Mafaaz

LEPAROUX HOPES TO FINISH 2009 IN GRAND FASHION – It has been a banner year for jockey Julien Leparoux, who leads all North American riders in earnings with $18,041,548 through Wednesday and a sparkling showing at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in which he rode three winners and won the Bill Shoemaker Award as the top rider at the event.

Currently second in the rider standings at the Fall Meet, Leparoux will be out of town Saturday to ride American Lion for trainer Eoin Harty in the Hollywood Prevue (GIII) and miss the closing weekend to ride Just as Well in the Japan Cup (GI).

“I have ridden in Japan before, but not at the Tokyo Racecourse,” said Leparoux, who won the 2006 Eclipse Award as the top apprentice in North America. “After that, I ride one day at Calder (Dec. 5) and then one day at Hollywood Park (Dec.19).”

Leparoux has ridden 230 winners in 2009, good for a tie for ninth in North America. The 26-year-old native of Senlis, France, had a couple of victories that would be at the forefront of the 2009 highlight reel.
“I’d start with the Sunshine Millions,” Leparoux said of It’s a Bird’s 5 ¼-length victory. “And then the Santa Anita Handicap.”

Leparoux guided Einstein (Brz) to victory in the Big Cap and it is Einstein that would provide Leparoux with his biggest do-over if he could.

“There are a few I would like to ride over, but the Stephen Foster for sure,” Leparoux said of the June race here in which Einstein encountered trouble nearly every step of the 1 1/8-mile race.

A winner of five riding titles here, Leparoux plans to spend some time in France over the holidays before beginning 2010 at Gulfstream Park.

CARROLL HOPING ACOMA REBOUNDS IN CARDINAL – Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Acoma has been perfect throughout her career at Churchill Downs with two victories on the dirt and two on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

She will try to extend that grass streak to three in Saturday’s 36th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (GIII) at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

"I am more hopeful than confident,” trainer David Carroll said. “Before she ran at Keeneland, she had been training good and it is the same this time.”

The race at Keeneland was the Grade I First Lady in which Acoma finished last in the field of nine over soft turf.

“I am hoping it was just the soft turf that she didn’t like,” Carroll said. “I hope the course is good Saturday. That rain (on Tuesday) bothered me a little bit.”

The First Lady was Acoma’s first start in nearly three months after a last-place effort in the Delaware Handicap on the dirt, a performance Carroll forgives because the filly’s blood work came back bad after the race. But the First Lady was perplexing to the trainer.

“Sometimes fillies can go off form and it is hard to get them back on track,” Carroll said. “I’d like to see her run her race. If she gets beat because of bad luck or a bad trip, well, we’ve got her back. If she runs like she did at Keeneland where she was never in the race, we’ll have to take a good look about next year, because I’d like to keep her racing.”

Jesus Castanon will ride Acoma for the first time on Saturday in the Cardinal in which Acoma carries top weight of 121 pounds.

MAFAAZ BATTLING BACK FROM HEALTH ISSUES – In the spring of this year, one of the most talked about Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) hopefuls was Shadwell Stable’s Mafaaz (GB).

In March, the colt had won the Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes at Kempton Park in England, a victory that guaranteed Mafaaz a spot in the starting gate for the 135th Run for the Roses. Trainer John Gosden shipped Mafaaz to Keeneland for the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) to see how he would fare against U.S. competition before going on to the Derby.

Mafaaz ran eighth behind General Quarters, was transferred to the barn of Kiaran McLaughlin and the Derby quest abandoned.

Mafaaz has not raced since.

“He is back on the farm and he seems like a happy horse,” said Neal McLaughlin, assistant to his brother. “After we got him, he was gelded and then went to Saratoga the first of June.

“He was there about a week and got real sick. He lost muscle and started losing protein through his liver. It was pretty dangerous and we have no idea what caused it.”

Mafaaz spent more than three months at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in Massachusetts.

“I got a little jealous because the vet there got to spend more time with him than I have,” McLaughlin said. “I only got to see him a few days in the spring and then again at the farm.

"He’s a neat horse and I was excited about American racing for him. I don’t know if he will make it back to the races. Hopefully he will. Things seem to be going well.”

BARN TALK – Jockey Chris Emigh, who was involved in a riding mishap when his mount appeared to clip heels on Nov. 11, will be out 5-6 weeks with a broken collarbone according to his agent Terry Miller. “He rode Sunday, but he was really hurting,” Miller said. “He went back for a CT scan and that revealed the broken collarbone. We were going to go to the Fair Grounds after the meet, but now this will put him out right up to the start at Oaklawn Park.” …
    Bullsbay, owned by Mitchell Ranch, Frank Lewkowitz and Joe Rice, is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Monday to run in the $400,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GII) to be run on Friday, Nov. 27. Trained by Graham Motion, Bullsbay has won three of four starts at Churchill Downs including a victory in the Alysheba (GIII) on May 1. Bullsbay finished fourth behind fellow Clark Handicap probable Macho Again in the Grade I Stephen Foster Handicap here on June 13.

WORK TAB – Mark Stanley’s Swift Temper worked five furlongs over a “fast” track Thursday morning in 1:02.60 in preparation for the Thanksgiving Day Falls City Handicap (GII). … Tom McCarthy’s General Quarters, 10th in this year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and winner of the Grade I Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, worked a half-mile in :49.80.   

J Paul Reddam’s Square Eddie, who started the year near the top of almost anyone’s list of contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), makes a late return to the road to Churchill Downs when he faces 10 rivals in Keeneland’s $300,000 Coolmore Lexington (GII).

The 1 1/16-mile race on the synthetic Polytrack surface will be the first start for Square Eddie since January.  Twelve 3-year-olds were entered in the Coolmore Lexington, but Team Valor’s Barry Irwin was unhappy with the outside post draw by Hull and said that colt would scratch and run in next week’s Derby Trial (GIII) at Churchill Downs.

The Doug O’Neill-trained Square Eddie won last fall’s Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland before he turned in a strong runner-up finish behind eventual 2-year-old champion Midshipman in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) over the Pro-Rid surface at Santa Anita.  Square Eddie opened the year with a runner-up finish to the then-unknown The Pamplemousse in Santa Anita’s San Rafael (GII).

But Square Eddie went to the sidelines with sore left front shin and his chance to run in the Kentucky Derby appeared slim as he was out of training for a month.  But he bounced back quickly and Square Eddie comes into the Coolmore Lexington off a pair of strong six-furlong works at Hollywood Park.

“Three months ago, I would not have been surprised to be here; two months ago, yes,”
said O’Neill.  “His past two works have been exceptional, signaling to us that he is ready to get back at it.”

Edgar Prado will ride Square Eddie, who will carry co-high weight of 123 pounds with El Crespo, winner of the Palm Beach (GIII) on the Gulfstream Park turf.  They are the only graded stakes winners in the field.
O’Neill hopes that Square Eddie will run well enough in his return to racing to earn at trip to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby in two weeks.

“I would want to see a really good effort and have him come out of it in good shape,” O’Neill said. “Then we would huddle with Team Reddam.”

The field for the Coolmore Lexington, from the rail out, includes: Jeranimo (Brice Blanc, 117 pounds), Omniscient (Robby Albarado, 117), Pitched Perfectly (Alan Garcia, 117), Brave Victory (John Velazquez, 117), His Greatness (Rene Douglas, 117), Masala (Eibar Coa, 117), Conservative (Kent Desormeaux, 117), Square Eddie (Prado, 123), El Crespo (Javier Castellano, 123), Parade Clown (Julien Leparoux, 117), and Advice (Garrett Gomez, 117).

The race will be telecast from 5-6 p.m. (all times EDT) on ESPN2.

OLD FASHIONED UNDERGOES SURGERY, RETIRED FROM RACING – Fox Hill Farm’s Old Fashioned, at one time the early favorite for Kentucky Derby 135, was retired from racing this week after undergoing knee surgery.  

The Larry Jones-trained son of Unbridled’s Song suffered a slab fracture in a runner-up finish to Papa Clem in last Saturday’s Arkansas Derby.  He underwent surgery this week at Rood & Riddle equine hospital near Lexington.   

Old Fashioned won his first four races, a string that included easy wins in the Remsen (GII) and Southwest Stakes (GIII).  He suffered his first loss in a runner-up finish to Win Willy in the Rebel (GIII) at Oaklawn Park, and followed that effort with his run in the Arkansas Derby.
    
I WANT REVENGE WORKS AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Wood Memorial (GI) winner I Want Revenge, who could be the betting favorite in the May 2 Kentucky Derby, got a feel for the Churchill Downs track on Tuesday when the colt worked an easy four furlongs  for trainer Jeff Mullins.

The son of Stephen Got Even covered the distance in :50 over a muddy surface under 19-year-old jockey Joe Talamo, who flew in from California for the move.

“I think it was pretty much what we wanted,” said Talamo.  “He didn’t really need much coming out of his last race and he’s plenty fit.  He handled it great.  Actually, for all the rain we had I thought it felt pretty good.”

“He just needed to do enough to keep himself safe,” said Mullins.  “He’s been tearing the barn down and we had to do something with him.  If they get to feeling too good, they might get themselves hurt.”

Several Kentucky Derby contenders entered the grounds at Churchill Downs this week, including Thursday’s arrival of Pioneerof the Nile and Chocolate Candy, the 1-2 finishers in the Santa Anita Derby (GI).  Papa Clem made the trip from Oaklawn Park to Churchill Downs on Tuesday.  Other Kentucky Derby contenders at Churchill Downs include Toyota Blue Grass (GI) winner General Quarters; Illinois Derby (GII) winner Musket Man; Wood Memorial (GI) runner-up West Side Bernie; the Dubai-based duo of Regal Ransom and Desert Party, the 1-2 finishers in the $2 million UAE Derby (GII); and Churchill Downs-based Flat Out, winner of the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn.

Before his departure for Kentucky, Zayat Stables’ Pioneerof the Nile turned in an impressive four-furlong work on Wednesday at Santa Anita.  The Bob Baffert-trained son of Empire Maker covered the distance in :46.20 – the fastest of 29 moves at the distance.

“I didn’t think he went that fast,” said Baffert.  “It’s probably the best he’s ever worked.

MAFAAZ CHANGES BARNS, WILL NOT RUN IN DERBY 135 – Mafaaz, winner of the Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes at Britain’s Kempton Park, will remain in the United States but will not compete in the Kentucky Derby.

The win at Kempton earned Mafaaz a first-ever guaranteed spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate, but his status for the Derby became cloudy after he finished eighth to General Quarters in the Toyota Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland.  Late in the week the colt was moved from the care of British trainer John Gosden to Kiaran McLaughlin, but his new trainer said Thursday that plans were uncertain for Mafaaz, but the colt would not run in the Kentucky Derby.

Bo Hirsch's Papa Clem proved again that California-based 3-year-olds are at home anywhere in the country when he rallied from fifth and wore down Fox Hill Farm's favored Old Fashioned to win Saturday's 73rd running of the $1 million Arkansas Derby (Grade II) before a crowd of 55,193 at Oaklawn Park.

With the victory, Papa Clem punched his ticket to the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) at Churchill Downs on May 2.  Jockey Rafael Bejarano was aboard the winner for trainer Gary Stute, and Papa Clem covered 1 1/8-miles in 1:49 over a "fast" track.  Summer Bird finished third and Rebel (GIII) winner Win Willy was fourth.

It appeared immediately after the race that both Papa Clem and Old Fashioned would head to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby, but plans for the latter changed later when the son of Unbridled's Song was lame as he cooled out after the race.  The onetime Kentucky Derby favorite was found to have suffered a non-displaced slab-fracture of the right knee.

Trainer Larry Jones said the injury would require surgery and is not considered life-threatening, but Old Fashioned's racing career appears to be over.

"He's going back with our horses to Kentucky and we'll look to have him surgically treated once we get there," Jones said.  "Horses with that kind of injury sometimes come back, but rarely at the level at which he competed."

Jones, the trainer of the last two runners-up in the Kentucky Derby in Hard Spun and the ill-fated Eight Belles, still has a Kentucky Derby contender in his barn in Vinery and Fox Hill's Louisiana Derby (GII) winner Friesan Fire.  He said Old Fashioned was scheduled to be taken to Lexington's Rood and Riddle equine hospital for further examination and surgery.

Meanwhile, Stute - the son of veteran California trainer Mel Stute - is making plans for his first Kentucky Derby starter.  Stute's father won the 1986 Preakness (GI) with Snow Chief.

"Up until today, the Preakness was the happiest day of my life," Stute said.  "He (Papa Clem) just doesn't want to get beat.  He has a ton of heart."

Papa Clem, who is scheduled to travel to Churchill Downs on Tuesday, had finished second in his two previous starts to Friesan Fire in the Louisiana Derby and Pioneerof the Nile in Santa Anita's Robert B. Lewis (GII).

Trainer Tim Ice said third-place finisher would not be pointed to the Kentucky Derby, and would likely be pointed toward the Lone Star Derby (GIII) and Belmont Stakes (GI).

Trainer Mac Robertson said a Derby bid was "possible" for Win Willy.

"We'll see in about a week how he's doing and how the rest are doing," Robertson told Daily Racing Form.

KENTUCKY/GENERAL QUARTERS SURPRISES IN TOYOTA BLUE GRASS - Owner-trainer Tom McCarthy has trained horses off and on for most of his life, but never has the 72-year-old former school teacher and high school principal enjoyed a moment like Saturday's victory by 14-1 shot General Quarters in the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland.

McCarthy had claimed the son of Sky Mesa out of his career debut last May at Churchill Downs for $20,000.  General Quarters earned $465,000 for his first-place finish in the Blue Grass, in which he defeated favorite and runner-up Hold Me Back by 1 ½ lengths under jockey Eibar Coa.  Massone, the only 3-year-old in the field of 11 not nominated to the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown, was third, and Terrain closed to be fourth.

"I can't tell you what was going through my mind," said McCarthy. "I don't think there's a word that describes it.  I felt a sense of euphoria, a sense of well-being.  It's hard to describe.  It's a feeling I've never had in my life."

McCarthy had been a principal at three Louisville area high schools, but always dabbled with horses.  He has won a relative handful of races, none of which possessed anything close to the prestige and value of the Blue Grass.

The victory by General Quarters improved his career record to 3-3-1 in 11 races and pushed his lifetime earnings to $641,735.

Hall of Fame Trainer Bill Mott said runner-up Hold Me Back would go on to the Kentucky Derby, while trainer Al Stall Jr. said no decision had been made on Terrain's Derby status.

Previously unbeaten Charitable Man finished seventh in the race, one spot ahead of British-based Mafaaz, the winner of the Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes who already has a guaranteed spot in the Churchill Downs starting gate on Derby Day.  Trainer John Gosden said after the race that he was unsure of the colt's status for a Kentucky Derby bid.

Square Eddie To Return in Coolmore Lexington - J. Paul Reddam's Square Eddie, runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) and winner of Keeneland's Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (GI), is set to return to the Lexington track and the Kentucky Derby trail with a run in next Saturday's $300,000 Coolmore Lexington (GII).

Square Eddie worked six furlongs in 1:12.20 on Saturday over the synthetic surface at Hollywood Park and is scheduled to ship to Kentucky on Tuesday.  He has been away from competition since January because of a cannon bone injury.

Godolphin Horses Clear Quarantine - Two Kentucky Derby contenders for Dubai-based Godolphin - Desert Party and Regal Ransom - cleared quarantine at Churchill Downs on Saturday and moved into Barn 41, where they will continue to train toward the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby.

The colts are the first Godolphin horses to attempt the Derby since 2002.

CALIFORNIA/SMITH GETS TEST DRIVE ON CHOCOLATE CANDY - Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Mike Smith had a "get acquainted" session on Sunday with Chocolate Candy, the runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby (GI) who will be his ride in this year's renewal of the "Run for the Roses" on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Smith was in the saddle as Jenny Craig's homebred son of Candy Ride worked five furlongs in :59.20 over the Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita.  Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Chocolate Candy would travel to Kentucky on Tuesday and work twice at Churchill Downs.

Fox Hill Farm’s Old Fashioned, a near-consensus early favorite for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) a month ago, is the morning line favorite to win a rematch with Win Willy, the horse that knocked him from the role of Derby favorite, when the two meet in Saturday’s $1 million Arkansas Derby (GII) at Oaklawn Park.

The Larry Jones-trained Old Fashioned is the 9-5 morning line choice in a field of 10 horses entered in the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Derby prep.  The son of Unbridled’s Song will attempt to avenge the only loss of his career as he takes on Jer-Mar Stable’s Win Willy, the 56-1 upset winner over Old Fashioned in the Rebel Stakes (GIII) at Oaklawn on March 14.    The Mac Robertson-trained son of 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos is unbeaten in three races on dirt and is the 7-2 second choice in the Arkansas Derby.

Jockey Cliff Berry was aboard for the Rebel and gets the return call in the Arkansas Derby for Robertson, the 34-year-old son of veteran Chicago-based trainer Hugh Robertson. 

Old Fashioned will have a new partner in the saddle as Terry Thompson replaces New York-based Ramon Dominguez in what Jones described as a one-race deal for the Arkansas Derby.

"Terry knows the track," Jones said.  "He knows when he needs to be in, when he needs to be out. He kind of knows where the groove is. We're expecting him to find that trip to make it play for us."

Another interesting contender is Bo Hirsh’s Papa Clem, who launched his career on the synthetic tracks in California and comes into the Arkansas Derby off a solid effort in his debut on conventional dirt when he raced over a “sloppy” surface in the Louisiana Derby (GII) at Fair Grounds.  Jockey Rafael Bejarano will ride 3-year-old son of Smart Strike.

Others in the field include Lane’s End (GII) runner-up Flying Private, Captain Cherokee, Flat Out, Poltergeist, Ziegfeld, Danger to Society and Summer Bird.

The Arkansas Derby will be telecast live on ESPN from 6-7 p.m. (all times EDT).

KENTUCKY/HOLD ME BACK, UNBEATEN CHARITABLE MAN HEAD TOYOTA BLUE GRASS – Saturday’s $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland does not have a major marquee name in its field of 11 3-year-olds, but the race is filled with interesting horses that could thrust themselves into the Kentucky Derby picture with big efforts.

The 3-1 morning line favorite is WinStar Farm LLC’s late-developing Hold Me Back, who returned from a long layoff to score an emphatic victory in the Lane’s End Stakes over the Polytrack surface at Turfway Park.  The Bill Mott-trained son of Giant’s Causeway drew post 10 for the 85th running of the Blue Grass, which is also run over Polytrack.

“His race in the Lane’s End was extremely impressive,” said Elliott Walden, vice president of WinStar Farm.  “That had been our focal point and he ran a super race.  Our goal all along was the Lane’s End and the Blue Grass.”

Hold Me Back is unbeaten in three starts over synthetic surfaces and will be ridden again by three-time Kentucky Derby winner Kent Desormeaux.

Close behind at morning line odds of 7-2 is Theregoesjojo, third to Quality Road and Dunkirk in the recent Florida Derby (GI) and the only horse to a hold a win over the former.  Kentucky Derby winner Calvin Borel will ride the Ken McPeek trainee from post three.

Mr. and Mrs. William Warren’s Charitable Man is unbeaten in two races, but the most recent of those was a win in the Belmont Futurity (GI) in September.  Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s colt was sidelined by a saucer fracture in a shin last fall, but has trained well for his return to racing in the Blue Grass.  The 4-1 shot will be ridden by Alan Garcia.

While Hold Me Back, Theregoesjojo and Charitable Man are trying to prove that they belong in Kentucky Derby 135, Mafaaz is already guaranteed a spot in the starting gate on May 2 at Churchill Downs.  The British-based colt won the first Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes at Kempton Park in March, which guaranteed his starting spot in the “Run for the Roses."

Richard Hills was aboard Mafaaz at Kempton and will be aboard the colt on Saturday.

Others in the very balanced field in the Toyota Blue Grass include Lecomte (GIII) runner-up Patena; Sam F. Davis (GIII) winner General Quarters; Terrain, third in the Louisiana Derby (GII), Rushaway winner Cliffy’s Future; Tampa Bay Derby (GIII) runner-up  Join in the Dance; Loch Dubh; and Massone.

The Toyota Blue Grass will be televised via tape delay during the ESPN telecast of the Arkansas Derby.

I Want Revenge, Godolphin Horses Arrive at Churchill – Wood Memorial (GI) winner I Want Revenge has settled in at Churchill Downs following his arrival at the track early Tuesday morning following a van ride from New York.

Godolphin’s double-barrelled Derby threats Regal Ransom and Desert Party, the 1-2 finishers in the $2 million UAE Derby, arrived at the Louisville track late Thursday afternoon.  The two colts were scheduled to spent 24-48 hours in quarantine after their trip from Dubai.

EAST/QUALITY ROAD HAS QUARTER CRACK, BUT INJURY RESPONDING WELL – There was something close to a collective gasp early in the week from admirers of Florida Derby and Fountain of Youth (GII) winner Quality Road when trainer Jimmy Jerkens revealed the colt was being treated for a quarter crack.

That foot ailment plagued 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown and foot specialist Ian McKinlay, who had treated Big Brown, was called in to patch the colt’s injured foot.  Quality Road returned to the track for a gallop on Wednesday and Jerkens liked what he saw.

“You always have to be guarded, but the patch went on there good, he galloped great and came back good,” said Jerkens.  “These things can be a little tricky, but Ian is really confident about it, which is good.”

Quality Road was scheduled to work on Friday or Saturday, depending on weather.

The John Gosden-trained Mafaaz-GB ran down pacesetter Sochcahtoa-IRE in deep stretch and held off a late charge by Spring of Fame to win Wednesday’s inaugural running of the $115,000 Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes by a neck at Kempton Park near London.

In addition to the winner’s share of the purse, the 3-year-old colt earned an automatic spot in the starting gate for the 135th running of the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) on Saturday, May 2 and a $100,000 bonus should the horse compete in America’s greatest race.

Mafaaz-GB, the 11-2 favorite ridden by Richard Hills, ran 1 1/8 miles over the clockwise Polytrack surface in 1:55.13 in the maximum field of 14 three-year-olds.

The Great Britain-bred son of Medicean-GB out of the Danehill mare Complimentary Pass is owned by Shadwell Farm’s Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum.

Sheikh Hamdan, who campaigned eventual Belmont Stakes winner Jazil to a fourth-place finish in the 2006 Kentucky Derby, won the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs with Horse of the Year Invasor-ARG.

It was Mafaaz-GB’s second victory in three career starts. He won his debut at Kempton Park in September and was fifth in the Oct. 4 Tattersalls Millions at Newmarket, a race won by Gosden’s eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf champ Donativum-GB with Group 1 Racing Post Trophy winner Crowded House-GB in second.

“He’s run a solid race and he’s got good form through Donativum and Crowded House,” Gosden said. “I like the way he finished it out. They were coming at him late but he’s done his job the hard way.”

Mafaaz-GB, one of the 401 three-year-olds nominated to this year’s Triple Crown, is likely to make his next start in the Grade I, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 11, three weeks in advance of the Kentucky Derby.

“I would probably think of going to the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland first,” said Gosden, who saddled Zabaleta to a 12th place finish in the 1986 Kentucky Derby. “We’ve got to get into that race, you know, but he is nominated to it. I’d be in favor of doing that and then vanning down the road. If we don’t get into that race, we go straight to Churchill.”

The Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes was an enhancement of a conditions race that was run on the same day last year, and was won by Campanologist who went on to win the Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. The new creation – a partnership between Churchill Downs Incorporated, Kempton Park and Britain’s Jockey Club Racecourses – was announced last September and is designed to encourage international participation in the Kentucky Derby.

The race provides an additional incentive to owners and trainers who in the past may have been hesitant to point toward the Kentucky Derby because of uncertainty over whether their horse would have sufficient graded stakes earnings to qualify for the field.  European contenders, in particular, have been at a disadvantage because their racing season generally gets underway later than the North American schedule and offers few graded stakes opportunities early in the year.

There has not been an international competitor in the Kentucky Derby since 2002, when there were three.  Those horses included the Aidan O’Brien-trained Johannesburg (8th) and Castle Gandolfo (12th), and Essence of Dubai (9th), who competed for Dubai-based Godolphin. Canonero II, based in Venezuela, shipped to Churchill Downs to score an upset win in the Kentucky Derby in 1971 and remains the only horse based outside of North America to win the race.

The $100,000 bonus, if awarded, will be provided by Churchill Downs. The owner of the Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes winner will still be responsible for all fees associated with the race, along with shipping costs. 

POST-RACE QUOTES – THE KENTUCKY DERBY CHALLENGE STAKES

John Gosden, trainer, Mafaaz-GB, winner: “That was great. It was a bold initiative by Churchill Downs. I thought they made it tough on us with a mile and one [furlong] route straight on one bend . . . it was a little rough early on. But we had it in our minds to make a bit of a move on the back straight because the straight is so short. . . . He’s run a solid race and he’s got good form through Donativum-GB and Crowded House-GB. I like the way he finished it out. They were coming at him late but he’s done his job the hard way.

Q: Do you think this was a good test for him with the Kentucky Derby in mind? “Yes I do. You get a bit longer run at Churchill Downs. Probably in my mind I see nothing wrong with making the [Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes] a mile-and-a-quarter and I would bring it back another furlong and have a true trial over the distance. And I’d probably push the race back a few days.”

Q: Is this a little too close to the race? “It’s a little early. If I did anything, I’d probably make it 10 days later and a furlong longer. That’s the way I’d play it.”

Q: Why the addition of blinkers? “Because he’s always lacked a little focus. I thought in the big sales race (the Oct. 4 Tattersalls Timeform Million) with Donativum-GB and Crowded House-GB he was the last horse off the bridle. He played about. He goofed about. At home, he’s done the same quite a bit. He’s a bit of a playboy. I’m a great believer in blinkers for that type of horse. There’s a prejudice about blinkers in this country (England), which is wrong. In America, I can tell you horses like Northern Dancer and Secretariat raced in blinkers. They don’t have a prejudice against it there.”

Q: So what is the intention with him now? Do you go Stateside? “Yes, that would be the intention. I spoke to the manager, who is about to get on an airplane and he’ll talk to his boss (Sheikh Hamdan). [Jockey] Richard [Hills] is flying back tonight and I’ll have a chat with him. But I wouldn’t be at all opposed. I would probably think of going to the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland first. We’ve got to get into that race, you know, but he is nominated to it. I’d be in favor of doing that and then vanning down the road. If we don’t get into that race, we go straight to Churchill.”

Q: The Blue Grass is on Polytrack, which we know he handles. What about the dirt surface in the big one? “Yeah, I agree with you entirely. The thing about the dirt it’s not really the surface they’re going on, it’s the kickback. And that is something you can rehearse to a degree but it’s not the easiest. But he’s got enough tactical speed; he might be able to avoid a fair bit of it. But it’s my experience down the years is that horses can work very well on the dirt but not necessarily race on it because they’re not used to that kickback. You know, you can rehearse it a bit when you’re there. Also, Churchill is a unique track. It’s also been my experience from taking horses there back in the old days that you know very quickly whether or not they’re going to handle that track.”

Q: In terms of his temperament, is he the type of horse that can take all this traveling? “He’s tough. He’s arrogant. He’s not a pussycat. He’s got the right attitude from that point of view. He’s always tried to be in control of us. So, he’s a positive.”

Q: Richard Hills made an important move down the back straight because they slowed it right up? “It was obvious to us from our draw (post 7) why we chopped going into the bend. We weren’t going to be in a great position.  . . . If we could improve our position on the backstraight, although it’s not normal to use a horse at that stage, it was the only way we were going to get back into the race. And that’s the way it turned out.”

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