Triple Crown

The roster of 3-year-old Thoroughbreds nominated to compete in the classic races of the American Triple Crown has grown by one with the addition of Charles J Cella’s Cyber Secret, who was omitted from the initial roster of 397 early nominations because of a clerical error.

This year’s 398^th nominee is a Kentucky-bred son of Broken Vow trained by Lynn Whiting, who scored his only victory in a Triple Crown race with W.C. Partee’s Lil E. Tee in the 1992 Kentucky Derby (Grade I).  Cyber Secret collected his second win in four career starts in a 5 ¼-length victory in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 4.  He started his career with trainer Chad Brown, but was transferred to Whiting when the colt was purchased privately by Cella after a seventh-place run behind WinStar Farm’s unbeaten Triple Crown nominee Gemologist in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (GII) on Nov. 28 at Churchill Downs.

Officials at Churchill Downs said information on Cyber Secret was not added to the list of early nominees after a Triple Crown representative took the nomination at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. prior to the close of the early nominations for the three-race series.  Stewards at the Louisville track approved the addition of the colt’s name to the list of early nominees, which was released to the public on Saturday, Feb. 4.

This year’s early nomination period, during which each nomination was accompanied by a $600 fee, closed on Saturday, Jan. 21. A late period for nominations – which requires each nomination to be accompanied by a $6,000 fee – will conclude on Saturday, March 24.

The 2012 Triple Crown series begins on Saturday, May 5 with the $2 million-guaranteed 138^th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.  The second jewel of the Triple Crown is the 137^th running of the $1 million Preakness Stakes (GI), which will be run on Saturday, May 19, at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.  The American classic series concludes with the 144^th running of the Belmont Stakes (GI) on Saturday, June 9 at New York’s Belmont Park.

All three Triple Crown races will be televised by NBC Sports and are scheduled to be broadcast on radio by the Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN).

The new early nomination total for the 2012 Triple Crown races is a 9.3 percent increase over the 364 early nominees for the three-race classic series a year ago.  The roster of 2012 early Triple Crown nominees is the largest since 2009, when 412 3-year-olds were made eligible during the early period.

Brisnet is providing free online past performances of all the 2012 Triple Crown nominees in PDF format at http://www.brisnet.com/brisnet_promos/TC12noms.pdf.                                 

Horsemen across the country and abroad will be looking closely at their 3-year-old Thoroughbreds during the coming days as the nomination period for the 2010 Triple Crown races gets into full swing.

The early nomination deadline is Saturday, Jan. 16 for horses to be eligible for the three-race series that includes the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.; the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md.; and the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Several representatives of the Triple Crown racetracks will be at a number of racing venues across the country signing up potential runners for the classics prior to the closing of the early nomination deadline.

Covering prospective nominees in South Florida will be Don Richardson, Churchill Downs Incorporated senior vice president, Racing; Ben Huffman, director of racing, racing secretary at Churchill Downs; Coley Blind, Pimlico stakes coordinator; P.J. Campo, vice president, director of racing and racing secretary for New York Racing Association. Gene Williams, representing Churchill Downs, will accept nominations in Southern California, while Jason Boulet, director of racing, racing secretary at Fair Grounds, will take nominations at his home track Sandy Montgomery of Churchill Downs will sign up horses at Oaklawn Park, and Allison DeLuca, director of racing at Tampa Bay Downs will handle nominations at that Florida track..

In addition, NYRA stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes will take nominations in New York; Georganne Hale, Pimlico racing secretary, will handle Maryland-area nominations, and horsemen can nominate on Triple Crown’s new website http://www.TheTripleCrown.com or by calling Kelly Danner at (502) 638-3825 or by fax at (502) 638-3915.

Payment of 2010 Triple Crown nomination fees can be made by check or credit card, with Visa being the preferred credit card.

A late-nomination period, with a fee $6,000 per horse, closes Saturday, March 27.

The Triple Crown, which hasn’t been claimed since Affirmed’s sweep of the three races in 1978, begins May 1 with the Kentucky Derby 136 (1 ¼ miles) at Churchill Downs, moves on to Pimlico on May 15 for the 135th Preakness (1 3/16 miles), and closes with the 142nd Belmont Stakes (1 1/2 miles) June 5 at Belmont Park.

LEPAROUX’S AGENT IN SPOILER ROLE IN THIS TRIPLE CROWN PURSUIT – In 1987, Steve Bass was right in the middle of the Triple Crown storm as the exercise rider for Alysheba. On Saturday, he hopes to be part of a spoiler to history as the agent of jockey Julien Leparoux, who will ride Anak Nakal for trainer Nick Zito.

            “He went straight to New York after the Preakness and had three good weeks,” said Bass, who was the exercise rider for Alysheba through the Triple Crown series and the Breeders’ Cup.

            “There wasn’t as much press hanging around then, mainly just the people on the backside. There wasn’t any TVG or anything like that back then.”

            Jack Van Berg trained Alysheba, who was housed in Barn 32 for his Kentucky Derby run in 1987 and for the Breeders’ Cup Classic the following year.

            “We had a good time (at the Belmont). Jack was a hoot,” Bass said. “But, he was dead serious when it came to the horse.”

            Leparoux is being reunited with Anak Nakal, whom he rode to victory in last fall’s Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (GII) at Churchill Downs. Anak Nakal ran seventh in the Kentucky Derby under Rafael Bejarano.

            “I think the mile and a half will be good for him,” Leparoux said of the son of 1998 Belmont Stakes winner Victory Gallop.

            So, without giving away the game plan, how does Leparoux hope to derail Big Brown’s bid for the Triple Crown.

            “I really don’t know,” Leparoux said with a laugh. “It will be tough. You can only hope he gets a little tired at the end.”

            Leparoux will be riding two other horses for Zito on Saturday, including Admirality, who he rode to victory in the race after the Derby on Derby Day. His only other stakes mount Saturday is on Spenditallbaby for trainer Barry Abrams in the Grade I Just A Game.        

            The only other Churchill Downs-based rider participating in the Belmont Stakes is Robby Albarado, who will ride third-place Kentucky Derby finisher Denis of Cork for trainer David Carroll.

            Albarado has mounts in three other stakes. Albarado will ride Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile (GIII) winner Bayou’s Lassie for trainer Dale Romans in the Just A Game, Ling Ling Qi for trainer Ken McPeek in the Woody Stephens (GII), and, Mac Diarmida Handicap (GII) winner Stream of Gold for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

            In addition to Denis of Cork, owned by Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren Jr., one other Churchill Downs-based colt will challenge Big Brown in the Belmont. West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again, runner-up in the Preakness for trainer Dallas Stewart, will be ridden by Garrett Gomez. 

TRIPLE CROWN DRY SPELL NO SURPRISE TO VEITCH – It has been 30 years since a Triple Crown champion was crowned and a man who was dead center in the epic Affirmed-Alydar duels of the 1978 series is not surprised the drought has stretched that far.

            “Historically, there have been some lengthy gaps between Triple Crown winners,” said Chief Steward John Veitch, who trained Alydar. “We became spoiled in the ’70s.”

            Affirmed became the third Triple Crown winner of the decade, following on the heels of Seattle Slew in 1977 and Secretariat in 1973. Alydar ran second to Affirmed in all three races in the series, falling a head short in the Belmont.

            Since 1978, 10 horses won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness but failed to secure the Crown at Belmont Park.

            “There were a couple of horses that I thought had real good shots, but in their preparation for the Belmont they worked too fast before the race,” Veitch said. “But that’s my personal opinion.”

            After the final race runs at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Veitch plans to stick around to watch Big Brown’s run at history.

            “I will watch it, but I have no interest in liking one horse over another,” Veitch said. 

MENA ON THE MOVE IN JOCKEYS’ RACE – The two-man race at the top of the Churchill Downs’ riding standings became a three-man chase Thursday when Miguel Mena rode three winners to hike his season total to 33 after 29 days of the 52-day meet.

            Mena scored in the third with Burns Up the Track ($3.60), Veiled Prophet ($9.20) in the seventh and Locomotion ($4) in the nightcap. Mena had a five-win day on May 8 and another three-win day on May 26.

            Julien Leparoux and Robby Albarado were shut out Thursday and remain tied at the top with 34 victories this spring. With both riders in New York on Saturday, Mena will have a major opportunity to grab the lead in the jockey standings with nine mounts on the Churchill Downs card. 

MILLER ON A ROLL WITH JUVENILE RUNNERS – Trainer Darrin Miller is batting a thousand with his two-year-olds this spring at Churchill Downs.

            When Corlett won Thursday’s fourth race under Jamie Theriot, it marked Miller’s third juvenile winner from three 2-year-old starters.

            “These things come in streaks and we are pretty lucky now,” Miller said.

            Miller’s other winners were Cherubini on May 25 and Oculuna on May 18. All three juveniles are owned by Silverton Hill Farm with Cherubini and Oculuna being homebreds who scored in their first outings.

            Any more juveniles on the horizon for the final month of the meet?

            “That’s all I have for the meet; let’s leave it at 100 percent,” Miller said with a laugh. “We have some others (on the farm) but they won’t run here.”           

BARN TALK – Fred Bradley’s millionaire homebred Brass Hat is scheduled to work five furlongs Saturday morning after the renovation break with Calvin Borel up. Trainer Buff Bradley said a decision would be made after the work regarding Brass Hat’s possible participation in the Grade I Stephen Foster Handicap on June 14. … Weights for the Stephen Foster, as well as the Fleur de Lis (GII) and Early Times Mint Julep (GIII) will be announced Saturday. … Trainer John Glenney plans to ship his 2007 Sycamore Stakes (GIII) winner Transduction Gold to Hollywood Park on Monday for the Round Table Handicap at a mile and three-quarters on the turf on June 14.

 

   2008 SPRING MEET LEADERS

          Through Thursday, June 5 Jockeys                          Starts   1-2-3

Julien Leparoux                  189   34-33-35

Robby Albarado                  140  34-15-21

Miguel Mena                       188   33-25-25

Calvin Borel                        189  28-27-29

Shaun Bridgmohan             128   26-25-15

Jamie Theriot                     133   22-21-10

Jesus Castanon                   151  20-13-12

Elvis Trujillo                        51    10-7-15

Brian Hernandez, Jr.           105    9-15-13

Corey Lanerie                    116    8-17-11

John McKee                        87     8-13-16

Tracy Hebert                       78     7-5-5

                                  Trainers

Ken McPeek                        43     18-7-4

Tom Amoss                       45    18-6-7

Steve Asmussen                  75   16-14-12

Ian Wilkes                           30    10-6-4

Mike Maker                         34     9-6-3

Dale Romans                       74    7-16-16

Cody Autrey                        41     7-8-7

Eddie Kenneally                   36   7-7-7

Steve Margolis                     27    7-5-5

Wesley Ward                       22     7-4-4

  Four (4) trainers tied with six (6) wins

                       Owners

Ken and Sarah Ramsey         31     10-4-5

Maggi Moss                         18      9-2-3

Zayat Stables, LLC                31      6-6-7

Richard, Elaine & Bert Klein   26      6-6-3

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable       11     5-1-0

Padua Stables                       7       4-1-0

 Seven (7) owners tied with three (3) wins

• 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