MIke Smith

THERIOT TO WORK MINE THAT BIRD ON MONDAY MORNING – Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) winner Mine That Bird is scheduled to work a half-mile after the renovation break on Monday morning with jockey Jamie Theriot in the saddle.    Trainer Chip Woolley secured the services of Hall of Famer Mike Smith to ride Mine That Bird in the Aug. 1 West Virginia Derby (Grade II) at Mountaineer and the Aug. 29 Shadwell Travers (Grade I) at Saratoga. Woolley did not get a commitment for the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup Classic (Grade I) at Santa Anita.

    “I am tickled that this is over with,” Woolley said of landing Smith to replace Calvin Borel, who was aboard for the gelding’s upset victory in the Kentucky Derby and third-place run in the Belmont Stakes (GI), but could not give a commitment to the West Virginia Derby. “We’ve got a rider that we are comfortable with and that is more important than the three-race commitment. We can get through the first two at least.”

    Smith rode Mine That Bird to a runner-up finish behind Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness (Grade I) when Borel honored a commitment to ride the filly.

    “Calvin’s in a tough spot with three horses in the same category,” Woolley said referring to Rachel Alexandra and Warrior’s Reward, who Borel is committed to ride in the Aug. 1 Jim Dandy (Grade II) at Saratoga. “It is a tough spot, but he is fortunate in that not many get that opportunity.

“Hopefully we’ll have Calvin for a backup, you never know. With Rachel Alexandra, the Travers is one of the races they are talking about with her, so we wouldn’t get him for that one. There is just too much drama mixed in.”

    On Sunday morning, Mine That Bird backtracked to the paddock runway and galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Rudy Gallegos.

MR. SIDNEY HAS PROFITABLE STAY AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Mr. Sidney made only a brief visit to Churchill Downs, but he was here long enough to pick up his second graded stakes score with a triumph in Saturday’s Firecracker Handicap (GII).

    “He arrived here Monday and he probably will be heading back to New York before too long,” said Kenny McCarthy, assistant to trainer Bill Mott. “He looked good this morning.”

    The Firecracker victory added $101,896 to Mr. Sidney’s bankroll and gave him two graded stakes wins in 2009, the other coming in the Maker’s Mark Mile (GI) in April at Keeneland.

    Mr. Sidney had finished 11th in his start before the Firecracker on the dirt in the Metropolitan Mile (GI) at Belmont Park.

    “The key to him is to keep him nice and quiet,” McCarthy said. “He did not like that detention barn at Belmont the last time. That was the Storm Cat in him.”

    Mr. Sidney’s victory was the 11th of the meet for the Mott barn, the most in a spring meet here since 2004 when 12 wins were recorded. From 54 starters, there also have been 10 seconds and 10 thirds for a 57 percent in-the-money rate. Mott is the all-time leader at Churchill Downs in wins (622) and stakes victories (75).

    “It has been a nice meet,” McCarthy said. “We will keep 30 horses here this summer, send some up to Saratoga and get some back from New York.”

RAVI’S SONG FIRST WINNER FOR MILLIONAIRE LU RAVI – If one wants to elicit a huge smile from trainer Carl Bowman, just mention Lu Ravi.

    On Sunday morning, Bowman was grinning from ear to ear after the performance of Ravi’s Song on Saturday when she became Lu Ravi’s first winner.

    In the 1 1/16-mile race, Ravi’s Song was bottled up on the inside until the eighth pole. She trailed by four lengths at the time, but finally found racing room at the sixteenth pole and drew off to win by a length.

    “I liked the way she won yesterday going a route. It was very impressive the way she did it,” Bowman said. “She probably should have won the first time she ran here, but then she wouldn’t have had that chance yesterday. But I am really proud for Lu Ravi.”

    Ravi’s Song, a daughter of Unbridled’s Song, is Lu Ravi’s third foal. Superb in Roses never made it to the races and Ravi’s Lovin was winless in two starts. Lu Ravi now has a yearling filly by Ghostzapper.

    Under Bowman’s care, Lu Ravi compiled a record of 26-11-8-3 for earnings of $1,819,781. She won eight stakes, five of them graded, and in 2000 beat future Hall of Famer Silverbulletday twice.

    “I trained her mother, At the Half, too,” Bowman said of the four-time stakes winner and earner of $338,393. “She was one of the top three or four fillies as a 2-year-old in the country (in 1993). It is always enjoyable to win with a number of horses from the same family.”

    Ravi’s Song did not make her racing debut until this March at Fair Grounds.

    “She has got some issues,” said Bowman, who intends to keep Ravi’s Song on the dirt. “I’d like to look for an allowance going long and then make a decision.”

BARN TALK – Trainer Ian Wilkes reported that Warrior’s Reward came out of his third-place finish in Saturday’s Dwyer (Grade II) at Belmont Park “with a few little cuts but otherwise looked fine.” Warrior’s Reward stumbled badly at the start and trailed the field most of the way before rallying for third. “Obviously the race did not develop the way we hoped,” Wilkes said. “To rally from that far back to get third, I was really proud of him. We are going to go on to the Jim Dandy as long as he comes back OK. We are going to bring him back here on Tuesday.”

    Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Selva is scheduled to return to trainer David Carroll’s barn on Monday afternoon after her fourth-place finish in the Prioress (Grade I) at Belmont Park on Saturday. “I was really proud of her,” Carroll said of Selva’s first start since April 8. “She ran her butt off. If she comes out of it all right we will point to the Victory Ride (Grade III) at Saratoga (on Aug. 29).”

Trainer Jim Baker, who has enjoyed a banner spring meet with nine winners from 25 starters (36 percent), will be sending two of his stable standouts east in the coming weeks. Tom Walters’ Pretty Prolific, who won her 2009 debut with an allowance win on May 30, is being pointed to the $70,000 Dearly Precious Stakes at six furlongs on July 18 at Monmouth Park. Patton’s Creek Farm’s War Eagle Lady, one of three three-time winners this meet, is scheduled to be at Delaware Park on July 19 for the $75,000 Light Hearted Stakes at 7 ½ furlongs on the turf.

Calvin Borel entered the final day of the 2009 Spring Meet with a chance to catch meet-long leader Julien Leparoux in the race for leading jockey.  Borel trailed Leparoux 62-58 heading into the meet finale and Leparoux is riding out of town.

WORK TAB – Decelerator, winner of the Debutante Stakes (Grade III) on June 27, worked a half-mile in :51 over a track rated as “sloppy” before the renovation break.

Trainer Chip Woolley announced Saturday afternoon that Mike Smith would ride Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) winner Mine That Bird in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (Grade II) on Aug. 1 and the $1 million Shadwell Travers (Grade I) on Aug. 29.

“Mike Smith has given us a two-race commitment for the West Virginia Derby and the Travers,” Woolley said.

Smith rode Mine That Bird in the Preakness Stakes (Grade I) when Calvin Borel honored a commitment to ride Rachel Alexandra. Mine That Bird, owned by Mark Allen’s Double Eagle Ranch and Dr. Leonard Blach’s Buena Suerte Equine, finished a fast-closing second to Rachel Alexandra on May 16 at Pimlico.

Borel won the Kentucky Derby on Mine That Bird and was in the saddle in the Belmont Stakes (Grade I) in which Mine That Bird ran third in his most recent start on June 6.

However, Borel could not give a commitment for the West Virginia Derby.

Woolley did not get a commitment for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Grade I) to be run Nov. 7 at Santa Anita.

“Hopefully we won’t be in a switch in the Breeders’ Cup,” Woolley said.

Smith is the regular rider of the undefeated mare Zenyatta, who never has faced males in her 11-for-11 career.

Smith, who was at Churchill Downs on Saturday to ride Thorn Song in the Firecracker Handicap (Grade II), said, “I’m very happy to have the opportunity to get back on him. Hopefully I can make amends for what happened the last time and get him home this time.”

Zayat Stables’ Thorn Song will attempt to become the first repeat winner of the $150,000-added Firecracker Handicap when he takes on seven rivals in the Grade II, one-mile turf race on Saturday’s Independence Day program at Churchill Downs.

The Firecracker will go as the 10th race on the 11-race holiday card that opens with a first post of 12:45 p.m. (all times EDT). Post time for the Firecracker is 5:29 p.m.

Trained by Dale Romans, Thorn Song went wire to wire on a yielding Matt Winn Turf Course last year in defeating multiple Grade I winner Einstein and three others. The victory was the second in the Firecracker for Romans, who took the race in 2005 with Kitten’s Joy, the Louisville-born trainer’s Eclipse Award turf champion of 2004.

Carrying top weight of 123 pounds, Thorn Song will be ridden by Mike Smith and break from post position four in the 19th running of the Firecracker.  Thorn Song will be conceding from 3-9 pounds to his seven rivals.

Thorn Song has posted a record of 8-2-2 in 20 races with earnings of $1,093,711 since moving to the turf in the summer of 2007. He has won a pair of Grade I turf events since his upset over Einstein in last year’s Firecracker.  He took the Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland last fall and won the Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park in his most recent start on May 25.  Smith, who won by the Kentucky Derby (GI) at Churchill Downs aboard Giacomo in 2005, rode Thorn Song for the first time in the Shoemaker.

The second starting high weights at 120 pounds are Circle E Racing’s Mr. Sidney, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, and Michael Cooper and Pamela Ziebarth’s Tizdejavu, who is unbeaten on the Churchill Downs grass course for trainer Greg Fox.

In his most recent turf outing, Mr. Sidney won the Maker’s Mark Mile (Grade I) at Keeneland under Kent Desormeaux, who will ride Saturday.  Mott, the all-time leader in stakes victories at Churchill Downs, won the Firecracker in 1993 with Cleone. 

Tizdejavu returned from a nine-month layoff to win an optional claiming turf test on May 17 and run his record over the Matt Winn Turf Course to 3-for-3. Jon Court has the riding assignment on Tizdejavu who won the American Turf (Grade III) and Jefferson Cup (Grade II) here last spring.  The Tiznow colt also won the American Derby (GII) at Arlington Park and was third to Winchester in the Secretariat (GI) at the Chicago track.

The field for the Firecracker, from the hedge out, is as follows: Inca King (Shaun Bridgmohan, 115 pounds), Seaspeak (Robby Albarado, 118), Wise River (Jamie Theriot, 118), Thorn Song (Mike Smith, 123), Mr. Sidney (Kent Desormeaux, 120), Passager (FR) (Jono Jones, 118), Tizdejavu (Jon Court, 120) and Artic Cry (Corey Lanerie, 114).

Kentucky Derby (Grade I) winner Mine That Bird, a gallant runner-up to the brilliant filly Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness (GI), is off of the road and back in his stall at Barn 42 at Churchill Downs following a road trip from Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course, Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine’s son of Birdstone will return to the track on Tuesday to begin his preparation for a run in the Belmont Stakes (GI), the third jewel of racing’s Triple Crown that will be run on June 6 at New York’s Belmont Park.

    Trainer Bennie “Chip” Woolley Jr. rolled his truck and the trailer that carried the Derby winner to halt in front of the barn at 6:30 p.m. (EDT).  The gelded son of Birdstone stepped off the van following the nine and a half hour and into the barn, where he took a few rounds to stretch his legs.  Mine That Bird then relaxed by grazing in the lush grass behind the barn.  

    “The trip was great it, it went smooth as silk,” said Woolley.  “He looks good.  He come off the trailer pretty relaxed and looks all right, so we’re pretty happy with where he’s at right now.”

    The journey from Baltimore was less eventful that Mine That Bird’s journey through the 1 3/16-mile Preakness.  The Derby winner ran into some traffic problems and had to swing wide for the run down the stretch with a furious rally under jockey Mike Smith that erased all but one length form his early deficit to the victorious Kentucky Oaks (GI)-winning filly Rachel Alexandra.

    “You’ve got to give a lot of credit to that filly,” Woolley said.  “She run huge and deserves all the respect.  She run a great race and we just come up a little short.”

    Mine That Bird won’t get much time to relax on his return to the track where he notched his 6 ¾-length victory at odds of 50-1 in the May 2 Kentucky Derby.  Woolley said Mine That Bird would head back to the track on Tuesday to resume his training for the Belmont.  
 
    “We’ll just maybe jog him a couple of rounds backwards tomorrow and then go back and gallop the next day,” Woolley said.  “We don’t know when we’ll work him.  We’ll let him decide that.  He’s run two hard races and we’ll let him freshen up a little bit.  When he starts to showing he’s a little too fresh, he’ll stretch his legs.  But we’ll make that decision later.”

    As he returned to Churchill Downs, Woolley and co-owners Mark Allen and Dr. Leonard Blach found themselves in the unusual position of again looking for a jockey to ride Mine That Bird in the Belmont.  Calvin Borel gave up the mount after the Derby to ride Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness.  Mike Smith was aboard for the Derby winner’s big effort in the Preakness, but he is committed to ride Madeo for trainer John Shirreffs and owners Jerry and Ann Moss in the Charlie Whittingham Stakes (GI) at Hollywood Park on Belmont Stakes Day.

    Smith rode Giacamo to victory in the 2005 Kentucky Derby for the Mosses and Shirreffs, and is the regular rider for their unbeaten champion mare Zenyatta.  So Smith will honor an earlier commitment to ride Madeo in the Whittingham.

    “I don’t know,” said Woolley.  “It’s kinda funny.  You’d think if you get a horse this good, you’d keep one, but apparently not.  So we’ll deal with that here in a couple of days and we’ll see what happens.”

    Woolley said he’s heard from the agents of several riders who are interested in the mount on the Derby winner in the 1 ½-mile third jewel of the Triple Crown.  He has not made up his mind, but indicated that he won’t wait to see whether Rachel Alexandra goes on to the Belmont.  If the filly stays in trainer Steve Asmussen’s barn, it would free Calvin Borel to ride the horse he piloted to the second-biggest upset in Kentucky Derby history.

    “We’re going to make a decision pretty quickly, so we’ll see what happens,” said Woolley.  “Patience is probably the number one concern.  Is somebody patient and will they wait and see how things develop.  We’ll just have to see how it goes.”

    While Mine That Bird will be in familiar surroundings at Churchill Downs as he prepares for the Belmont Stakes, Woolley said his Derby winner could have a different ride when he makes the trip to Belmont Park.  Woolley said Mine That Bird would probably fly to Belmont in the days before the race rather than travel in his trailer because of concerns about traffic on the trip to the Elmont, N.Y. track.  

    The runner-up finish in the Preakness improved Mine That Bird’s career record to 5-2-0 in 10 races and lifted his earnings to $2,011,581.

Mr and Mrs Jerome Moss’ Zenyatta, the undefeated 5-year-old who earned a 2008 Eclipse Award as the nation’s top older filly or mare was one of three finalists for “Horse of the Year” honors, will face seven challengers Friday in the 24th running of the $350,000-added Louisville Distaff (Grade II) on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs.

The 12-race card Friday, highlighted by the 135th running of the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (Grade I), will begin with a 10:30 a.m. ET post time. Five other stakes will be on the card, four of them graded.

Trained by John Shirreffs, Zenyatta closed out a seven-for-seven campaign with a last-to-first triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (Grade I) at Santa Anita. Mike Smith, who has been aboard for Zenyatta’s past six victories, has the mount Friday in the mile and a sixteenth Louisville Distaff.

The daughter of Street Cry will carry high weight of 124 pounds and break from post position two.  She is one of two unbeaten runners in the Louisville Distaff, which is scheduled as the seventh race on the card.

G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s One Caroline, who has been training at Keeneland, is perfect in five lifetime starts, including her  first two victories coming at Churchill Downs. Trained by Rusty Arnold, One Carolina enters the Louisville Distaff off a front-running 6 ½-length victory in the Grade II Rampart at Gulfstream Park on March 29.

Edgar Prado, who has been aboard One Caroline for her past two victories, has the Friday riding assignment and exits post position four.

The field for the Louisville Distaff, from the rail out, is as follows: Swift Temper (Garrett Gomez, 120 pounds), Zenyatta (Mike Smith, 124), Miss Isella (Calvin Borel, 122), One Caroline (Edgar Prado, 122), Unforgotten (Robby Albarado, 118), Modification (Corey Nakatani, 118), French Kiss (Joe Johnson, 118) and Unbridled Belle (John Velazquez, 118).

Three Grade III events are on the card, including the $150,000-added Alysheba (GIII), which serves as a prep for the $750,000 Stephen Foster (Grade I) to be run at Churchill Downs on June 13.

Macho Again, who used a victory in the Derby Trial here last April as a springboard to a runner-up finish in the Grade I Preakness and then a victory in the Grade II Jim Dandy, will tote high weight of 124 pounds and concede 2-6 to nine rivals in the Alysheba.

Owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and trained by Dallas Stewart, Macho Again enters the Alysheba off a victory in the Grade II New Orleans Handicap on March 14 at Fair Grounds. Robby Albarado will ride and break from the rail in the mile and sixteenth race that goes as the ninth on the card.

The field for the Alysheba, from the rail out, is as follows: Macho Again (Robby Albarado, 124 pounds), Ready Set (Julien Leparoux, 118), Mambo in Seattle (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118), Cool Coal Man (John Velazquez, 118), Bullsbay (Jeremy Rose, 118), Star Guitar (Corey Lanerie,122), Shift in Power (Jon Court, 118), Dr. Pleasure (Edgar Prado, 118), Prom Shoes (Kent Desormeaux, 122) and Informed (Garrett Gomez, 118).

Keeneland graded stakes winners Stormalory and Bittel Road will share the high weight assignments of 123 pounds for the 18th running of the American Turf for 3-year-olds going a mile and a sixteenth on the Matt Winn Turf Course. The American Turf will be the 10th race of the day.

Owned by Darley Stable, Stormalory won the Grade III Transylvania on April 3 at Keeneland in his most recent start. Julien Leparoux, who rode Stormalory to his Transylvania victory will ride for trainer Bill Mott on Friday.

Bittel Road, owned by James Scatuorchio and John Iracane, won the Grade III Bourbon at Keeneland last fall. Runner-up in the Grade III Generous at Hollywood Park on Nov. 29 in his most recent turf start, Bittel Road is trained by Todd Pletcher and will be ridden by Garrett Gomez.

The field for the American Turf, from the hedge out, is as follows: Stormalory (Julien Leparoux, 123 pounds), Jack Spratt (Eibar Coa, 121), Battle of Hastings (GB) (Tyler Baze, 121), Bruce N Autumn (Kent Desormeaux, 117), Skipadate (Shaun Bridgmohan, 117), Bittel Road (Garrett Gomez, 123), Turfiste (Jamie Theriot, 117), Bunker Hill (Mike Smith, 117), Orthodox (Jon Court, 117) and Pointing Home (Calvin Borel, 117).

Chamberlain Bridge, owned by Carl Moore Management, LLC, will tote high weight of 121 pounds in the 15th running of the $100,000-added Aegon Turf Sprint at five furlongs. The race goes as the sixth on the card.

Trained by Bret Calhoun, Chamberlain Bridge is two-for-two over the Matt Winn Turf Course and will be ridden by Garrett Gomez on Friday. Gomez partnered Chamberlain Bridge to a third-place finish in the Grade III Shakertown at Keeneland on April 11 in his most recent start.

The field for the Aegon Turf Sprint, from the hedge out, is as follows: Chitoz (Tyler Baze, 118 pounds), Smart Enough (Jeremy Rose, 118), Hewitts (Kent Desormeaux, 118), Captivating Cat (John Velazquez, 118), Due Date (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118), Chamberlain Bridge (Garrett Gomez, 121), Cannonball (Elvis Trujillo, 118), Accredit (Julien Leparoux, 118) and Jazz Nation (Robby Albarado, 118).

Laragh, winner of last fall’s Jessamine at Keeneland and third-place finisher in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, will carry top weight of 121 pounds and concede 4 pounds to her 11 rivals in the 25th running of the $100,000-added Edgewood at a mile and a sixteenth on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Trained by John Terranova for owners IEAH Stables, Gary Tolchin, Andrew Cohen and Pegasus Holdings Group, Laragh    ran fifth in her 2009 debut in the Grade II Comely on the main track at Aqueduct on April 11. Edgar Prado has the mount.

The field for the Edgewood, from the hedge out, is as follows: Excelente (IRE) (Rafael Bejarano, 117 pounds), Fleet Streak (Corey Lanerie, 117), Banker’s Choice (Calvin Borel, 117), Abbott Hall (Robby Albarado, 117), Walloon (Hector Rosario Jr., 117), Complicity (Joe Talamo, 117), Magical Affair (Julien Leparoux, 117), More of the Best (Jesus Castanon, 117), Mein Fraulein (Jon Court, 117), Laragh (Edgar Prado, 121), Diamond Tags (Mike Smith, 117) and Kiss Mine (Eibar Coa, 117).

Follow the progress of your favorite Kentucky Derby 135 contender with Churchill Downs!

CHOCOLATE CANDY – The Sid and Jenny Craig Trust’s Chocolate Candy tuned up for his engagement in Kentucky Derby 135 by working a mile over a track rated as “fast” in 1:42 with jockey Mike Smith up.

Churchill Downs clockers caught the Candy Ride colt in fractions of  :12.60, :24.80, :37.20, :49.80, 1:02.20, seven-eighths in 1:28.60 and galloping out the mile and one-eighth in 1:57.

Both Smith and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer expressed satisfaction with the work.

“I liked it, it was a nice maintenance work,” Smith said. “He did everything I asked of him. He didn’t turn a hair. If he had gone a mile in 1:42 and was gasping and not coming back as well as I liked, I’d be a little worried. I am as happy as I can be. He handled the turns, which is an important part of it.”

Hollendorfer, who also had two other workers here Tuesday morning, said, “It was a nice work. I wanted to see how he handled the turns and he handled them well. The track was a little off, but I was very happy with the work.”

Hollendorfer was headed back to California after the works but planned to return Saturday.

“He will work again either Monday or Tuesday,” Hollendorfer said. He’ll have a blowout of a half-mile or five-eighths.”

Rene Douglas worked Hollendorfer’s other two horses: Rendezvous (five furlongs in 1:00.60, which was second fastest of 19 at the distance, in preparation for Saturday’s Derby Trial) and Sugar Mint (IRE) (a best of 36 half-mile in :47.60 for the Louisville Distaff or Humana Distaff).

DESERT PARTY / REGAL RANSOM – With regular exercise rider Bob Chapman up, Regal Ransom and then Desert Party galloped a mile and a quarter before the morning renovation break.

FLAT OUT – Oxbow Racing’s Flat Out breezed five furlongs in 1:03.20 under exercise rider Walter Aguilar before the renovation break.

The Florida-bred son of Flatter covered the distance in fractions of :13, :25.40 and :37.60.  He galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.30 and seven-eights in 1:28.80.

“I was satisfied with the work, just what I wanted,” trainer Charles “Scooter” Dickey said.

But, Scooter, don’t all trainers say that?

“Yes, but this one really turned out the way I wanted,” Dickey said.

Flat Out would need a couple of defections of probable starters in the next week to gain a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate.

“I see the list is down to 22,” Dickey said. “We’ll see how he comes out of this work and then work him back. Whoever we decide on being the rider, we’ll have him work him.”

Flat Out has two career wins to his credit, including a victory in the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park.

FLYING PRIVATE – Robert C. Baker and William L. Mack’s Flying Private had a get-acquainted session with jockey Robby Albarado on Tuesday morning, working five furlongs in company in 1:01.20 after the renovation break.

Churchill Downs clockers recorded fractions of the work in :12, :24, :36.20 and out six furlongs in 1:16.

Flying Private worked in company with stablemate Lord and T.

“It was a very good work and I liked the way he handled the turns,” trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. “He came off the turn very well and finished strong. Robby did a good job with the test drive.”

Albarado also was happy with the work.

“I had watched him run numerous times,” Albarado said. “This was my first time on him and I thought it went well. Wayne just wanted a nice maintenance work and he had some company. He gets a little lax when he works by himself. Overall, I think we accomplished what we wanted this morning.”

GENERAL QUARTERS – Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) winner General Quarters galloped a mile and a half before the renovation break with exercise rider Julie Sheets up.

Owner-trainer Tom McCarthy is looking at Thursday or Friday as the final pre-Derby work for General Quarters.

“It depends on the weather and how he gallops tomorrow,” McCarthy said. “If it warms up and the track dries out well, I’d probably go Thursday and that would give him an extra day before the Derby.”

Julien Leparoux has the Derby riding assignment.

I WANT REVENGE – David Lanzman, IEAH Stables and Puglisi Racing’s I Want Revenge, winner of the Wood Memorial (GI), turned in his second work since his arrival at Churchill Downs as he breezed five furlongs in company with stablemate Gato Go Win after the break for track maintenance.

The son of Stephen Got Even covered the distance in 1:01.60 under Joe Talamo, the 19-year-old Louisiana native who is scheduled for his first Kentucky Derby ride aboard trainer Jeff Mullins’ colt in the big race on Saturday, May 2.

I Want Revenge broke off about two lengths behind his workmate and was clocked in fractions of :12.40, :25, and :37.20.  The Kentucky Derby contender had narrowed Gato Go Win’s advantage to a length after three-eighths of a mile and was a neck in front of his stablemate when the pair passed the finish line.  I Want Revenge galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.20.

“I thought it was a great work,” Talamo said.  “I think it was exactly what we wanted. We had another horse in front of him to give him something to look at the last part.  We sat right off of him and finished the last part, just like we wanted and galloped out good and strong.  I give him an A-plus.”

I Want Revenge worked over a muddy track in his first serious training move at Churchill Downs.  Talamo was also aboard for that move and said the track was not much different on Tuesday, although it was officially listed as fast.

“I didn’t think it was too fast today – it was still kind of ‘mushy’ on top,” he said.  “Last week it rained a lot the day before and it wasn’t sloppy, but it was a little bit cuppy.  And today it was the same thing – like about three or four inches on top were kind of ‘mushy.’ So it was kind of the same track, but I felt like he got over it great.  I put him right behind that other horse and he got a lot of dirt in his face, and he took it like nothing.”

Mullins said I Want Revenge would have one more piece of serious training over the Churchill Downs strip before the Derby.

“He’ll have an easy half (mile) next Tuesday,” he said.  “We just want to keep him on the ground.  We won’t ask him for much.  We’ll just let him open his lungs up and stretch his legs.  We won’t ask him to do a whole lot.”

MINE THAT BIRD – Double Eagle Ranch and Bueno Suerte Equine’s Mine That Bird was scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Tuesday night after completing a two-day van trip from Sunland Park near El Paso.

Trained by Bennie Woolley Jr., Mine That Bird will be housed in Barn 42, Stall 22 and be ridden in Derby 135 by Calvin Borel, who won the roses in 2007 aboard Street Sense.

MUSKET MAN – Eric Fein and Vic Carlson’s Musket Man was one of the first horses on the track Tuesday morning, galloping 1 ¾ miles under exercise rider Salvador Dominguez.

Trainer Derek Ryan said that Musket Man would probably have his final work on Saturday and may visit the starting gate prior to the Derby.

Eibar Coa has the mount.

PAPA CLEM – Bo Hirsch’s Papa Clem walked the shedrow at Barn 10A for a second consecutive day after a five-furlong work on Sunday.

“He will go back to the track in the morning,” trainer Gary Stute said. “He will probably work again Saturday and I’ll probably have Larry Sterling handle the work. He worked him for me in Arkansas.”

Rafael Bejarano will ride Papa Clem in the Kentucky Derby.

PIONEEEROF THE NILE – Zayat Stables LLC’s Pioneerof the Nile brought a smile to the face of three-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert with a sharp five-furlong work over a “fast” track just after the break for track maintenance.

Joe Steiner was in the saddle as the son of 2003 Kentucky Derby runner-up and Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Empire Maker covered the distance in 1:00.80.  The time was the fourth-fastest of 19 at the distance over a surface that seemed to be playing slower as the morning wore on.

Pioneerof the Nile, who made the recent Santa Anita Derby (GI) his fourth consecutive stakes victory, covered the distance in fractional times of :12.20, :24.20, and :36.40.   He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.40.

Baffert said the work was actually longer than the five furlongs credited to the colt by Churchill Downs clockers.

“He looked good – he skipped right over it,” said Baffert.  “I ended up working him seven-eighths and let him gallop out strong.  I got him in :26-and three, and he galloped out all the way down the backside.  So it was a good little work and it was not really hard on him.”

Baffert is pleased with the way Pioneerof the Nile is getting over the sandy loam surface at Churchill Downs.  He has raced exclusively on turf and synthetic surfaces in his eight career starts.

“It was nice and relaxed – I didn’t want to do too much,” Baffert said. “It looked like he skipped over it, because I know the track, with the rain, was a little bit deep.  I had some other horses work and some horses struggled over it.  But he has taken to it great, so far.  I like what I see.”

Baffert said Pioneerof the Nile would work one more time before the May 2 Derby, most likely on Monday or Tuesday of next week.  Eclipse Award-winning jockey Garrett Gomez will ride the colt in the “Run for the Roses.”

Pioneerof the Nile has a record of 5-0-1 in eight races and has earned $1,234,200.

SQUARE EDDIE – J. Paul Reddam’s Square Eddie arrived at Churchill Downs around mid-afternoon on Tuesday following a van ride from Lexington’s Keeneland, where he had been stabled since running third in last Saturday’s Grade III Coolmore Lexington Stakes.

Trainer Doug O’Neill, who was back at his Southern California base, said he would come to Louisville on Sunday.

O’Neill said that no riding assignment has been finalized for Square Eddie.

WEST SIDE BERNIE – George and Lori Hall’s West Side Bernie galloped a mile and five-eighths with trainer Kelly Breen in the saddle before the renovation break.

Stewart Elliott has the riding assignment on West Side Bernie.

L & M Racing's Rachel Alexandra may have earned the role of favorite in the 135th Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) on May 1 at Churchill Downjs when she romped to an effortless 8 ½-length romp in the $250,000 Fantasy Stakes (GII) at Oaklawn Park.

The Hal Wiggins-trained daughter of Medaglia d'Oro, the 1-9 favorite in a field of five 3-year-old fillies, never had an anxious moment as she galloped to victory under jockey Calvin Borel.  She covered the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:43.36.  It was the fourth consecutive victory for Rachel Alexandra, a streak that began with a victory in the Golden Rod (GII) at Churchill Downs last fall.

"I really don't know how good she is," Borel said.  "She's never been pressured yet, and if she stays like she is, I don't know if she'll ever be pressured.  She's unbelievable."

Wiggins said Rachel Alexandra would ship to Churchill Downs on Wednesday to continue her preparation for the Kentucky Oaks.

Afleet Deceit finished second in the Fantasy, three lengths in front of Just Jenda.

Rachel Alexandra was such a heavy favorite that Oaklawn Park did not allow show wagering in the Fantasy, but still had to pay out a minus win pool of $3,382 and a minus place pool of $227,722.

MIDWEST/HOOH WHY KNOCKS OFF STARDOM BOUND IN ASHLAND - Longshot Hooh Why jumped to the lead at the start and never surrendered that position on her way to a 24-1 upset victory in Saturday's $400,000 Ashland Stakes (GI) at Keeneland.

Runner-up Gozzip Girl was flying at the finish, but fell a neck shy of catching the winner, while reigning juvenile filly champion Stardom Bound finished third under regular jockey Mike Smith.  The loss by Stardom Bound snapped a string of five consecutive victories in Grade I races by the champion.

"I'm at a loss for words, really.  It certainly wasn't her 'A' game," said Smith, "She got away slow, but she always does.  Actually it (the pace) was good for her.  They were going slow, but she's closed on a slow pace before."

Jockey Corey Lanerie picked up the mount on Hooh Why when jockey Rene Douglas took off his mounts at Keeneland earlier in the day. The move resulted in Lanerie's first Grade I win. The winner covered 1 1/16 miles over the synthetic Polytrack surface in 1:43.80 for trainer Donna Dupuy.

Hooh Why went off at long odds despite near-miss against Stardom Bound in her previous race in the Santa Anita Oaks, where she finished third, just a head back of the champion.

Evita Argentina, a winner over males in the San Vicente (GII) at Santa Anita last time out, heads a field of seven 3-year-old fillies in Wednesday's $150,000 Beaumont (GII) at Keeneland.

The John Sadler-trained fllly will break from the rail post under Garrett Gomez in the Beaumont, which is run at the Beard Course distance of seven furlongs, 184 feet.  Multiple stakes winner Selva appears to be Evita Argentina's main rival in the Beaumont.

EAST/LARAGH PREPS FOR COMELY - Hollywood Starlet (GI) winner Laragh prepped for an expected start in Saturday's Comely (GII) at Aqueduct with a five-furlong work on Sunday at Belmont Park.

The John Terranova II trainee covered the distance in 1:00.20 over a "fast" track in preparation for her first start of the year.  The gray filly is being pointed toward the Kentucky Oaks.