Dubious Miss

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.

McGEE DOUBLES UP ON CLARK HANDICAP CHANCES – Trainer Paul McGee was all set to send Dubious Miss on a solo mission for his barn in Friday’s 135th running of the $400,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade II).

But when entries were taken Tuesday, McGee had doubled up with the Amerman Racing Stables’ Demarcation, winner of the Ack Ack Handicap (GIII) here on Nov. 6.

It was a joint decision (with owner John Amerman),” McGee said. “There is nothing to lose and everything to gain. He ran so well in the Ack Ack it makes sense to give it a try. If you are going to try the big boys, it may as well be now.”

The Ack Ack victory was Demarcation’s first start on the dirt since Feb. 17, 2008, at the Fair Grounds. His previous victory prior to the Ack Ack had come in last fall’s River City Handicap, a race many observers thought Demarcation would run in Friday.

Jesus Castanon, who was aboard for the Ack Ack and River City victories, has the call Friday and will break from post position four.

    Dubious Miss, owned by David Holloway Racing, Inc., comes into the Clark off an easy allowance victory on Oct. 31 at Keeneland. Dubious Miss will break from post position 13 in the Clark under Calvin Borel.

“From the 13 hole, it is going to be all about the trip,” McGee said. “I feel like I have the right pilot to get us a good trip.”

Borel has ridden Dubious Miss seven times and won six of those starts. The lone loss was in the Kentucky Cup Classic (GII) at Turfway Park when Furthest Land prevailed by a neck. Furthest Land went on to win the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI) in his next start.

“Calvin’s got a great record on him,” McGee said. “Why? It’s just one of those things that you can’t put your finger on.”

The Clark has long been a special race for McGee, a Louisville native who scored one of his first significant victories as a trainer in the 1988 renewal with James Shields’ Balthazar B.  He narrowly missed another Clark victory in 2005 when he saddled runner-up Suave, who lost by a head to Elisabeth Alexander’s Magna Graduate.

Demarcation would be just the second horse to sweep the Ack Ack (GIII) and the Clark, the track’s major Fall Meet races for older horses.  John Franks’ Littlebitlively won both races in 1999.

KARELIAN MAKES QUICK TURNAROUND INTO RIVER CITY – A week ago, Jack Bohannan discounted the chances of Karelian coming back to defend his title in the River City Handicap (GIII) on Friday.”

“He’s not going to run; we’ve already got Wicked Style in there,” said Bohannan, assistant to trainer Rusty Arnold.

Turns out, both Arnold runners will be in the River City.

“He came out of the Breeders’ Cup (Mile) well and he worked super on Saturday at Keeneland,” Bohannan said of Karelian, who worked a bullet five-eighths in 1:00 over the main track at the Lexington oval.

Karelian, owned by Green Lantern Stables, dead-heated with Demarcation in last year’s River City and then did not run again until the Shadwell Turf Mile (GI) at Keeneland on Oct. 10 in which he finished second, beaten a nose by Court Vision.

“He had a minor injury in behind after last year’s race,” Bohannan said of the 7-year-old gelding. “He has had a lot of problems; suspensory, sesamoids. It is amazing that Rusty has been able to hold him together. We get three or four races out of him and then something happens.”

Rajiv Maragh will ride Karelian in the River City and make up the bulk of the top weight of 122 pounds. Wicked Style, owned by Ashbrook Farm, will be ridden by Robby Albarado and carry 116 pounds.

Wicked Style returns to the turf after three races on Polytrack, the most recent a third-place finish behind Clark Handicap contender Blame in the Fayette (GII) on Oct. 31 at Keeneland.

RICH PEARL BRINGS TODD BACK TO THE DOWNS – Jerry Todd’s eyes gleam as he stands in the viewing stand on the backstretch gazing upon the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs,

"I was a groom with Gene Cleveland and we brought Ga Hai to the Kentucky Derby,” Todd said. “That was big … going to the Derby, to Churchill Downs, the Mecca.”

Ga Hai ran 14th in the 100th Derby in 1974 behind Cannonade. Now, more than 35 years later, Todd has returned to run a horse that he owns and trains, Rich Pearl, in Saturday’s Caressing overnight stakes for 2-year-old fillies going a mile on the grass.

Rich Pearl, winner of the Donnie Wilhite Memorial at a mile on the Louisiana Downs turf on Aug. 15, comes into the Caressing off a two-month layoff after being eased in the Sept. 19 Happy Ticket at Louisiana Downs.

“That race came off the grass and she was running second when the whole field came over on her,” the 65-year-old Todd said. “She got hit and quickly dropped 4-5 lengths back and the rider (Sidney LeJeune) just protected her when he saw he had no chance.”

Todd, who is based at Lone Star Park in suburban Dallas, said the filly was not injured in the race.
“There are just no races down there for her going long on the grass,” said Todd, whose filly turned in two bullet works at Lone Star before shipping here.

On Tuesday, Rich Pearl worked a half-mile in company around the “dogs” over the Matt Winn Turf Course in :49.80 with Francisco Torres up. Torres will have the riding assignment on Saturday.

BARN TALK – Clarence Scharbauer’s Indygo Mountain, who emerged from last fall’s meet as a prime candidate on many Kentucky Derby watch lists, returns to the races Friday for the first time since the Risen Star (GIII) on Feb. 7 at Fair Grounds. Trained by Bret Calhoun, Indygo Mountain came out of the Risen Star with a chipped knee and his return to the races was further delayed by a throat issue according to Calhoun assistant Dennis “Peaches” Geier. Indygo Mountain is entered in Friday’s 10th race, a seven-furlong main track allowance test with regular rider Jamie Theriot named to ride. …

Trainer Tom Bush was not here to see Get Stormy win the Commonwealth Turf (GIII)    on Nov. 15 and he won’t be here Friday to see Banrock run in the River City Handicap. “I came in with the horse on Monday and I am flying back to New York today,” Bush said Wednesday morning. “I have three horses entered Friday and the races were all extras and they all went.” Banrock has won three consecutive races at the River City distance of nine furlongs and in his career has won eight New York state-bred races. “He got beat a nose by Presious Passion at Monmouth in June and that’s pretty good form right there.” …

Julien Leparoux became the 15th rider in Churchill Downs history to reach 400 victories when he won Tuesday’s sixth race on Countus in Mon. The victory was one of four for Leparoux on the day and moved him ahead of Calvin Borel for leading rider at the meet 22-21. Leparoux is named on eight mounts and Borel five on Wednesday’s card. … Steve Asmussen maintains a three-win edge (14-11) on Dale Romans in the race for leading trainer. Both trainers have three horses entered on the Wednesday card. The 21-day meet ends Saturday.

WORK TAB – A.C. and Clare Asbury’s Gleam of Hope, fourth in the Iroquois (GIII) on Nov. 1, worked a half-mile in :48.80 over a fast track in preparation for an expected run in Saturday’s Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) for trainer Tony Reinstedler.

STEWART: MACHO AGAIN “READY TO ROLL” FOR CLARK – The heavy lifting is all done and according to trainer Dallas Stewart, Macho Again is “ready to roll” for Friday’s 135th running of the $400,000-added Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade II) at Churchill Downs.

“I feel good about our chances,” Stewart said of Macho Again, who is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds. “I like where we are, he loves this track and he worked great yesterday (five furlongs in 1:01.20).”

Macho Again has compiled a record of 5-3-1-0 at Churchill Downs with his biggest victory coming in June’s Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) in which he defeated likely Clark rivals Einstein (Brz) and Bullsbay.

The Clark will be Macho Again’s first start since finishing fourth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) on Oct. 3.

“There was no pace in that race and things just didn’t pan out that day,” Stewart said.

Macho Again came down with a cough after the Jockey Club that forced Stewart to cancel a trip to Santa Anita for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI). Since recovering from the brief setback Macho Again has had three five-furlong works.

The 4-year-old colt’s top effort of 2009 in which he also won the New Orleans Handicap (GII) was a runner-up effort to Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner and top Horse of the Year contender Rachel Alexandra in the Woodward (GI) at the Clark Handicap distance of 1 1/8 miles.

“That was a great race,” Stewart said of the Saratoga race in which Macho Again came the closest of any horse this year to Rachel Alexandra in falling a head short. “One more jump … that would have made my year.”

Stewart said that Macho Again would ship with his barn to the Fair Grounds at the end of the meet with the initial plans for 2010 being the Sunshine Millions Classic at Santa Anita on Jan. 30 or the Donn Handicap (GI) on Feb. 6 at Gulfstream Park.

GIANT OAK MAKES BELATED RETURN TO CHURCHILL DOWNS – After running second in last fall’s Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) here Giant Oak appeared on many watch lists as a contender for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI).

However, instead of running here on the first Saturday in May, Giant Oak will make a belated encore appearance beneath the Twin Spires on the last Friday in November in the Clark Handicap.

  “We had bad luck with him in New Orleans,” said Drew Coontz, assistant to trainer Chris Block. “In the Risen Star (GIII), that was a train wreck. A narrow track with 13 head and no pace. Then two hours before the Louisiana Derby (GII) there was a major downpour.”

Giant Oak went on to run second in the Illinois Derby (GII) under Shaun Bridgmohan, but Block pulled the colt from Kentucky Derby consideration because he did not feel he was seasoned enough for the Run for the Roses.

Owned by the Virginia Tarra Trust, Giant Oak spent the summer running on the grass at Arlington Park where he had made a spectacular debut as a 2-year-old. Giant Oak returned to the dirt in the Indiana Derby (GII) on Oct. 3 in which he ran second.

“Chris had wanted to try him back on the dirt,” Coontz said. “He ran very well in the Indiana Derby and we were very pleased.”

However, after the Indiana Derby, bumps in the road continued to emerge for Giant Oak.

“Five days after the Indiana Derby, he stepped on an Allen’s wrench with his right front,” Coontz said. “We shipped him to Keeneland a week before the Fayette (on Oct. 31). I flew in Thursday night and the next morning we were going to train and he was off in the left front and we had to scratch him.”

Giant Oak shipped directly to Churchill Downs instead of returning to his home base in Chicago and had three works, the most recent being Saturday morning, a bullet five furlongs in :59.80 with Bridgmohan up.

“He’s been doing great since he got here,” Coontz said. “He has worked well and this morning I got him in a minute.”

ONE CAROLINE SIDELINED; DERBY WEEK RETURN EYED – One Caroline, the talented 4-year-old daughter of Unbridled’s Song who won her first five career starts, has been sidelined by an injury that occurred during a third-place finish to Malibu Prayer in the Nov. 7 running of the Chilukki (GII).

“When she wasn’t nominated to the Falls City (Handicap), I figured somebody would be calling,” trainer Rusty Arnold said. “She got hurt in the Chilukki, has had surgery and is now on the farm.”

Owned by G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and the Louise Ireland Humphrey Revocable Trust-2008, One Caroline suffered her first career loss in the Louisville Distaff (GII) here on May 1. Shortly after that, she suffered an injury that sidelined her until the Chilukki.

“It is not the same injury and she has not been retired,” Arnold said of One Caroline, who ran third in the Chilukki. “The plan is to have her join the barn in Florida in February and try to run her (at Churchill Downs) Derby Week.

“The goal is to run in the Louisville Distaff, the same race she ran in this year.”

One Caroline suffered her first career defeat in that Kentucky Oaks Day race when she ran second to Miss Isella.

BARN TALK – For the followers of leading riders Calvin Borel and Julien Leparoux, mutual clerks were printing money on Friday at Churchill Downs. Borel and Leparoux, who have opened considerable daylight in the race for leading rider, combined to sweep the early Pick 4 resulting in payoffs that boggled the mind. Leparoux won the opener on Next May ($18.40), Borel won the second on Unreachable Star ($23) and third on Misleader ($10.60) and Leparoux took the fourth on Turfiste ($10.20). The rolling doubles came back $225.20, $199.80 and $72.20; the rolling Pick 3s returned $1,619.20 and $1,024; and, the Pick 4 returned $5,825.20 for a $2 bet. Borel added two more victories on the Friday card – Cielo Classic ($12.60) in the eighth and Haven’s Honey ($15) in the ninth for a $71.20 double – to open an 18-16 lead on Leparoux. Shane Bridgmohan is third with 12 victories.

WORK TAB – Dubious Miss was on the track a little after 6 a.m. Saturday with jockey Calvin Borel up to work five furlongs in 1:01 over a fast track in preparation for Friday’s Clark Handicap. “I got him in :26 the first part and :35 the last three-eighths,” trainer Paul McGee said. “Perfect.” McGee also worked Demarcation a half-mile in :50.80 for a probable start in Friday’s River City Handicap (GIII). Also working toward the River City was Pleasant Strike, who covered a half-mile in :48.60 for trainer Todd Pletcher. … Pocahontas (GIII) winner Sassy Image worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 for trainer Dale Romans in readying for next Saturday’s Golden Rod (GII). Other juveniles working five furlongs toward a likely closing-day stakes engagement on the “Stars of Tomorrow II” card were Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) nominees Callide Valley (1:00.60) for trainer Eddie Kenneally and Mr. Saturdaynight (1:01.80) for Romans. … Working at the Trackside Training Center for trainer Mike Maker were Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (GI) winner Furthest Land (half-mile in :50.40) and Kentucky Jockey Club probable William’s Kitten, the eighth-place finisher in the Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI), who worked a bullet five-eighths in 1:00.

David Holloway’s Dubious Miss assumed control approaching the top of the stretch and drew clear to post a two-length victory over Spotsgone in the $60,747 feature race on Sunday’s Father’s Day card at Churchill Downs.

    Ridden by Calvin Borel, Dubious Miss tracked Spotsgone until slipping through along the inside leaving the backstretch. The two horses raced on even terms until Dubious Miss took command en route to his fourth win in five starts on the main track at Churchill Downs.

    Dubious Miss, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of E Dubai, covered the 1 1/16 miles on a sloppy main track in 1:42.91. Spotsgone easily held second place under Jon Court, finishing four lengths in front of Antrim County, ridden by Larry Sterling Jr.

    Trained by Paul McGee, Dubious Miss returned $3.60, $2.80 and $2.10 in defeating five allowance rivals. Spotsgone returned $6.40 and $4 with Antrim County paying $3.40 to show.

The victory was worth $37,465 and increased Dubious Miss’ career earnings to $202,599 with six victories in 11 starts.

    Racing resumes Thursday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:45 p.m. EDT.

Don Benge’s Wise River survived an early pace duel with Dubious Miss and then fended off a challenge from favored Inca King to win Sunday’s $56,640 allowance feature at Churchill Downs by 3 ¼ lengths.

In giving jockey Jamie Theriot his fourth victory of the afternoon, Wise River covered the 1 1/16 miles on a “firm” Matt Winn Turf Course in a course-record time of 1:39.83. The previous record was 1:40.70 set by Quite a Bride on June 6, 2007.

Wise River and Dubious Miss dueled through early fractions of :23.20 and :46.16 with Inca King tracking in third. Leaving the far turn after six furlongs in 1:09.32, Wise River began to inch clear of Dubious Miss and then kicked away from Inca King, who had been undefeated in three starts over the Matt Winn Course.

Wise River returned mutuels of $15.20, $6.80 and $4. Crested, who rallied for second under Jesus Castanon, returned $7.80 and $4.20. Inca King, who finished a nose back in third under Shaun Bridgmohan, returned $3 to show.

Trained by Clark Hanna, Wise River is a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Belong to Me out of the Copelan mare Future Guest. The victory was worth $35,820 and increased his career earnings to $373,124 with his sixth win in 28 career starts.

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