Ramon Dominguez

Flaxman Holdings, Ltd.’s Aruna surged to the front in upper stretch and pulled away from a ground-saving Wild Mia in the run to the wire to win the 20th running of the $199,675 Mrs. Revere (GII) for 3-year-old fillies by 1 ¾ lengths at Churchill Downs on Saturday afternoon.
 
 Ridden by Ramon Dominguez, Aruna raced in mid pack and in the clear on the outside as Dade Bade and Ice Mist led the field through fractions of :23.88 and :49.49 in the 1 1/16-mile grass race. Wild Mia, ridden by Freddie Lenclud, raced along the inside rail in third.

 Leaving the backstretch, both Aruna and Wild Mia moved at the leaders and at the head of the stretch Wild Mia cut the corner to take a brief lead while Aruna moved four wide. Aruna immediately took command and began to draw clear past the eighth pole, completing the distance in 1:46.02 on a Matt Winn Turf Course listed as firm.

 Graham Motion, who earlier this meet saddled Shared Account to win the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI), trains Aruna, who is now three-for-three since coming to the United States from France.

The victory was worth $117,610 for the Kentucky-bred daughter of Mr. Greeley out of the Unbridled mare Surya and increased her earnings to $256,842 with a record of 8-4-1-1.

 Aruna returned $5.40, $4 and $2.80. Wild Mia returned $7.40 and $4.80 and finished a neck in front of Fugitive Angel, who paid $2.80 to show under Rosie Napravnik. It was another half-length back to Snow Top Mountain, who was followed in order by Stars to Shine, In the Slips, Dade Babe, Ice Mist, La Cloche and Quiet by Seven.

 The field was reduced to 10 when Gitchee Goomie flipped in the starting gate during the loading process and was scratched.

 Racing continues Sunday with a 10-race program that begins at 12:40 p.m. (ET). There’ll be a Super Hi-5 carryover in excess of $22,900 in the final race.

MRS. REVERE QUOTES

Ramon Dominguez (jockey, Aruna, winner): “She has been doing everything right. I was happy to see that she was sharp today. She put herself in the race earlier than usual. She was a little handy, but wasn’t too rank by any means. When it’s time to pick it up, she is always there for you. She’s pretty classy. I don’t know how good she can be. Everything she has faced and every scenario she has faced she has been great. And today she was closer and able to fire.”

Graham Motion (trainer, Aruna, winner, via telephone): “I was impressed with her today because she was just so much sharper earlier. I don’t know if it was the incident in the gate (that resulted in the veterinarian’s scratch of No. 4 Gitchee Goomie), but she started very on-the-muscle. She’s been very relaxed in her races and I just thought (jockey) Ramon (Dominguez) did a great job to keep her settled long enough so that when he did finally turn her loose, she had plenty left.”

Q: When he did let her go? Aruna made a really powerful move on the far turn. “It really was – again, considering how sharp she was early on. Usually, when they’re that keen early, they don’t finish up. I’m just glad Ramon stuck with her and I think it made a big difference today, because he really knows her and had a lot of confidence in her. I think every time she runs, she’s improved. She’s done so well for this race.”

Q: This was another step for her since she arrived in the U.S. and she now has her first graded stakes win.  What’s next? “I’ll speak with Alan Cooper, who manages Flaxman Holdings, and we’ll come up for a plan for next year. I definitely won’t run her again this year and I won’t be in a hurry to run her next year. We’ll probably look for something, maybe even Keeneland in the spring. But I’m not going to be in a big hurry to run her early on in the year.”

Heather Craig (assistant trainer, Aruna, winner): “She has been nothing but classy since we’ve had her. The first time I encountered her was at Saratoga and she was so well behaved and really classy training in the mornings. After what happened in the gate, (jockey) Ramon (Dominguez) said she got a little wound up but considering what happened with the horse next to her flipping over, she behaved very well and ran the way she always does. We are very pleased with everything she has done at this point. She will be going to Florida, but I don’t know what (trainer) Graham (Motion) and the owners have planned yet.”

Freddie Lenclud (jockey, Wild Mia, second): “She’s a filly that’s a little keen in the race. Today was good. There was plenty of pace in the race and she was good to lay behind. I had a perfect trip behind them. I thought I had a good shot. We just got beat by a good filly. She ran really good.”

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875.  Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 7, 2011. The track’s 2010 Fall Meet is scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 28.  Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record seven times and the event will return to the track for its next renewal on Nov. 4-5, 2011. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

- END -

Sports fans and entertainment seekers with thoughts of attending this year’s Kentucky Derby could get a chance to purchase general admission tickets for a discounted price if promising colt Super Saver wins his next start on Saturday.

Churchill Downs officials plan to offer a $5 discount on Kentucky Derby general admission tickets on Saturday, March 13 from approximately 6 p.m. to midnight (all times Eastern) if 2-1 morning line favorite Super Saver triumphs in the Grade III, $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby.

Kentucky Derby general admission tickets are currently on sale at Tickets.ChurchillDowns.com for $40. If Super Saver wins, tickets will be reduced by $5 (12.5%) at the online box office to $35. The window of opportunity for the exclusive online offer will be only six hours.

Many pundits consider WinStar Farm’s homebred Super Saver to be one of the most promising 3-year-old prospects for this year’s $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on Saturday, May 1.

Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby will be Super Saver’s first start since winning the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (GII) at Churchill Downs last November. Trainer Todd Pletcher has secured the riding services of jockey Ramon Dominquez. They will break from post position No. 6 in the field of seven 3-year-olds.

The Tampa Bay Derby will run as Tampa Bay Downs’ 11th race on Saturday at approximately 5:30 p.m. If Super Saver wins, the Kentucky Derby general admission sale will commence at Tickets.ChurchillDowns.com until midnight once the race is declared official.

Tickets must be purchased with a Visa credit or debit card. Minimal ticket processing charges will apply. This offer is exclusive to Tickets.ChurchillDowns.com; no sales will be made in person or by submitting letters, e-mail or telephone calls to Churchill Downs.

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will host the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands on Saturday, May 1 and the Kentucky Oaks on Friday, April 30. The track will conduct its 2010 Spring Meet from Saturday, April 24 through Sunday, July 4. Churchill Downs is scheduled to host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record seventh time on Nov. 5 and 6, 2010. Churchill Downs tickets are available at Tickets.ChurchillDowns.com or by calling (502) 636-4400. Additional information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at ChurchillDowns.com.

- END -

Team Valor International’s Unbridled Belle and Mark Stanley’s Swift Temper, each a Grade I stakes winner in her career, will carry top weight of 122 pounds and concede 6-8 pounds when they take on four rival fillies and mares in Thursday’s 94th running of the $150,000-added Falls City Handicap (Grade II) at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/8-mile Falls City will go as the 11th race on the 12-race Thanksgiving Day card that begins at 11:30 a.m. (all times ET). Post time for the Falls City is approximately 4:24 p.m.

Unbridled Belle has finished behind Swift Temper on three occasions this year, but the daughter of Broken Vow enters the Falls City off a 4-length victory in the Turnback the Alarm Handicap (GIII) at Aqueduct on Oct. 31 and has been installed as the 7-5 morning line favorite by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia. Winner of the Grade I Beldame in 2007, Unbridled Belle is trained by Todd Pletcher who won the 2005 Falls City with Indian Vale.

Ramon Dominguez, who has ridden Unbridled Belle to five graded-stakes victories and six of her eight career victories, will ride Thursday and break from post position five.

he highlights of 2009 for Swift Temper have been a 1 ¾-length score in the Grade I Ruffian at Belmont Park and a front-running victory in the Delaware Handicap (GII). Trained by Dale Romans who won the 2004 Falls City with Halory Leigh, Swift Temper is the second choice in the morning line 5-2. The 5-year-old daughter of Giant’s Causeway ran fourth in last year’s Falls City and this year was third in the Louisville Distaff (GII) and second in the Fleur De Lis (GII).

Alan Garcia, who rode Swift Temper in both the Ruffian and Delaware Handicap, has the riding assignment Thursday and will exit post position four.

The field for the Falls City, from the rail out, is as follows: Best Lass (K. Desormeaux, 114 pounds, 10-1), Morena (Per) (S. Bridgmohan, 115, 6-1), Copper State (R. Albarado, 116, 7-2), Swift Temper (A. Garcia, 122, 5-2), Unbridled Belle (R. Dominguez, 122, 7-5) and Serenading (J. Leparoux, 116, 8-1).

Matthew Garretson’s Einstein (BRZ), ridden by Julien Leparoux, outdueled Cowboy Cal by a head to become the first repeat winner of the $557,600 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (Grade I) on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Helen Pitts-Blasi, Einstein added Saturday’s Grade I victory over the Matt Winn Turf Course to a triumph in the Grade I Santa Anita Handicap on Pro-Ride on March 7. Last year, Einstein won the Grade II Clark Handicap on dirt at Churchill Downs and ran second in the Grade I Stephen Foster on dirt to Horse of the Year Curlin.

Thorn Song, with Kent Desormeaux aboard, led the field through fractions of :23.87, :48.40 and 1:12.34 with Cowboy Cal and John Velazquez in closest attendance. Leparoux had Einstein in a ground-saving position another couple of lengths back.

Turning for home, Cowboy Cal collared Thorn Song but Einstein was right on his right flank and the two raced to the wire as a team with Einstein pulling clear in the final yards.

Einstein covered the mile and one-eighth on a “good” Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:49.62.

The victory in the 23rd running of the Woodford Reserve was worth $331,884 and increased Einstein’s earnings to $2,609,904. Einstein a 7-year-old son of 1985 Kentucky Derby winner Spend a Buck, has won 11 of 25 career starts, seven of the triumphs coming on turf.

Einstein, the favorite in the field of nine, returned $5.60, $3.60 and $2.80. Cowboy Cal returned $7 and $3.80 in finishing 2 ¾ lengths ahead of Court Vision, who paid $3.60 to show under Ramon Dominguez.

WOODFORD RESERVE TURF CLASSIC QUOTES

JULIEN LEPAROUX (rider of winner Einstein) – “I think it went pretty good. He’s a fighter, he always tries, but you can tell he was not as comfortable on turf as he is on PolyTrack or probably on firm turf, too. We got a good trip. We got an inside trip and we saved ground. The only time I really had to work was at the three-eighths pole: I had to make my way out, but after that we got a good trip everywhere.

“The second horse [Cowboy Cal] is a nice horse too, he’s won stakes in California, so we beat a nice horse today. But Einstein’s a fighter and he didn’t want to let it go. He likes the dirt: he won a Grade II on it, especially at Churchill he loves the dirt. He really liked the PolyTrack actually. I never rode him on the firm turf, but I’m sure he’ll do really good, too.”

HELEN PITTS-BLASI (Trainer of winner Einstein) – “I was worried about the soft turf. He doesn’t care what he runs on, he’ll always give you his best anyway. Is he as good as some horses on soft turf? No, but he’ll still give you 110 percent. And that got him through today. I was very worried during the race. They swung him wide turning for home, and I thought the horses up the inside would be toughest. But Cowboy Cal was on my inside and got the jump on me, and that’s what I was worried about. Cowboy Cal was better today than he was in California, and at the sixteenth pole I was worried. I’m not saying he wasn’t trying, but Cowboy Cal got the jump on him. But my man dug deep today.

“I’m not going to say he’s the best horse in the country. I’ll let you know on Nov. 6. The Breeders’ Cup Classic is a possibility. He loved that track at Santa Anita, and with the Breeders’ Cup being there, it’s worth a shot. I was very proud of him today. He’s a special animal.”

JOHN VELAZQUEZ (rider of second-place finisher Cowboy Cal) -- “I couldn’t ask for much more. Everything was perfect but winning. That’s about it. He ran great but a better horse beat me today. (On if he saw Einstein closing) “I saw him the whole way. That sucker (Einstein) kept running. I couldn’t believe it."

TODD PLETCHER (trainer of second-place finisher Cowboy Cal) -- “He ran great and we lost a very tough head-bob to an excellent horse. He’s a pretty solid performer on all three surfaces -- turf, dirt and synthetic -- so we’ll just see what races come up. It’s a plus that he’s so versatile.”

RAMON DOMINGUEZ (rider of third-place finisher Court Vision) -- “I was pleased with the way he ran. I got excited at the eighth pole. I thought he was going to continue his momentum and maybe get there but the others horses kept opening up on me and I had to settle for third.”

BILL MOTT (trainer of third-place finisher Court Vision) -- “We were right in it with a shot; he ran well. He made a run and then got a little flat on us the last 70 yards.”

 

GARRETT GOMEZ (rider of fourth-place finisher Zambezi Sun) – “He was going fine until we hit the far turn. Then he was wanting to get out on me bad. Bobby (trainer Robert Frankel) had put a new bridle on him and everything, but it still didn’t help. I don’t know if these left-handed turns throw him off or what, but we were fine until that turn – right where we wanted to be. Then he started to crank his head all over the place.”

 

KENT DESORMEAUX  (rider of fifth-place finisher Thorn Song) – “He felt like a million. He ran great.”

 

VICTOR ESPINOZA (rider of sixth-place finisher Proudinsky) – “Everything went right. I got through all the way. I just didn’t have enough horse to finish.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

HUMANA DISTAFF QUOTES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Follow the progress of your favorite Kentucky Derby contender through the Churchill Downs Notes Team, bringing you daily updates on the horses preparing for the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 2.

ADVICE / DUNKIRK / JOIN IN THE DANCE - WinStar Farm's Advice, winner of the Coolmore Lexington Stakes (Grade II) last Saturday, had his first trip over the Churchill Downs track Thursday morning, galloping under exercise rider Kevin Willey.

Advice had arrived at Churchill Downs from Keeneland on Wednesday, along with Join in the Dance, owned by Jake Ballis, Rashard Lewis, et al. Join in the Dance, fifth in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I), galloped with Willey up.

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith's Dunkirk is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on April 28 along with trainer Todd Pletcher. Edgar Prado has the mount on Dunkirk.

CHOCOLATE CANDY - Triple stakes winner Chocolate Candy took one loop around the paddock and then jogged a mile on Thursday morning at Churchill Downs with exercise rider Lindsey Molina up.

Owned by the Sid and Jenny Craig Trust, Chocolate Candy enters Kentucky Derby 135 off a runner-up finish to Pioneerof the Nile in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby. Prior to that, the Jerry Hollendorfer trainee had won the El Camino Real Derby (Grade III) and the California Derby.

Hollendorfer is scheduled to return to Louisville on Saturday with the colt's final pre-Derby work slated for Monday or Tuesday. Mike Smith has the riding assignment.

DESERT PARTY / REGAL RANSOM - Trainer Saeed bin Suroor announced Thursday morning that Alan Garcia would ride Regal Ransom in Kentucky Derby 135 and Ramon Dominguez would have the mount on Desert Party for Godolphin.

"Alan is staying on the horse he rode in Dubai," bin Suroor said of the rider who won the UAE Derby (Grade II) by a half-length over Desert Party. "We have two very good riders."

Bin Suroor had not seen his two Derby hopefuls since they left Dubai for Churchill Downs, arriving here on April 9.

"I was surprised at how well they looked," bin Suroor said. "Sometimes horses don't travel well, but they look happy and in good condition. They look better to me than they did in Dubai."

Exercise rider Bob Chapman handled morning duties on both colts. First out was Desert Party, who galloped a mile and a quarter, and then Regal Ransom visited the starting gate and then galloped a mile and a quarter.

"Both of them will work Saturday and Bob will handle both works," bin Suroor said.

Godolphin is returning to the Derby for the first time since Essence of Dubai ran ninth in 2002. Previous Godolphin starters were Worldly Manner (seventh in 1999), China Visit and Curule (sixth and seventh, respectively in 2000) and Express Tour (eighth in 2001).

"We are hoping for good fortune this time," bin Suroor said. "I feel like we have better horses this time than we have had in the past. This is a tough race to win."

FLAT OUT - Oxbow Racing's Flat Out was "feeling good" Thursday morning according to trainer Charles "Scooter" Dickey.  He galloped 1 ¾ miles with exercise rider and assistant trainer Walter Aguilar in the irons.

Dickey says he hopes to name a rider for Flat Out within the "next few days".  He wants that rider to be aboard for Flat Out's final work which will be Sunday, Monday or Tuesday.

Flat Out is 22nd on the graded earnings list and will need a couple of defections in order to make the field for Derby 135.

FLYING PRIVATE - Robert Baker and William Mack's Flying Private jogged two miles with exercise rider Taylor Carty aboard.  Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Flying Private will put in his final work on Monday or Tuesday.  Robby Albarado has the mount for Derby 135.

FRIESAN FIRE - Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm's Friesan Fire is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs from Keeneland on Friday afternoon.  Trained by Larry Jones and scheduled to be ridden in the Kentucky Derby by Gabriel Saez, Friesan Fire will be housed in Barn 45.

GENERAL QUARTERS - Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) winner General Quarters turned in his final work for Kentucky Derby 135 by covering five furlongs in 1:01.80 under exercise rider Julie Sheets.

Working at 7 o'clock, General Quarters recorded fractions of :12.60, :24.20, :36.60, :48.80 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:16.20 according to Churchill Downs clockers. The move was the 13th fastest of 30 at the distance.

"I was looking for between 1:01 and 1:02, so this was perfect," owner-trainer Tom McCarthy said. "I wanted a nice, steady work, and that is what I got. I did not want anything like his work before the Blue Grass (:58.20 on April 4). I am happy with the work."

Sheets, who has been General Quarters' regular morning partner since the colt arrived here last month, said, "He went nice and easy, very comfortable."

McCarthy said General Quarters would walk on Friday.

HOLD ME BACK - WinStar Farm's Hold Me Back "made two rounds" of the track with assistant trainer Kenny McCarthy up according to trainer Bill Mott.

Winner of the Lane's End (Grade II) and runner-up to General Quarters in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) in his most recent start, Hold Me Back had arrived at Churchill Downs on Wednesday from Keeneland.

Mott said that Hold Me Back would work Sunday or Monday. Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning rider Kent Desormeaux has the mount.

I WANT REVENGE - Wood Memorial (Grade I) winner I Want Revenge galloped a mile and a half under Joe Deegan shortly after the racetrack opened for training.

Bobby Troeger, assistant to trainer Jeff Mullins, said I Want Revenge would visit the paddock on Friday as part of his morning activity.

Joe Talamo has the mount on I Want Revenge, who is owned by IEAH Stables, David Lanzman and Puglisi Racing. I Want Revenge is scheduled for his final pre-Derby work on Tuesday.

MINE THAT BIRD - Double Eagle Ranch and Bueno Suerte Equine's Mine That Bird jogged a half-mile and then galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Charlie Figueroa before the renovation break.

"He looked sharp this morning, came back bucking and play and he doesn't do that at home," trainer Chip Woolley said.

Calvin Borel has the Derby riding assignment and is scheduled to work Mine That Bird on Monday.

MR. HOT STUFF - WinStar Farm's Mr. Hot Stuff, third in the Santa Anita Derby, is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Monday following a flight from southern California.  The son of Tiznow will work for trainer Eoin Harty on Sunday over the synthetic Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita.

Mr. Hot Stuff does not have a confirmed rider at this point, but Harty said there's no rush to make that assignment.

"We'll just wait and see what happens," he said.  "Unfortunately, or fortunately, something could happen to one of the other horses and a rider will come available.  There are plenty of riders out there, so we'll deal with that one when we come to it."

MUSKET MAN - Illinois Derby (Grade II) winner Musket Man galloped 2 ¼ miles under exercise rider Salvador Dominguez early Thursday morning.

"He two-minute licked the second time around," trainer Derek Ryan said of Musket Man, who is owned by Eric Fein and Vic Carlson. Eibar Coa, who was aboard for the Illinois Derby victory, has the Kentucky Derby riding assignment.

Musket Man is scheduled to have his final pre-Derby work on Saturday.

PAPA CLEM - Bo Hirsch's Papa Clem galloped a mile and a half before the renovation break with exercise rider Nate Quinonez up.

"He'll gallop a mile and a half in the morning and then work Saturday," trainer Gary Stute said.

Rafael Bejarano has the Kentucky Derby riding assignment.

PIONEEROF THE NILE - Zayat Stables' Pioneerof the Nile stood in the starting gate and jogged once around with exercise rider George Alvarez up.

Trained by three-time Kentucky Derby winner Bob Baffert, Pioneerof the Nile will be ridden by Garrett Gomez next Saturday. Winner of four consecutive starts, Pioneerof the Nile is scheduled for his final pre-Derby work on Monday or Tuesday.

SQUARE EDDIE - J. Paul Reddam's Square Eddie visited the paddock and then galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Tony Romero.

Leandro Mora, assistant to trainer Doug O'Neill, said more paddock schooling would be on tap for Square Eddie, whose final pre-Derby work is slated for Saturday or Sunday.

Corey Nakatani has the riding assignment on Square Eddie for Kentucky Derby 135.

SUMMER BIRD - Kalarikkal and Vilasini Jayaraman's Summer Bird galloped a mile and a half under jockey Chris Rosier after the renovation break.

Third in the Grade II Arkansas Derby in only his third start, Summer Bird is scheduled to work six furlongs after the break Friday morning with Rosier up for trainer Tim Ice.

This will be the second Kentucky Derby starter for Kalarikkal Jayaraman. Racing under the Tiffany Farms banner in 1989, Irish Actor finished seventh behind Sunday Silence. LeRoy Jolley was the trainer of Irish Actor.

WEST SIDE BERNIE - With trainer Kelly Breen up, George and Lori Hall's West Side Bernie galloped a mile and five-eighths before the renovation break.

West Side Bernie is scheduled to work Saturday morning.

Stewart Elliott, winner of the 2004 Kentucky Derby aboard Smarty Jones, has the Derby mount on West Side Bernie.   

WIN WILLY - Jer-Mar Stable's Win Willy arrived at Churchill Downs shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday and settled in at Barn 45, Stall 21.

Trained by Mac Robertson, Win Willy is slated to be ridden in the Kentucky Derby by Cliff Berry.

(November 15, 2008) – Team USA beat Team World by the slimmest of margins, 10 points to 9 ½, in Saturday’s inaugural “Rider Cup” for charity at Churchill Downs.

The five-race series, which awarded points to team representatives for their respective placings in each race, came down to the final leg. Team USA had an 8-6 ½ advantage, but Team World, which showcased jockeys born outside the United States, had Ramon Dominguez aboard 4-5 favorite Game Face in Race 8. With three points awarded for a win, Calvin Borel aboard 6-1 fourth choice Miss Isella had to secure two points for second to secure the victory for Team USA.

Game Face edged Miss Isella by head and Team USA prevailed.

“I knew I had to run second to get it for the team,” Borel said. “Heck, she ran so good I almost won the race. She ran a heck of a race, she’s a real runner. I knew we had to run second if [Game Face] won to hang on. We did it and got lucky. It was a lot of fun.”

“Those guys actually thought they were going to beat us,” said Robby Albarado, who earned five points for Team USA with a win aboard O’Sotopretty in Race 4 (the first leg in the series) and a runner-up effort on Orangspangledgator in Race 7. “We had a lot of fun; we should do this again.”

One mount for each race was selected by celebrity team captains. Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day represented Team USA and Hall of Fame rider Angel Cordero Jr. captained Team World. No jockey could be chosen more than twice in the series.

Points were awarded on a 3-2-1 scale for first-, second- and third-place finishes in each race. If neither jockey hit the board, the rider with the best finish was awarded a half-point.

Team USA had the most points at the conclusion of Race 8, was crowned the winner and a $10,000 donation will be made to the charities of the winning team’s choice. The charities of the Team World will receive a $5,000 donation.

“I can’t say enough about the jobs the jockeys had done and Churchill Downs for stepping forward and making these donations available to our charities,” Day said. “It’s been a great day. Thank you, Churchill Downs, for hosting this event and to all the riders who participated. Angel and I had a great deal of fun. We’re all greatly appreciative of the effort.

“We’ll get together with the riders and see where they want the money to go. They’re the ones out here working on this miserable day (rainy and 39 degrees).”

- END -

(November 12, 2008) – Three Chimneys LLC’s Callwood Dancer (IRE) will carry high weight of 122 pounds and break from post position five under Eurico Da Silva in Saturday’s 36th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (Grade III) at Churchill Downs.

            Callwood Dancer will concede from three to 11 pounds to her rivals in the Cardinal, which will be run at 1 1/8 miles over the Matt Winn Turf Course and go as the ninth race on Saturday’s 10-race card that has a first post time of 12:40 p.m. ET.

            Trained by Roger Attfield, Callwood Dancer is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Thursday from her home base at Woodbine in Toronto and then head to Florida for the winter with Attfield, who will be seeking his second Churchill Downs stakes victory. Attfield saddled Alydeed to win the 1992 Derby Trial.

            Callwood Dancer enters the Cardinal off a second-place finish in the Oct. 4 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine, which served as her Grade I debut. In that race she defeated Sealy Hill, who went on to run second in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic (GI), and prior to that finished ahead of Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI) winner Forever Together in the Grade II Canadian.

            The starting second high weight will be Earle Mack’s Lady Digby, who will carry 119 pounds and be ridden by Ramon Dominguez for trainer Graham Motion. Lady Digby will break from post position eight.

            The field for the Cardinal, from the hedge out: Sousaphone (Shaun Bridgmohan, 114 pounds), Meribel (Robby Albarado, 116), Long Approach (Julien Leparoux, 113), Queendom (Calvin Borel, 111), Callwood Dancer (Da Silva, 122), Ciao (Inez Karlsson, 116), Ballymore Lady (Jesus Castanon, 116), Lady Digby (Dominguez, 119), Kiss With a Twist (Miguel Mena, 115) and Indescribable (Kent Desormeaux, 116).

- END -