Oxbow Racing

Two more contenders for the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) joined the scene at Churchill Downs Thursday afternoon when the 1-2 finishers in the Santa Anita Derby (GI) – Pioneerof the Nile and Chocolate Candy – arrived at Churchill Downs

    Zayat Stables, LLC’s Pioneerof the Nile and the Sid and Jenny Craig Trust’s Chocolate Candy arrived in Louisville following a flight from Southern California.  The two horses made the short journey form Louisville International Airport to Churchill Downs in separate vans and arrived at the home of the Kentucky Derby at approximately 12:30 p.m. (EDT).

    Pioneerof the Nile, who is bidding to give trainer Bob Baffert his fourth Kentucky Derby victory, is stabled in Barn 33.  Chocolate Candy, who is stabled in Barn 42, is trained by Northern California legend Jerry Hollendorfer, who is looking for his first victory in the “Run for the Roses.”

    The Santa Anita Derby victory for Pioneerof the Nile was his fourth straight stakes win and the son of 2003 Kentucky Derby runner-up Empire Maker brings a career record of 5-0-1 in eight races and earnings of $1,234,200 to Churchill Downs.

    Chocolate Candy, a homebred son of Candy Ride and winner of the El Camino Real Derby (GIII), has a record of 4-2-1 in nine races and earnings of $532,500.

    Neither Baffert nor Hollendorfer accompanied their horses to Churchill Downs.  Baffert is scheduled to arrive in Louisville on Friday and will be at the barn on Saturday.

    Meanwhile, trainer Charles “Scooter” Dickey said he still has Kentucky Derby hopes for Oxbow Racing’s Flat Out, winner of the $50,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park and sixth behind Papa Clem in last week’s Arkansas Derby.  The Florida-bred son of Flatter has a record of two wins in five races and total earnings of $87,700.

    Flat Out, who is stabled in Barn 48 for the Churchill Downs-based Dickey, galloped at Churchill Downs Thursday in his first trip to the track since the Arkansas Derby and his return to the Louisville track.

The colt missed valuable training time over the winter in Arkansas following a troubled fourth place finish behind Old Fashioned in the Southwest Stakes (GIII).  He suffered a bruised heel in that race and missed a scheduled start in the Rebel.  Flat Out raced in the Arkansas Derby off a break of almost two months.  Normally a stretch runner, Flat Out was second to pacesetter Old Fashioned with a half-mile to run in the Arkansas Derby and faded in the stretch to be beaten by 8 ¼ lengths.

    “He’s an awful good horse and he had a lot of bad luck when he got hurt in that other race,” Dickey said. “He’s just now coming back to himself.  He was just too fresh in the Arkansas Derby – he didn’t want to lay up that close.”  

    A lot of things would have to happen for Flat Out to make it in to a maximum field of 20 for the Derby.  The colt has graded stakes earnings of $32,500, which ranked 33rd on Churchill Downs’ latest list of graded stakes earnings by possible Derby starters.  The Kentucky Derby field is limited to 20 horses with preference based on total earnings in graded stakes races.

    “He’s doing fine now and we got that race in him down there,” Dickey said.  “We’re looking for better things.”

    Thursday’s arrival of the two West-Coast based Kentucky Derby contenders and the addition of Flat Out raised the roster of possible starters brings the number of Derby 135 horses on the grounds to 10.  Also in that group are Wood Memorial (GI) winner I Want Revenge; Toyota Blue Grass (GI) winner General Quarters; Arkansas Derby (GII) winner Papa Clem; Illinois Derby (GII) winner Musket Man; Wood Memorial (GI) runner-up West Side Bernie; and the Dubai-based duo of Regal Ransom and Desert Party, the 1-2 finishers in the $2 million UAE Derby (GII).

(November 19, 2008) – Zayat Stables’ Thorn Song will face 10 rivals Saturday as he shoots for consecutive victories in the $100,000-added River City Handicap (Grade III) to be run at a mile and one-eighth over the Matt Winn Turf Course.

            Trained by Dale Romans, Thorn Song will have to overcome the outside No. 11 post position if he is to join Same Old Wish (1996-97) and Dr. Kashnikow (2001-02) as a repeat winner of the River City. Thorn Song will be ridden by Robby Albarado and carry high weight of 122 pounds, conceding three-to-nine pounds to his rivals.

            Winner of the Grade I Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland in October as well as the Grade II Firecracker Handicap over the Matt Winn Turf Course in July, Thorn Song enters the River City off a ninth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (GI) at Santa Anita.

            Two other River City starters have stakes victories in 2008, although none is of the graded variety.

            Oxbow Racing’s Steve Double, trained by Ronny Werner, has won the Remington Green at Remington Park and the Unbridled Handicap at Louisiana Downs in his two most recent starts and ran third to Thorn Song in the Firecracker. Steve’s Double will be ridden by Jamie Theriot and carry 117 pounds.

            Amerman Racing Stables’ Demarcation took the Franklin-Simpson at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 15 for trainer Paul McGee. Jesus Castanon will ride Demarcation, who carries 117 pounds.

The field for the 32nd running of the River City (Race 9 at approximately 4:37 p.m. ET), from the hedge out: Yate’s Black Cat (Miguel Mena, 119 pounds), Mr. Sidney (John Velazquez, 113), Star Plus (ARG) (Kent Desormeaux, 116), Pleasant Strike (Chris DeCarlo, 115), Karelian (Calvin Borel, 119), Just As Well (E.T. Baird, 113), Telling (Shaun Bridgmohan, 117), Demarcation (Jesus Castanon, 117), Canela (Julien Leparoux, 115), Steve’s Double (Jamie Theriot, 117) and Thorn Song (Robby Albarado, 122).

Also on Saturday’s card will be the $56,000-added Bet On Sunshine (Race 8 at approximately 4:06 p.m. ET), an overnight handicap at six furlongs on the main track that drew a field of eight sprinters.

High weights Kelly’s Landing (123 pounds under Julien Leparoux) and the undefeated Euroears (120 pounds with Miguel Mena up), will start side by side, breaking from post positions two and three, respectively.

Kelly’s Landing, owned by Summerplace Farm, won the 2005 Aristides (GIII) here and also took the 2007 Dubai Golden Shaheen (GI). He returned to the races on Oct. 17 after a 4 ½-month layoff to win a six-furlong allowance sprint at Keeneland in his most recent start for trainer Eddie Kenneally.

Euroears, owned by Marilyn and James Helzer, has won all six of his career starts for trainer Bret Calhoun. Euroears, who suffered a non-displaced condylar fracture of his right hind leg in late March, has not raced since winning the Duncan Kenner Stakes on March 8 at Fair Grounds.

The field for the Bet On Sunshine, from the rail out: Native Ruler (Jamie Theriot, 116 pounds), Kelly’s Landing (Julien Leparoux, 123), Euroears (Miguel Mena, 120), Godolphin Gray (Aldo Canchano, 110), Success Success (Jesus Castanon, 116), Junior College (Hector Rosario Jr., 117), High Expectations (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118) and Vicarian (Calvin Borel, 116).

First post for Saturday’s 10-race card is 12:40 p.m. ET. The first 5,000 paid and pre-paid admissions will receive a free collectable hurricane glass, courtesy of Kentucky Derby Party, that salutes Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Kent Desormeaux.

Also, Churchill Downs will offer free general admission Nov. 21-23 to all patrons who donate two non-perishable canned goods at Gates 10 and 17 in conjunction with the Kentucky Harvest Thanksgiving Food Drive, sponsored by Forcht Bank.

Grandstand gates open Saturday at 11 a.m.

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