Super Saver

The only time five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Kenny Troutt’s WinStar Farm won the Kentucky Jockey Club with Super Saver, they won the Kentucky Derby the following spring. They hope to duplicate that feat again May 5 after their colt Gemologist wore down favorite 8-5 favorite Ever So Lucky in deep stretch to win the 85^th running of the $178,200 Kentucky Jockey Club (Grade II) for 2-year-olds by 1 ¾ lengths on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Javier Castellano, Gemologist broke alertly and sat behind the pacesetter Ever So Lucky and 43-1 outsider Seve as the former led the field of 11 through fractions of :23.98, :47.49 and 1:12.62. On the far turn, Castellano dropped his hands and Gemologist raced three-wide to draw even with Ever So Lucky at the head of the long Churchill Downs stretch. The two matched strides to the sixteenth pole before Gemologist inched clear late for the victory in 1:44.46 for 1 1/16 miles over a “fast” track.

Timely Tally rallied late from the back of the pack to finish another neck back in third, a half-length in front of Optimizer. Atigun, Africanist, Cyber Secret, Saint Honore, Seve, Fine and Mr. Prankster completed the order of finish.

"He ran well,” Pletcher said. “He overcame an outside post, got a good trip and dug in when it counted.”

Gemologist, a Kentucky-bred son of 2001 Horse of the Year Tiznow out of the Mr. Prospector mare Crystal Shard, grabbed the $103,855 first prize and jumped his career earnings to $145,855. The bay colt is unbeaten in three starts. He broke his maiden by five lengths on Polytrack at Turfway Park in September and won a first-level allowance/optional claiming event at Churchill Downs on Oct. 30 by two lengths.

“I think it certainly helped to have a race over the track and to have that two-turn experience around there,” Pletcher said. “It always helps when you have some confidence that they’ve handled the surface already.”

Sent to post as the 3-1 second betting choice, Gemologist returned $8.60, $4 and $3.60. Ever So Lucky, piloted by Julien Leparoux, paid $3.60 and $3. Timely Tally, with Calvin Borel aboard, returned $4.20.

Five Kentucky Jockey Club winners won the Kentucky Derby the following spring: Reigh Count (1928), Clyde Van Dusen (1929), Twenty Grand (1931) Cannonade (1974) and Super Saver (2010). The 138^th running of the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands will be run in 23 weeks on Saturday, May 5, 2012.

“It’s always exciting when you have a good two-year-old turning three,” Pletcher said. “It kind of gives you something to look forward to when you head south for the winter. We’re always hoping to be back at Churchill in the spring.

“We’ll give him a little bit of a break off that and I’ll get with (WinStar President/CEO and Racing Manager) Elliott (Walden) and we’ll come up with a game plan. I’d say we’d try to follow a similar path (to Super Saver), hopefully two starts before the big race if things go well.”

Closing day of the 21-day Fall Meet is Sunday and Churchill Downs will offer free general admission to all patrons and a 2012 Churchill Downs Wall Calendar to the first 5,000 in attendance. The first of 11 races is 12:40 p.m. EST.

The race to be crowned leading trainer is tight. Mike Maker has a 15-14 lead over Steve Asmussen. Leparoux is five wins clear of Corey Lanerie, 32-27, for leading rider honors. Ken and Sarah Ramsey will be leading owners with a 12-5 lead over Billy, Donna and Justin Hays heading into closing day.

KENTUCKY JOCKEY CLUB QUOTES

Todd Pletcher (by telephone from New York), trainer of Gemologist (winner): “He ran well. He overcame an outside post, got a good trip and dug in when it counted.”

Q: Do you feel that two-turn race at Churchill Downs was an advantage? “I think it certainly helped to have a race over the track and to have that two-turn experience around there. It always helps when you have some confidence that they’ve handled the surface already.”

Q: Did Gemologist identify himself early as one that might be special? “He came to us during the Saratoga meet and each one of his works was progressively better. For a big horse that’s bred to go longer, he showed some natural speed. He’s just one of those horses that every time you breezed him he did everything right and just kind of kept getting better and better.”

Q: The last time you won this race with Super Saver in 2009 it worked out well for you the following spring in the Derby. Will you take a similar path in hopes of getting back to the Derby with Gemologist?

 “We’ll give him a little bit of a break off that and I’ll get with Elliott (WinStar President/CEO and Racing Manager Elliott Walden) and we’ll come up with a game plan. I’d say we’d try to follow a similar path, hopefully two starts before the big race if things go well.”

Q: You’ve won so many great races and trained so many nice horses. But when you have one like this that seems to have so much potential for next year, is it anything extra for you to win a race like this with a horse like this? “It’s always exciting when you have a good two-year-old turning three. It kind of gives you something to look forward to when you head south for the winter. We’re always hoping to be back at Churchill in the spring.”

Kenny Troutt, owner of WinStar Farm LLC, owner of Gemologist (winner): “What I saw in there was a horse get a lot of learning experience and still win a race. He had a little problem in the starting gate, but he broke well and relaxed. He went wide, but still won and looked like a very nice horse coming down the lane.”

Q. Have you already starting thinking of next year’s Kentucky Derby? “Everyone’s been talking about the Derby and it’s very exciting to get the ‘Derby fever.’ This race is a great stepping stone for us. I’ll leave everything else up to Elliot (Walden) and the trainer. But we’re very excited.”

Elliot Walden, President/CEO and Racing Manager of WinStar Farm LLC, owner of Gemologist (winner): “He (Gemologist) beat a very good field and a very good horse in the Indian Charlie colt (Ever So Lucky). He’ll get a little bit of a breather and then we’ll regroup and see where we go. I don’t know if he’ll come back to WinStar Farm (for the winter). We’ll have to figure that out.”

Mike McCarthy, assistant trainer to Todd Pletcher, trainer of Gemologist (winner): “The horse ran well. He ran like he trained. The race kind of unfolded like we thought it would. We thought (jockey) Julien (Leparoux)’s horse (Ever So Lucky) would go ahead and go (to the lead) coming off a short rest. It was a very professional effort from him (Gemologist) today.”

Javier Castellano, jockey on Gemologist (winner): “We had a beautiful trip. It was a dream trip. He’s a really nice horse. Today he was very professional. He sat behind the leaders and targeted the speed. He responded when I asked him. He did it the right way today. I’m very lucky to ride nice horses like him.”

Q. What happened in the gate before the race? “I think he just got a little anxious and he was ready to go. He reared up and hit the gate with his legs, but thank God he didn’t hit his head. He was very lucky.”

Jonathan Sheppard, trainer of Ever So Happy (runner-up): “We’re very happy. He ran very well. He’s still just a little bit green. He put up a good fight when that horse came to him and we were quite proud of him.”

Q: He’s shown a lot in a short time … “Exactly. The other horse has had two races, we’ve had one. I’m not sure how much difference that makes, but probably some I would think.”

Q: So you’re thinking about next spring and possibly the Kentucky Derby with this horse? “We’ll let him tell us. It would be fun to do if he looks like he wants to go that way. We’ll take him home and check him out and see.”

Julien Leparoux, jockey of Ever So Lucky (runner-up): “He ran big. He had that win going 6 ½ (furlongs) and it’s not easy to just come and run as good as he did. He’s a nice horse and we’re looking forward to next year with that one.”

Ian Wilkes, trainer of Timely Tally (third): Q: Calvin Borel said he was stopped on the far turn, but was thrilled with the way Timely Tally finished. Your thoughts? “That’s racing. We didn’t have the racing luck there. He was still last at the quarter pole and then he circles them at the quarter pole and gets beat by two lengths. I wouldn’t want to trade places with anyone going forward off this race. I just feel my horse is getting better. He’s improving with racing. And you know he likes the track here, so that’s a good sign.”

Q: Did you see the traffic problems he encountered on the far turn? “It was just that a hole never opened up. You know how Calvin (jockey Calvin Borel) loves the fence, but it just never opened up. If he had moved him 50 or 100 yards earlier, we’re the winner. But that’s hindsight. That’s part of the game. But otherwise, I was so happy. That was his first stakes race and the horse is just getting better and better. I’ve got to congratulate WinStar Farm. Their horse ran his race and he was the winner, but I do think my horse is improving.”

Headed by unbeaten Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (Grade I) and Eclipse Award champion Uncle Mo, 364 3-year-old Thoroughbreds have been nominated early as prospects to contest the 2011 renewals of the three classic races that make up American horse racing’s Triple Crown.

The first of those spring classics – the 137th Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) – is set for Saturday, May 7, at world-famous Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., followed on May 21 by the 136th running of the Preakness Stakes (GI) at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., and the 143rd Belmont Stakes (GI) on June 11 at New York’s Belmont Park. The early nomination period, during which each nomination costs $600, closed on Saturday, Jan. 22. A late period for nominations – at $6,000 each – will conclude on Saturday, March 26.

This year’s early nomination total is just two less than last year’s early total of 366.  Six horses were made eligible for the Triple Crown series during last year’s late nomination period, which raised the final total of 2010 nominees to 372.

Aside from being the leader in the 2011 class of 3-year-olds, Uncle Mo, owned by New Yorker Mike Repole, has a chance to give trainer Todd Pletcher back-to-back victories in the $2-million Kentucky Derby, America’s most coveted race. Pletcher notched his long-awaited first Derby win last year with WinStar Farm’s homebred Super Saver. Overall, the five-time Eclipse Award winner has saddled 28 Kentucky Derby starters.  Uncle Mo’s dominant 4 ¼-length victory in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs made Repole’s colt the early favorite for the 2011 Derby.

The list of Triple Crown nominees includes 15 of the 20 horses ranked atop the 2010 Experimental Free Handicap, an annual performance rating of the year’s most accomplished 2-year-olds. Uncle Mo, currently stabled in Florida, heads that group, which also includes fellow East Coast stars To Honor and Serve, winner of the Remsen (GII), and Champagne (GI) winner Boys at Tosconova; West Coast stars Comma To The Top, winner of the CashCall Futurity (GI), and Jaycito, who took top honors in the Norfolk (GI); and Del Mar Futurity (GI) victor J P’s Gusto, now training in Arkansas after moving from his former Southern California base.

Four fillies are among the 364 nominees.  The female contingent is headed by Turbulent Descent, who was unbeaten in three races at two and runner-up in her 2011 debut in the Grade I Las Virgenes at Santa Anita.  Two Triple Crown races have been won by fillies in the past five years: eventual Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra took the Preakness in 2009 and Rags to Riches won the 2007 Belmont Stakes. Three fillies have won the Kentucky Derby, with Winning Colors being the most recent in 1988.

A mild surprise in this year’s early roster of Triple Crown nominees is the list includes only six horses from Europe.  Trainers Jeremy Noseda, with three nominees, and Clive Brittain, with one, carry the hopes of Great Britain.  Irish training star Aidan O’Brien has a pair of nominees.

Notably absent from the roster nominating owners is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s powerful Godolphin Racing.  The Dubai-based operation usually nominates several prospects during the early phase, but Godolphin representatives have informed Triple Crown officials that the stable will wait until after the March 26 UAE Derby at Dubai’s Meydan Racecourse to decide if any of its horses would be nominated to the 2011 series.

“The impressive roster of nominees to the Triple Crown provides proof that the desire to achieve horse racing’s ultimate dream of a Kentucky Derby win and Triple Crown sweep of the Preakness and Belmont Stakes is as strong as ever,” said Don Richardson, senior vice president of Racing for Churchill Downs.  “Despite a difficult economy, a reduction in annual foal crops and other challenges to our horse industry, the Triple Crown’s early nominations are basically flat with last year’s total.  That’s a wonderful show of faith on the part of the international group of owners and trainers that have nominated horses to this year’s races.  We appreciate their support and anticipate a thrilling and memorable Triple Crown series in 2011.”

Pletcher leads the list of nominee numbers for the second straight year, but shares 2011’s top spot with Hall of Famer and three-time Kentucky Derby winner Bob Baffert.  Both nominated 20 3-year-olds to the Triple Crown. Steve Asmussen, who is searching for his first Kentucky Derby victory but has a pair of wins in the Preakness, is alone in the next spot on the trainers’ list with 17 nominations, and filling out the top five are Hall of Famers and multiple Triple Crown race winners D. Wayne Lukas and Nick Zito, both with 12 nominations. Also posting double-figure nomination totals are Kiaran McLaughlin with 11 and Mike Maker with 10.  McLaughlin and Maker are seeking their first victories in Triple Crown races.

Other Hall of Fame trainers represented by nominees include Bill Mott with seven; Neil Drysdale and Richard Mandella, each with four; Shug McGaughey with three, and Carl Nafzger and Jonathan Sheppard, each with one.

Darley, another arm of Sheikh Mohammed’s worldwide racing operation, leads the ownership bracket with 13 nominees, followed by the partnership of Klaravich Stables and W.H. Lawrence and Zayat Stables, both with eight Triple Crown prospects.  Westrock Stables nominated six 3-year-olds, while Robert LaPenta, Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Stonestreet Stables and Michael Tabor each nominated five prospects.

Bursting on the scene as leading sire is 2006 Preakness Stakes winner Bernardini with 18 progeny on the list, far outrunning the rest of the pack. Second among the leaders is another young sire, Tapit, with 13. Third on the list is 2010 Triple Crown sire leader Distorted Humor, who sired 10 of this year’s nominees.  He is followed closely by Dynaformer, Indian Charlie and Lemon Drop Kid, each with nine.

The Kentucky Derby field has been limited to 20 starters since 1975, and accumulated earnings in prestigious graded stakes races along the “Road to the Triple Crown” have determined the field for the 1 ¼-mile classic since 1986.  The field for the Preakness, the 1 3/16-mile second jewel of the Triple Crown, is limited to 14 starters, while Belmont Stakes, the “Test of the Champion” and finale of the series at 1 ½ miles, permits a maximum field of 16 horses.

A Triple Crown sweep – one of the most difficult feats in all of sports – has been accomplished on just 11 occasions: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1942), Assault (1946), Citation (1948), Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed (1978). Fifty other horses have finished one win shy of the honor.

The 2010 Triple Crown yielded different winners for all three races, although WinStar Farm owned and bred two of the winners.  WinStar’s Super Saver, trained by Pletcher and ridden by Calvin Borel, won the Kentucky Derby.  Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman’s Lookin At Lucky, trained by Baffert and ridden by Martin Garcia, won the Preakness on his way to earning an Eclipse Award that honored the colt as America’s 3-year-old champion.  WinStar collected a bookend Triple Crown victory when Drosselmeyer, another homebred, won the Belmont Stakes for trainer Mott and jockey Mike Smith.  The Belmont victory was Mott’s first Triple Crown win..

The current 32-year streak without a Triple Crown winner is the longest in the history of the series.  The previous record was a 25-year gap between the Triple Crown earned by Citation in 1948 and Secretariat’s stunning sweep in 1973.

Churchill Downs has established dates for a trio of three-day betting pools in its 2011 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (“KDFW”) and a single pool for this year’s Kentucky Oaks Future Wager (“KOFW”).

Dates established for the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which is being conducted for the 13th consecutive year, are:

• POOL 1 – Feb. 18-20
• POOL 2 – March 11-13
• POOL 3 – April 1-3

    
    Wagering on each of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager pools will open at noon (all times Eastern) on Friday and close on Sunday at 6 p.m.  The KDFW Pools will include both win and exacta wagering.

The dates for the single pool for the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager will again run concurrently with Pool 2 of the Derby Future.  The 2011 Oaks Future Pool is set for March 11-13.  Betting on that pool will open at noon on Firday, March 11, but close on Sunday, March 13 at 6:30 p.m., which is 30 minutes after the conclusion of wagering on the second Derby Future Pool.

There is a significant change in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager as exacta betting will be offered as part of that wager for the first time.  The Kentucky Oaks pool, which is being offered for the ninth consecutive year, had previously offered win betting only.  Exacta wagering has been offered on the past five Derby Future pools over the past two years.

The Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future Wagers provide fans of those races opportunities to wager on potential competitors in those races at odds that could be considerably more attractive than those available on the day of the respective race.  Winning payouts on the Derby and Oaks Future Wagers are determined by the odds in place at the end of each respective betting pool.

All bets in the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future Wagers are $2 minimum wagers.  No refund will be made on any wager made during the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future pools.  If it is determined during those pools that any of the individual betting interests has suffered an illness, injury or other circumstance that would prevent that horse from competing in either race, wagering on that betting interest will be suspended immediately.

Both the KDFW and KOFW pools consist of 24 wagering interests that include 23 individual horses and a mutuel field, or “all others” interest.  In the Kentucky Derby wager, the mutuel field is made up of all other 3-year-olds – including fillies.  The mutuel field in the Kentucky Oaks bet consists of all other 3-year-old fillies. 

Winning payouts in all three pools of the 2010 Kentucky Derby Future Wager on WinStar Farm’s victorious Super Saver were significantly larger than the $18 mutuel returned for a winning ticket on the Todd Pletcher trainee on Derby Day. A $2 KDFW bet on Super Saver returned $43.20 in Pool 1, $51.20 in Pool 2 and $73 in Pool 3.  The Derby Future bet’s $2 exacta in Pool 3 for 1-2 Derby finishers Super Saver and Ice Box returned $1,077.40 – a record payout in the brief history of the Derby Future exacta.  The exacta that combined those two horses on Derby Day returned $152.40.

The 137th running of the Kentucky Oaks, America’s top race for 3-year-old fillies that will carry a record purse of $1 million guaranteed in 2011, is scheduled for Friday, May 6 at Churchill Downs.  The $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands will be run on Saturday, May 7.

Wagering interests for each of the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Future Wager will be announced on the Wednesday prior to the Friday start of each pool.  Real-time odds and other information on the KDFW will be available at the official event Web site at www.KentuckyDerby.com, and information on the KOFW will be available at www.KentuckyOaks.com.

KENTUCKY JOCKEY CLUB WINNER SANTIVA FLORIDA-BOUND MONDAY – Things were quiet at the Eddie Kenneally barn on Sunday morning and assistant Brendan Walsh reported all was well with Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) winner Santiva.

“He is doing well this morning and he will leave for Florida tomorrow,” Walsh said of the son of Giant’s Causeway, who is owned by Tom Walters. “That was a nice way to end the meet.”

Santiva broke his maiden with Saturday’s victory and in his first start for Kenneally.

“We got him in about mid-October after he had run in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland,” Walsh said. “He’s a nice colt.”

Also heading to Florida on Monday will be Linda Shanhan’s Missyoulikecrazy, who finished second for Kenneally in the Golden Rod (GII).

“She ran a nice race,” Walsh said of the Missyoulikecrazy, who had run third in the opening-day Pocahontas (GIII) and prior to the Breeders’ Cup had served as a workmate for Filly & Mare Sprint runner My Jen. “They are both nice fillies and we have a lot to look forward to next year.”

Also heading to South Florida this week will be third-place Kentucky Jockey Club finisher Major Gain, who came out of the race in good order according to Lisa Sloan, assistant to trainer Wayne Catalano. Gary and Mary West’s son of More Than Ready made his dirt track debut Saturday.

KATHMANBLU EXITS GOLDEN ROD ROMP IN GOOD ORDER – Apparently the 8 ½-length romp in Saturday’s Golden Rod Stakes (GII) did not take much out of the victorious Kathmanblu.

“She got back to the barn and dove right in to her feed tub,” said Philip Bauer, Churchill Downs assistant to trainer Ken McPeek. “She is doing great this morning and will head to Florida on Wednesday.

The margin of victory was the largest since Silverbulletday, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) and 2-year-old filly champion, won the 1998 Golden Rod by 10 lengths.

Owned by Five D Thoroughbreds and Wind River Stables, Kathmanblu was making her second start on dirt after compiling a record of 2-1-1 in four starts on the grass that included a victory in the Jessamine at Keeneland and a third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GII).

“The first time she ran, it was at 4 ½ furlongs and that was too short for her,” Bauer said. “The only reason Kenny put her on the grass was to get two turns for her.”

Bauer does not envision a return to the grass any time soon for Kathmanblu.

“It is nice to have the versatility,” Bauer said. “This way you can prep for bigger things on either surface."

Kathmanblu is one of three McPeek-trained 2-year-olds that competed in Breeders’ Cup races three weeks ago at Churchill Downs.  Rogue Romance ran third in the Juvenile (GI) and the Harlan’s Ruby finished eighth in the Juvenile Fillies (GI).

They are both turned out and getting some time off,” Bauer said. “They will probably rejoin the barn in Florida in mid-December.”

LOPRESTI LOOKS FORWARD WITH SUCCESSFUL DAN AFTER CLARK ‘CAP DISAPPOINTMENT – The hours following Friday’s $500,000 Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade I) were a swirl of emotions for trainer Charles Lopresti, who was overjoyed when it appeared that his Successful Dan had scored his first Grade I victory, but his happiness turned to dismay when the stewards demoted the 4-year-old colt to third for interference with a rival.

But Successful Dan was fine on the day after the rough and tumble 136th running of the Clark, a mile and an eighth race for older horses that – like the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and the Kentucky Oaks (GI), dates to Churchill Downs’ very first race meet in May of 1875.

“He came out good,” Lopresti said when he returned to Churchill Downs Saturday afternoon.  “He doesn’t know that he got beat.  He thinks he won – I mean, he did win.”

The stewards awarded the Virginia Tarra Trust’s Giant Oak the top spot in the Clark and dropped Morton Fink’s stable star to third for interfering with Redding Colliery, the original third-place finisher, for interference when the horses collided in upper stretch. Redding Colliery was elevated to the runner-up spot after Successful Dan and jockey Julien Leparoux veered to their right in traffic and slammed into that rival.  Just to their inside, Demarcation and Dubious Miss, both trained by Paul McGee, became entangled and Dubious Miss faded after that mishap to finish last in the field of 11.  But the stewards disqualified Demcarcation from his original fourth-place finish and dropped him all the way to last because of that incident.

Leparoux and fellow rider Kent Desormeaux, who was aboard Demarcation, received three-day suspensions from the stewards on Saturday for their roles in the Clark’s chaotic stretch run.

In the emotional moments after the race, Lopresti had branded the stewards’ decision to disqualify Successful Dan from what would have been the biggest victory of his budding star’s career as a “bad call.”  But after a few hours of consideration, a little sleep and several looks at video replays of the race, Lopresti confessed to a change of heart regarding the stewards’ Clark call.

“He (Successful Dan) did come out on that horse (Redding Colliery) – there’s no doubt that he bumped him,” Lopresti said.  “I don’t think that horse was going to win the race.  I don’t think it was going to change the outcome of the race.”

While he better understood the stewards’ decision, Lopresti was remained puzzled as to why the stewards did not take a closer look at some contact deeper in the stretch run between his horse and Giant Oak.

“The horse they put up for first was all over us down the lane, then they didn’t take him down,” he said.  “Why did we go to third?  That’s what I don’t understand.”

Most important to Lopresti was the performance of Successful Dan, who was coming off a win in the Fayette (GII) over the synthetic Polytrack surface at Keeneland and turned in a winning performance in the Clark, although the official results will show that he finished third.  Last year, a Clark victory by Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame stamped him as horse to watch and the colt followed that victory with stellar 2010 campaign that reached its climax in a narrow victory over previously unbeaten Zenyatta in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs.

Lopresti believes the Clark run by the 4-year-old son of Successful Appeal has positioned his star for big things in 2011, a year in which the Breeders’ Cup will return to Churchill Downs.

“He was tons the best,” Lopresti said of the colt’s Clark performance.  “He could have been in one of the Breeders’ Cup races.  He really could, and he would have been competitive in one of those races.  I don’t know which one of ‘em, but he would have been competitive.

“I know we’ve got a really good horse.  I think we’ll just give him the winter off and be ready for the spring races.  We might go to Florida with him.  We’ll see how he comes out.”

Successful Dan is not the only reason for Lopresti’s optimism.  On Thanksgiving Day he watched Fink’s 3-year-old Wise Dan, winner of Keeneland’s Phoenix (GIII), rebound from a sixth-place finish behind Big Drama in the $2 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) to win a one-mile allowance race over a sloppy Churchill Downs track.

“I think he’ll go further – that’s been my deal (with Wise Dan) all along,” Lopresti said.  “I put him in the Breeders’ Cup because he won the Phoenix. We took a shot at the Phoenix because he was training so good over that track and I knew he was going to be fresh, and he won that race.  But my ideal thinking was to run in that and then stretch him out.  But we got tossed into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and he didn’t run that bad – he only got beat two lengths, a neck and a nose for all of it.”

And then there’s Brandon and Marianne Chase’s Here Comes Ben, who provided Lopresti with his first career Grade I win in Saratoga’s Forego.  He finished 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI) after a rugged start that left the son of Street Cry with some cuts, but no significant injury.  Lopresti expects that Here Comes Ben will remain in his shedrow for a 2011 campaign as a 5-year-old.

In fact, all of Lopresti’s horses were doing considerably better on Saturday than their trainer.   Lopresti walked with a noticeable limp, the result of a injury suffered in the paddock as he wheeled to head to the track after watching Successful Dan’s Clark run on the large tote board video screen.

“I came out of there and something popped, I guess it was a ligament or something,” Lopresti said.  “But I’m OK.”

BARN TALK – Julien Leparoux increased his meet-leading victory total to 26 with a victory Saturday in the Golden Rod on Kathmanblu and will take a three-win advantage into today’s final day of the 21-day Fall Meet. Robby Albarado was blanked Saturday, but Shaun Bridgmohan had his second consecutive three-win day to move into a tie for second with 23 victories. Leparoux has nine mounts today, Albarado eight and Bridgmohan six. Leparoux has won or shared the leading rider title for the past three Fall Meets and also won three Spring Meet titles. Bridgmohan shared the 2006 Fall Meet title with Calvin Borel for his only riding crown here. Albarado, who won the 2008 Spring Meet title, never has won a Fall Meet title. …

The victory by Tapizar in Saturday’s final race gave trainer Steve Asmussen his 14th winner of the meet and secured leading trainer honors at the meet. The title is the ninth overall for Asmussen – five in the fall and four in the spring. …

WinStar Farm’s Brethren, the half-brother to 2010 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) winner Super Saver, ran his record to two-for-two on Saturday with a 1 ¾-length victory in the 10th race going a mile. Horacio De Paz, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher, said the colt came out of the race fine and would head to South Florida on Tuesday with the rest of the Pletcher horses at Churchill Downs. Brethren had one work here prior to his Saturday’s win and his regular morning partner was exercise rider Kevin Willey, who served in the same capacity this spring with Super Saver.

CLARK WINNER GIANT OAK HEADING TO FLORIDA ON SUNDAY – Drew Coontz, assistant to trainer Chris Block, was all smiles Saturday morning a day after Giant Oak brought the month of November to a successful close for the barn.

“I’m on Cloud Nine,” Coontz said. “It’s like winning the (Kentucky) Oaks and (Kentucky) Derby.”

Giant Oak’s victory in the Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GI) via disqualification of Successful Dan came on the heels of a victory the day before in the Falls City Handicap (GII) by the Block-trained Dundalk Dust.

“He is doing great this morning and he will leave for Ocala tomorrow morning for some time off,” Coontz said of Giant Oak, who gave the Illinois-based Block stable its third stakes victory of the meet. Askbut I Won’ttell had won the Cardinal (GIII) on Nov. 7.

“When I came here with Giant Oak (in early November before the Breeders’ Cup), I had two horses waiting for me,” Coontz said. “One was Askbut I Won’ttell and the other horse (Wulfgar) ran on the Friday night (Nov. 19) program and got claimed.”

The only Block runner that shipped in for a stake and did not take home a major check was Mister Marti Gras, who finished fifth in the Commonwealth Turf (GIII) on Nov. 13.

The Block runners shared the west end of Barn 48 with trainer Tony Reinstedler’s stable.

This was the spot to be in,” Coontz said. “We did great and Tony had four winners and two seconds from six starters. This was the right barn.”

While Coontz and Company were floating on Cloud Nine, a few barns away trainer David Fawkes was getting ready to drive Duke of Mischief back to South Florida after the colt was elevated to fifth on the disqualification of Demarcation.

Duke of Mischief pressed the pressed from the outside No. 11 post position and was with the leaders until things got tight in the upper stretch.

“I thought he was maybe a little too close early, but then I saw :49 (:48.92) for the half-mile and I thought we might be all right,” Fawkes said. “But then he got in tight in the stretch and he just doesn’t like to be in a spot like that.”

Fawkes said Duke of Mischief came out of the race fine and would get some time off before possibly pointing to the Sunshine Millions at the end of January or possibly a return to the grass.

Finishing right behind Duke of Mischief was Brass Hat, who was trying to become the fifth 9-year-old to win a Grade I race.

“That was just a tough field yesterday,” trainer Buff Bradley said. “He had a safe trip and came back fine. He will take a couple of months off for a vacation and if he stays healthy we would look at the Elkhorn at Keeneland in late April to start him back.”

Meanwhile, trainer Paul McGee was wondering what might have after seeing both Demarcation and Dubious Miss with the leaders in upper stretch only to have the roof cave in when Demarcation caused the inference that led to his being placed last by the stewards.

“I really don’t know what they were doing playing bumper cars at the three-sixteenths pole,” McGee said.

Jockey) Robby (Albarado) said he felt Dubious Miss was getting ready to explode and he was getting ready to set him down and then he gets walloped … walloped by the home team.”

McGee said both horses came out of the race in good order.

“I might give Demarcation some time off in Ocala,” McGee said, “but he will eventually go to the Fair Grounds, where Dubious Miss will be.”

TODAY’S POTENTIAL STARS FOLLOWING IN SOME FANCY FOOTSTEPS -- Today’s sixth annual “Stars of Tomorrow II” program is entirely devoted to rising 2-year-old stars who have aspirations of trail-blazing their way to next year’s Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks

In just five years of existence, Stars of Tomorrow has been the launching pad for 17 Grade I winners, including Super Saver ($1,899,766), who would use a win in last year’s Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club as a springboard to Kentucky Derby 136 glory, plus millionaires Rachel Alexandra ($3,506,730), Lawyer Ron ($2,790,008), Court Vision ($2,591,521), Pure Clan ($1,987,498), Macho Again ($1,825,767), Swift Temper ($1,296,688) and Any Given Saturday ($1,083,533).

In addition to Super Saver, last year’s “Stars of Tomorrow” program featured future stars Fly Down ($1,167,070) and First Dude ($860,160), who finished one-two in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race; Stately Victor ($613,612), who would go on to win the Grade I Toyota Blue Grass; Thiskyhasnolimit ($547,532), the runner-up in the Iowa (GIII) and Indiana (GII) Derbies; and No Such Word ($503,213), who has won five of her nine 2010 starts going into today’s Gazelle (GI at Aqueduct), including the Monmouth Oaks (GIII).

MINE THAT BIRD TO GET CHURCHILL DOWNS SENDOFF SUNDAY – Sunday will be a day of celebration as Churchill Downs will honor 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) winner Mine That Bird, who will be leaving on Monday on a journey home to New Mexico.

Owned by the Double Eagle Ranch of Mark Allen and Dr. Leonard Blach’s Buena Suerte Equine, Mine That Bird will walk over with horses for Sunday’s seventh race (post time 3:41 p.m. ET). The 4-year-old gelding will remain in the paddock during the race and then walk to the winner’s circle for his farewell ceremony before returning to Barn 44.

Before Mine That Bird makes his walk to the paddock wearing a winner’s blanket with the Kentucky Derby 135 logo, there will be other festivities.

Following the second race (1:08 p.m. post time) in the winner’s circle, Allen and Dr. Blach will be interviewed in the winner’s circle by Churchill Downs Vice President of Communications John Asher. After the third race (1:38 p.m. post time) Asher will interview former trainer Chip Woolley.

There will be a table in the paddock with a farewell poster for guests to sign along with 1,000 Mine That Bird buttons that will be handed out.

Mine That Bird, who paid $103.20 for the second-highest Kentucky Derby payoff in the race’s 136 years, was retired from racing following a 10th-place finish in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI) on Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs. He completed his racing career with a record of 5-2-2 in 18 races with earnings of $2,228,637.

BARN TALK – Not so fast on handing the Fall Meet’s leading rider title to Julien Leparoux. Robby Albarado rode three winners on Friday to move within two victories of Leparoux with two racing days left in the meet. Leparoux’s margin stands at 25-23 with Leparoux slated to ride 11 races and Albarado all 12. Both riders have 10 mounts Sunday. Also moving into contention with three wins Friday was Shaun Bridgmohan, who now has 20 victories. He has nine mounts today and seven on Sunday. …

Steve Asmussen maintains a comfortable five-victory lead in his bid for a fourth consecutive leading trainer title. This would be Asmussen’s fifth Fall Meet title and ninth overall. …

Ken and Sarah Ramsey also maintain a nice cushion as they pursue their fourth consecutive Fall Meet leading owner title. The Ramseys have sent out six winners, three more than closest pursuer Penny Lauer. The Ramseys have won 16 leading owner titles (eight fall, eight spring) with 15 of them being outright crowns.

WORK TAB – Due Date, sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GII), worked six furlongs in 1:16.20 for trainer Steve Margolis.

Memorable renewals of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), won by WinStar Farm’s homebred Super Saver, and the Kentucky Oaks (GIII), won by a nose by Blind Luck: brilliant performances by reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and rising star Blame; and four exciting evenings of “Downs After Dark” night racing were among the most magical moments of the 42-day Spring Meet at Churchill downs that concluded on Sunday, July 4.

The central human figure in many of the meet’s brightest moments moments was jockey Calvin Borel, who not only achieved his 1,000th career victory beneath the Twin Spires during the meet, but also won his first Spring Meet riding title.  He piloted Super Saver to victory in the Run for the Roses, an unprecedented third Kentucky Derby victory in four years, and was aboard for Rachel Alexandra’s return to form as the 2009 Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner took the Fleur de Lis Handicap (GII) by 10 ½ lengths for her first victory of the year.

“Our renewals of the Kentucky Derby and Oaks, run under vastly different weather conditions, were among the most successful in history and American racing’s greatest weekend continues to display the best of the sports and entertainment aspects our industry offers,” said Kevin Flanery, president of Churchill Downs. “Our ‘Downs After Dark’ night racing is now clearly established as an entertainment option that is attractive to a wide range of age groups and all segments of the population in our city and region.  We were disappointed that overall field sizes during the meet were not as large as our fans would prefer, but that is an industry-wide concern and we thank our horsemen who worked hard to participate in our Spring Meet.  We look ahead to our Fall Meet and the return of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships to our track for the next two years.”

Borel guided Super Saver to a 2 ½-length victory over Ice Box over a sloppy track in the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) before a crowd of 155,804, sixth-largest in Derby history and easily the largest attendance for a renewal of the Derby run over a wet track. The huge crowd that endured nearly day-long rains was rewarded when the clouds parted as the field stepped onto the track for the Kentucky Derby post parade and the sun was shining for both for the traditional singing of “My Old Kentucky Home” and the famed race itself.

Super Saver provided trainer Todd Pletcher with his first victory in the Kentucky Derby. Pletcher, who sent four runners in this year’s Run for the Roses, started his first Kentucky Derby runner in 1990 and prior to this year had saddled 24 starters without getting a sniff of the roses.

On the sun-splashed day before the Derby, Blind Luck rallied to defeat Evening Jewel by a nose in the 136th running of the Kentucky Oaks (GI) before a record crowd of 116,046. Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Blind Luck gave trainer Jerry Hollendorfer his third victory in America’s premier race for 3-year-old fillies.    Wagering on the 2010 renewal of the Kentucky Derby race totaled $112.7 million, a 7.8 percent gain on all-sources betting from the 104.6 million wagered on the 2009 Derby.   Total betting on the 13-race Kentucky Derby Day card rose to $162.7 million, a 4.3 percent increase from the $158.0 million wagered on all Kentucky Derby Day races in 2009.

The 2010 renewal of the Kentucky Oaks was the most successful in history.  A record crowd of 116,046 watched the race and all-sources wagering on the Kentucky Oaks race was $10.6 million, an increase of 55 percent over 2009.  Total wagering on entire 12-race Kentucky Oaks Day racing program reached a record $36.0 million, an increase of 20 percent over the previous year.

The success of Kentucky Derby and Oaks Days allowed Churchill Downs to raise purses for its overnight races for the final three weeks of the Spring Meet by 10 percent.  It was the first in-meet increase in purses at Churchill Downs since a similar 10 percent purse hike in June, 2003.  This increase raised purses by about $3,000 per race.

But continued competitive pressure from tracks in racing states that supplement purses with casino and slot machine revenues or other purse subsidies contributed to a decline in average field size for the meet’s races.  The average field in the 439 races run during the 42-day Spring Meet consisted of 7.75 horses, down from 7.85 in 2009.

“Downs After Dark” night racing continued to be an immensely popular product as this year’s four sessions were conducted under Churchill Downs’ new permanent lights, which were installed over the winter at a cost of approximately $4 million.  The 2009 experiment with night race included three sessions under temporary lights.

An average of 27,139 patrons attended the evening programs, ranging from 24,625 to June 18 to 32,481 on July 2. Two more night programs are scheduled for the Fall Meet: Sunday, Oct. 31 and Friday, Nov. 19.   There was added luster to the June 11 launch of “Downs After Dark” racing under permanent lights retired U.S. Army General Tommy Franks, the one-time Commander of the United States Central Command, visited the track and turned on those lights to usher in the new era at Churchill Downs.

The 2010 renewal of the Kentucky Oaks marked it second year as part of a fundraising partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.  Because of that partnership Komen for the Cure later received a check for $118,346 to help fund the search for a cure for breast cancer.  Another Kentucky Oaks fundraising partnership resulted in a check for $30,000 to benefit Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear’s Horses and Hope breast cancer outreach initiative in Kentucky’s horse industry.

Stonestreet Farm and Harold McCormick’s Rachel Alexandra, the Churchill Downs-based Horse of the Year during her 3-year-old season that included a record-smashing 20 ¼-length victory in the 2009 Kentucky Oaks, made two appearances during the Spring Meet.  The first was a narrow loss to Unrivaled Belle in the La Troienne (GII) on the 2010 Kentucky Oaks undercard, but the champion followed that effort on June 12 with her dominant victory in the Fleur de Lis.

Four races after Rachel Alexandra’s return to the winner’s circle, Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s Blame established himself as a major player in the handicap ranks and a contender for this fall’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs by erasing a four-length deficit in midstretch to defeat Battle Plan by three-quarters of a length in the $600,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (GI).

Other Grade I winners during the meet were owner-trainer Tom McCarthy’s General Quarters, who captured the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic under Bejarano, and Mona de Momma, who defeated eight rivals including Eclipse Award winner Informed Decision, in the Humana Distaff.

Borel, who won the 1999 Fall Meet riding title outright and shared titles in the 2006 and 2009 Fall Meets, rode 52 winners during the Spring Meet to easily outdistance Corey Lanerie for his first Spring Meet title. One of those winners was Gray Hart’s Girl on June 4 to give the 43-year-old Borel his 1,000th Churchill Downs victory. Only Hall of Famer Pat Day (2,482) has ridden more winners at Churchill Downs.

Borel was reunited during the Spring Meet with his 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, who returned to the races on July 4 in the Firecracker Handicap Presented by Thorntons (GII). Owned by Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine, Mine That Bird became the first Kentucky Derby winner to race at Churchill Downs since 2005 winner Giacomo returned to run fourth in the 2006 Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI).  Mine That Bird finished a disappointing eighth in his 2010 debut, but new trainer D. Wayne Lukas continues to hope that the 2009 Derby winner will progress in the coming months and return to Churchill Downs in the fall for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Steve Asmussen won his third consecutive training title, saddling 24 winners. It was the fourth Spring Meet title for the two-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer, who also has won leading trainer honors four times during the Fall Meet. Asmussen’s roster of winner’s included Stonestreet Stable’s Kantharos, an impressive 9 ½-length winner of the 109th running of the $100,000-added Bashford Manor Stakes (GIII) for 2-year-olds on Saturday, July 3.  The victory by the unbeaten colt stamped him as an early contender for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) in November and the 137th Kentucky Derby (GI) next May.

Trainer Dale Romans, who finished second in the trainers’ race with 19 victories, hit the 500-victory milestone at Churchill Downs when Skipadate won the eighth race on June 17. Romans, a 43-year-old Louisville native, saddled his first winner at Churchill Downs on Nov. 12, 1987.

Maggi Moss earned her second leading owner title as she collected nine winners to edge Ken and Sarah Ramsey.  Moss’ other Churchill Downs title came in the 2007 Spring Meet.

DERBY 136 PLAYERS STATELY VICTOR, DEAN’S KITTEN WORK AT TRACKSIDE LOUISVILLE – With the experience of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) now two weeks in the rear-view mirror, the pair of “Run for the Roses” participants trained by Mike Maker – Thomas and Jack Conway’s Stately Victor and Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Dean’s Kitten – returned to serious training on Saturday at Churchill Downs’ Trackside Louisville training center.

Stately Victor, who finished eighth behind Super Saver on Derby Day, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.20 over the fast six-furlong oval under exercise rider Derrick Smith.  Dean’s Kitten, who checked in 14th in the 20-horse Derby field, breezed five furlongs under Marvin Jiminez, worked a half-mile in :49.40.

“They both came out of the race well and they worked excellent this morning,” Maker said.

The Derby runners will be embarking on separate paths for the remainder of their 3-year-old campaigns.  Stately Victor, the winner of the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) over Keeneland’s synthetic Polytrack course, would return to the Triple Crown trail with a run in the $1 million Belmont Stakes (GI) on June 5.  Maker said Dean’s Kitten, a homebred son of 2004 turf champion Kitten’s Joy and winner of the Lane’s End (GII) on Turfway Park’s Polytrack surface,, would focus on grass and synthetic courses through the summer.  His near-term goal is the $500,000 Colonial Turf Cup (GI) on June 19at Virginia’s Colonial Downs.

Maker thought Stately Victor ran well in a ruggedly-run Derby and the son of Ghostzapper should be well-equipped to handle the Belmont’s 1 ½-mile distance.

"Stately Victor, I think, ran a decent race,” said Maker.  “He had some trouble, along with a bunch of others and that was that.”

Also working for Maker on Saturday at Trackside Louisville was the Ramseys’ Furthest Land, upset winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Oak Tree at Santa Anita last fall.  He has not raced since a last-place finish behind Gloria De Campeao in the $10 million Dubai World Cup (GI) at Dubai’s Meydan Racecourse on March 27.   Maker has no firm plans for a return to racing by Furthest Land, but is encouraged by his progress.

“It’s still up in the air,” said Maker.  “I think he recovered from Dubai a lot better than we were expecting, but we’ll just wait ‘til he’s ready and see what’s out there.”

Another Maker worker was the Ramsey’s Accredit, winner of the Churchill Downs (GII) in 2009.  The 5-year-old breezed a half-mile in :49.20.

VETERAN BRASS HAT PREPS FOR LOUISVILLE ‘CAP DEFENSE WITH CHURCHILL DOWNS WORK – With a bid for a repeat victory in the $100,000-added Louisville Handicap (GIII) just a week away, Fred Bradley’s homebred veteran Brass Hat tuned-up for the 1 ½-mile turf test with a sharp five furlong work on the dirt on Saturday morning at Churchill Downs.

The 9-year-old gelded son of Prized zipped the five-eighths mile distance in 1:00.40 under veteran jockey Charles Woods Jr., as regular rider and workout partner Calvin Borel was in Baltimore to ride Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver in the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course.  The move was the third-fastest of 23 at the distance over a fast racing surface.

Trainer William “Buff” Bradley, the owner-breeder’s son, is thrilled with the spark displayed by his veteran star as Brass Hat approaches his third start of the year.  He opened the season with an eighth-place run behind Bearpath in the Pan American (GIII) at Gulfstream Park and followed it with a strong runner-up finish to Musketeer in the $200,000 Elkhorn (GII) on the Keeneland turf.

That runner-up finish improved Brass Hat’s career recrd to 9-7-4 in 35 races and boosted his earnings to $2,087,110.  Those numbers include a victory on dirt in the Donn Handicap (GI) and a runner-up finish (later vacated because of a medication infraction) in the $5 million Dubai World Cup in 2006 – highlights of a career that began with a runner-up finish in a race for $15,000 claiming horses in January 2004 at Turfway Park.

A few days after his Elkhorn run, Brass Hat traveled to Frankfort, Ky., where the farm of his owner, a former Kentucky state senator, is located.  The international exploits of the veteran who was bred and raised on the elder Bradley’s farm have made him a folk hero to residents near that city and Brass Hat was honored in Kentucky’s capital city with a day named in his honor.

"It was so cool,” recalled Buff Bradley.  “I took him off the trainer and put him in a portable stall – a 10’ x 20’ stall that was open all the way around – and he never turned a hair.  He worked the crowd like a true politician.  He ate peppermints out of all the kids’ hands, and Calvin came and spoke.  We had two governors there – Brereton Jones and Julian Carroll – and (former Keeneland Association President) Ted Bassett came and spoke,”

The event that honored both Brass Hat and his owner-breeder was a fundraiser for a museum in Frankfort.

“It turned out to be a great day,” said Buff Bradley.  “He got to go home for a few days and they had a little party for him and everything.  But since then he’s come back to the track and done very well.  We’re on target to run next weekend.”

The Louisville figures to offer an enticing match-up of what could be billed as the “Senior Tour” of Kentucky racing as Brass Hat’s rivals could include Chrysalis Stable’s Silverfoot, a three-time Louisville ‘Cap winner (2004-06) who is now 10 years old.

"I’ve been watching him train and I’d be surprised if he didn’t go in there,” Bradley said.  “It looks like he’s doing very well, too.”

Whatever happens next Saturday and the rest of the year with Brass Hat is a bonus for Bradley and his father.  Their star has suffered a pair of significant injuries during his racing career, but has come back in stakes-winning form from each setback.

"I thought he was done at five,” Bradley said.  “So the last four years have been great.  We truly didn’t expect it.  It wasn’t going to break out hearts if he didn’t get to run after everything he had already done for us.  He’s been something.”

STAKES STARS DOT SATURDAY CHURCHILL DOWNS WORK TAB – Several stakes winners were among horses that turned in serious workouts in perfect spring weather on Saturday at Churchill Downs.  
    Multiple Grade I winner Court Vision, a narrow runner-up to General Quarters in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) on Kentucky Derby Day, breezed four furlongs in :51 for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Trainer Eddie Kenneally sent out Custom for Carlos, a candidate for Churchill Downs’ $100,000-added Aristides on June 29, out for a four-furlong move in :49.40.  The move by Homewrecker Stable and Avalon Farm’s winner of this year’s Count Fleet (GIII) and Mr. Prospector (GIII), ranked 23rd out of 42 at the distance.

David Holloway Racing’s Dubious Miss, a candidate for the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) on June 12, breezed five furlongs in 1:03.40 for trainer Paul J. McGee.  The 6-year-old E. Dubai gelding won the Ben Ali (GIII) over the synthetic Polytrack surface at Keeneland last time out.

Silverbulletday (GIII) winner Jody Slew, 13th for trainer Bret Calhoun behind Blind Luck in the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (GI), breezed four furlongs in :49.80.

WEEKLY HANDICAPPING CONTEST WILL OFFER PRIZE MONEY, TRIP TO HORSEPLAYER WORLD SERIES – This spring’s “Who’s the Champ?” Handicapping Contest at Churchill Downs will offer $4,000 in prize money each week and five prize packages to compete in the Horseplayer World Series in Las Vegas.

First prize each week will be $1,500 and a five-day, four-night trip to Las Vegas to compete in the Horseplayer World Series, which is scheduled for Feb. 16-19, 2011 at the Orleans Resort and Casino.
The popular handicapping contest will begin this Sunday and continue every Sunday through June 13.

The “Who’s the Champ?” Handicapping Contest is a game of skill that tests the player’s ability to handicap Thoroughbred racing. Each contestant will start the day with a $24 imaginary bankroll and may only wager exactly $2 to win and $2 to place on six designated races from Churchill Downs.

the contest costs $30 per entry ($25 for Twin Spires Club members) and is limited to 400 entries with a limit of three entries per person.  Registration is scheduled in the Champions Club Lounge on the second floor of the clubhouse on Sundays between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

BARN TALK – Nominations close Saturday, May 15 for a pair of upcoming stakes races at Churchill Downs: the $100,000 Aristides (GIII) for 3-year-olds & up at six furlongs on Saturday, May 29, and the $100,000-added Winning Colors (GIII) at six furlongs for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and up to be run on Memorial Day, May 31.  Nominations can be made online at www.churchilldowns.com or by phone (502.636.4470) or fax (502.636.4598) before midnight (EDT) on Saturday.

BOREL HAPPY WITH SUPER SAVER, PREAKNESS POST – A winner of three of last four runnings of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), jockey Calvin Borel will bid Saturday for his second consecutive victory in the $1 million Preakness, the second jewel of racing’s Triple Crown, aboard WinStar Farm’s Derby winner Super Saver.

Borel is scheduled to ride in eight of Thursday’s nine races at Churchill Downs, then boards a flight to Baltimore and Pimlico Race Course, where hopes to help keep the Triple Crown hopes of owner/breeder WinStar and trainer Todd Pletcher alive.  Super Saver was installed as the 5-2 favorite for the Preakness and the son of Maria’s Mon drew post eight in a field of 12 3-year-olds.

“I’m very happy,” Borel said Thursday at Churchill Downs.  “I worked him the other morning and Todd was very pleased.  “He galloped out good, switched leads perfect right at the eighth pole.  You can’t ask for a better place.”

Last year, Borel abandoned longshot Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird to ride Kentucky Oaks (GI)-winning filly Rachel Alexandra in the 1 3/16-mile second jewel of the Triple Crown.  Stonestreet Stable and Harold McCormack’s future Horse of the Year and Borel held off the late-running Mine That Bird to take the 2009 Preakness.  His 2007 Kentucky Derby winner, James Tafel’s Street Sense, was nipped at the Preakness finish by future two-time Horse of the Year Curlin.

Four of the horses that faced Super Saver at Churchill Downs – third-place Derby finisher Paddy O’Prado, beaten favorite Lookin At Lucky, Dublin and Jackson Bend – are back for another try at Borel’s Derby winner in the Preakness, with seven horses stepping into Triple Crown competition for the first time.

“We’ve got a couple of new shooters, but I don’t think they’ve got the class this horse has,” Borel said.  “What I like about this colt is he’s peaking.  He’s lightly-raced coming into here, but I think that’s a big plus.  It might not be, but in my opinion I think it is.”

Borel and agent Jerry Hissam continue to limit media opportunities for the popular rider in the days leading up to the Preakness.  Those limits are to allow Borel to maintain focus on Saturday’s goal: to win the Preakness and take dead aim three weeks later on the Belmont Stakes (GI) with a chance to become the first 3-year-old to sweep the elusive Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978.

“We’re going to go out there and try our damndest to win it,” Borel said.  “If we can get away with this one, we’ll worry about the next one.  But we’re just going to worry about this one now.”

Borel will ride at Pimlico on Friday and Saturday in a light schedule that includes the mount on favored Tidal Pool for trainer D. Wayne Lukas in Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan (GII) for 3-year-old fillies. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             HOT MARGOLIS HAS HIGH HOPES FOR COOL BULLET – One of the hottest trainers thus far at Churchill Downs hopes that playing it cool will pay off in Saturday’s featured ninth running of the $100,000 Matt Winn Stakes.

Steve Margolis started Thursday’s race with five victories – one win back of current leading trainer and two-time Eclipse Award-winner Steve Asmussen – and will look to improve that total Saturday when he saddles Robert and Lawana Low and Winmore LLC’s Cool Bullet in the seven-furlong Winn.

The gelded son of Preakness winner Red Bullet returns to competition six weeks after a 4 ½-length romp in the $50,000 Hansel at six furlongs on Polytrack at Turfway Park.  The victory was the third in seven races for Cool Bullet, who had tried the Kentucky Derby trail over the winter, but returned to one-turn distances following an eighth-place finish to Conveyance in Oaklawn’s Southwest (GIII) at 1 1/16 miles.

“We thought the Hansel would be a good race to get him back on course, as opposed to the [one-mile The Cliff’s Edge] Derby Trial (GIII) and it worked out really well,” Margolis said.  “He couldn’t be training any better.  We’ve had four really nice moves over the track.”

Calvin Borel rode Cool Bullet in the Hansel, but will be at Pimlico on Saturday to ride Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver in the Preakness.  Brian Hernandez Jr., who was aboard Cool Bullet in his first five starts, will be back in the saddle for the Matt Winn.  Cool Bullet’s five foes include Iroquois (GIII) winner Thiskyhasnolimit, winner of last fall’s Iroquois (GIII) at Churchill Downs and the beaten favorite in the $150,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) won by Super Saver, and the John Sadler-trained Privilaged, a good third to D’Funnybone in Gulfstream Park’s Swale (GII) at the Winn distance of seven furlongs last out.
That’s a lot of quality in a six-horse field, but Margolis likes the chances of Cool Bullet in the Winn, a race Margolis just missed winning a year ago when he saddled Richard, Elaine and Bert Klein’s Cash Refund to a runner-up finish behind Capt. Candyman Can.

“He’s a nice little gelding,” Margolis said of Cool Bullet.  “He trains very good, he’s a very handy little horse and does everything right.”

Cash Refund, last year’s Winn runner-up, continues to train toward a run in the $100,000-added Aristides (GIII) at six furlongs.

Margolis is also looking at plans for the Kleins’ 3-year-old Stay Put, an allowance winner on Kentucky Derby Day that is being considered for a run in the Belmont Stakes (GI), the third jewel of the Triple Crown on June 5.  He said the Broken Vow colt is nominated to the $125,000 Northern Dancer (GIII) on June 12 at Churchill Downs, but a bid by the Kleins for the 1 ½-mile Belmont is very possible.

The horse is improving,” Margolis said.  “You only get so many chances to run in the Belmont.  We’re just going to wait and see what happens out of the Preakness.  We’ve got the Northern Dancer in our backyard, too, so we don’t really have to make any decisions now.”

VETERANS TOP LOUISVILLE HANDICAP NOMINATIONS - Former victors Brass Hat and Silverfoot top the 33 nominees for the 73rd edition of the $100,000-added Louisville Handicap (GIII) to be run Saturday, May 22 at 1 ½ miles over the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Fred F. Bradley’s Brass Hat will be looking for his first victory since taking the 2009 Louisville Handicap for trainer William “Buff” Bradley. Brass Hat recorded a second place finish in his last start, the Elkhorn Stakes (GII) at Keeneland on April 23.

Chrysalis Stables LLC’s Silverfoot, at age 10, looks to regain his winning form as a previous winner of this race in 2005 and ‘06. One of two three-time winners of the Louisville, the salty veteran is just $52,000 shy of hitting the $1 million mark with $948,365 in earnings for trainer Dallas Stewart.

Other notable nominees include Lothenbach Stables Inc.’s Bearpath, who two starts back took the Pan American (GIII) at Gulfstream Park, and Johanna L. Glen-Teven’s Musketier (GER), the winner of the Elkhorn Stakes.

PREAKNESS STAKES FESTIVITIES AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Advanced wagering on the Preakness Stakes will be offered all day Friday at Churchill Downs, plus the Black-Eyed Susan/Preakness Double – similar to the Oaks/Derby Double – will connect Friday’s Grade II, $175,000 Black Eyed Susan and Saturday’s $1 million Preakness.

The pageantry of the Preakness Stakes will be featured prominently at Churchill Downs on Saturday with the simulcast of the second jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown from Pimlico.

The first 5,000 fans attending Churchill Downs will receive a free Super Saver/Calvin Borel commemorative button in the paddock area while supplies last. Also, Black-Eyed Susan specialty drinks will be on tap at Churchill Downs at select locations, plus Dixieland and Big Band music will be performed in the paddock area and Millionaires Row 4 and 6.

Additionally, the Crab Derby returns as select customers will be in crab costumes competing in races throughout the day, with the final being held on the Matt Winn Turf Course immediately after Race 7.
Post time for the Preakness Stakes simulcast is 6:15 p.m. ET, which immediately follows the 11th and final live race at 5:58 p.m. ET.

SATURDAY’S SEVENTH RACE TO HONOR OLMSTEAD – For the second consecutive year, Churchill Downs will run the Chuck Olmstead Memorial on Preakness Stakes Day to honor the memory of the popular Louisville telvision newsman who passed away in March 2009 after an aneurysm ruptured in his brain.

The second annual Chuck Olmstead Memorial will be run as Race 7 on Saturday at approximately 3:57 p.m. ET.

Olmstead, who was a 34-year veteran at WHAS-11, was a longtime fan of Thoroughbred racing. Both he and his signature hat were broadcast fixtures in the Churchill Downs paddock on Kentucky Derby.
With tremendous encouragement from the community, Chuck’s widow, Candy Olmstead, has established a special fund in her husband’s memory through Norton Healthcare Foundation to support screenings and education provided by Norton Neuroscience Institute. These screenings will help detect aneurysms before they rupture, increase awareness of symptoms of ruptured brain aneurysms and, perhaps, save lives in the process.

More information can be found and pledges can be made online at ChuckOlmsteadFund.com.

TURN 3 TO PERFORM DURING FRIDAY HAPPY HOURS – This week’s “Dress to Impress” Friday Happy Hours from 4-7 p.m. in Churchill Downs’ paddock area will showcase live music by Turn 3, $2 Budweiser Select, $2 mojitos and $2 hot dogs. Also, one male and one female deemed “most stylish” will a $100 wagering voucher and $250 gift certificate to a local Louisville area boutique, respectively.

ASHER WILL BE SPECIAL ‘GET IN THE GAME WITH JILL BYRNE’ GUEST – Churchill Downs vice president of racing communications John Asher will be Saturday’s “Get in the Game with Jill Byrne” special guest. Byrne and Asher will provide insight and analysis of the Preakness Stakes plus select races at Pimlico Race Course and Churchill Downs. The half-hour program will begin at 11:45 a.m. in the paddock area and will be televised on television monitors throughout Churchill Downs.

WEEKLY HANDICAPPING CONTEST WILL OFFER PRIZE MONEY, TRIP TO HORSEPLAYER WORLD SERIES – This spring’s “Who’s the Champ?” Handicapping Contest at Churchill Downs will offer $4,000 in prize money each week and five prize packages to compete in the Horseplayer World Series in Las Vegas.

First prize each week will be $1,500 and a five-day, four-night trip to Las Vegas to compete in the Horseplayer World Series, which is scheduled for Feb. 16-19, 2011 at the Orleans Resort and Casino.
The popular handicapping contest will begin this Sunday and continue every Sunday through June 13.

The “Who’s the Champ?” Handicapping Contest is a game of skill that tests the player’s ability to handicap Thoroughbred racing. Each contestant will start the day with a $24 imaginary bankroll and may only wager exactly $2 to win and $2 to place on six designated races from Churchill Downs.

The contest costs $30 per entry ($25 for Twin Spires Club members) and is limited to 400 entries with a limit of three entries per person. Registration will be open Sundays between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in the Champions Club Lounge on the second floor of the clubhouse. 

BARN TALK – Churchill Downs based jockeys Robby Albarado (four mounts), Calvin Borel (three mounts including Super Saver in the Preakness), Garrett Gomez (eight mounts, including Dublin in the Preakness) and Julien Leparoux (eight mounts, including Pleasant Prince in the Preakness) will be riding at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday.

WORK TAB (Main: FAST … Turf: FIRM, dogs up) – Louisville Stakes (GII) winner Atta Boy Roy zipped four furlongs under jockey Calvin Borel in :47.20, the fastest work of 26 at the distance … Three-time Louisville Handicap (GIII) winner Silverfoot breezed five furlongs on turf in 1:03.20 … Lost Aptitude breezed four furlongs on turf in :49.40 for trainer Dale Romans … You Go West Girl breezed three furlongs on turf in :37.60 for trainer Tom Proctor.

The stables that have been the hottest of the opening two of weeks of Churchill Downs’ 42-day Spring Meet clash head-on Saturday when 2009 Iroquois Stakes (Grade III) winner Thiskyhasnolimit and Hansel Stakes winner Cool Bullet meet in Saturday’s ninth running of the $100,000-added Matt Winn Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs.

Cathy and Bob Zollars and Mark Wagner’s Thiskyhasnolimit represents trainer Steve Asmussen, who swept the 2009 Spring and Fall Meet training titles at Churchill Downs and has collected six wins during the opening 10 days of racing to top the “leading trainer” standings.  Owned by Robert and Lawanna Lowe and Winmore LLC, Cool Bullet will be saddled by Steve Margolis, who is just one back of Asmussen in search of his first training title beneath the venerable Twin Spires.  Thiskyhasnolimit and Cool Bullet are the 2-1 and 5-2 top choices, respectively, in oddsmaker Mike Battaglia’s morning line odds in the Matt Winn, which attracted a field of six.

The Matt Winn, named in honor of the legendary Churchill Downs general manager and president who built both the Kentucky Derby (Grade I) and Churchill Downs into international sports icons during his 1902-1949 tenure, is scheduled as the 10th of 11 live races on a Saturday racing program that also includes the simulcast of the Preakness (GI), the second jewel of the Triple Crown.  Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver heads a field of 12 in the 1 3/16-mile classic at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course. Post time for the day’s first race is 12:45 p.m. (all times Eastern).

Thiskyhasnolimit has not raced since Nov. 28, when the son of Sky Mesa finished sixth as the favorite to Super Saver in the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) at Churchill Downs.  He has a record of 2-1-1 in six races – including a 2-1-0 slate in three Churchill Downs starts – with earnings of $138,149.  Shaun Bridgmohan will ride.

Cool Bullet is coming off an impressive 4 ½-length victory in the $50,000 Hansel Stakes over the Polytrack surface at Turfway Park on March 27.  Prior to that, the gelded son of 2000 Preakness winner Red Bullet had won the Sugar Bowl at Fair Grounds and finished a solid fourth to Ron the Greek in the $100,000 Lecomte at one mile and 40 yards at the New Orleans track.  Brian Hernandez Jr. will be in the saddle.

Others in the field include C R K Stable’s Privilaged, third to D’Funnybone in the Swale (GII) at Gulfstream Park and the 3-1 third choice for trainer John Sadler.  Donegal Racing’s Vow to Wager, winner of the John Battaglia Memorial via disqualification, is the 7-2 fourth choice for trainer Dale Romans.

The field for Saturday’s Matt Winn, from the rail out (with jockey, weight and morning line odds), includes: Silver Craft (Freddie Lenclud, 117, 8-1); Privilaged (Jon Court, 117, 3-1), Cool Bullet (Hernandez, 119, 5-2), Vow to Wager (Miguel Mena, 119, 7-2), Southern Danger (Corey Nakatani, 117, 15-1), and Thiskyhasnolimit (Bridgmohan, 119, 2-1).

ROMANS DUO COMPLETES CHURCHILL PREPARATIONS FOR PREAKNESS – Routine gallops were the order of the day on Tuesday for a pair of Preakness contenders trained by Louisville native Dale Romans, who is looking forward to saddling his double-barreled bid for a first victory in a Triple Crown classic.

Donegal Racing’s Paddy O’Prado, third to Super Saver in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), will be joined in the starting gate on Saturday by stablemate First Dude, Donald Dizney’s third-place finisher behind Stately Victor and Paddy O’Prado in the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland on April 10.

Paddy O’ Prado will enter the Preakness without a work between the Kentucky Derby and Saturday’s race in Baltimore.  Beaten Kentucky Derby favorite Lookin At Lucky, sixth in the ruggedly-run race, also heads to Pimlico Race Course without a work between races.

“He didn’t need to work,” Romans said of his gray colt.  “If’s he not fit now, a half-mile work is not going to do him much good.”

Romans was relieved that First Dude finally seemed assured of a spot in the starting gate in Saturday’s Preakness.  Earlier in the week, it appeared that the 1 3/16-mile second jewel of the Triple Crown could attract an overflow field and Romans’ imposing bay son of Stephen Got Even could be left on the outside looking in.

“I wanted to run him in the Derby,” said Romans.  “I think he’ll run good.”

The trainer’s confidence in First Dude was boosted on Sunday when the Nick Zito-trained Fly Down, who has handed First Dude a pair of narrow defeats at Churchill Downs and Gulfstream Park, scored a runaway victory in Sunday’s Dwyer (GII) at Belmont Park.  First Dude has a record of 1-3-1 in six career races.

“He’s a nice horse,” said Romans of First Dude.  “He’s a big, strong colt and he’s run with some of the best.  Fly Down just beat him twice and came back and crushed ‘em in the Dwyer.  We just think a lot of him.”

There is a potential for rain at Pimlico over the next few days, but Romans said track condition should be of little concern to his Preakness hopes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 “It shouldn’t bother either one of them,” he said.  “I think both of them will run on anything.  Paddy’s already proven that by running well on grass, Poly[track] and mud.  I don’t see why running on a fast track would be any different.”

SUPER SAVER WELL ON EVE OF JOURNEY TO BALTIMORE, NO PREAKNESS FOR MISSION IMPAZIBLE – WinStar Farm’s Super Saver, winner of the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), was reported to be doing well on the morning after Monday’s Churchill Downs workout that completed his serious training for Saturday’s 135th running of the Preakness (GI), the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
The son of Maria’s Mon worked three furlongs in :36.60 over a fast track under regular jockey Calvin Borel on Monday.  Mike McCarthy, the assistant who oversees Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher’s stable at Churchill Downs, said Super Saver was doing well Tuesday morning.

Pletcher will be represented in the Preakness by Super Saver and Dogwood Stable’s Aikenite, runner-up in the $200,000 The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (GII) on April 24 at Churchill Downs.  Both horses are scheduled to fly from Louisville to Baltimore at midday on Wednesday.

Pletcher confirmed via text message that Twin Creeks Racing Stable’s Mission Impazible, the ninth-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, would not travel to Baltimore to compete in the Preakness.  He said the next start for the winner of the Louisiana Derby (GII) at Fair Grounds has not been determined.

The Pletcher duo and other Preakness contenders on the grounds at Churchill Downs are schedule to board vans at the Pletcher barn for the brief journey to Louisville International Airport around 11:30 a.m. (all times EDT).  The Sutton Forwarding Co. flight that will carry the horses to Baltimore is set to depart from Louisville at noon.

LOOKIN AT LUCKY GALLOPS, GARCIA NOW DEFINITE FOR PREAKNESS RIDE – Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman’s Lookin At Lucky, a troubled sixth in the Kentucky Derby and America’s reigning 2-year-old champion, galloped at Churchill Downs on Tuesday, the eve of the colt’s departure for Baltimore to run in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes.

Trainer Bob Baffert said all was well with the 3-year-old son of Smart Strike, who will bid to provide the three-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer with his fifth victory in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.  Baffert notched earlier wins in the 1 3/16-mile classic with Kentucky Derby winners Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (’98) and War Emblem (2002), and with Point Given, who also won the Belmont Stakes in 2001 after a fifth-place finish as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby.

Baffert said 26-year-old Martin Garcia is confirmed to ride Lookin At Lucky in the Preakness.  It will be the first Preakness ride for Garcia, who will replace Garrett Gomez in the saddle after Lookin At Lucky endured troubled journeys in the Santa Anita Derby (GI), where he finished third, and the “Run for the Roses.”  
The trainer consulted with several more experienced riders who were available to ride in the Preakness, but decided to go with Garcia.

The thing with Martin is that he’s been on him – he’s worked him a lot,” Baffert said.  “And he wins for me.”
Baffert has said that his decision to replace Gomez is not a reflection on the rider’s talent, but an effort to reverse the recent run of bad luck for the horse.

LUKAS LEAVES EARLY WITH DUBLIN, NORTHERN GIANT – Hall of Fame trainer and five-time Preakness winner D. Wayne Lukas decided against a plane ride to Baltimore on Wednesday for his pair of Preakness contenders, who boarded a van Tuesday morning for the overland trip to Pimlico Race Course.

Robert Baker and William Mack’s Dublin, seventh in the Kentucky Derby for Lukas, completed his major preparation for the Preakness with a half-mile work on Monday in 48.40.  Also on the van on Tuesday was Westrock Stables’ Northern Giant., who had breezed three furlongs on Monday at Churchill Downs in :36.40.

Westrock’s Tidal Pool, a game third behind Blind Luck in the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (GI), was also on the van to Pimlico to run in Friday’s $175,000 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (GII) for 3-year-old fillies.  The Lukas-trained Yankee Gentleman filly is the morning line favorite in a field of nine and will be ridden by Calvin Borel.

 SUTTON FLIGHT TO CARRY 10 PREAKNESS HOPES TO BALTIMORE – Wednesday’s Sutton Forwarding Co. flight from Louisville to Baltimore for Saturday’s Preakness will carry 10 Preakness contenders to Pimlico – including eight that have been training at Churchill Downs.

The noon flight will carry the Todd Pletcher-trained duo of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and Aikenite; Lookin At Lucky; the Dale Romans duo of Paddy O’Prado and First Dude; the Nick Zito-trained Jackson Bend, who finished 12th in the Derby; and Hurricane Ike, winner of The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial.

The flight will originate in Ontario, Cal. and Preakness contender Caracortado will board the plane there.  Joining the group of Preakness hopes in Louisville will be Florida Derby (GI) runner-up Pleasant Prince, who has been training at Keeneland for Wesley Ward since his third-place run in The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial.

Also boarding the plane in Louisville will be Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s Blame, the Al Stall, Jr.-trained winner of last fall’s Clark Handicap (GII) who is scheduled to make his 4-year-old in the Schaefer Handicap (GIII) at Pimlico on Preakness Day.  He has been preparing his 2010 debut at Keeneland.

WORK TAB (Track: WET FAST) – Aspire, runner-up in the 2009 Hopeful (GI) and third in the Champagne (GI), breezed five furlongs for trainer Eddie Kenneally in 1:00.60 – the fastest of 16 moves at the distance. … veteran sprinter Euroears breezed a half-mile in :48 … John Battaglia Memorial winner Vow to Wager breezed a half-mile in :50 … Iroquois (GIII) winner Thiskyhasnolimit breezed four furlongs for trainer Steve Asmussen in :50.80.