Ronny Werner

Mine That Bird, winner of the 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), and Haynesfield, upset winner of the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) last time out, tuned up for runs in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships with workouts on Sunday at Churchill Downs.

Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Serte Equine’s Mine That Bird breezed five furlongs in 1:01.20 for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.  The move by the 4-year-old Birdstone gelding was the sixth-fastest of 25 at the distance over a “fast” track.  Lukas is pointing Mine That Bird, who has failed to win eight races since his victory at odds of 50-1 in Kentucky Derby 135, toward a possible run in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI) on Saturday, Nov. 6.

Haynesfield, a winner of three of four races in 2010 and bound for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) for Turtle Bird Stable, covered five-eighths of a mile in 1:02.20.  The New York-bred son of Speightstown, who also won the Suburban (GII) at Belmont Park for trainer Steve Asmussen, finished well as Churchill Downs clockers recorded his final quarter-mile in :23.80.  The move by Haynesfield ranked as the 13th fastest of 25 works at the distance.

Other Breeders’ Cup contenders that turned in Sunday training moves at Churchill Downs included $1 million Filly and Mare Sprint (GI) hopes Secret Gypsy, owned by Richland Hills Stable and John Kuehl, and C R K Stable’s Switch.  The seven-furlong Filly and Mare Sprint will be run at Churchill Downs on Friday, Nov. 5.

The John Sadler-trained Switch sizzled in a “bullet” half-mile work in :47 that was the fastest of 40 moves at the distance.  Switch covered the distance in fractional times of :11:80, :23 and :34.80 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.60.  Switch was runner-up to unbeaten defending Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Zenyatta in the recent Lady’s Secret (GI) and defeated Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner Blind Luck in the Hollywood Oaks (GII).

Trainer Ronny Werner’s Secret Gypsy breezed four furlongs in :47.80, which was the third-fastest move at the distance.  The winner of Saratoga’s Honorable Milss (GII) and the Endine (GIII) at Delaware Park covered her first quarter in :24.30 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.60.

Team Valor’s Pluck, who earned a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (GI) with a victory in the Summer Stakes (GIII) at Canada’s Woodbine, worked five furlongs in 1:02.20.

Saturday workers at Churchill Downs included Oak Leaf (GI) runner-up and Del Mar Debutante (GI) winner Tell A Kelly, who breezed four furlongs in :48.60 under jockey Calvin Borel.  Owned by and trained by Sadler, the daughter of Tapit is a contender for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI).

Other horses of note on the Sunday, Oct. 17 work tab included Hurricane Ike, winner of The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (GIII), who breezed five furlongs in :59 – the fastest of 25 moves at the distance; WinStar Farm’s Rule, who breezed three furlongs in :37.20; Exhi, who breezed five furlongs in 1:0l; Dubious Miss, who breezed six furlongs in a “bullet” 1:14.80.

MELANCON TO CLOSE OUT LONG CAREER SUNDAY – Larry Melancon began riding quarter horses when he was nine years old and got his jockey’s license to ride Thoroughbreds at age 16 in 1971.

On Sunday, five weeks shy of his 55th birthday, Melancon will saddle up one last time riding War Clan for longtime client Bill Mott.

"I had no idea that this would last this long,” Melancon said Friday morning. “I got to ride some good horses and those were the ones that kept you going and getting up in the mornings."

Melancon first came to Churchill Downs in 1974 and has won at least one race every meet since except for the three he did not ride – Fall 1974, Spring 1979 and Fall 1993 when he was sidelined by fractured ribs.

In all, Melancon has ridden 941 winners at Churchill Downs, third all time behind only Pat Day (2,482) and Calvin Borel (1,019). His 46 stakes wins at Churchill Downs rank fourth all time. For his career, Melancon has 2,857 victories with more than $60.6 million in purses.

Melancon, who has three winners this meet, rode in the Kentucky Derby four times, the first in 1976.

“I was on Amano, and he was third at the head of the stretch,” Melancon said of the James Padgett-trained runner who finished fourth in the field of eight. “The horse that ran third, Elocutionist, I told them they ought to go on to the Preakness because LeRoy (Jolley) was going to send Honest Pleasure after Bold Forbes and that’s what he did and Elocutionist ran by both of them.”

That was Melancon’s best Kentucky Derby finish as he wound up 14th on Bachelor Beau in 1986, 10th on Smilin Singin Sam in 1994 and 16th on Keats in 2001.

Melancon considers his biggest Churchill Downs victory the 2001 Stephen Foster Handicap, then a Grade II, on Guided Tour.

“He beat Captain Steve that day,” Melancon said. “It is kind of hard to pick one top horse that I rode here. I rode a horse named Rapid Gray and I also rode Weekend Surprise (dam of 1992 Horse of the Year A.P. Indy).”

“I won a stake for my mom with a Louisiana-bred named Kazliv,” Melancon said. “It was the Gentilly Stakes. I’ve got a few other tapes, but that would be the first one.”Melancon, who has only had 15 mounts this meet, plans on staying in the racing business somewhere down the road.

As for his immediate future, Melancon said, “I don’t know yet. I’m going to take a little time off and visit my grandson.”

DRIVING SNOW MAKES LONG-AWAITED RETURN IN FIRECRACKER – A few days before the 2008 Bourbon Stakes (GIII) at Keeneland, trainer Darrin Miller received a four-legged present from overseas named Driving Snow (GB).

The gray colt had won one of four races in Ireland and was purchased privately by Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton’s Silverton Hill Farm. One of 17 horses left in his wake in his maiden victory was Sea The Stars, who lost for the only time in a nine-race career that ended with European Horse of the Year honors in 2009.

“That’s a nice feather in his cap,” said Miller, who is preparing Driving Snow for his second U.S. comeback.

After finishing a fast-closing second to Bittel Road in the Bourbon, Driving Snow did not race again for nine months. In his lone 2009 start, Driving Snow won a stakes race at Indiana Downs.

“Between (age) two and three, it took awhile to get him right,” Miller said. “We were unable to get him started until July.”

Miller had hopes of making the Secretariat (GI) at Arlington with Driving Snow, but the colt fractured his left cannon bone in a workout after the Indiana victory and that took care of 2009.

Is it frustrating to go through all the issues with a colt with proven talent?

“Yes,” Miller said without hesitation. “He was out until February of this year and just trying to get him there (is a battle). But he has been good since he has come back and we targeted the Firecracker. It is the best spot for him in the way of timing.”

Freddie Lenclud will have the mount in Sunday’s Firecracker and break from post position one.

SECRET GYPSY BACK IN TOP FORM AFTER IOWA ROMP – Richland Hills and John Kuehl’s Secret Gypsy signaled her return to top form with a stylish 4 ¾-length victory Friday night in the six-furlong Saylorville Stakes at Prairie Meadows.

"“It seems like she is back,” a relieved trainer Ronny Werner said of the 5-year-old mare who has turned in two solid efforts following a string of four consecutive losses.

After winning the Distaff Handicap (GII) in March 2009 at Aqueduct, Secret Gypsy went into a tailspin with poor efforts in the Humana Distaff (GI) and the Finney on turf at Saratoga. This year did not start much better with a third-place finish in the Queen on March 27 at Turfway Park and a fifth-place finish at 1-2 odds in a stake at Indiana Downs on May 3.

“Physically, she was back, but not mentally,” Werner said.

Secret Gypsy got one more chance and made the most of it with a runner-up finish to Dubai Majesty in the Winning Colors (GIII) here on May 31. She used that as a springboard to the Iowa victory.

"“She has stepped up and run two good races,” Werner said. “I was really pleased with her second here to come back and beat Hot Dixie Chick, who is a nice filly, for second.”

Werner plans to send Secret Gypsy to join his string at Delaware Park on Tuesday with a couple of August options in mind.

“The plan right now is to run at Monmouth or Saratoga,” Werner said. “There are a couple of races there within a week of each other and it will be one spot or the other.”

The $150,000 Regret is scheduled for Aug. 1 at Monmouth and the $150,000 Honorable Miss (GII) is Aug. 8 at Saratoga. Both races are six furlongs.

BARN TALK – Calvin Borel, and Steve Asmussen moved a day closer to securing human titles for the Spring Meet that concludes Sunday.

Borel, seeking his first Spring Meet riding title, holds a 46-37 lead over Corey Lanerie after both riders notched two victories each Thursday. Borel is named on nine mounts on Friday night’s card, nine on Saturday and 10 on Sunday. Lanerie, who never has won a riding title here, is named on eight mounts Friday, 10 on Saturday and eight on Sunday.

Asmussen, seeking his third consecutive meet title, has a 22-16 edge on Dale Romans. Asmussen has five horses entered Friday, two on Saturday and five on Sunday. Romans has seven entrants Friday, three on Saturday and seven on Sunday. Tom Amoss, who also has 16 victories, has one more starter at the meet. …

Julien Leparoux wasted little time getting back to the winner’s circle, scoring on his first two mounts after being sidelined for more than six weeks by a back injury suffered at Pimlico on May 14. He got Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Class of Fifty Two ($3.60) up in the nick of time to win Thursday’s fifth race and took the sixth on Joseph Riccelli, Julie Levine and Eddie Kenneally’s Ticondero ($8.40).

Class of Fifty Two’s victory gave the Ramseys five winners for the meet and moved the couple within three victories of meet-leading owner Maggi Moss. The Ramseys, winners of the past five meet-leading owner titles and a record 16 overall (eight  Spring and eight Fall), have four horses entered Friday, four on Saturday and six on Sunday. …

Friday night alert: Jockey Victor Lebron, who has ridden two winners on each of the first three “Downs After Dark” programs, is named on five mounts tonight. Lebron, who has ridden of nine of his 14 winners at the meet the past two weeks, plans to stay in the area this summer to ride mainly at Ellis Park and in Indiana and then ride the fall circuit at Turfway Park, Keeneland and back at Churchill Downs, which he hopes to use a springboard to a winter excursion to Gulfstream Park. …

Lewis Lakin’s Pure Clan, sidelined for two months because of a bruised left front foot, returned to trainer Bob Holthus’ barn and is scheduled to go to the track Saturday morning.                        

WORK TAB – Winning Colors (GIII) winner Dubai Majesty worked a half-mile before the renovation break over a fast track in :49.60 in preparation for next Saturday’s $350,000 Princess Rooney Handicap (GI) at Calder. … Decelerator, winner of the 2009 Debutante (GIII) worked three furlongs in :35.40, best of eight at the distance.

Mark Stanley’s Trusty Temper made a successful return to the races Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs, scoring a wire-to-wire, four-length victory in the featured 505 Dayton Girls Dash for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

            In giving trainer Ronny Werner his second victory of the day and jockey Jamie Theriot his third triumph, Trusty Temper covered the five furlongs on a “fast” track in :57.73. The race originally was scheduled for the Matt Winn Turf Course.

            The 3-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Successful Appeal out of the Kingmambo mare Mumbo Jumbo had not run since finishing third in the NATC Futurity at Monmouth Park on Sept. 27.

Trusty Temper paid $10.20, $5.40 and $4. Kiawah’s Magic, who rallied to finish second under Calvin Borel, returned $4.20 and $3 and Simply Seattle finished third under Gavin Faulkner and paid $3.80 to show. Yogi’ssplashofgold, the 4-5 favorite in the field of seven, finished fourth.

The victory, the second in five starts, was worth $32,105 from a purse of $51,785 and increased Trusty Temper’s earnings to $67,250.

            Live racing at Churchill Downs resumes Sunday with a 10-race Mother’s Day program that is scheduled to begin at 12:45 p.m. ET.

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(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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• ALBARADO SAYS MILESTONE CHURCHILL WIN IS “SWEET”
•  COUGAR CAT WORKS FAST, BUT LIKELY TO PASS ARISTIDES
•  BATTLE FOR LEADING RIDER NOW CROWDED AT THE TOP
  

ALBARADO STARTS ON NEXT 700 AT CHURCHILL DOWNS AFTER MILESTONE WIN – Jockey Robby Albarado notched a pair of wins on Thursday’s race card at Churchill Downs, but the second of those felt much better than your average win under the historic Twin Spires.

            Albarado’s win aboard Shive’s Success in Thursday’s 7th race marked his 700th victory at the home of the Kentucky Derby. The 34-year-old native of Lafayette, La. is just the seventh jockey to achieve that milestone in the 134-year history of the track. The others are Pat Day (2,481), Don Brumfield (925), Larry Melancon (898), Jim McKnight (883), Calvin Borel (831) and Charles Woods Jr. (757) in Churchill Downs’ 700-win club. Both Day and Brumfield are members of racing’s Hall of Fame. Melancon, Borel and Woods are current members of the track’s strong jockey colony.

            “That’s a pretty good group to be in,” Albarado said on Friday. “I love those kinds of things. Those guys are fixtures at Churchill Downs, and to be part of that group is pretty sweet.”

            Albarado first arrived at the Louisville track on a full-time basis for the 1996 Spring Meet. He has been among the track’s leading riders since his arrival, but has yet to win a “leading jockey” title at Churchill Downs. His victory aboard Shive’s Success pulled him within a single victory of leading rider Julien Leparoux after 19 days of the 52-day spring racing session. 

            “To be leading rider here would cap off a nice summer,” he said. “I’ve been leading rider at Keeneland, but to win one at Churchill would be something I’d really enjoy and cherish. I’ve been here a long time and I’ve never been leading rider, so that shows you how hard it is to be leading rider at Churchill.”

            Albarado appears to be at the top of his game in every way. His year has included a victory aboard reigning “Horse of the Year” Curlin in the $6 million Dubai World Cup (Grade I) and he has picked up a strong mount for the Belmont Stakes (GI), the third jewel of the Triple Crown, in Mr. and Mrs. William Warren’s Denis of Cork, the third place finisher in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI). 

            He was the regular rider aboard Curlin in the Steve Asmussen trainee’s championship campaign in 2007 that included Albarado’s first victories in the Preakness (GI) – which was also his first Triple Crown win – and the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI). Those efforts made him one of three finalists for the Eclipse Award that honored America’s top jockey of 2007.

            “Things are going pretty good,” said Albarado. “I’ve just got to stay healthy and stay focused.” 

 COUGAR CAT SHARP IN MORNINGS, BUT ARISTIDES BID UNLIKELY – Richland Hills LLC’s Cougar Cat moved closer to his return to competition as the runner-up in last year’s Aristides (GIII) turned in a sizzling work on Friday at Churchill Downs, but it’s unlikely that he’ll make another bid for the stakes race in which he ran so well just a year ago.

The 6-year-old son of Storm Cat breezed five furlongs over a “fast” track in :59.40, which tied with move by the promising 3-year-old filly Secret Gypsy as the fastest move of 16 at the distance. 

The sharp move was welcomed by trainer Ronny Werner, but it did not earn his veteran a spot in the starting gate for this year’s running of the $125,000-added Aristides. That six-furlong race – which will be run on Saturday, May 31 – is expected to lure the likes of Summerplace Farm’s Kelly’s Landing, winner of the 2005 Aristides and runner-up to champion Lost in the Fog the following year; Maggi Moss’ multiple stakes winner Indian Chant, who defeated Kelly’s Landing in an Aristides allowance prep and currently holds the track record time for six furlongs; and Tom Walters’ Elite Squadron and George Bolton, Joan Corrigan and Antony Beck’s Noonmark, the 1-2 finishers in the Churchill Downs Stakes (GII) on Kentucky Derby Day.

“I think we’re going to bypass that race,” said Werner. “He’s been putting up some good works, but I just think he needs to go in a little softer spot. He does like this track and it’s the spot we always wanted, but I think we’d better look for an allowance race to start him back.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Last year at this time Cougar Cat was prepping for an upset bid in the Aristides won by the impressive Fabulous Strike. But Werner’s veteran finished second that day at odds of 23-1. He followed that with a runner-up finish as the favorite in the Iowa Sprint Handicap at Prairie Meadows. He was beaten that day by a rising star named Benny the Bull, who this year won the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen at Nad Al Sheba for trainer Rick Dutrow. 

Despite those impressive back-to-back performances in mid-year, Cougar Cat failed to win in his remaining four races on the season. He went on the shelf following a disappointing sixth-place finish behind Junior College in the Bet on Sunshine overnight handicap on Nov. 17 at Churchill Downs and has not raced since.

“He had quarter cracks,” said Werner. “His feet have been an issue all of his life.  He was backing off. I really didn’t think they were bothering him that much, but they may have been a little bit more than I thought. He just started tailing off, so we decided to just let the feet grow out and give him some time off.”

Cougar Cat has a career record of 4-5-2 in 23 races and has earned $243,646. 

LEPAROUX CLINGS TO LEAD IN RACE FOR “LEADING RIDER” – Jockey Julien Leparoux, the top rider in both spring and fall Churchill Downs racing meets in 2007, continues to cling to a narrow in the current Spring Meet race – but there is a logjam that has quickly developed behind him.

            Leparoux was shut out of the winner’s circle in both the Wednesday and Thursday racing programs. His most recent victory – his 21st of the meet – came aboard Manager Boire ($15.20) in Sunday’s 9th race.

            Should the 24-year-old Frenchman take a look over his shoulder on Friday he will find a group of four riders tied with 20 victories: Calvin Borel, Miguel Mena, Shaun Bridgmohan and Robby Albarado.

            The race for leading trainer remained tight after leader Ken McPeek and second-place Steve Asmussen each notched a victory on Thursday’s racing program. McPeek leads Asmussen 13-12. Tom Amoss is third in that race with nine victories.

            Ken and Sarah Ramsey continue to lead the way in their bid for a record seventh Spring Meet title of “leading owner.” The Nicholasville, Ky. couple have eight wins from 24 starts and lead Zayat Stables and Maggi Moss, who are tied for second with five wins each. 

BARN TALK – Kelly’s Landing tuned up for a run in next Saturday’s $125,000-added Aristides with a sharp half-mile work on Friday. The Eddie Kenneally-trainee covered the four-furlong distance over a “fast” track in :47.20, which was the second-fasted work of 44 at the distance. The son of Patton set a track record for six furlongs in winning the 2005 Aristides and was runner-up to champion Lost in the Fog in its 2006 running. He won last year’s running of the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen at Nad Al Sheba. Kelly’s Landing finished third to Indian Chant, the current record-holder for six furlongs, in his 2008 debut in a recent Churchill Downs allowance race. 

2008 SPRING MEET LEADERS

          Through Thursday, May 22

 

Jockeys                           Starts  1-2-3

Julien Leparoux                  128   21-25-22

Calvin Borel                        137  20-17-24

Miguel Mena                       123   20-16-20

Shaun Bridgmohan               83   20-14-10

Robby Albarado                   84     20-8-10

Jesus Castanon                    96     14-10-7

Jamie Theriot                      80       8-9-6

Elvis Trujillo                        14       6-1-2

Brian Hernandez, Jr.            62      5-10-6

Kent Desormeaux                 31      5-8-6

Larry Sterling, Jr.                 38      5-5-6

Corey Lanerie                     76       4-13-5

John McKee                       56       4-9-9

Fernando De La Cruz            52        4-3-5

Trainers

Ken McPeek                        29     13-3-3

Steve Asmussen                  48     12-8-8

Tom Amoss                        28      9-6-5

Mike Maker                         23      7-4-2

Dale Romans                       50      6-9-5

Greg Foley                          32       6-6-2

Eddie Kenneally                   27      5-6-6

Ian Wilkes                           18      6-5-3

Steve Margolis                     19      5-3-3

Three (3) trainers tied with four (4) wins

Owners

Ken and Sarah Ramsey         24      8-3-4

Zayat Stables, LLC                24      5-5-3

Maggi Moss                          12     5-2-3

Richard, Elaine & Bert Klein    17     4-3-1

Padua Stables                       6       4-1-0

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable        7       4-0-0

    Three owners tied with three (3) wins