Tres Borrachos

• KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER BIG BROWN IN EAGER IN GALLOP
• TYLER BAZE VISITS TO WORK TRES BORRACHOS
• ZITO WORKS STEVIL IN COMPANY IN FINAL PREAKNESS PREP
  

BIG BROWN FINALLY GALLOPS ON DAY BEFORE DEPARTURE – IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr.’s Big Brown, a comfortable 4 ¾-length winner of the $2 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) on May 3, took advantage of a perfect spring morning and dry track on Tuesday to eagerly gallop 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Michelle Nevin.

Trainer Rick Dutrow had chosen to jog the 3-year-old son of Boundary over a recent series of wet or sealed tracks and the colt’s gallop was just his second since his authoritative Kentucky Derby victory. Big Brown will have one more trip over the Churchill Downs track on Wednesday before he boards a plane that afternoon for the flight to Baltimore and a run in Saturday’s $1 million Preakness (GI), the second jewel of the Triple Crown which will be run at Pimlico Race Course.

“I’m happy with what I see,” said Dutrow. “I don’t know that I’d be looking for much more than what I see. I’m completely satisfied with everything. The horse has eaten everything since he’s run, he’s been aggressive when he goes to the track – he can’t wait to get there. He bounces off the track when he comes off. This is only the second time we were able to gallop him since the race, but both times it just couldn’t have went better. I just really see a really good picture here – he’s doing really good.”

The Kentucky Derby winner went to the track after the morning break for track maintenance. He stood calmly midway around the first turn for several minutes before Nevin spotted a gap in traffic on the busy track and took Big Brown into his gallop. The colt was very eager on his full turn around the track as he threw his head around playfully and clearly wanted to do more than Nevin’s restraint would allow.

“I rather gallop him than jog him,” said Dutrow. “He’s a lot happier when he gallops, but it’s not a big deal to jog him – especially since he’s got to run back in two weeks. That’s not going to take too much out of him. We’re just kind of playing it safe and cautious and don’t want him to do too much. He’s still got two big races he’s looking at and they’re all cramped in so close together that we don’t want to take too much out of him in his training. We want to watch that.”

A victory in Saturday’s Preakness at a mile and three sixteenths would give Big Brown the opportunity to become racing’s 12th Triple Crown winner – and the first since Affirmed in 1978 – with a victory in the mile and a half Belmont Stakes (GI) at Belmont Park on June 7.

Dutrow said he remains “on target” to give Big Brown a short “blowout” work – perhaps a quarter-mile – at Pimlico on the morning of the race.

“I really like that idea,” he said. “It just seems to work sometimes, and especially in this scenario I really like it because I don’t like breezing my horses until I wait two weeks after they run and this is two weeks exactly. So I’ll just blow him out a little bit the morning that he’s in. That seems to have horses more on their toes for that afternoon, plus it tells them that they’re going to be running later on that day. Sometimes it might be an edge to where they break good – just to sharpen him up a little bit, you know? Not saying that he needs it, but I’m just going to go ahead and try it. I don’t see it being a bad move.”

Big Brown is scheduled to leave Churchill Downs at 3:30 p.m. (EDT) on Wednesday for the short van ride to Louisville International Airport, where he will board his flight to Baltimore. Dutrow plans to ride on the van and the plane with his colt.

Regarding Saturday’s Preakness and its still-developing cast of opponents, Dutrow continues to believe that he trains the best horse in the race. He expects jockey Kent Desormeaux to ride Big Brown with as much confidence as in the Kentucky Derby, but Dutrow will insist that his jockey be wary of making the colt do any more than is necessary. And Dutrow is hoping for another outside post draw after winning the Kentucky Derby from post 20, becoming just the second horse in the 134-year history of the race to do so, and from the outside gate in a field of 12 in the Florida Derby (GI).

“If we draw the outside, it would make me very happy, but we don’t have a choice, so we’re going to take what comes,” he said. “I’m pretty confident things are going to be okay with him come Saturday.”

TYLER BAZE WORKS TRES BORRACOS FOR PREAKNESS – Beau Greely, John Greely IV and Phil Houchens’ Tres Borrachos worked a half-mile after the morning renovation break in :50.40 over a “fast” track under jockey Tyler Baze.

The move rated as the 43rd best of the morning out of 61 at the distance. Trainer Beau Greely got Tres Borrachos in :49.98 while watching the work from the grandstand.

Baze, who rode Tres Borrachos for the first time in the April 12 Arkansas Derby (GII), flew to Louisville on Monday afternoon and returned immediately after the work to Los Angeles where is the leading rider at the Hollywood Park meeting. He plans to catch a redeye to Baltimore Friday night for Saturday’s Preakness.

Baze, who will be riding in his first Preakness, was happy with the work, the fourth at Churchill Downs for Tres Borrachos since arriving in Louisville April 14 after the Arkansas Derby.

“It was so beautiful, it was ridiculous. He went in 49 and change; 13 (seconds), 13, 12 and 11,” Baze said. “He did it the right way and finished well. He is so impressive, the way he worked today, to go over a dirt track like that and not be blowing.”

Greely also was happy with the move.

“That’s what I wanted; 26 and 23,” Greely said. “We are good to go.”

Baze watched Big Brown’s Kentucky Derby victory from Hollywood Park.

“My impression is he’s a good horse, but a horse can’t have his day every day,” Baze said. “I am hoping Saturday is my day. I know this is a good horse, now that I have ridden him in Arkansas and I know him, I am really looking forward to it.”

 

STEVIL TURNS IN FINAL PREP FOR PREAKNESS – Robert LaPenta’s Stevil, fourth in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) on April 12 in his most recent start, worked a half-mile in company with 3-year-old stablemate Da’ Tara in :47.80 after the renovation break Tuesday morning over a “fast” track.

Megan Smillie was aboard Stevil for trainer Nick Zito.

“He went nice and easy,” said Zito, who had postponed the work from Monday because of muddy track conditions. “I’m happy with it. We are ready. He has been running good all winter. Hopefully, he will put in another good effort and we will see what happens.”

John Velazquez has the Preakness mount on Stevil.

ALBARADO EYES PREAKNESS REPEAT – In the 2007 Preakness, Robby Albarado derailed the Triple Crown aspirations of Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense by rallying Curlin to a head victory. On Saturday, Albarado has the mount on Racecar Rhapsody, who will try to hand Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown his first defeat.

“He leaves himself a lot of work to do and hopefully he will give himself a chance early in the race,” said Albarado, who has ridden Racecar Rhapsody in all six of his starts for trainer Ken McPeek. “It seems like he will be able to handle the tighter turns at Pimlico. He will be coming late.

“Hopefully, we will get some pace up front to run at, but at the same time, I don’t want to be too far out at the back that I can’t get to them.”

Racecar Rhapsody galloped a mile and a half after the renovation break with Jose Castanon up Tuesday morning. The colt is scheduled to leave for Pimlico on Wednesday afternoon.

Albarado finished 10th in the Kentucky Derby on Z Fortune behind Big Brown and he is looking forward to taking another shot at the Derby winner.

“You like to have a target for somebody to aim at,” Albarado said. “It’s the same as with Street Sense last year. He was the target after winning the Derby and we got lucky and caught him. Hopefully, we can do the same this year.”

Albarado will be riding at Pimlico on Friday and Saturday. He will ride Briarwood Stable’s Highest Class for trainer Neil Howard in Friday’s Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (GII).

MACHO AGAIN SLATES EARLY WEDNESDAY DEPARTURE – West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again galloped a mile and a half under Kenny Bourque on Tuesday morning, hitting the track just before 6:30.

“He is training so good right now,” trainer Dallas Stewart said. “He was nice and smooth this morning.”

Stewart plans to have Macho Again out in the first set Wednesday when the track opens at 6 a.m. After Macho Again gallops and cools out, Stewart intends to put the winner of the April 26 Derby Trial on a van to Lexington to catch a 10 a.m. flight to Baltimore rather than wait for the 3:30 p.m. flight that will bring Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown and other Preakness starters to Pimlico.

Julien Leparoux, currently the leading rider at Churchill Downs with 19 victories through the first 12 days of the 52-day meet, will make his Preakness debut Saturday on Macho Again.

BARN TALK – Trainer David Carroll appears to have a nice three-year-old filly in Acoma, an impressive allowance winner here Sunday in the slop.

“She had a lot of trouble in the race,” Carroll said of the mile and a sixteenth event in which Acoma lost position on the far turn and was shuffled back to fifth in the field of six. “It wasn’t until Julien (Leparoux) got her outside that she finally relaxed.”

A daughter of 2003 Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Empire Maker out of the Danzig mare Aurora, Acoma has won two of three starts for owners Helen Alexander and Helen Groves.

“I am going to talk it over with the owners,” Carroll said about what’s next for Acoma. “The Dogwood (a $100,000 stake here on May 31), maybe, but that’s a one-turn mile and there are better races down the road.”

WORK TAB – Working a bullet three-eighths Tuesday morning was Arthur Hancock III’s Wanderin Boy. Winner of the 2007 Alysheba (GIII), Wanderin Boy covered the distance in :36 flat, best of 30 at the distance for trainer Nick Zito. … Chrysalis Stables’ Silverfoot, a three-time winner of the Louisville Handicap (GIII), worked six furlongs on the turf in 1:13.80 for trainer Dallas Stewart.

2008 SPRING MEET LEADERS

Through Sunday, May 11

 

Jockeys  Starts 1-2-3

Julien Leparoux 92 19-13-16

Miguel Mena 71 13-9-16

Robby Albarado 61 12-6-7

Shaun Bridgmohan 55 11-8-4

Jesus Castanon 57 10-5-3

Calvin Borel 87 9-12-15

Kent Desormeaux 31 5-8-6

Jamie Theriot 51 5-4-5

Larry Sterling, Jr. 26 5-3-5

Edgar Prado 17 3-5-3

John Velazquez 15 3-3-0

Rafael Bejarano 12 3-0-2

Trainers

Tom Amoss 20 8-3-4

Ken McPeek 17 7-2-1

Steve Asmussen 28 6-4-2

Eddie Kenneally 22 5-5-5

Ian Wilkes 15 5-3-2

Greg Foley 22 5-3-1

Mike Maker 16 5-2-1

Ronny Werner 14 3-4-3

Bill Mott 19 3-3-3

Nick Zito 12 3-2-1

John Fahey III 7 3-1-2

Bobby Frankel 10 3-1-1
Mark Casse 8 3-0-0

Owners

Ken and Sarah Ramsey 18 6-2-2

Maggi Moss 7 5-0-2

Zayat Stables, LLC 18 3-4-2

Padua Stables 3 3-0-0

Six owners tied with two (2) wins

 

IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr.’s Big Brown had his presence announced on the track shortly before 7 a.m. Sunday with a loud clap of thunder.

Unfazed, Big Brown went about his morning activity, jogging one mile with Michelle Nevin up accompanied by a pony.

Heavy overnight rain had left the Churchill Downs racing surface “muddy” and trainer Rick Dutrow, as he had done two days last week, opted to jog the Kentucky Derby winner rather than gallop him.

With his Kentucky Derby victory eight days ago, Big Brown put Nevin in some elite company in being the regular morning exercise rider of a classic winner.

“I first got on him when he came to Florida in November,” Nevin said. “Rick was telling me ‘you’re gonna love this horse’ and the first time I took him to the track he went out there like an old pro and nothing bothered him. After I galloped him, I thought ‘this is a classy horse.’”

TRES BORRACHOS GALLOPS IN BLINKERS – Less than two hours after Big Brown jogged under cloudy skies and on a muddy track, bright sunshine and a harrowed track that was drying out because of high winds greeted Tres Borrachos.

The third-place finisher in the Arkansas Derby (GII) galloped 1 ½ miles under Andy Durnin and was outfitted in blinkers for the first time.

Trainer Beau Greely, who owns Tres Borrachos in partnership with John Greely IV and Phil Houchens, explained the experiment.

“In his races, horses would come up to him and he’d back up a little and then come again,” Greely said. “I want to see what Andy thinks about them, but it looks like he was relaxed galloping today. He may have them on when he works Tuesday and then we’ll make a decision (about whether the blinkers will stay on for the Preakness).”

RECAPTURETHEGLORY IMPROVING, MAY LEAVE MONDAY – Assistant trainer Lara Van Deren said that fifth-place Kentucky Derby finisher Recapturetheglory was doing much better Sunday morning, a day after running a 102-degree temperature.

“Yesterday was real tough,” Van Deren said. “He will probably leave tomorrow for Chicago and miss three or four days of training.”

Owned by trainer Louie Roussel III and Ronald Lamarque, Recapturetheglory was on track to leave Churchill Downs on Saturday night for Baltimore and a start in the Preakness before the fever hit.

ROUTINE MORNING FOR PREAKNESS HOPEFULS AT CHURCHILL – The three remaining Preakness hopefuls training at Churchill Downs had uneventful mornings Sunday.

Robert LaPenta’s Stevil galloped 1 ½ miles under Dylan Armstrong for trainer Nick Zito. Stevil is scheduled to work four furlongs Monday morning.

West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again walked the shedrow at Barn 35 after working a half-mile in :50.80 the day before. Trained by Dallas Stewart, Macho Again will be ridden in the Preakness by Julien Leparoux, who rode Macho Again to victory in the April 26 Derby Trial at Churchill Downs.

Macho Again will be attempting to give West Point a second major victory in as many weekends. On Saturday at Lone Star Park, El Gato Malo prevailed in the Lone Star Derby (GIII) for trainer Craig Dollase.

Also walking the shedrow was Jerry Carroll, Stan Kaplan, Ronald Plattner and Mark Guilfoyle’s Racecar Rhapsody. The Ken McPeek trainee had worked five furlongs in 1:01 on Saturday.

LING LING QI, SILVER EDITION & ST. JOE TO MATT WINN – Convincing opening week sprint winners Ling Ling Qi and Silver Edition as well as third-place Iroquois (GIII) finisher St. Joe are considered as definite starters for Saturday’s seventh running of the $100,000 Matt Winn Stakes for 3-year-olds going six furlongs on the main track.

Lansdon Robbins III’s Ling Ling Qi scored by 2 ¾ lengths as the 7-5 favorite on April 29 for trainer Ken McPeek. Silver Edition, owned by Thomas Van Meter II and Phillip Maloof, was a 4 ½-length winner as the 9-5 peoples’ choice on May 2 for trainer D. Wayne Lukas. Silver Edition, runner-up in the Grade II Hutcheson in January at Gulfstream Park, worked a bullet half-mile in :47.60 over a sloppy track Sunday morning.

Silverton Hill Farm’s St. Joe is coming off a ninth-place finish in the Coolmore Lexington (GII) at Keeneland on April 19. St. Joe is trained by Darrin Miller.

Nominations for the Matt Winn closed May 7 with 18 nominations. Entries will be taken Wednesday.

BARN TALK – There was a new exercise rider Sunday morning in the barn of Dallas Stewart: Hall of Fame nominee Randy Romero. “I just got here from New Orleans,” said Romero, who retired from riding in 1999. “I’ve been working out and swimming and I’ve lost 10 pounds.”

Romero, who had a kidney removed in February and continues to battle chronic liver disease, scored what likely was his most memorable victory at Churchill Downs when he guided undefeated Personal Ensign to the 13th victory of her career in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Distaff over 1988 Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors and 1988 Kentucky Oaks champ Goodbye Halo.

Romero, who also has worked as a jockey agent, has been involved in another project.

“I’ve been working on a script for a movie on my life,” said Romero, who was seriously burned in a hotbox accident at Oaklawn Park in 1983. “It’s called ‘Cat On A Horse.’ Look for it in about a year and a half.”

For someone who apparently has more than nine lives, the title is appropriate.

WORK TAB – Uptown Racing’s Boss Lafitte, winner of the Central Bank Transylvania Stakes (GIII) on April 12 at Keeneland, worked a half-mile on a track labeled “sloppy” in :50.20 for trainer Tom Amoss. Lawrence Carroll’s Old Man Buck, winner of last summer’s Miller Lite Cradle Stakes at River Downs, worked a half-mile in “muddy” conditions in :48.80 for trainer Ken McPeek. The work was the third fastest of 28 at the distance.

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TODAY'S TOP STORIES:

• DERBY WINNER BIG BROWN RETURNS TO THE TRACK
• PREAKNESS CONTENDER TRES BORRACHOS WORKS
• RACECAR RHAPSODY POSSIBLE FOR PREAKNESS

DERBY WINNER BIG BROWN RETURNS TO TRACK – With Michelle Nevin up, IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr.’s Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown jogged a mile alongside a pony Wednesday morning shortly before 7 o’clock at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Rick Dutrow, feeling much better after being under the weather since the weekend, liked what he saw and said Big Brown would gallop in the morning.

The two weeks between the Kentucky Derby and Preakness continues to be Dutrow’s biggest concern.

“Coming back in two weeks, he is stacked up against it,” Dutrow said. “He’s not a robot. He has run fast races and fast numbers and two weeks is not ideal timing. You need time to regroup, and we haven’t got that kind of time.”

One fast number that particularly intrigued Dutrow was Big Brown’s Kentucky Derby performance.

“I heard that he ran the fastest Ragozin Sheets number of a Kentucky Derby winner,” Dutrow said. “It was a minus-1.”

So, what does that portend for the Preakness?

“He’s got to react to it, but he is not going to need to run a minus-1 again,” Dutrow said. “He’s not going to need it. The other horses going into the race, their numbers don’t match up with his. They don’t even come close. So, I am figuring he can run a 5 and still win the race.”

The fact Big Brown has scared off practically all of his Derby rivals is fine with Dutrow.

“I hope there is no one over there that is going to run big,” Dutrow said. “I felt that half of them didn’t belong in the Derby anyway.

“We only have two weeks. There is nothing I can do. I just have to hope that he stays good. There is no serious training involved. There is not a whole lot that depends on me. He has come out of the race good, eaten every oat since he has run. I just have to decide if I am going to give him a little breeze or not before his next race.

“We leave on the 14th, which is three days out, which is beautiful with me. I like that. He would not breeze here. It would be very, very minor.”

TRES BORRACHOS TUNES UP FOR PREAKNESS – With Andy Durnin up and trainer Beau Greely looking on from the grandstand, third-place Arkansas Derby (Grade II) finisher Tres Borrachos worked five furlongs in :59.60 Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs.

The work, the second fastest of 30 at the distance in the morning over a fast track, was accomplished after the morning renovation break. Fractions for the work from Churchill Downs clockers were :12, :23.40, :35.20, :47.20 and out six furlongs in 1:14.

Greely, who owns the gelded son of Ecton Park in partnership with his brother John Greely IV and Phil Houchens, was happy with the work.

“It looked like he didn’t get out of a gallop,” Greely said. “I had him in 59 and two and out in 1:13. He went beautiful. I will breeze him next Tuesday, probably an easy half, and then ship to Pimlico on Wednesday.”

Tyler Baze, who rode Tres Borrachos in the Arkansas Derby, will retain the mount in the Preakness.

Wednesday’s work was the third at Churchill Downs for Tres Borrachos. His first work after arriving in Louisville on April 14 was a three-eighths move on April 22.

“I worked him three-eighths just in case he got in the (Kentucky) Derby,” Greely said. “Then it did not look like he would run which, after watching it, it turned out better that he didn’t.

“I watched the race in California. It was a tough run race. Other horses look like they kind of got bundled up and I was kind of glad I wasn’t in there. Then you had Big Brown, who was absolutely amazing. That horse looks like a superstar.”

Greely is eagerly looking forward to the Preakness challenge.

“I think the Preakness will probably suit this horse better than the Derby would have,” Greely said. “The turns are a little tighter and it looks like it carries speed, or it has in the past. Hopefully, it will suit him well and it gives him five weeks in between the Arkansas Derby and Preakness.”

Tres Borrachos would be Greely’s second Preakness starter. He saddled Borrego in the 2004 Preakness to a seventh-place finish after running 10th in the Kentucky Derby two weeks earlier.

“That was a hard race, the Derby that Borrego ran in,” Greely said. “Smarty Jones obviously turned into a phenomenal horse. When we ran that day, the track was washed out and it seemed to kind of suit a speedy type horse like him. We had run against him in the Arkansas Derby and run second, so we were just trying to throw the track out at that point and try the Preakness.

“At the end of the day, Borrego developed into a nice horse and won some major races for older horses, but it feels better going into the Preakness with a fresh horse.”

STEVIL RETURNS TO TRACK; VELAZQUEZ TO RIDE IN PREAKNESS – Robert LaPenta’s Stevil, fourth in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) in his most recent start, galloped a mile Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs under Megan Smillie.

It was the first day back at the track for the Nick Zito trainee since working a half-mile in :48.60 on Monday.

John Velazquez, who made his Preakness riding debut last year when he piloted Circular Quay to a fifth-place finish, will have the mount on Stevil according to Zito.

“John has ridden for me a lot of times,” Zito said. “In fact, he worked Strike the Gold for me at Saratoga when he was a little 18-year-old apprentice.”

Stevil is scheduled to work again early next week and then ship to Baltimore on Tuesday.

RACECAR RHAPSODY ENTERS PREAKNESS PICTURE – Jerry Carroll, Stan Kaplan, Ronald Plattner and Mark Guilfoyle’s Racecar Rhapsody, fourth in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes (Grade II) at Keeneland on April 19 in his most recent start, is headed to the Preakness, according to trainer Ken McPeek.

“I have been talking it over with Mr. Carroll and we feel like he will like the added distance,” McPeek said. “Maybe we will just be running for second, but that’s not all bad.”

A Kentucky-bred son of Tale of the Cat out of the A.P. Indy mare Reflect the Music, Racecar Rhapsody has compiled a record of 6-1-1-1 with earnings of $148,391. Racecar Rhapsody opened 2008 with a fourth-place finish in the Lane’s End Stakes (Grade II) at Turfway Park on March 22.

Robby Albarado, who has ridden the colt in six of his starts, will have the mount as he shoots for his second consecutive Preakness victory. He piloted Curlin to victory in last year’s Preakness.

Racecar Rhapsody galloped Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs under Jose Castanon and McPeek said the colt would work sometime this weekend. Since the Coolmore Lexington, Racecar Rhapsody has worked once at Churchill Downs, a five-furlong move in 1:01 on May 2.

RECAPTURETHEGLORY RETURNS TO THE TRACK – With assistant trainer Lara Van Deren up, Louie Roussell III and Ronnie Lamarque’s fifth-place Kentucky Derby finisher Recapturetheglory jogged a mile and galloped a mile before the renovation break Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs.

“He went great this morning,” said Van Deren, who is playing the waiting game here as owners Ronnie Lamarque and Louie Roussel III decide on whether to go on to the Preakness.

“They wanted to see how he went this morning and Ronnie has already called me three times,” Van Deren said. “I know they are also considering the Ohio Derby (Grade II on May 31).”

NO DECISION ON MACHO AGAIN – “Hey,” yelled Dallas Stewart. “I heard on the radio that I am going to the Preakness.”

So, are you?

“I don’t know. We haven’t made a decision yet,” said Stewart, who trains Derby Trial winner Macho Again for West Point Thoroughbreds.

Macho Again galloped Wednesday morning.

WORK TAB – Oak Crest Farm’s Sutra, winner of the 2006 Frizette (GI), worked a half-mile in :48.80 for trainer Mike Stidham. The move was the fifth fastest of 31 at the distance. … Fred Bradley’s millionaire Brass Hat drilled five furlongs in 1:01.40 for trainer Buff Bradley. The move was the seventh fastest of 30 at the distance.

Trainer Rick Dutrow, still fighting a heavy cough, was back at the track Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs supervising his 12-horse string in Louisville headlined by Big Brown winner of last Saturday’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I).

“I’m doing all right; it’s just all that dirt that Big Brown kicked up in my lungs,” Dutrow said with a laugh.

Big Brown, owned by IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr., is scheduled to return to the track in the morning to jog and resume galloping on Thursday.

“That’s the plan right now,” Dutrow said. “Looks like he came out of the race real good. He will ship to Pimlico next Wednesday the 14th.”

The victory in the Kentucky Derby was the fourth in as many races for Big Brown, who boosted his career bankroll to $2,114,500 with his 4 ¾-length victory in the mile and a quarter Kentucky Derby.

PLANS FOR RECAPTURETHEGLORY REMAIN ON HOLD – Co-owner Ronnie Lamarque said from New Orleans on Tuesday morning that he and trainer and co-owner Louie Roussel III were “still thinking about the Preakness.”

Lamarque’s main concern is the potential size of the field that figures to include Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown and up to possibly seven other new shooters on the Triple Crown trail.

Lara Van Deren, assistant trainer and exercise rider for Recapturetheglory, said the Cherokee Run colt is doing well after his fifth-place finish behind Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby and would return to the track in the morning to jog.

Plans call for Recapturetheglory to remain at Churchill Downs until a decision is made on the colt’s next start.

TRES BORRACHOS TO WORK WEDNESDAY – Third-place Arkansas Derby (Grade II) finisher Tres Borrachos galloped a mile and five-eighths after the renovation break at Churchill Downs Tuesday morning with Andy Durnin up.

Trainer Beau Greely, who owns the Ecton Park colt in partnership with John Greely IV and Phil Houchens, was scheduled to arrive in Louisville later Tuesday with Tres Borrachos scheduled to work Wednesday morning.

Tres Borrachos arrived at Churchill Downs from Oaklawn Park on April 14, and Wednesday’s work will be his third under the Twin Spires.

Tres Borrachos likely will ship to Pimlico on May 14.

“I may have had my wires crossed a bit yesterday, and it wouldn’t be the first time,” Durnin said with a laugh. “But I think he is going to ship next week after he works. Beau did the same thing with Borrego (after Borrego ran 10th in the 2004 Kentucky Derby) and stayed here until the Wednesday before the Preakness.”

Borrego ran seventh in the Preakness that year behind Smarty Jones.

MELANCHOLY MORNING FOR STUTTS – Shortly before 7 a.m. Tuesday, a solitary figure made his way toward the fence near the 5 ½-furlong gap on the backstretch.

It was Bennie Stutts Jr.

“I just wanted to give the Twin Spires one last look and breathe some of this Kentucky air,” said Stutts, 70. “I don’t know that I’ll ever get back.”

Stutts had been here for a little more than two weeks with Mount Joy Stables’ Smooth Air, who ran 11th in the Kentucky Derby.

“My horse leaves at 10 this morning going back home to South Florida and I will fly out after he leaves,” Stutts said. “Being here has been a humbling experience.”

Smooth Air came out of the Derby in good shape according to Stutts.

“Dr. (Phil) Tripp went over him and everything is fine and I don’t think everybody (that ran in the Derby) can say that,” Stutts said. “There are plenty of Derbies out there. Pete Anderson had a horse last year that couldn’t get in the Kentucky Derby (Delightful Kiss), but he still won Derbies in Ohio and Iowa. There’s nothing wrong with $500,000 races.”

A bit later, Stutts made one more walk to the track, but he was not alone. His companion was Carl Nafzger, trainer of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense and recent inductee into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame.

BARN TALK – Trainer James Baker said Tuesday morning that he would like to run Tom Walters’ Elite Squadron in Churchill Downs Aristides (GIII) at six furlongs on May 31. “That’s if I still have him,” Baker said. “There have been a lot of offers.”

Elite Squadron won the seven-furlong Grade II Churchill Downs Stakes last Saturday, an effort that came on the heels of a runner-up effort in the Grade II Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland in April. …

Trainer Neil Howard said that the May 16 Black-Eyed Susan (GII) at Pimlico remains under consideration for Briarwood Stable’s Highest Class.

Third in the Bonnie Miss (GII) in her most recent start on March 29, Highest Class has worked twice at Keeneland and twice at Churchill Downs in the interim, the most recent being a five-eighths work in 1:02 last Friday.

WORK TAB – Maggi Moss’ top sprinter Indian Chant worked a bullet five-eighths in :58.60 for trainer Tom Amoss on Tuesday morning. The move was accomplished over a “fast” track. … Also working five furlongs was Bruce Lunsford’s dual graded-stakes winner Tessa Blue, who covered the distance in 1:01.80 for trainer Frank Brothers. The move was the 18th fastest of 36 at the distance.