Tapitsfly

Frank Jones Jr.’s  Tapitsfly, winner of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita, will carry top weight of 117 pounds Sunday when she faces six rivals in the 38^th running of the $100,000-added Cardinal Handicap (Grade III) for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

The Cardinal, won last year by Askbut I Won’ttell, will go as the 10th race on Sunday’s 11-race program with a 5:15 p.m. EDT post time. Post time for the first race on the Sunday program that closes out Breeders’ Cup weekend at the track is 12:40 p.m.

Trained by Dale Romans, Tapitsfly has run twice on the Matt Winn Turf Course in her career with her best finish coming in this spring’s Early Times Mint Julep (GIII) when she finished a neck behind My Baby Baby and Cardinal rival Ravi’s Song. Robby Albarado has the mount on Tapitsfly, who will break from post position five.

Mrs. Yoshio Fujita’s Ravi’s Song is the next high weight at 116 pounds. Trained by Carl Bowman, Ravi’s Song followed up her Mint Julep runner-up finish with a second-place finish in the Matchmaker (GIII) at Monmouth Park. Corey Lanerie has the mount on Ravi’s Song, who will break from post position three.

An intriguing member of the Cardinal field is Juddmonte Farms’ Deluxe, trained by Bill Mott. The 4-year-old Storm Cat filly is a daughter of Hasili, who has produced five Group or Grade I winners including Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf winners Banks Hill and Intercontinental.

Deluxe, winless in two U.S. starts, will carry 115 pounds and break from post position six under Julien Leparoux.

The Cardinald field, from the rail out, includes: A She’s Adorable (Brian Hernandez Jr., 115 pounds), Distorted Love (Miguel Mena, 114), Ravi’s Song (Lanerie, 116), Kiss Mine (Edgar Prado, 114), Tapitsfly (Albarado, 117), Deluxe (Leparoux, 116) and Mutually Benefit (Mark Guidry, 114).

GENERAL QUARTERS, WISE DAN LEAD COMPETITIVE FRIDAY ALLOWANCE – Anyone taking a first glance at Friday’s ninth race at Churchill Downs might think that they were looking at a stakes race; however, it’s an allowance that just happened to come up very tough. The field of seven in the $64,700 allowance/optional claimer is headed by multiple Grade I-winner General Quarters, who is racing for the first time since late last summer, and Wise Dan, winner of last year’s Phoenix (GIII) at Keeneland.

Tom McCarthy’s General Quarters, winner of the 2009 Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland and the 2010 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs, has not raced since finishing seventh in the Arlington Million (GI). He was sidelined last September when he injured his left front leg during training.

McCarthy has taken his time preparing General Quarters for his return and hopes the 5-year-old son of Sky Mesa will deliver a good performance Friday. “There are some really nice sprinters in the race, but hopefully he (General Quarters) will bring his run and be there at the end,” McCarthy said.

General Quarters fired a “bullet” work Sunday in preparation for Friday’s race and McCarthy was very pleased with the workout. “He went very nicely,” said McCarthy of General Quarters’ four furlong work in :47.80 over a fast main track at Churchill Downs. “It was a very good work.”

Morton Fink’s Wise Dan, the other graded stakes winner in the field, has been working forwardly at Keeneland since an eighth place finish in the Alysheba Presented by Besilu Stables (GIII) on Kentucky Oaks Day and will look to get back in the winner’s circle Friday. “His (Wise Dan) last couple of races were very tough and I’m glad we were able to get him in an allowance race,” trainer Charlie Lopresti said. “I think this is a good spot for him and hopefully he can get back on the winning track.”

Lopresti believes the main competition for his two-time Churchill Downs winner will come from General Quarters. “I haven’t looked at the field very closely yet, but I saw General Quarters is in and he’ll be tough,” Lopresti said.

The field is also highlighted by nine-time stakes winner Native Ruler and the stakes-winning 8-year-old, Grand Traverse. Maggi Moss’s Native Ruler has nearly $600,000 in career earnings and won the Bet On Sunshine stakes at Churchill Downs in 2008. Mimicry Partnership’s Grand Traverse is a 10-time winner with $361,499 in career earnings.

The ninth race will be the feature of the 11-race twilight program at Churchill Downs, which begins at 2:45 p.m. (all times Eastern) Friday. Post time for the ninth race is 6:54 p.m.

ROMANS, MOTION WILL FACE OFF IN MINT JULEP PRIOR TO BELMONT – The eyes of the horse racing world will be on Belmont Park at 6:36 p.m. Saturday to witness the Belmont Stakes (GI) rubber match between the Graham Motion-trained Animal Kingdom, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), and Preakness (GI) winner Shackleford, who is trained by Dale Romans. But Motion and Romans will face off at Churchill Downs about an hour before the starting gate springs open in the 143^rd running of the Belmont with 4-year-old fillies running the 35^th running of the Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (GIII), the feature race of an 11-race Saturday program beneath the Twin Spires.

Check the Label, who is trained by Motion for Lael Stables, will enter Saturday’s Mint Julep off a second-place finish to Embur’s Song in the Doubledogdare (GIII) over the Polytrack at Keeneland – her lone start of 2011. The 122-pound high weight for the Mint Julep, Check the Label’s biggest victory came in the Grade I Garden City at Belmont Park, where she finished a length ahead of Barbara Hunter’s homebred Snow Top Mountain, who will also run in the Mint Julep. Jeremy Rose will travel to Louisville to take the mount.

Weighted at 116 pounds is the Romans-trained Tapitsfly, who races under the colors of Frank L. Jones Jr. A 4-year-old daughter of Tapit, Tapitsfly captured the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Oak Tree at Santa Anita in 2009. Tapitsfly was injured following that victory and had a chip removed from her ankle, but resumed training at the end of 2010 and will make her fifth start of the year on Saturday. In her most recent start she finished seventh behind Aviate-GB in the Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile Presented by American Commercial Lines (GII) on Kentucky Derby Day. Miguel Mena will have the mount aboard Tapitsfly.

The field for the Early Times Mint Julep, from the rail with jockey and weight: Ravi’s Song (Corey Lanerie, 114), Bella Medaglia (Jamie Theriot, 113), Vivo Per Lei (Leandro Goncalves, 113), Silver La Belle (Brian Hernandez Jr., 112), Abuela (Marcelino Pedroza Jr., 113), Sweetest Song (Calvin Borel, 115), Tapitsfly (Mena, 116), Snow Top Mountain (Robby Albarado, 119), My Baby Baby (Manny Cruz, 116), Askbut I Won’ttell (Eduardo Perez, 117) and Check the Label (Rose, 122).

BLOCK HOPES ASKBUT I WON’TTELL WILL LAUNCH STRONG SPRING MEET STRETCH RUN – Chicago-based trainer Chris Block’s stable has long been a power at Arlington Park and Chicago-area tracks, but his team flexed considerable muscle in Kentucky during last year’s Churchill Downs Fall Meet when it won two major closing week stakes attractions in the Falls City Handicap (Grade II) won by Dundalk Dust and Giant Oak’s triumph via disqualification in the $500,000-added Clark Handicap (GI).

Those victories were the second and third Fall Meet stakes wins, respectively, for Block, who is hoping for a similar closing bid by his stable in the ongoing Spring Meet.  On Saturday Block will look to the horse that got the ball rolling for his team in the Fall Meet to build momentum again in the searing heat of June.

Team Block’s Askbut I Won’ttell notched the first of Block’s three stakes wins last fall in the Cardinal (GIII) on the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup Saturday undercard.  She returns from a three-month break as one of the major contenders for the $100,000-added Early Times Mint Julep for fillies and mares ages three and up at a mile and a sixteenth on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

The Florida-bred mare is the first of three Block trainees targeted for stakes runs in the Spring Meet’s final weeks.  The others are Giant Oak, who is set to  run in the $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) on June 18, while Mister Marti Gras, a recent allowance winner on turf on turf who is now being pointed toward a run in the $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap (GII) on July 4, the final program of the meet.

Askbut I Won’ttell followed her Cardinal victory with a win over Trip for A.J. in the My Charmer (GIII) at Calder Race Course, but that rival turned the tables on Block’s 5-year-old mare when she scored a half-length victory over Askbut I Won’ttell in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park.

Saturday’s Early Times Mint Julep will be the first race for Askbut I Won’ttell since she finished fifth- in a strong renewal of the $150,000-added Hillsborough (GIII) on March 12 at Tampa Bay Downs.  The Hillsborough was won by Denomination, who returned to win the Violet (GIII) at Monmouth Park on May 30, and its third-place finisher was Keertana, who returned to take the Bewitch (GIII) at Keeneland and then became the first mare to defeat males in the 1 ½-mile Louisville Handicap (GIII) at Churchill Downs.

“We gave her a little time in between that last race and this race,” Block said.  “She ran well (in the Hillsborough), but you could just see she didn’t run like she had been and was a little flat.  So we backed off, freshened her up a little bit and targeted this race as her next spot.”

The daughter of Horse Chestnut brings a record of 6-4-2 in 18 races and career earnings of $384,362 into the Early Times Mint Julep.

With the Virginia H. Tarra Trust’s Giant Oak looming as one of the likely favorites for the Stephen Foster, the newcomer in Block’s bid for a spring stakes three-bagger is Lothenbach Stables’ Mister Marti Gras.  The four-year-old gelded son of Belong to Me rallied from sixth to win a one-mile allowance race on the Matt Winn Turf Course on June 3.  Mister Marti Gras, the runner-up in both the American Derby (GII) at Arlington and Hawthorne Derby (GIII) at three, closed strongly that day to win over a grass course that had its temporary rail up and positioned 15 feet off the hedge, a configuration that often favors horses with early speed.

“That was kind of a race to see if he responded well here over this course,” Block said.  “Speed usually holds up when that rail is up, so that’s part of why I’ll just take a look at the Firecracker with him. I figured he overcame the (speed) bias in his race here.”

The only Fall Meet stakes star missing from Block’s spring arsenal is Dundalk 5 LLC’s Dundalk Dust, who has raced only once since her Falls City triumph: a last-of-seven effort behind Ravi’s Song as the favorite in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes at Fair Grounds.  Dundalk Dust is training steadily at Churchill Downs and her return to racing is not far off, but Block is not sure when the Illinois-bred daughter of Military would run.

“She had some stomach issues over the winter, and that contributed to her poor performance in New Orleans,” Block said.  “We think we’ve got her back and turned around.”

A natural spot for Dundalk Dust’s return would have been the Fleur De Lis (GII), a 1 1/8 mile race for older fillies and mares run in recent years on Stephen Foster Day.  But that race is on hiatus for 2011.

“That would have been perfect,” Block said.  “I’d love to run her here on the dirt, but I don’t know that I’ll get that opportunity.  So I’m kind of taking a wait-and-see approach right now.”

MEET LEADERS AT A GLANCE – Jockey Corey Lanerie, trainer Steve Asmussen and owners Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds are the leaders in their respective categories through 22 days of the 39-day Spring Meet.  Below is a look at the leaders entering Thursday’s action:

Top Jockeys

  1. Corey Lanerie (27-for-124, 22% win-percentage, $788,714 in earnings)

  2. Shaun Bridgmohan (23-for-120, 19%, $728,960)

  3. Julien Leparoux (20-for-109, 18%, $731,969)

  4. Calvin Borel (16-for-123, 13%, $513,501)

  5. Jon Court (14-for-88, 16%, $365,109)                                                       

Top Trainers

  1. Steve Asmussen (12-for-60, 20%, $936,531)

  2. Tom Amoss (9-for-24, 38%, $240,376)

  2. Dale Romans (9-for-58, 16%, $713,669)

  3. Eddie Kenneally (8-for-31, 26%, $198,428)

  4. Ken McPeek (7-for-35, 32%, $376,014)

  4. Tim Glyshaw (7-for-23, 30%, $109,880)

Top Owners

1. Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds (5-for-23, 22%, $110,570)

2. Robert C. Baker and William L. Mack (4-for-13, 31%, $77,315)

2. Tom Ludt’s Vinery Stables (4-for-7, 57%, $134,116)

3. Billy, Donna and Justin Hays (3-for-29, 10%, $75,600)

3. Mace and Samantha Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Stable (3-for-13, 23%, $94,318)

3. Merrill Scherer, Dan Lynch and Ken Sentel (3-for-15, 20%, $84,442)

3. Robert Lothenbach’s Lothenbach Stables, Inc. (3-for-9, 33%, $98,745)

3. Ahmed Zayat’s Zayat Stables LLC (3-for-9, 33%, $537,453)

3. Don Adam’s Courtlandt Farms (3-for-15, 20%, $216,669)

BARN TALK – Nominations for the 111^th running of the $100,000-added Debutante (GIII) for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs close Saturday. The Debutante, which is scheduled to be run on the main track at Churchill Downs on Saturday, June 25, was won last year by Eldon Farm Equine, LLC’s Just Louise under Robby Albarado for trainer Dale Romans. …

Churchill Downs-based jockeys Julien Leparoux, Shaun Bridgmohan, Jesus Castanon and Kent Desormeaux will ride in New York on Saturday as part of the Belmont Stakes Day card. Leparoux, Bridgmohan and Desormeaux will ride at Churchill Downs on Thursday and Friday, but Castanon has already traveled to New York and will make his next start aboard Shackleford in the Belmont (GI).

Friday is the final 2:45 p.m. twilight racing program of the meet before "Downs After Dark" night racing returns with a 6 p.m. first post for the final three Fridays on June 17, June 24 and July 1. Also, the music of Wax Fang will headline the finale performance of the new Paddock Concert Series. The concert will begin shortly after the final race around 8 p.m. General admission will be $3 until 7 p.m. and $10 thereafter. The first 850 people in attendance for the concert will be allowed access into the saddling paddock to watch the concert up close in a VIP viewing area free of charge. A $20 Budweiser Select Balcony reserved ticket (available for purchase online at churchilldowns.com/tickets) includes front-row access, a prime undercover balcony overlooking the paddock and stage, extended drink specials throughout the night and a special gift from Budweiser Select. …

Friday Happy Hours presented by Budweiser Select will take place in the paddock area from 6-8:15 p.m., with $2 Budweiser products, frozen specialty drinks and hot dogs showcased. Also, the band Eight Inch Elvis will be on hand to entertain paddock patrons between races from 5-8 p.m. …

WORKTAB – Columbine Stable’s J.B.’s Thunder, winner of the Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland last October, worked four furlongs in :51.00 over a “fast” main track at Churchill Downs on Thursday morning for trainer Al Stall Jr. The 3-year-old son of Thunder Gulch has not raced since finishing ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) beneath the Twin Spires. …

Robert C. Baker and William L. Mack’s Dublin, who won the 2009 Hopeful (GI) at Saratoga and was seventh in the following year’s Kentucky Derby (GI), recorded his third consecutive “bullet” at Churchill Downs when he worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 for trainer Wayne Lukas on Thursday morning. The 4-year-old son of Afleet Alex was fifth in the 2010 Preakness (GI) in his most recent start. …

Zayat Stables LLC’s Diva Ash, winner of the $113,800 Edgewood on the Kentucky Oaks Day undercard in her most recent start, breezed five furlongs around the dogs on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:01.80 for trainer Dale Romans. Diva Ash is nominated to run in the $125,000-added Regret (GIII), which is scheduled to be run on June 18 as part of the Stephen Foster Day undercard.

Right Time Racing LLC’s two Kentucky Oaks (GI) starters, Bouquet Booth (fifth) and Street Storm (eighth), each breezed five furlongs over the Matt Winn Turf Course on Thursday for trainer Steve Margolis. Bouquet Booth covered the distance in 1:01.80 and Street Storm completed the work in 1:03.20. Both fillies are nominated to the Regret (GIII). …

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (May 29- June 5) are Julien Leparoux (7-for-28), Corey Lanerie (7-for-32) and Robby Albarado (6-for-19). Ken McPeek (3-for-11) and Steve Asmussen (3-for-11) are the hottest trainers over the same period. The hottest owners are Lothenbach Stables, Inc. (2-for-2), Stoneway Farm (2-for-2) and Charles E. Fipke (2-for-4).

WEATHER – Thursday: mostly sunny with a 30% chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms, 93. Friday: partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 91. Saturday: partly sunny with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 90. Sunday: mostly sunny, 87. Monday: mostly sunny with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 87. Tuesday: partly sunny with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 89. Wednesday: mostly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 89.

 

BREEDERS’ CUP WINNER TAPITSFLY BACK IN ROMANS BARN – Trainer Dale Romans’ attention has been focused in recent days on his pair of contenders for Saturday’s Preakness (Grade I) – Donegal Racing’s Paddy O’Prado, the third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) and Donald Dizney’s First Dude.  But there is another reason for Romans to smile as he now can look down his shedrow and see the gray head of Tapitsfly poking out of her stall door.

Frank L. Jones Jr.’s homebred daughter of Tapit was last seen on the track in an impressive victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Filly Turf at Santa Anita, where she rallied from just off the pace to score a half-length victory under jockey Robby Albarado.

The promise of good things loomed for Tapitsfly after that race, which marked her third win in seven lifetime starts that also included a maiden win on traditional dirt at Saratoga and good efforts on dirt during the spring over her home track at Churchill Downs.  But she was forced to the sidelines by injury early in her 3-year-old season and returned to Romans barn at the Louisville track a few days ago.

"We had a chip taken out of her ankle,” Romans said.  “She’s back and looks better than ever, and we’ll start breezing her when we get back from Maryland.”

While she has run well on dirt, Tapitsfly is unbeaten in two races on the grass.  While offspring of the versatile stallion Tapit seem to run well on just about any surface, she is out of Jones’ mare Flying Marlin, a turf specialist who won on grass courses at Churchill Downs and Keeneland during her 18-race career.  Tapit’s other grass win came in the P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga.

Once Tapitsfly begins to breeze, Romans is hoping for quick progress and a chance for Churchill Downs fans to see her compete.

“We’ll try to make one race by the end of the meet,” he said.

Tapitsfly’s career record stands at 3-2-1 in seven races with earnings of $668,142.

LIKELY CONTENDERS FOR STEPHEN FOSTER ‘CAP WORK – A pair of likely contenders for Churchill Downs $600,000 Stephen Foster Handicap (Grade I) on June 12 were in action during training hours Friday morning at Churchill Downs as reigning champion Macho Again and Alysheba (GIII) winner Arson Squad appeared on the fast racing surface for morning works.

Both horses competed in the Alysheba on Kentucky Oaks Day.  Jay Em Ess Stables’ Arson Squad scored an impressive 2 ½-length victory for trainer Rick Dutrow while the Dallas Stewart-trained Macho Again struggled to finish seventh of in that 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up..

Arson Squad, who ran fourth to Macho Again in last year’s Foster, breezed five furlongs in :50 on Friday.  The move by the 7-year-old Brahms gelding ranked as the 16th fastest of 34 at the distance.  The Dutrow trainee won the Skip Away (GIII) at Gulfstream Park prior to the Alysheba and now has a career record of 8-1-4 in 27 races with earnings of $1,108,164.

West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again has not won in five races since his triumph in the 2009 Foster – a string that included a narrow loss to Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in the Woodward (GI) at Saratoga.

Macho Again breezed a half-mile in :49.20 – a move that ranked eighth out of the 34 at the distance.

Macho Again’s record stands at 6-6-0 in 23 races with earnings of $1,819,050.  He has run seven times at Churchill Downs, with a record of 3-1-0 in those races.  The Alysheba was the first start of the year for Macho Again, and his first race since a ninth-place finish behind Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s Blame in the $400,000 Clark Handicap (GII) on Nov. 27 at Churchill Downs.

Blame makes his 4-year-old debut on Saturday in the Schaefer Handicap (GII) on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico.  A good effort there could earn the Al Stall Jr. trainee a start in the Stephen Foster.

Nominations for the Stephen Foster Handicap and other stakes races on the June 12 undercard will close Saturday, May 29.

PREAKNESS STAKES FESTIVITIES AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Advanced wagering on the Preakness 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 www.ChuckOlmsteadFund.com.

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 – Fred Bradley’s homebred Brass Hat, winner of the 2009 Louisville Handicap (GIII), continues to gear-up for a defense of that victory.  Trainer William “Buff” Bradley said Friday that the 9-year-old gelding would work Saturday in preparation for the $100,000-added at 1 ½ miles on turf on May 22.  Regular rider Calvin Borel will be out of town for the Preakness bid by Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver on Friday, so veteran Charlie Woods is expected to be in the saddle for Brass Hat’s work … Leading rider Calvin Borel flew to Pimlico Thursday night for rides aboard Tidal Pool, the third-place finisher in the Kentucky Oaks (GI) in the Black-Eyed Susan (GII) on Friday and Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver in Saturday’s Preakness.  Borel will return to Churchill Downs on Sunday to continue his pursuit of his first Spring Meet riding title at Churchill Downs.  Borel holds a 19-11 edge over Julien Leparoux in the race for leading rider.  Shaun Bridgmohan and Garrett Gomez are tied for third at 10 victories. … 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.

WORK TAB (Main: FAST) – Carter Handicap (GI) winner and Churchill Downs (GII) runner-up Warrior’s Reward breezed four furlongs in :49.80 under exercise rider Tracey Wilkes.  The Ian Wilkes trainee is being pointed toward the Metropolitan Handicap (GI) at Belmont Park and his work ranked as the 13th fastest of 38 at the distance.… Unforgotten breezed four furlongs in :50.60 for trainer Dallas Stewart. … Age of Humor, runner-up in the Bourbonette (GIII) at Turfway Park and 12th in the Kentucky Oaks, breezed five furlongs in 1:01 Friday over a fast surface at the six-furlong oval at Trackside Training Center.

JONES GOES AROUND THE TRACK ON LAST TIME – It was business as usual Saturday morning at Barn 43 at Churchill Downs with trainer Larry Jones in the saddle and galloping his horses during training hours.

But the game, and Jones’ life, will change on Sunday.

"I am sleeping in that morning,” said Jones, who is turning over the training of his 23 horses to his wife Cindy. “I’m gonna tell Cindy that I’m sick.”

Jones, a 53-year-old native of Hopkinsville, Ky., who began training in 1982, is retiring as a trainer after the Saturday card in which he will send the 3-year-old Payton d’Oro out to face older foes in the $150,000-added Chilukki (Grade II).

Jones galloped four horses Saturday morning, the final one being No Such Word.

“That’s it, I’m done,” Jones said with a laugh after he got off the 2-year-old filly.

“I’m gonna keep on galloping. I think I’m on the gallop list tomorrow, but on the late, late ones. I think tomorrow will be my first day as an exercise rider because I have always had a trainer’s license when I have been galloping my horses.”

Jones owns one stakes victory at Churchill Downs, where he saddled his first starter. That winner was Proud Spell in the 2008 Kentucky Oaks.

But it was another filly that really kick-started Jones’ career, Island Sand, who finished second to Ashado in the 2004 Oaks.

“She was right here in this barn and she was the one that really put us on the map,” Jones said. “We drove back to Ellis Park with her in the trailer that afternoon after the race. We stopped at a McDonald’s for a bite to eat and she went through the drive-through with us.”

Jones, who saddled Hard Spun and Eight Belles to runner-up finishes in the 2007 and 2008 runnings of the Kentucky Derby, still has that trailer.

“It is in Maryland with all my stuff in it that has to get to Oaklawn Park,” Jones said.

Cindy Jones will oversee the barn operations through the end of the Churchill Downs meet on Nov. 28 and then the couple will head home to Henderson, Ky., for the holidays and Christmas with the grandchildren.
Longtime assistants Deirdre Jackson and Cory York will handle the stable’s move to Arkansas and continue to work with Cindy.

DEMARCATION COULD RETURN CLOSING WEEKEND – Trainer Paul McGee already had one horse in his barn targeting the Nov. 27 Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (GII) in Dubious Miss.
He may have picked up a second on Friday when the Amerman Racing Stables’ Demarcation rallied to win the Ack Ack Handicap (GIII) in his first main track start since February 2008.

“The way Mr. (John) Amerman was talking last night, he was thinking about the Clark,” McGee said. “We will talk about it, but Demarcation could come back and defend his title in the River City (Handicap, GIII). He is fine this morning.”

The victory by Demarcation was his first since dead-heating with Karelian in last year’s River City Handicap. Jesus Castanon, who was aboard Demarcation on Friday, also was aboard in the River City to account for the rider’s two Churchill Downs stakes victories.

TAPITSFLY COMPLETES FRIDAY GRAND SLAM FOR ROMANS – If there was any lingering doubt that Friday was Dale Romans’ day, Tapitsfly erased it in Southern California.

Romans was not at Churchill Downs yesterday to see each of his three starters reach the winner’s circle. First up was Bobby B. Goode ($8.80) in the second, followed by Buckwild ($11.60) in the fourth and Sir Jock ($5.80) in the fifth.

The trio of wins gave Romans five through the first four days of the 21-day meet and lifted him into the top spot in the race for “leading trainer” honors.

But the crowning achievement of the day came at Santa Anita when Louisvillian Frank Jones Jr.’s homebred Tapitsfly won the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf under Robby Albarado.

The victory by Tapitsfly, Romans’ only horse in the 2009 World Championships, was Romans’ first Breeders’ Cup win from seven starters.. It was the second Breeders’ Cup victory for Albarado, who won the 2007 Classic on “Horse of the Year” Curlin.

Albarado nearly doubled up in the next race, the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI), finishing second on Beautician for Churchill Downs-based trainer Ken McPeek.

Baldemar Bahena, assistant to Romans, said that Tapitsfly was scheduled to return to Churchill Downs on Sunday.
 
FUND ESTABLISHED TO ASSIST INJURED RIDER BRIMO – Cindy Werner, wife of trainer Ronny Werner, has set up a fund at Fifth Third Bank to assist with the cost of rehabilitation for jockey Julia Brimo who was injured in an Oct. 30 spill at Keeneland.

“They have taken the respirator out and she is breathing on her own,” Cindy Werner said of the 33-year-old Brimo, who remains hospitalized in serious condition at the University of Kentucky Medical Center. “She has some movement in her extremities.”

Brimo’s mount, Golden Stride, clipped heels and feel in the first race on the Polytrack surface at the Lexington track.

“She has been galloping horses for us and rode some for us at Turfway Park,” Cindy Werner said.

Brimo had been a regular fixture at Churchill Downs the past few years as an exercise rider for trainer Mark Casse and among the horses she had galloped here was Sealy Hill, Canada’s Horse of the Year in 2007.

Werner said donations to the fund would be accepted at any Fifth Third Bank or can be mailed to Werner at 1116 Flat Rock Road, Louisville, KY 40245.

BARN TALK – Five-time Churchill Downs riding champion Julien Leparoux was the riding star of the first day of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita on Friday with two victories. Leparoux guided She Be Wild to victory in the $2 million Grey Goose Juvenile Fillies (GI) and Informed Decision in the $1 million Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI). Leparoux also finished third on Forever Together in the $2 million Emirates Airline Filly & Mare Turf (GI),

She Be Wild is trained by Wayne Catalano, who has 22 horses stabled in Barn 42.

Three-time Churchill Downs graded-stakes winner Pure Clan atoned for her last-place showing in last year’s Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf by running a fast-closing second to Midday (GB) for veteran trainer Bob Holthus.

The 1-2 finishers in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic, Life Is Sweet and Mushka, both spent time here in the Spring of 2008 in Barn 19 for trainer Bill Mott.

“Mushka spent some time between here and Keeneland after she wintered at Payson Park,” said Kenny McCarthy, Mott’s Churchill Downs assistant. “Life Is Sweet was here after she ran at Keeneland (fourth in the Grade I Ashland), but the owners (Pam and Marty Wygod) saw that she liked the Polytrack and sent her to John Shirreffs in California.”

Former jockey Joe Deegan, who spends the first part of each morning galloping horses at Churchill Downs, picked up a training victory Friday when Pop Tarrt posted a $101.80 upset in the eighth race.

“We have some horses at the High Point Training Center in LaGrange,” Deegan said. “I gallop here until 7:30 and then go out there. We can train as long as we want out there.”