Eddie Kenneally

Anstu Stables’ Blues Street rallied from behind with a four-wide move around the final turn and kicked clear of his seven rivals in deep stretch to win Saturday’s 34th running of the $111,000 River City Handicap (Grade III) at Churchill Downs by 4 ½ lengths over longshot Allie’s Event.

Robby Albarado rode the winner for his fourth River City Handicap triumph. He also won back-to-back renewals in 2001-02 with Dr. Kashnikow and the 2005 edition aboard America Alive. Retired Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day holds the River City record with six victories (1982, ’84, ’86, ’91, ’99 and 2000).

Blues Street, a 7-year-old Street Cry gelding trained by Eddie Kenneally, clocked 1 1/8 miles over “firm” going in 1:51.72, which is the slowest River City Handicap in 23 runnings at that distance on the Matt Winn Turf Course. The stakes record is 1:47.90 established by Dr. Kashnikow in 2001.

The River City was Blues Street’s 10th victory in 30 starts and first stakes victory since capturing the Grade II Marvin Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds in March 2010.

“He handled the turf,” Kenneally said. “There was a little give in the ground, even though it was listed as firm. He relaxed nicely behind the pace and he’s got a lot of class – he’s got a lot of back class, this horse. He’s good right now and it worked out well.”

Zimmer, the largest price in the betting at 18-1, led the field of older horses for three-quarters of a mile through fractions of :24.40, :49.29 and 1:14.20. Blues Street only had Allie’s Event beat down the backstretch. As the leaders began to falter into the far turn, Blues Street loomed with a wide rally in the clear to move into contention. He grabbed the lead with a furlong to run and widened his margin in deep stretch.

Eddie gave me the best instructions,” Albarado said. “He said he loves to be on the outside of horses and it was perfect the way it set up with all of the speed in the race. It kind of stretched the race out a little bit. I was just perched on the outside and when he made the lead he kept going. He didn’t wait for anyone.”

Blues Street, the 5-2 second choice and tacking 117 pounds, paid $7.40, $5 and $3.60. Allie’s Event, ridden by Leandro Goncalves at 114, returned $8.60 and $5.80. Gleam of Hope, also 117 with Corey Lanerie up, finished third, 1 ¼ lengths behind the runner-up after being jostled between horses at the start, and paid $4.

Tajaaweed, the 9-5 favorite and 119-pound starting high weight, finished fourth and was followed by Bergerac, Cherokee Lord, Zimmer and Plutonium.

The $66,756 first prize jumped Blues Street’s earnings to $647,383 for Stuart Subotnick, who races under the nom de course Anstu Stables. The Kentucky-bred’s record is 10-7-3 in 30 races.

Racing at Churchill Downs continues Sunday with a 10-race program that begins at 12:40 p.m. EST. The card features a Pick 6 carryover of $3,311 on Races 5-10 and a Super Hi-5 carryover of $7,311 in the finale.

RIVER CITY HANDICAP QUOTES

Robby Albarado, jockey on Blues Street (winner): “(Trainer) Eddie (Kenneally) gave me the best instructions. He said he loves to be on the outside of horses and it was perfect the way it set up with all of the speed in the race. It kind of stretched the race out a little bit. I was just perched on the outside and when he made the lead he kept going. He didn’t wait for anyone.”

Eddie Kenneally, trainer of Blues Street (winner): “He handled the turf course good. He had run one time over this turf course and he didn’t run bad, and it was a Grade I race here on Derby Day a couple of years ago (a fifth-place finish behind General Quarters and Court Vision in the 2009 running of the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic). He handled the turf. There was a little give in the ground, even though it was listed as firm. He relaxed nicely behind the pace and he’s go a lot of class, he’s got a lot of back class, this horse. He’s good right now and it worked out well.”

Q: He’s raced sparingly. Has he had any particular issues? “He’s a 7-year-old, he’s going to be eight.  So he doesn’t need to race very often. When we ran him opening day at Keeneland, the plan was to give him six weeks and run him back in this race. The timing is ideal – I think six weeks is perfect for a horse like him. He gives everything when he runs, so there’s no real need to run him so often. But he doesn’t really have any issues.  He’s just an older horse that needs time, and to run his best race he needs to be fresh.”

Q: Robby said you gave him great instructions and said to keep him outside of horses? “He’s a one-run kind of a horse, and in some of his previous races when he didn’t have an option to go out and the rider chose to go up the middle or the inside and he got stopped. He just doesn’t start real quick. He’s a one-run kind of horse and when he gains momentum, he doesn’t need to be stopped and you’ve got a better shot of not being stopped when you go widest of all. Robby rode him to a T.”

Mike Stidham, trainer of Gleam of Hope (third at 6-1) – “He (Gleam of Hope) ran a decent race. He got bounced around leaving the gate. (Jockey) Corey (Lanerie) said he handled the course all right.”

Dan Peitz, trainer of Tajaaweed (fourth as 9-5 favorite) – He (Tajaaweed) had a rough trip. He was covered up and every time it looked like he had a spot to run someone would run up on the outside of him. We were probably running for second money, though. The winner was pretty impressive. I think with a better trip we could have been second.”

Jesus Castanon, jockey on Tajaaweed (fourth as 9-5 favorite) – “You either get racing luck or you don’t. I had him (Tajaaweed) covered up and thought I had a good shot at the five-sixteenths pole. He gave me a little kick, but he needed to give me more.”

Tajaaweed, winner of the Arlington Handicap (Grade III) in July, will carry top weight of 119 pounds when he faces seven rivals in Saturday’s 34^th running of the $100,000-added River City Handicap (GIII) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course at Churchill Downs.

The River City, which was won last year by Mike House’s Battle of Hastings-GB, will go as the ninth race on Saturday’s 10-race program with a 4:37 p.m. EST post time. Post time for the first race Saturday is 12:40 p.m.

The River City will be the second appearance on the Matt Winn Turf Course this year for Shadwell Stable’s Tajaaweed. His other start came in the Opening Verse in June where he was second to eventual TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI) runner-up Turallure. A five-time winner with $301,915 in career earnings, Tajaaweed finished sixth in the Shadwell Turf Mile in his most recent start. Trained by Daniel Peitz, Tajaaweed will break from post 8 under Jesus Castanon, who won the 2008 River City aboard Demarcation, who dead-heated with Karelian for the win.

The next high weight in the field is Anstu Stables Inc.’s Blues Street, winner of the 2010 Mervin Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap (GII) at Fair Grounds. A 7-year-old gelded son of Street Cry-IRE, the Eddie Kenneally-trained Blues Street will shoulder 116 pounds and break from post six under Robby Albarado, a three-time winning jockey of the River City.

Breaking from post three under Corey Lanerie at 115 pounds is Gleam of Hope. A 4-year-old gelded son of City Zip, Gleam of Hope captured the Jefferson Cup (GIII) over the Matt Winn Turf Course in June of 2010. He will enter the River City off a second-place finish in the Robert F. Carey Memorial at Hawthorne.

The field for the River City, from the rail out, is as follows: Plutonium (Victor Lebron, 114 pounds), Cherokee Lord (Mark Guidry, 115), Gleam of Hope (Lanerie, 115), Bergerac (Manny Cruz, 114), Zimmer (Calvin Borel, 112), Blues Street (Albarado, 116), Allie’s Event (Leandro Goncalves, 113) and Tajaaweed (Castanon, 119).

Avalon Farms’ Buckleupbuttercup got up in the final strides to win the 26^th running of the $167,400 Chilukki (Grade II) for fillies and mares by a head over May Day Rose to complete Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships day card at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Eddie Kenneally and ridden by Javier Castellano, Buckleupbuttercup ran the mile on a fast main track in 1:37.03.

A 4-year-old homebred daughter of Najran out of the Conquistador Cielo mare Golden Borders, Buckleupbuttercup remained perfect in four starts at Churchill Downs, a run that includes a victory in the Eight Belles (GIII) in 2010.

The victory was worth $99,638 and increased Buckleupbuttercup’s bankroll to $334,629 with a record of 15-7-3-1.

Buckleupbuttercup returned $10.60, $5.20 and $3.60. May Day Rose, ridden by Martin Garcia, returned $4.80 and $3.60 with Maristar finishing a length back in third under Rajiv Maragh and paying $3.20.

Persuading finished fourth another half-length back and was followed in order by Ailalea, Absinthe Minded, Freedom Star and Anunciata (PER).

Earlier on the card, Craig Singer’s Salty Strike cruised to a four-length victory over favored Dancinginherdreams in the second running of the $87,700 Dream Supreme for 3-year-old fillies.

Salty Strike, a homebred daughter of Smart Strike out of the Salt Lake mare Lake Huron, covered the six furlongs on a main track rated as good in 1:10.10. It was the second Churchill Downs stakes victory for Salty Strike, who had won the Dogwood (GIII) here in June.

The victory was worth $52,201 and increased Salty Strike’s earnings to $219,145 with a record of 11-4-1-1 with all four victories coming at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Ken McPeek and ridden by Edgar Prado, Salty Strike returned $6.60, $3.40 and $3. Dancinginherdreams, ridden by Julien Leparoux, returned $2.80 and $2.40 with Garnet Crystals, ridden by Castellano, paying $5 to show.

Racing continues Sunday with an 11-race program beginning at 12:40 p.m. (ET). Highlighting the card will be the 26^th running of the Cardinal Handicap (GIII) for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course. Post time for the Cardinal, the 10^th race on the program, is 5:15 p.m.

Grade III Churchill Downs stakes winners Ailalea and Buckleupbuttercup head a field of nine fillies and mares entered Monday for Saturday’s 26^th running of the $150,000-added Chilukki (Grade II) at a mile on the main track.

The Chilukki will go as the final race on Saturday’s 12-race card that features nine Breeders’ Cup World Championship races. First post time is 12:05 p.m. EDT with the Chilukki scheduled for 7:40 p.m.

Starlight Partners’ Ailalea, trained by Todd Pletcher, won the Dogwood at Churchill Downs last year after running fifth in the Kentucky Oaks (GI). John Velazquez will have the mount on Ailalea, who will break from post position four.

Avalon Farms’ Buckleupbuttercup, winner of the Eight Belles last year, is undefeated in three starts at Churchill Downs. Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Buckleupbuttercup will break from post position three under Javier Castellano.

The field for the Chilukki, from the rail out, is as follows: Absinthe Minded (Robby Albarado, 120 pounds), Freedom Star (Julien Leparoux, 120), Buckleupbuttercup (Castellano, 120), Ailalea (Velazquez, 120), Maristar (Rajiv Maragh, 120), Lacie Slew (Paco Lopez, 120), Persuading (Rafael Bejarano, 120), Anunciata (PER) (Ramon Dominguez, 120) and May Day Rose (Martin Garcia, 117).

Saturday’s second race will be the second running of the $85,000-added Dream Supreme overnights stakes for 3-year-old fillies going six furlongs on the main track. Post time for the Dream Supreme is 12:35 p.m.

Craig Singer’s Salty Strike, winner of the Dogwood (GIII) this summer, and John Oxley’s Dancinginherdreams, runaway winner of last fall’s Pocahontas (GII), head the field of nine.

The field for the Dream Supreme, from the rail out, is as follows: Grandacious (Jamie Theriot, 118 pounds), Lady Giacomo (Garrett Gomez, 118), Dancinginherdreams (Julien Leparoux, 118), Ridgester (Jon Court, 118), Just Louise (Robby Albarado, 118), Garnet Crystals (Javier Castellano, 118), Miss Dora (Roberto Morales, 118), Salty Strike (Mike Smith, 123) and Splendor Town (Victor Lebron, 118).

FAWKES EXPECTS DUKE OF MISCHIEF BE TROUBLE FOR FOSTER OPPONENTS - A start in Saturday’s Grade I Stephen Foster Presented by Abu Dhabi was not the original plan for Alex and JoAnn Lieblong, Marilyn McMaster and Fawkes Racing, Inc.’s Duke of Mischief, but everything changed following a sharp work at Calder Race Course on June 4.

“The race on our radar was the Cornhusker (Grade III at Prairie Meadows on June 25),” trainer David Fawkes said. “He’s been training extra good though and so we decided to bring him here. The work on June 4 (five furlongs at Calder) was great. He went :59.60 and galloped out in about 1:12. You don’t go 1:12 at Calder unless you can really, really run. If they work good over that track then they usually run good (in the afternoon).”

Duke of Mischief, a 5-year-old son of Graeme Hall, will enter the Stephen Foster off a 2 ¼-length win in the Grade III, $1 million Charles Town Classic on April 16.  Fawkes’ veteran defeated a strong field that included runner-up Game on Dude, who would return to finish third in the Lone Star Park Handicap (GIII), and third-place Tizway, who came back to win the Grade I Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park in his next start.

"I think everyone thought they were going to get an easy field (in the Charles Town Classic), but that’s not what happened,” Fawkes said. “I think every horse in that race was a graded stakes winner. It was a very tough race.”

Duke of Mischief arrived at Churchill Downs on Tuesday afternoon and the Stephen Foster will be his third start over the Louisville track. He was previously eighth in last year’s running of the Stephen Foster won by Blame and was fifth in the Clark Handicap (GI) won by Foster rival Giant Oak.

“He’s doing really well and hopefully he has more success here this time than he’s had in the past,” Fawkes said.

The Stephen Foster field (with jockey, weight and morning line odds) from the rail out includes: Flat Out (Corey Lanerie, 114, 30-1), Crown of Thorns (Tyler Baze, 121, 4-1), Apart (Julien Leparoux, 118, 5-1), Worldly (Manoel Cruz, 113, 30-1), El Caballo (James Graham, 115, 15-1), Regal Ransom (Alan Garcia, 117, 6-1), Equestrio (Jose Lezcano, 116, 12-1), Pool Play (Miguel Mena, 116, 20-1), Duke of Mischief (Joe Bravo, 118, 6-1), Giant Oak (Shaun Bridgmohan, 122, 7-2) and Mission Impazible (Javier Castellano, 118, 9-2).

AFTER BLAME’S FOSTER, THIS YEAR’S MODEL IS DIFFERENT FOR STALL – After winning last year’s $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap with Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame, trainer Al Stall Jr. is back with Dilschneider’s Apart to bid for a second straight triumph in the race.

The two horses have many similarities: both carry Dilschneider’s gray silks with blue cross sashes, both horses came into the Foster off prep wins in the William Donald Schaefer Handicap (GIII) at Pimlico, each earned stakes wins at Churchill Downs the previous fall (Blame in the then Grade II Clark Handicap, Apart in the Grade III Ack Ack), both came into their respective Fosters as 4-year-olds and both are homebred sons of Claiborne stallions (Blame is by Arch, while Flatter is the sire of Apart).

But several things need to occur before a comparison between Blame and Apart can be taken any further.  Blame scored a dazzling victory in Foster that established Stall’s colt as one of the top older horses in America, a status that was validated in the fall when he outlasted Horse of the Year Zenyatta in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) over the same track to earn the Eclipse Award for America’s top older horse.

Apart, on the other hand, enters the Foster as a colt with a solid resume highlighted by a Grade II win in the Super Derby and a pair of Grade III victories.  But Stall’s 2010 Stephen Foster with Blame was a race of fulfilled expectations, while this year’s run by Apart can be more accurately described as a race of opportunity.

“I’m way more relaxed (than last year),” Stall said Friday as he watched Apart stand in a backstretch starting gate at Churchill Downs.  “It’s been like that every time we’ve run him this year.  It’s been very comfortable.  We just get him in a race, get him over there and run and see what happens.  With Blame we were all nervous all the time, thinking of what would be.”

Apart’s victory in the Schaefer snapped a four-race losing streak that began last year at Churchill Downs  in an eighth-place behind Giant Oak in the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI), a roughly run race after which he was elevated to seventh by stewards because of the action within that 11-horse field.  All of Apart’s races this year have been good, including three outings at New Orleans’ Fair Grounds: runner-up finishes in the New Orleans (GII) and Louisiana Handicaps and a third in the Mineshaft Handicap (GIII).

While that record is well short of perfect, Stall believes Apart is a better horse than he was last fall, but the Foster will go a long way toward answering the question of just where the bay colt fits in this year’s wide-open division of American older horses.

“There’s no question he’s a better horse (than last year),” Stall said.  “His pedigree says he’ll get better with age.  It’s nothing we’re doing.  We’re just throwing oats at him and letting him develop on his own.  We’re spacing his races and trying to keep him going forward.

“This race will dictate where he goes: high road, low road or middle road.  He’s a race-to-race horse.  We have no plan for him.  He’s just got to earn his way to wherever he goes next.”

One encouraging fact for Stall is Apart’s record at Churchill Downs, where he is 2-1-0 in five races that include his Ack Ack win.  His lone poor outing at the track was last fall’s Clark, but Stall said the colt had an excuse that day – one he attributes to trainer error.

“He was sick,” Stall said.  “He’s legit – he just doesn’t throw a clunker for no reason.  He had been sick a little bit before the race, and we thought after two or three days it had run its course.  … But he survived it.”

Julien Leparoux will ride Apart, who will break from post three in the 11-horse field for the 1 1/8-mile Foster.  The consistent colt’s overall career record stands at 5-3-1 in 12 races with earnings of $640,018.

REGRET A PIVOTAL RACE FOR GAYA – AMOSS’S ‘ZENYATTA’ – When the field of eight 3-year-old fillies breaks from the gate in Saturday’s 42^nd running of the $125,000-added Regret Presented by Etihad Airways (GIII) on the Matt Winn Turf Course, trainer Tom Amoss will focus his gaze on the back of the pack.

Amoss exactly where Harris Thoroughbreds LLC’s Gaya, the filly he is most interested in, will be during that first run down the stretch in the 1 1/8-mile race.

“She is a deep closer,” Amoss said.  “I kiddingly – kiddingly – refer to her as my Zenyatta, because she closes so exceptionally well.  She is so far back she looks hopelessly beat.”

The gray daughter of Quest brings a three-race winning streak into the Regret that includes a maiden win and allowance victory at Fair Grounds, followed by a one-mile allowance win over a yielding course at Indiana Downs on May 21.  The Regret will be Gaya’s stakes debut, although that milestone comes later than Amoss had hoped."

She was entered to run in the stake Derby Weekend here at Churchill (the Edgewood), but she got sick,” Amoss said.  “That was obviously a huge disappointment to us.  But in terms of the Regret, it’s a mile and an eighth and I think that will suit her very well.”

The Regret field is headed by Kathmanblu, a stakes winner on turf and dirt who finished a troubled third to More Than Real in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII) last fall at Churchill Downs.  The field also includes Edgewood winner Diva Ash; Bouquet Booth, a stakes winner on dirt in the Delta Princess (GIII) and Silverbulletday; and Excited and Blushandbashful, the 1-3 finishers in the recent Hilltop Stakes on the turf on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico.

With that group of accomplished rivals awaiting her, the race should tell Amoss much about his filly.

“Tomorrow is going to decide if she’s a legitimate horse or not,” Amoss said.  “At this point we don’t know if she’s a legitimate horse.  Tomorrow’s race has a very good field and we’ll find out if we have just a good allowance horse, or a horse that can maybe be competitive in bigger races throughout the summer.”

Gaya, who will break from post seven under jockey James Graham, has a record of 3-2-0 in six races with earnings of $87,601.

The field for the Regret, from the hedge out (with jockey, weight), includes: Bizzy Caroline (Manoel Cruz, 116), Diva Ash (Robby Albarado, 116), Bouquet Booth (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118), Holidaysatthefarm (Jose Lezcano, 116), Kathmanblu (Julien Leparoux, 122), Excited (Javier Castellano, 116), Gaya (James Graham, 118) and Blushandbashful (Freddie Lenclud, 116).

ARABIAN RACE WILL BE NOTHING NEW FOR RACE-CALLER JOHNSON – To say that Churchill Downs track announcer Mark Johnson has experience calling Arabian races would be an understatement. The 45-year-old native of Lincolnshire, England has definitely called his fair share of Arabians during his years as a track announcer.

“I was the track announcer for all Arabian races in England for about 18 years,” Johnson said. “I was also the Racing Post’s Arabian correspondent for the same length of time.”

Johnson has not called an Arabian race for a couple of years, but will get the opportunity to in Saturday’s Grade I, $50,000-added The President of United Arab Emirates Cup, the first Arabian race in the history Churchill Downs.

“I am immensely excited,” Johnson said. “It will be a great spectacle and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Some people who are more familiar with Thoroughbred racing may overlook The President of United Arab Emirates Cup on a card that features four graded stakes races for Thoroughbreds.  But Johnson says the Arabian race, scheduled as the day’s sixth event, is loaded with quality horses.

"It’s a Grade I race and a couple of the best Arabian horses in the country will be running,” Johnson said. “Dixies Valentine is at the top of the distaff division and Grilla is probably the best long-distance Arabian in America.”

Bill Waldron’s Grilla will be ridden by an Arabian-specialist in Bill Hollick, but Calvin Borel, winner of three runnings of the Kentucky Derby, will take the mount aboard Dixies Valentine. In fact, all horses but Grilla and T M Fred Texas will be ridden by riders in the Churchill Downs jockey colony.

"I’ve ridden a few of them and it’s not completely different,” Borel said. “They’re a little bit smaller and go slower (than Thoroughbreds), but at the end of the day it’s still a horse race.”

Leading rider at the meet Corey Lanerie will be aboard Cre Run Enterprises LLC’s Ovour the Top.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Lanerie said. “I think it’s going to be fun. Maybe I’ll win the second Grade I of my career.”

Lanerie’s first and only Grade I win came aboard Hooh Why in the 2009 Ashland at Keeneland.

The field for The President of United Arab Emirates Cup for Arabians, 4-year-olds and up at 1 ¼ miles on the main track from the rail out (with jockey, weight): T M Fred Texas (Santos Chavez, 118), Dixies Valentine (Borel, 118), Another Color (Constantino Roman, 123), Ovour the Top (Lanerie, 118), Crownn Royal (Brian Hernandez Jr., 123), Vip (Aldo Canchano, 118), Wodkka (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., 123) and Grilla (Hollick, 123).

DREAM WARRIOR MAKES STAKES DEBUT IN JEFFERSON CUP - Anthony Chok’s Dream Warrior, who will make his stakes debut in Saturday’s $100,000-added Jefferson Cup Presented by Abu Dhabi (GIII), has not always shown the signs of being a stakes-caliber horse.

He was purchased at the 2009 Keeneland September Sale for $1,000, which is the minimum price a horse may be sold for at Keeneland, and finished ninth and seventh in his first two career starts.

Dream Warrior was placed on the turf for his third start and his debut on the new surface was a winning one, drawing away by over four lengths in a maiden special at Calder Race Course last October. He followed that win with a disappointing eighth-place finish in a Calder allowance, but rebounded to take an allowance over Churchill Downs’ Matt Winn Turf Course on May 20. It was after that race that the Eddie Kenneally barn began to believe that Dream Warrior was a horse with stakes potential.

“He kind of surprised in his last race with how well he ran,” said Brendan Walsh, assistant trainer and exercise rider for Kenneally. “He really ran a nice race. He’s been training great since then and I expect him to run well Saturday.”

Dream Warrior has had two works over the main track at Churchill Downs in preparation for a start in the Jefferson Cup. His most recent work – a half-mile move over a fast track :47.60 on June 10 –  was the fastest four furlong effort of 60 at the distance.

The 3-year-old Kentucky-bred son of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus has a record of 2-0-0 from five starts with earnings of $49,264. Corey Lanerie, the Spring Meet’s leading rider, will be aboard Dream Warrior in the Jefferson Cup.

The field for the Jefferson Cup, from the hedge out (with jockey, weight), includes: Live In Joy (Manoel Cruz, 117), Redboard (Leandro Goncalves, 117), Dream Warrior (Lanerie, 117), Banned (Jose Lezcano, 121), Swagger Jack (James Graham, 117), Perregaux (Robby Albarado, 117), Benergy (Javier Castellano, 117) and Great Mills (Julien Leparoux, 117).

Note: Live in Joy (5^th), Swagger Jack (6^th) and Great Mills (10^th) competed in Wednesday night’s $200,000 Oliver Stakes at Indiana Downs and are unlikely to start Saturday.

ILLINOIS DERBY WINNER EXPECTED TO START IN MATT WINN – Zayat Stables LLC’s Joe Vann, who won the Grade III Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Park prior to finishing fourth in the Peter Pan (GII) at Belmont Park in his most recent start, is expected to run in Saturday’s $125,000 Matt Winn Presented by Emirates Equestrian Federation (GIII) at Churchill Downs.

Although he was entered Wednesday for the Matt Winn, the Todd Pletcher-trained 3-year-old son of Silver Deputy was also being considered for the Iowa Derby (GIII) next Saturday at Prairie Meadows.

“As of right now, we are still running (in the Matt Winn),” assistant trainer Michael McCarthy said Friday morning.

Joe Vann shipped in from Belmont last week and had his first work over the Churchill Downs track June 12. He covered five furlongs over a fast track in 1:01.40, which was the eighth fastest of 41 workers at the same distance that morning.

A start with Joe Vann in the Matt Winn (Race 10) would give the Pletcher barn a chance to sweep the late, stakes triple Saturday. Michael Tabor’s Excited will run in the Grade III Regret (Race 11) and Twin Creeks Racing Stable LLC’s Mission Impazible will start in the Grade I Stephen Foster (Race 12).

The Matt Winn field, from the rail out (with jockey, weight), includes: Alstom (Calvin Borel, 116), Infrattini (Corey Lanerie, 116), Wilburn (Mike Smith, 116), Supreme Ruler (Jon Court, 116), Uncle Brent (Manoel Cruz, 120), Chalice (Julien Leparoux, 116), Scotus (Alan Garcia, 116) and Joe Vann (Javier Castellano, 120).

BARN TALK – Nominations for the 110^th running of the Grade III, $100,000-added Bashford Manor for 2-year-olds at six furlongs on the main track at Churchill Downs will close Saturday. The Bashford Manor, which is scheduled to be run Saturday, July 2, was won last year by Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Kantharos under Robby Albarado for trainer Steve Asmussen. …

Nominations for the 21^st running of the Grade II, $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap for 3-year-olds and upward at one mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course will close Saturday. The Firecracker Handicap, which is scheduled to be run on Monday, July 4, was won last year by Michael Cooper and Pamela Ziebarth’s Tizdejavu under Jesus Castanon for trainer Greg Fox. …

Donegal Racing’s O’Prado Again, a 2-year-old son of El Prado-IRE who was purchased for $350,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling sale, will make his first start in Saturday’s seventh race for trainer Dale Romans. Jerry Crawford of Donegal Racing named the colt in honor of the recently retired Paddy O’Prado, a Grade I winner with more than $1.7 million in career earnings. …

To Honor and Serve’s 4-year-old half-brother named Dream Steeler will make his debut in Saturday’s eighth race for trainer Mike Maker and owner Twin Creeks Farm. To Honor and Serve, a 3-year-old son of Bernardini, was a multiple Grade II winner at 2-years-old and was on the 2011 Kentucky Derby trail before being sidelined with a strain to the suspensory ligament of his left foreleg. …

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (June 9-16) are Corey Lanerie (8-for-36), Julien Leparoux (7-for-20) and Manoel Cruz (6-for-27). Tom Amoss (4-for-6) and Mike Maker (3-for-8) are the hottest trainers over the same period. The hottest owners are Brereton C. Jones (2-for-2), A.L. Luedtke (2-for-2), Maggi Moss (2-for-2) and Kenneth L. and Sarah K. Ramsey (2-for-5).

WORKTAB – Columbine Stable’s J.B.’s Thunder, who won the Grade I Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland before finishing ninth in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs in his most recent start, worked four furlongs in :49.60 on a fast main track beneath the Twin Spires on Friday morning for trainer Al Stall Jr. 

W.S. Farish and Skara Glen Stables’ Close Ally worked four furlongs in :51.60 Friday morning for trainer Neil Howard. Close Ally finished second to Glen Hill Farm’s Banned in the Grade II American Turf Presented by Ram prior to a second place finish to Thirtyfirststreet in the $200,000 Lone Star Derby on May 30.

WEATHER – Friday: partly sunny with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 87. Friday night: mostly cloudy with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 72. Saturday: partly sunny with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 89. Sunday: partly sunny and hot with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, 91. Monday: mostly sunny and hot, 95. Tuesday: mostly sunny and hot, 94. Wednesday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 92. Thursday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 88.  

SANTIVA WORKS, BOUND FOR BELMONT STAKES ON TUESDAY – Tom Walters’ Santiva, sixth to Team Valor International’s Animal Kingdom in the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), tuned up for a run in next week’s $1 million Belmont Stakes (GI) with a strong five-furlong work on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

            The Eddie Kenneally-trained son of Giant’s Causeway worked five furlongs over a fast track in 1:01 with assistant trainer Brendan Walsh in the saddle.  Santiva worked in company with stablemate Manx Miss and the duo finished with identical clockings for five furlongs, a time that tied for sixth fastest of 27 works at the distance.

            Santiva breezed in fractional times of :13, :25.20 and :36.80 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.40.  His gallop out time was faster than either of the day’s two six-furlong works.

            “I’m very happy with him,” Kenneally said.  “He hasn’t missed a beat since the Derby.  He’s been on schedule and has had a good four weeks, and hopefully he’ll have another good week until we get to the Belmont.”

            The winner of Churchill Downs’ Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) is scheduled to ship on Tuesday to Belmont Park, where both Animal Kingdom and Preakness winner Shackleford will be awaiting in the 1 1/2 mile race that New Yorkers have dubbed the “Test of the Champion” through the years. 

            The Belmont Stakes will be the fourth start of the year for Santiva, who opened the season with a promising runner-up finish to likely Belmont rival Mucho Macho Man in the Risen Star (GII) at Fair Grounds.  But Kenneally’s colt then encountered major traffic woes in his final Kentucky Derby prep – a ninth-place finish behind Brilliant Speed in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) over Keeneland’s synthetic Polytrack course.

             “He didn’t get everything out of the Blue Grass that we had wanted,” Kenneally said.  “He got a little bit tired, perhaps, in the Derby.  He’s a horse that’s done well since then and we’re happy enough with the way he ran on Derby Day.”

 

            Kenneally believes Santiva is ready for the challenge of the mile and a half in the Belmont Stakes, which will be uncharted territory the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winners and every other 3-year-old in the race.

            “The thing about it is you don’t know who is going to really be a mile-and-a-half horse until you try, so you don’t know about those horses either,” Kenneally said.  “Our horse is a horse that likes to run, he doesn’t quit and he keeps grinding it out.  He’s a tough little horse and he keeps fighting.  He’s tactical and he doesn’t have to be coming from way back. 

            “He likes to run in the middle of the pack, relatively close to the leader in the first tier of runners, so I think his running style would be effective in a race like the Belmont.  I don’t think the Belmont favors closers.  The Belmont traditionally, for the most part, favors horses that like to lay up close to the pace – not on the lead, necessarily, but close to the pace.”

            Santiva’s victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club in November remains his only triumph in his career record that stands at 1-3-1 in seven races.  His earnings total is $257,597.

            Shaun Bridgmohan, who was aboard Santiva in both the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Jockey Club, is scheduled to ride the colt in the Belmont.

CLARK WINNER, STEPHEN FOSTER HOPE GIANT OAK WORKS SIZZLING FIVE FURLONGS – The Virginia H. Tarra Trust’s Giant Oak, winner of Churchill Downs’ $500,000 Clark Handicap (GI) and the $500,000 Donn Handicap (GI) at Gulfstream Park, worked a sparkling five furlongs at Churchill Downs on Saturday in preparation the 30^th running of the $500,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) on June 18.

            The homebred 5-year-old son of Giants Causeway zipped over a fast track for trainer Chris Block to complete the five-furlong move in :59.60.  The work under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan was the “bullet” of 27 works at the distance and a full second faster than the morning’s second-best move.

            “He had a really good breeze this morning,” Block said.  “He’s on-target for the Stephen Foster.”

            Giant Oak will attempt to snap a two-race losing streak in the Foster after he started the year as a rising star in a division of American older horses thinned by the retirements of marquee stars that included Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) winner Blame, multiple Grade I winner Quality Road, 3-year-old champion Lookin At Lucky and, more recently, the versatile Grade I winner Paddy O’Prado. 

            His emphatic two-length win over Grade I winner Morning Line in the Donn underscored Giant Oak’s potential to be one of the names at the top of the division.  But that victory was followed by a setback in the New Orleans Handicap (GII), where he finished third to Mission Impazible and Apart, and a fifth-place run behind First Dude in the Alysheba at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day.  Giant Oak rallied from far back in the 1 1/16-mile Alysheba and was beaten by less than a length.

            Block, a three-time stakes winner during the 2010 Fall Meet, is looking forward to the Stephen Foster and sees the race as an opportunity to reclaim Giant’s Oaks early-season moment. He believes Giant Oak had excuses in each of those defeats.           

            “I haven’t lost any confidence in him at all,” Block said.  “I thought he had a real strong excuse in New Orleans.  He’s not real fond of that course.  As a 3-year-old I saw that, but I thought he was a little different horse now, so I thought we’d take another chance and another shot at it.  But he clearly does not like that track, so I’m kind of throwing that one out.  He had a legitimate excuse there.                                                                 

            “In the race here (the Alysheba) the last time, he kind of had a rough trip up the backside.  He and Demarcation were kind of hooked up together and there was a little bumping going on up the backside.  He never got on track where he got into a rhythm until he really got clear of that horse, and then he came with his big run.”

            Bridgmohan has ridden Giant Oak in his last four races and will be aboard for the Stephen Foster, a race in which Block’s Illinois-bred star finished fourth last year to Blame, the eventual Eclipse Award winner as America’s top older horse.

            Giant Oak’s career record stands at 5-5-4 in 26 races with earnings of $1,307,001.

YOUNG HORSES GIVE VETERAN TRAINER ‘EXTRA SHOT OF LIFE’ – Everyone has a first love, and for trainer Bernie Flint, that first love was training young horses.

            “I love training 2-year-olds,” Flint said. “Training young horses was my first love and they’ll always be my favorite horses to train.”

One might think that Flint, a 71-year-old with over 3,000 career victories and numerous training titles would be ready to retire, but he just keeps going and attributes his energy level to the young horses in his barn. “An untried 2-year-old gives you an extra shot of life,” Flint said. “There’s just something about the young horses that keeps me going.”

            Flint, who has won at an 18-percent clip in 2-year-old races throughout his career, has won with three of his first 11 2-year-old starters this year and he’s confident more wins are on the way.         “The owners - especially Jim Stone, Ed Wright, Miles Childers, and Dr. Naveed Chowhan - really stepped up and we were able to purchase some nice young horses,” Flint said. “I have the best group of 2-year-olds here (at Churchill Downs). Just watch how they run.”

            The New Orleans-native, who is known for having a high winning percentage with 2-year-olds, won with 15 of his 71 (21%) two-year-old starters in 2006; however, his winning percentage declined over the next few years and last year he trained just two juvenile winners from 22 starters (9%).

            “I got away from focusing on 2-year-olds and started trying to win claiming races with older horses,” Flint said. “This year we’ve gotten back to the 2-year-olds and I won’t be participating in the claiming game very much.”

            Flint, who began training full-time in 1976 after retiring from the New Orleans Police Department, still enjoys his job and hopes to be on the backstretch for a few more years.

            “I don’t know if I’ll still be around at (trainer D. Wayne) Lukas’ age (75),” Flint said. “But who knows, if a couple of these 2-year-olds develop into stakes winners then I could be around for a little while longer to see how they turn out.”

            Flint has 429 wins beneath the Twin Spires, which is fourth all-time behind Bill Mott (641), Dale Romans (525) and Lukas (482). L.T.B., Inc.’s One Sky will be Flint’s lone starter Saturday at Churchill Downs.      

BARN TALK – Jockey Julien Leparoux recorded his 466^th career Churchill Downs win and passed Patrick A. Johnson for 10^th all-time when he rode Legendary Heart to victory in the 11^th race Friday for trainer Steve Asmussen. Leparoux, who has 1,407 career victories overall, had his biggest day beneath the Twin Spires on May 2, 2009, when he rode Informed Decision to win the Humana Distaff (GI) and Einstein to win the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) on the Kentucky Derby Day undercard.  

Afleeting Lady, a 4-year-old half-sister to Preakness Stakes winner Shackleford, will attempt to break her maiden in Saturday’s eighth race at Churchill Downs for owners Michael Lauffer and Bill Cubbedge and trainer Dale Romans. Post time for the eighth race is 4:29 p.m. EST. …

Two apprentice riders – Constantino Roman and Marcelino Pedroza Jr. – are both ranked in the top 10 in wins in the jockey standings at Churchill Downs. Each rider has seven wins, which is good enough to be tied for ninth with Manny Cruz. …

The “Who’s the Champ?” Handicapping Contest returns Sunday. It continues each Sunday through June 12 in the Champions Club Lounge with $4,000 in prize money, including a $1,500 first prize and a coveted VIP trip to compete in the Horseplayer World Series at The Orleans Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The entry fee is $25 (or 25,000 Twin Spires Club points). Also on Sunday, simulcast action is highlighted by Woodbine’s stakes tripleheader, including the $500,000 Woodbine Oaks Presented by Budweiser and the $150,000 Plate Trial. …

 WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (May 27- June 3) are Corey Lanerie (10-for-33) and Shaun Bridgmohan (8-for-32). Steve Asmussen (5-for-12), Bernie Flint (3-for-6) and Brad Cox (3-for-7) are the hottest trainers over the same period. The hottest owners are Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. (3-for-7) Stoneway Farm (2-for-3) and Vinery Stables, LLC (2-for-2).

 

WEATHER – Saturday: mostly sunny, 93; Sunday: mostly sunny with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 90; Monday: mostly sunny with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 92; Tuesday: mostly sunny and hot, 95; Wednesday: mostly sunny and hot, 96; Thursday: mostly sunny and hot with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 95; Friday: partly sunny with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 95.

 

Tom Walters’ Santiva outgamed favored Astrology and Major Gain in a stretch-long duel to win the 84th running of the $165,000 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (GII) for 2-year-olds by a half-length on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Ridden for the first time by Shaun Bridgmohan, Santiva was content to sit just off the pace set by Prideofthechapter, who led the field of seven through fractions of  :24.29 and :49.03. Astrology, ridden by Garrett Gomez, tracked the leaders in third while Major Gain, ridden by Robby Albarado, raced in the next tier

Leaving the backstretch, Santiva took over from Prideofthechapter and was quickly joined by Astrology. At the head of the stretch, Albarado swung to the inside of Cane Garden Bay with Major Gain and cut to the rail to join the leaders.

The trio raced as a team to the wire with Santiva, a Kentucky-bred son of Giant’s Causeway out of the Smarten mare Slide, drawing away late to complete the distance on a fast main track in 1:45.31 to register his first victory in four starts. Astrology finished a head in front of Major Gain.

Now trained by Eddie Kenneally, Santiva increased his earnings to $195,254 with Saturday’s check of $100,254. Santiva had run second in his previous start, the Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland on Oct. 9 and now has a record of 1-2-1.

Santiva returned $11.60, $4.20 and $2.80. Astrology returned $2.60 and $2.10 with Major Gain paying $2.40 to show. It was another 4 ½ lengths back to Halo’s Thunder, who was followed in order by Cane Garden Bay, Enable and Prideofthechapter.

The Fall Meet concludes Sunday with an 11-race program that begins at 12:40 p.m. (EST). Also Sunday, Churchill Downs will have a farewell ceremony for 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) winner Mine That Bird, who has been retired from racing and will return to New Mexico on Monday. The ceremony will take place around the seventh race, which has a scheduled post time of 3:41 p.m. In addition, the first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive a free 2011 Churchill Downs Wall Calendar presented by Humana. There also is a five-day Pick 6 carryover of $53,359 on races 6-11. There will be a mandatory payout.

KENTUCKY JOCKEY CLUB QUOTES

Shaun Bridgmohan (jockey, Santiva, winner): “He showed effort today. I have known he is a nice little horse. He just ran a phenomenal race today. Every time I asked him for a little more, he just gave it to me. He kept grinding it out and fighting all the way to the wire. The more I asked the more he fought. It has been a very nice weekend.”

Eddie Kenneally (trainer, Santiva, winner): “He dug in and was courageous.  He ran awesome, really.  They came to him at the eighth pole and looked like they might even go by him.  They put him in a little tight, and that’s when he really fought back and he regained momentum and was drawing away from them at the wire.”

Q: Was his last race in the Breeders’ Futurity, in your eyes, even better than it might have looked …“He found himself very far back in his last race.  He didn’t break that day.  He broke sharp today.  He broke sharp today and put himself in the race early.  The jock didn’t put him in the race.  The horse wanted to run today.  He had running on his mind and got the job done.”

Q: It’s November and six months away there’s a very big race here.  Is he a legitimate  Kentucky Derby horse? “Oh sure, he’s got the pedigree.  There’s all the stamina in the world in his pedigree.  He’s got the profile for the race here in May.

Q: What was your thinking about running him on the dirt?  In his first race he was third on dirt, but was pretty soundly beaten before running back on grass and Polytrack in his next two starts.  Was there any worry about bringing him back to dirt?  “We knew going long that he’d be fine on the dirt, he’d have no problem going long on dirt.  He trains here and this is where we’re based, so this was a logical choice.”

Q. Is it exciting to think about bringing him back here (for the Derby) in six months with the way he ran today? “Absolutely.  That’s the goal, for sure.  “We’re excited about it.”

Q: Any thoughts on what your next step might be with him? “There some races in Florida with him this winter, so we’ll look at some of those and take it from there.  We’ll just give him a little break now and get him back to the races in January or February.  We’ll give him an easy time in December and focus on next year then.”

Garrett Gomez (jockey, Astrology, second): “I had a real good trip. I tried to let Shaun (Bridgmohan, jockey) carry me around. The one time my horse runs a mile and a sixteenth he comes off the bridle early on me. I tried to use Shaun as a target and he carried me. And when we decided to come home all the horses came home really well and I just got out-sprinted to the wire. I liked the way he ran today.”

Steve Asmussen (trainer, Astrology, second): “We’re disappointed he didn’t win under those circumstances, but he’s learning.  He’s distracted so easily by stuff.”

Q: His pedigree, being by A.P. Indy would indicate he’ll get better as he gets older … “We’ll see.  One thing I’ve figured out this year is nothing is guaranteed.”

Q: Did you lose any faith in him today?  Do you think he still has the potential to be a pretty good horse? “He’s got to put it together.  The competition is going to get better, so he’s got to get better.”

Wayne Catalano (trainer, Major Gain, third): “I’m happy with his performance. I would’ve liked to win, but he ran a big race. We’ll see how it goes from here.”

John Oxley’s heavily favored Dancinginherdreams remained perfect in two starts by racing to a 5 1/4-length victory over Eden Star in the 42nd running of the $165,450 Pocahontas (GII) for 2-year-old fillies on Sunday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Julien Leparoux, who won Pocahontas for a second time, Dancinginherdreams is trained by John Ward, who also won divisions of the race in 1977 and 1978. Ward and Oxley also teamed up to win the 1995 Kentucky Oaks (GI) with Gal In A Ruckus and the 2001 Kentucky Derby (GI) with Monarchos.

Leparoux was content to let Dancinginherdreams, the even-money favorite, race in midpack as Honey Chile under Michael Baze led the field of seven through fractions of :22.75 and :46.79 down the backstretch straightaway. Leaving the far turn, Dancinginherdreams had to wait behind Honey Chile, who was joined on the lead by Switching Gears and Gran Lioness.

At the head of the stretch, Dancinginherdreams slipped between Gran Lioness and Honey Chile and ducked down to the rail where she spurted clear past the three-sixteenths pole and cruised to the wire geared down by Leparoux.

Dancinginherdreams covered the mile on a fast main track in 1:38.59. The victory was worth $100,529 and increased the daughter of Tapit’s earnings to $124,529.

Dancinginherdreams returned $4, $2.80 and $2.40. Eden Star rallied for second under Kent Desormeaux and returned $9.20 and $5.40. Missyoulikecrazy, ridden by Corey Lanerie, finished another half-length back in third and paid $5.20 to show. It was another 3 ½ lengths back to Gran Lioness, who was followed in order by Days Like This, Switching Gears and Honey Chile.

Racing at the 21-day fall meet resumes Wednesday with a 10-race card that begins at 12:40 p.m. (ET).

POST-RACE QUOTES

Julien Leparoux (jockey, Dancinginherdreams, winner): “She ran good. I was in tight and she had a great pull; she does everything good. Today she broke a little bit better.”

John Ward (trainer, Dancinginherdreams, second): “That’s the way she trains in the morning, so to see it come back and do it in the afternoon is pretty good. I thought the racetrack was very difficult today, but she obviously overcomes what’s in front of her. I wouldn’t call it easy but she handled everything well. We will see her again in Florida and she needs to put some meat on her bones. But that’s what you’re looking for and I think she will run as far you want her to go.”

ERIC REED (trainer, Eden Star, runner-up): "She ran a little better than I thought she would.  I really like her a lot.  She’s just ultra-game.  That other filly (winner Dancinginherdreams) can really run.”
Q: What will you do with Eden Star now?

“We’re going to break her maiden.  Then we’ll take her to Florida and bring her back here in the spring.”

KENT DESORMEAUX (jockey, Eden Star, runner-up): "That was a great stretch drive for her – she was in the horse race.  The 3 (Dancinginherdreams) was long gone, but she was in the horse race for second place and she won.”

EDDIE KENNEALLY (trainer, Missyoulikecrazy, third): The winner is an exceptional filly and might be the leader of the division.  Being third in our first stake appearance – we’re happy with that.  We were third in a Grade II in the Pocahontas and that adds a little feather to our cap with this filly.”
Q: Will you look at the Golden Rod at the end of meet for her?
“We’ll look the Golden Rod.  We’ll definitely look at it.”

SURGING CUSTOM FOR CARLOS FOLLOWS IN SWIFT HOOFPRINTS FOR KENNEALLY – A month after Kelly’s Landing was winding down his stellar career, a possible replacement debuted for trainer Eddie Kenneally at Gulfstream Park in Custom for Carlos.

Racing for Homewrecker Racing and Avalon Farms, Custom for Carlos closed out his 3-year-old campaign with a 3 ¾-length victory over Churchill Downs Stakes (GII) winner Accredit in Saturday’s Bet On Sunshine overnight stakes. Custom for Carlos covered the six furlongs in 1:09.71 and improved his record at the distance to 3-1-0 in four races with the lone loss coming by a nose in the Gallant Bob Handicap at Philadelphia Park on Oct. 10.

“He’s a nice horse and we’ll look at the Mr. Prospector to start next year,” Kenneally said of the six-furlong Grade III test at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 16.

Kelly’s Landing had run twice as a 3-year-old for trainer Tom Burgin before beginning his racing career with Kenneally at age 4. Under Kenneally’s care, Kelly’s Landing won 8 of 25 starts with the biggest victory coming in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (GI) as a 6-year-old.

“There are a lot of similarities between the two at this stage of their careers,” Kenneally said. “Custom for Carlos could become a top sprinter.”

Custom for Carlos is 2-for-2 at Churchill Downs at six furlongs, the same distance as the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) that will be contested beneath the Twin Spires on Nov. 6, 2010.

HANFORD, OLDEST KENTUCKY DERBY WINNING JOCKEY, DIES AT 91 -- Ira “Babe” Hanford, who won the 1936 Kentucky Derby aboard Bold Venture, passed away on Saturday, Nov. 21 in Ocala, Fla. after a lengthy illness. He was 91.

Hanford was the oldest living Kentucky Derby-winning jockey and was the first apprentice to win the “Run for the Roses.”

Tne of 10 children, Hanford grew up in Fairbury, Neb., and followed his two brothers to the East Coast to become a jockey. His oldest brother “Buddy” died after sustaining a head injury in a race at Pimlico Race Course in 1933. His brother Carl, now 93, is the Hall of Fame trainer best known for training five-time Horse of the Year Kelso.

Ira Hanford was at Churchill Downs for the 2006 Kentucky Derby.

“Babe and I enjoyed celebrating the 70th anniversary of his winning ride by attending the 2006 Kentucky Derby,” said Virginia “Ginny” Hanford, his wife of 67 years.

In addition to his wife and brother, Hanford is survived by his two sons Glenn and Gary and numerous nieces and nephews, including trainer Gail Hanford.

A private funeral is scheduled for Saturday. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that a donation be made to the Kentucky Derby Museum to help its recovery from August flood damage.

RAMSEY-OWNED TURF STAKES WINNERS TOP GRAND CANYON, CARESSING  NOMINEES – Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Dean’s Kitten and Kera’s Kitten, both stakes winners on the grass, top a list of 24 nominations for Saturday’s $60,000-added Grand Canyon, an overnight stakes race for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the grass.

Mike Maker trains both sons of Kitten’s Joy. Dean’s Kitten, winner of the Vision Stakes at Belmont Park on Oct. 25, is the only Grand Canyon nominee to have run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 7 at Santa Anita. He finished sixth in the field of 12, beaten only 2 ¾ lengths by Pounced.

Kera’s Kitten is undefeated in two career starts, both on the grass. He broke his maiden going six furlongs at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 21 and then won the one-mile El Joven Stakes at Retama Park on Oct. 24.

Trainer Dale Romans has nominated the only two colts among the nominees to have won grass races at Churchill Downs during the current meet. Lost Aptitude, owned by Michael Bruder and Frank Jones, won a 1 1/16-mile allowance race on Nov. 8. Romans Reward, owned by Jones, broke his maiden going 1 1/16 miles on Nov. 1.

The Ramsey-Maker tandem also has one of two turf stakes winning fillies nominated to Saturday’s $60,000-added Caressing at a mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course. A total of 37 2-year-old fillies were nominated to the Caressing.

Lisa’s Kitten won the La Senorita on Oct. 24 at Retama Park before finishing 10th, beaten only 6 ¾ lengths, in the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.

Rich Pearl, owned and trained by Jerry Todd, is undefeated in two grass starts and won the Donnie Wilhite Memorial going a mile at Louisiana Downs on Aug. 15.

Entries for both overnight stakes will be taken Wednesday for the final day “Stars of Tomorrow II” card that will feature 12 races exclusively for 2-year-olds.

SWIFT TEMPER COULD START BIG WEEKEND FOR ROMANS – Dale Romans has been the trainer of Swift Temper for her past 14 races and during the 17-month span the millionaire mare never had thrown in two clunkers in a row … until her past two starts.

So it is that Swift Temper, owned by Mark Stanley, enters Thursday’s 94th running of the Falls City Handicap (GII) at 1 1/8 miles with plenty of questions surrounding her after a 10th-place finish in the Spinster (GI) at Keeneland on Oct. 11 and a sixth-place showing in the Chilukki (GII) here on Nov. 7.
“I hope she wakes up,” Romans said. “She didn’t care for the Polytrack (at Keeneland) and she didn’t have the best of trips in the Chilukki.”

Under Romans’ care, Swift Temper has compiled a record of 14-4-2-3. In the Falls City, Swift Temper will be reunited with jockey Alan Garcia.

“She seems to run really well for him,” Romans said of Garcia who has guided Swift Temper to two victories and two runner-up finishes the four times he has been aboard.

While Romans may be bidding Swift Temper farewell after the Falls City, Saturday’s “Stars of Tomorrow II” card for 2-year-olds could portend a big 2010 for the trainer.

Romans, who already has Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Tapitsfly in his barn, will be active in Saturday’s two graded stakes on the main track as well as the overnight Grand Canyon on the turf.
“(Pocahontas winner) Sassy Image is doing great and I may also put a maiden, Quiet Temper, in the Golden Rod,” Romans said. “Mr. Saturdaynight shipped in a couple of weeks ago from California for the Kentucky Jockey Club and the two grass horses, Lost Aptitude and Romans Reward, are going to run Saturday.

“Quite a few of them look like they can mature into nice horses.”

BOREL WILL STAY ON THE MOVE AFTER MEET CONCLUDES – Calvin Borel, on his way to a possible third Churchill Downs riding title, will be a man on the move when the Fall Meet ends Saturday.

Borel and Garrett Gomez will represent the United States in the World Super Jockey Series at Hanshin racecourse in Japan on Dec. 5 and 6. The top seven flat riders in Japan will take on an overseas continent of eight riders in the event that is in its 23rd year.

When Borel returns from Japan, he will be the grand marshal for the Christmas parade in his hometown of Catahoula, La., according to his agent Jerry Hissam. Following the parade, the town will unveil two signs to be placed at city entrances that will proclaim Catahoula to be “The birthplace of two-time Kentucky Derby winner Calvin Borel”.

At the start of 2010, Borel may ride New Year’s Day at Delta Downs and then head to Hot Springs, Ark., on Jan. 11 for the Jan. 15 opening of the Oaklawn Park meet.

Borel, who had a 21-18 lead on Julien Leparoux heading into the final five days of the meet, previously won Churchill Downs riding titles during the 1999 Fall Meet and shared the 2006 Fall title with Shaun Bridgmohan.
    
BARN TALK – Superstar filly Rachel Alexandra has jogged lightly once around the track at the end of training hours with regular exercise rider Dominic Terry up accompanied by assistant trainer Scott Blasi on a pony. Undefeated in eight starts in 2009 including three victories over males and a 20 ¼-length victory in the Kentucky Oaks (GI), Rachel Alexandra has not run since winning the Woodward (GI) at Saratoga on Sept. 5. Rachel Alexandra began walking under tack in trainer Steve Asmussen’s shedrow last week and Monday’s appearance on the track was her first since arriving here Oct. 7. …

Julien Leparoux rode two winners Sunday to move into 15th place all time at Churchill Downs with 397 victories. He moved past Rafael Bejarano (396). Sitting immediately ahead of Leparoux is Earlie Fires with 403 victories beneath the Twin Spires.

WORK TAB – Iroquois (GIII) winner Thiskyhasnolimit worked a half-mile in :50.60 over a “fast” track for trainer Steve Asmussen on Tuesday as a prelude to Saturday’s Kentucky Jockey Club (GII). Also working for the Kentucky Jockey Club was Activity Report, who covered three furlongs in :35.80 for trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Another who worked three-eighths for Lukas was Debutante (GIII) winner and Pocahontas probable Decelerator (:37). Rich Pearl worked a half-mile around the “dogs” on a “firm” turf course in :49.80 for owner-trainer Jerry Todd in advance of Saturday’s Caressing. … On the Monday tab, Denis of Cork worked a half-mile over a “fast” track in :49.80 as he continues his comeback from a couple of injuries. Trained by David Carroll, Denis of Cork ran third in the 2008 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and second in the Belmont Stakes (GI).   

GONCALVES OFF TO FAST START IN RIDERS RACE – Trainer Buff Bradley has found that other trainers are taking notice of the riding talents of Leandro Gonvalves.

"I am not getting to ride him as much because he is getting more clients,” Bradley said of Goncalves, who sits in a four-way tie for second place in the rider standings with seven victories through the first eight days of the 21-day meet.

Goncalves, a 27-year-old native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, already has equaled his victory total from the Spring Meet in only 51rides, nearly half his spring total when he had 100 mounts.

“Everything is better,” Goncalves said of the difference between the two meets. “I am getting on better horses and more people are watching me ride.”

Goncalves won his first U.S. riding title at the September Turfway Park meet and followed that up with six victories at the Keeneland meet, good for a tie for eighth in the standings. He also picked up his first graded-stakes victory when he guided Satans Quick Chick to win the Raven Run (Grade II) on Oct. 24, part of a three-win day.

Represented by Steve Elzey, Goncalves will ride at Turfway Park after the current meet ends Nov. 28 and then move to Oaklawn Park for the first time early next year.

Bradley has been a big supporter of Goncalves.

“He’s a very patient rider and he puts horses in the right place in a race,” Bradley said. “He is very positive and a hard worker. He has a lot of good qualities and I think he’ll be a top rider.”

Goncalves does not pattern his riding style after any one jockey.

“I watch all of the riders,” Goncalves said. “But there are a couple that I really like, John Velazquez and Gary Stevens when he was riding.”
 
EIGHT DISTAFFERS CONSIDERED PROBABLE FOR CARDINAL – Weights for the 36th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (GIII) will be announced Saturday and as of Friday eight fillies and mares were considered as probable for the race by Churchill Downs Racing Secretary Ben Huffman.

Topping the list for the 1 1/8-mile race to be contested over the Matt Winn Turf Course on Saturday, Nov. 21, is Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Acoma. Trained by David Carroll, Acoma has two graded-stakes wins over the Matt Winn Turf Course: the Mint Julep (GIII) in June and the Mrs. Revere (GII) last fall.

Other graded-stakes winners among the probables are Social Queen, winner of the Gallorette (GIII) at Pimlico in May, and Tizfiz, winner of the San Gorgonio (GII) at Santa Anita in January.

Other probables include Leamington, Lemon Chiffon, My Baby Baby, Polo Lounge and You Go West Girl.  
Three horses are considered as possible for the Cardinal including Long Approach, who ran second to Indescribable in last year’s race. Other possibles are Celtic Princess (Brz) and Finish in Style.

KELLY’S LANDING THRIVING IN NEW CAREER AS PONY – Even though millionaire Kelly’s Landing retired from the races in January, his career at the racetrack is far from finished.

The 8-year-old gelding, whose career highlight was a victory in the Dubai Golden Shaheen (GI) in 2007, is now serving as a pony for his former trainer Eddie Kenneally.

“We retired him after the Mr. Prospector in January at Gulfstream Park,” Kenneally said. “He retired sound. He just wasn’t running at the highest level.”

During his career, Kelly’s Landing amassed $1,853,831 in earnings with a record of 27-10-3-2. He won at least one race each year from 2004-08 with his most impressive Churchill Downs victory coming in the 2005 Aristides (GIII) when he set the track record for six furlongs in 1:07.59, a mark that stood for two years.

A son of Patton, Kelly’s Landing won four graded stakes in her career and competed in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) twice.

“He is perfect for the job,” Kenneally said. “He began in May and is doing just super.”

BARN TALK – Apprentice Freddie Lenclud had a riding double Thursday, scoring on Sea Scamp ($5.60) in the third and Prince Will I Am ($93.80). Lenclud has five victories through the first eight days of the 21-day meet and already has equaled the 2008 total of leading fall apprentice Brandon Meier. … Bill Troilo, who retired from riding this past spring, was a visitor on the backside Friday morning. “I’m here in Louisville for steward’s school,” said Troilo, who retired with 2,514 victories and whose lone graded-stakes victory came here last fall aboard Karelian in the River City Handicap (GIII).