
    McPeek was asked of the 1,000, which five stood out the most.
    “Sarava’s Belmont (in 2002),” McPeek said without hesitation of the No. 1 victory on the list.
    “Then Take Charge Lady’s second Spinster,” McPeek said. “She never got beat at Keeneland (five wins, including four graded stakes) and she is the all-time leading money earner there ($1,306,286). She is probably my favorite horse that I have had.”
    Rounding out McPeek’s top five in order were Tejano Run’s triumph in the 1997 Widener in which he received a 123 Beyer Speed Figure, Harlan’s Holiday winning the 2002 Florida Derby and Birdbirdistheword’s victory in the 2006 Delta Jackpot for longtime client Raymond Cottrell.
    Of the 1,000 victories, 235 have come at Churchill Downs, 14 in stakes.
    “I haven’t won a Grade I at Churchill Downs, but I have had some significant seconds,” McPeek said, alluding to runner-up finishes in the Kentucky Derby by Tejano Run in 1995 and Take Charge Lady in the Kentucky Oaks in 2002.

SPRINTERS LEAD THE WAY FOR RED-HOT CALHOUN BARN – The victory by Dubai Majesty in Monday’s $100,000-added Winning Colors (Grade III) continued a meet-long roll for trainer Bret Calhoun’s barn.
    The victory was Calhoun’s 10th from only 19 starters at the meet. Nine of the victories have come in 14 sprint races and two of the victories came in stakes.
    “I hope the average is like that at the end of the meet,” said Calhoun’s assistant, Dennis “Peaches” Geier.
    Geier reported that Dubai Majesty came out of her hard-fought victory in good order, but was not sure what was next for the 4-year-old filly.
    “We talked about it after the race,” Geier said. “There is nothing here the rest of the meet, but we do have plans for the turf sprinters.”
    Ah, that would be Chamberlain Bridge, winner of the May 1 Aegon Turf Sprint (Grade III) here, and Mr. Nightlinger, winner of Pimlico’s  Jim McKay Turf Sprint.
    “Chamberlain Bridge won Wednesday night at Indiana Downs in a $60,000 stake and then he is going to Arlington on July 11 for the $200,000 race Mr. Nightlinger won last year,” Geier said, referring to the Arlington Sprint.
    “Mr. Nightlinger’s going to Woodbine for a race June 21 (the $200,000, Grade III Highlander at six furlongs) and then to Belmont on July 18 (for the $150,000, Grade III Jaipur at six furlongs).”
    
PURE CLAN, ACOMA, TIZAQUEENA HEADLINE EARLY TIMES MINT JULEP NOMINATIONS – A trio of graded stakes winners over the Matt Winn Turf Course lead a list of 25 nominations for the 33rd running of the $100,000-added Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (Grade III) scheduled for June 6.
    Won in 2008 by champion Dreaming of Anna, the Early Times Mint Julep is run at 1 1/16th miles and is for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.
    Expected to make her 2009 debut in the race is Pure Clan, trained by Bob Holthus and owned by IEAH Stable, Lewis Lakin and Pegasus Holding Group Stables. Pure Clan has been idles since running a disappointing 10th to champion Forever Together in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade I) at Santa Anita last October. The daughter of Pure Prize won the Pocahontas (Grade III) and Golden Rod (Grade II) on dirt here as a 2-year-old in 2007 and last year took the Grade III Regret on turf before heading West to post her biggest triumph, a victory in the American Oaks Invitational (GI) for 3-year-old fillies at Hollywood Park.
    Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Acoma won the Grade II Mrs. Revere here last fall to run her grass record to 2-for-2 and her Churchill Downs record to 3-for-3. Trained by David Carroll, Acoma worked a half-mile Tuesday in :49.40, her third work since a third-place finish in the Grade I Apple Blossom on April 4 at Oaklawn Park.
    Darley Stable’s Tizaqueena ran her turf record to 3-for-3 with a gutty victory in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (Grade II) on the Kentucky Derby undercard on May 2.  She has won five of six career starts for trainer Michael Stidham, but her Derby Day triumph was her first graded stakes victory.
    Weights for the Early Times Mint Julep will be announced Saturday and entries drawn on Wednesday, June 3.

BARN TALK – After working a half-mile each Monday morning, Kentucky Derby (Grade I) winner Mine That Bird and Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) and Preakness (Grade I winner Rachel Alexandra returned to the track Wednesday morning. Rachel Alexandra was out first around 6:30, going once around with Dominic Terry up. Mine That Bird came out an hour later and went twice around with Charlie Figueroa up.
    On Thursday morning, both horses came out at the same time, approaching the six-furlong gap from opposite directions around 7:30.
    “Want to race,” asked a smiling Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, to Chip Woolley as Mine That Bird approached Rachel Alexandra and Blasi’s pony.
    Mine That Bird galloped twice around while Rachel Alexandra visited the starting gate and then went once around. Both horses are scheduled to work Monday.
    Zayat Stables’ Thorn Song, winner of Monday’s Shoemaker Mile (Grade I) at Hollywood Park, returned to Dale Romans’ barn at Churchill Downs on Wednesday. Romans said Thorn Song would be pointed to the Grade II Firecracker Handicap to be run July 4.  Thorn Song upset favored Einstein in that race a year ago.
Adele Dilschneider’s Terrain, seventh in the Preakness behind Rachel Alexandra, is being pointed to the Iowa Derby to be run June 26 at Prairie Meadows by trainer Al Stall Jr. The Iowa Derby is worth $250,000 and run at 1 1/16th miles.

WORK TAB – West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again posted the best five-furlong drill of 15 on Thursday, going 1:00.40 over a “good” track for trainer Dallas Stewart. Winner of the New Orleans Handicap (Grade II) this year, Macho Again is considered as a likely participant in the Grade I Stephen Foster Handicap to be run June 13.  Also going five-eighths over a track that was “muddy” at the time was Domino Stud of Lexington’s Miss Isella, who covered the distance in 1:01. Winner of the Grade II Louisville Distaff on May 1, Miss Isella is being pointed to the June 13 Fleur De Lis.   

Martin Racing Stable, LLC and Dan Morgan’s Dubai Majesty, who ran for a $25,000 claiming tag just over a year ago, re-rallied in deep stretch after being passed by Lady Chace to collect her first graded stakes victory in Monday’s sixth running of the $108,900 Winning Colors (Grade III) for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Jamie Theriot and trained by Bret Calhoun, Dubai Majesty and Lady Chace dueled through early fractions of :21.78 and :45.11 in the six-furlong stake. The two raced as a team to the eighth pole where Lady Chace, ridden by Miguel Mena, gained a brief advantage.

But Dubai Majesty fought back on the inside and reclaimed the lead at the sixteenth pole and drew away to the victory. Lady Chace, who lost momentum when she suddenly swerved out in the stretch in the final yards finished a neck ahead of Keep the Peace and Corey Lanerie, but was disqualified by track stewards for interference with that rival and was placed third.

Dubai Majesty, a 4-year-old Florida-bred daughter of Essence of Dubai out of the Great Above mare Great Majesty, covered the distance over a track rated as “good” in 1:10.61. The victory, the seventh in 20 career starts, was worth $66,169 and increased Dubai Majesty’s career earnings to $395,957.

Dubai Majesty, the favorite in the field of seven, returned $4.60, $3 and $2.60. Keep the Peace returned $4 and $3.40 and Lady Chace paid $4 to show. Completing the field in order were Temple Street, Tiz to Dream, Nadeshiko and Tar Heel Mom.

Earlier on the Memorial Day card, trainer Ken McPeek recorded his 1,000th career victory when Old Man Buck won the eighth race under Calvin Borel. McPeek, a 46-year-old native of Fort Chaffee, Ark., has notched 235 of those victories at Churchill Downs.

The victory was the fourth of five on the day for Borel, who also had a five-win day on Saturday. The two-time Kentucky Derby-winning rider has 32 victories through the first 22 days of the spring meet, one fewer than leader Julien Leparoux, and has won with 14 of his last 26 mounts.

Racing resumes at Churchill Downs after a three-day break on Friday with a 10-race card that begins with a 2:45 p.m. EDT post time.

POST-RACE QUOTES

JAMIE THERIOT, jockey of DUBAI MAJESTY (winner): “She put us in the game early and I knew I had to keep her there to keep her happy. When I called on her, she sprinted away and the horse on the outside (Lady Chace) fought back. But then she dug back in the last sixteenth-of-a-mile and showed a lot of heart and game today.”

BILL MARTIN, co-owner of DUBAI MAJESTY (winner): “She just shows up every time. That’s just her and we run her every three weeks. She’s as sound as money and she just keeps trying. She’s one of those horses who just loves her job. She loves to train and she loves to race. The more mature she gets, the better she gets.”

Q: What might be next?

“We’re looking at the Princess Rooney down at Calder in July (Note: The Grade I, $350,000 Princess Rooney for fillies and mares at six furlongs will be run at Calder Race Course on Saturday, July 11). We won that race two years ago with River’s Prayer. It’s an option and so are a couple of races up in Canada.”

EDDIE KENNEALLY, trainer of KEEP THE PEACE (third, placed second via DQ)

“Keep the Peace ran well. We’re happy with the way she ran. She always shows up and she likes Churchill. She relaxed just off the pace today and kicked it in, and the winner is probably a nice filly.”

Q: You’ve got to feel like you’re going to win one of these someday…

“She shows up all the time. She never runs a bad race and I feel that she will win. She’s placed in so many graded stakes, it’s too bad she hasn’t won one. But she’s sound and doing well, so I feel like probably during the course of the year she should or will win one.”

COREY LANERIE, jockey on KEEP THE PEACE (third, placed second via DQ)

“She ran good. She surprised me when she was off the pace today, but the pace was pretty hot. She relaxed great. I got a stalking trip on the outside and was gaining at the end. I didn’t think I was going to threaten the winner, but if she (Lady Chace) had not been getting out on me I think I would have been second for sure.”

STEVE MARGOLIS, trainer of LADY CHACE (second, placed third via DQ)

“She was running huge, then she ducked out when he (jockey Miguel Mena) switched sticks. She did that once at the Fair Grounds with (jockey John) Jacinto. She gets a little funny with the stick. I thought were gonna go by the winner, then when he hit her she ducked out near the wire.

“It cost her a lot of momentum – she’s such a big horse. I don’t think it was that bad, really. The horse has improved, but she’s got her little quirks about her. She won that race at the Fair Grounds, but almost got taken down for the same thing. But she ran a big race today.”

MIGUEL MENA, jockey on LADY CHACE (second, placed third via DQ)

“It looked like she was going to win. She had made her one little move, then I hit her left-handed and she ducked out from the stick and it cost me that second place. I thought I didn’t cost them (Keep the Peace and jockey Corey Lanerie) anything, but rules are rules.”

Martin Racing Stable and Dan Morgan’s Dubai Majesty, the pacesetter in the Humana Distaff (Grade I) on Kentucky Derby Day, headlines a field of seven fillies and mares ages 3-years-old and up entered for sixth running of the $100,000-added Winning Colors (Grade III), the featured event on a special Memorial Day holiday program at Churchill Downs.
    The six-furlong Winning Colors will go as the 10th race on the 11-race Memorial Day card that kicks off with a 12:45 p.m. (EDT) post time.
    Trained by Bret Calhoun, Dubai Majesty faded to third behind Informed Decision in the seven-furlong Humana Distaff on a sloppy track at Churchill Downs on the May 2 Derby Day undercard.  The race was a virtual replay of the Grade I Vinery Madison over seven furlongs on Polytrack at Keeneland, a race in which Dubai Majesty set the pace only to be run down late by Informed Decision.
Jamie Theriot, who has ridden Dubai Majesty to two of her six victories, has the mount Monday and will exit from post position five.
Dubai Majesty has three wins and three seconds from seven starts at the Winning Colors distance of six furlongs. However, the best six-furlong mark in the Winning Colors belongs to Keep the Peace, who is undefeated in three starts at the distance.
Owned by Gary and Mary West and trained by Eddie Kenneally, Keep the Peace broke her maiden at first asking in November 2007 at Churchill Downs and has since posted runner-up finishes in the 2008 renewals of the Grade III La Troienne and Grade III Dogwood under the Twin Spires. Corey Lanerie has the mount on Monday.
 The field for the Winning Colors, from the rail out, is as follows: Keep the Peace (Lanerie, 118 pounds), Temple Street (Jon Court, 118), Nadeshiko (Shaun Bridgmohan, 120), Tar Heel Mom (Jesus Castanon, 118), Dubai Majesty (Jamie Theriot, 118), Lady Chace (Miguel Mena, 118) and Tiz to Dream (Calvin Borel, 118).
    The race is named for the late Eugene Klein’s Winning Colors, a gray daughter of Caro who won the 1988 Kentucky Derby (GI) to become only the third – and most recent – female to win America’s greatest race.  
She was the first of four Derby winners trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas and returned to Churchill Downs that fall to suffer a narrow loss to unbeaten Personal Ensign in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI), a race that is considered by some to be the greatest and most memorable in Breeders’ Cup history.  
Winning Colors was elected Thoroughbred Racing’s Hall of Fame in 2000.

Augustin Stable’s Informed Decision caught pacesetting Dubai Majesty in deep stretch and then held off 32-1 shot Temple Street by three-quarters of a length to win the 23rd running of the $335,400 Humana Distaff (Grade I) for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Julien Leparoux and trained by Jonathan Sheppard, Informed Decision ran the seven furlongs on a “sloppy” main track in 1:23.69.

Dubai Majesty, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, shot to the lead out of the gate and raced on an unopposed lead through fractions of :22.38 and :44.86. Dubai Majesty opened a daylight light leaving the far turn and was still comfortably in front at the eighth pole in 1:09.84 as Leparoux began to weave through traffic on Informed Decision.

Informed Decision, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos, put her head in front with about 40 yards to go as Dubai Majesty grudgingly gave way to eventually finish in a dead heat for third another half-length back with Modification, ridden by Ramon Dominguez.

Informed Decision returned $8.40, $4.80 and $3.40. Temple Street, ridden by Jon Court, provided payoffs of $24 and $10. Dubai Majesty paid $4.20 to show and Modification $5.80.

The victory, the seventh in nine career starts, was worth $199,630 to increase Informed Decision’s earnings to $722,217.

HUMANA DISTAFF QUOTES

JULIEN LEPAROUX (rider of winner Informed Decision) – “At the quarter pole I said, there is no way she (Dubai Majesty) is going to come back. They were ahead and they kind of had the jump on me. I almost had to stop her and I thought there is no way she’s going to get back in there. She actually did. At the eighth pole she really kicked in for me. She’s amazing. She’s a very nice filly. She’s obviously a multiple Grade I winner and she deserves it.”

JONATHAN SHEPPARD (trainer of winner Informed Decision) – “I was a little concerned. It didn’t look like she was running very well on the turn. I started to lose confidence in her, but once he (jockey Julien Leparoux) eased out and finally got in the clear, she started to run. I started to feel better about our chances.

“I was (concerned about the wet track) because she had never run on it. But she’s such an aggressive, forward acting filly, I thought she might handle it. If we were going to find out if she could handle it, this was a good race to find out. I wouldn’t have her if the track wasn’t safe.

“I’ve got a couple of races picked out, but we’ll take some time to think about it. I think she can run longer, but she’s so good at this distance, I’m not sure I want to change anything.”

JON COURT (rider of second-place finisher Temple Street) – “I had to come out to go around; lost some ground. But I’ve come out and gone around with her before and won. Not today. We were second best.”

KENT DESORMEAUX (rider of third-place finisher Dubai Majesty) – “I tried to give her every chance to win. She’s got a heart of gold and she tried as hard as she could. We just couldn’t get there.”

GARRETT GOMEZ (rider of sixth-place finisher and favored Game Face) – “They were flying up front and I knew it. I was just trying to keep my filly in a position she was comfortable in. We got outrun there at the end.”

(November 20, 2008) – Martin Racing Stable and Dan Morgan’s Dubai Majesty disposed of pace-setting Good Feeling leaving the backstretch and drew off to win Thursday’s featured $38,380 Klein Family Learning Center Purse at Churchill Downs for fillies and mares by 5 ½ lengths.

            Trained by Bret Calhoun and ridden by Jamie Theriot, Dubai Majesty covered the mile on a fast main track in 1:35.51.

A 3-year-old Florida-bred daughter of Essence of Dubai out of the Great Above mare Great Majesty, Dubai Majesty returned mutuels of $3.20, $3 and $2.40 as the favorite in the field of seven. Luna Vega, ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, rallied from last to take second and return $7.80 and $4 with Color Me Up, under Robby Albarado, finishing another three-quarters of a length back and paying $4 to show.

The $21,886 winner’s check improved Dubai Majesty’s career earnings to $201,239 with her fifth victory in 14 starts.

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