Decelerator

WEST / BLIND LUCK TAKES THRILLING LAS VIRGENES – Odds-on favorite Blind Luck, the likely early favorite for the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) on April 30 at Churchill Downs, launched a desperate rally from last in a field of five to run down Evening Jewel in the final stride to win the $250,000-added Las Virgenes (GI) at Santa Anita by a nose.

The victory by the runner-up to She Be Wild for honors as America’s 2-year-old filly champion of 2009 notched her third Grade I victory in seven career stars.  Rafael Bejarano was aboard the winner for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

One centimeter is good enough for me,” Hollendorfer said. “I’ve watched a lot of photos. The second time I thought we won. The first time I wasn’t sure, but second time, I thought we won, and I’m glad we did.”
The daughter of Pollard’s Vision covered a mile over the synthetic Pro-Ride surface in 1:34.98.

Switch finished third, a half-length behind Evening Jewel.  The race had been delayed a week because of drainage problems from heavy rains at the Arcadia, Cal. track.

Blind Luck, who is nominated to the Kentucky Derby (GI) and Triple Crown, is expected to run next in the Santa Anita Oaks (GI) on March 6.

SOUTH / LUKAS’ DECELERATOR REBOUNDS IN MARTHA WASHINGTON – The D. Wayne Lukas-trained
Decelerator snapped a string of six straight losses stretching back to Churchill Downs’ Debutante Stakes (GIII) in late June when she rallied to win Saturday’s $75,000 Martha Washington at Oaklawn Park.

Jockey Terry Thompson guided Westrock Stable’s 3-year-old daughter of Dehere along the rail and through a narrow opening in upper stretch and then held off previously unbeaten Eva Giselle by a length for the win.  Longshot Belle’s Shoes was third as Decelerator covered one mile in 1:38.49,

Eventual Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra opened her championship campaign with an easy victory in the 2009 Martha Washington.

SOUTHEAST /  DIVA DELITE WINS AT TAMPA – Diva Delite rallied on the outside under jockey Rosemary Homeister, Jr. to score  a 1 ¾-length victory in the $75,000 Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.

The favorite grabbed the lead in deep stretch then held off a late charge along the rail by Miss Aristocrat for the win.  Imaginary Saint finished third.

The David Vivian-trained winner covered a mile and 40 yards over a fast track in 1:41.58.
Diva Delite is expected to run next in the Florida Oaks (GIII) at Tampa Bay.

EAST  /  LONGSHOT ROMAN CHESTNUT SUPRISES IN BUSHER – Roman Chestnut, the longest shot in the field at odds of 45-1, rallied to score an upset victory in Saturday’s $65,000 Busher Stakes at Aqueduct.

Apprentice jockey Angel Serpa notched the first win of his career as he guided Roman Chestnut to the surprising victory.  Anchorage finished second and Speightful Affair was third as the winne covered 1 1/15 miles in 1:45.93.  Roman Chestnut paid $93.50 to win.

Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image pulled away from Decelerator in mid-stretch and went on to a 3 3/4-length victory in the 66th running of the $163,200 Golden Rod Stakes (Grade II) for 2-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Robby Albarado and trained by Dale Romans, Sassy Image ran the 1 1/16 miles on a fast main track in 1:44.51. The victory was worth $100,172 and raised Sassy Image’s career earnings to $247,689.

Vivid Colors, ridden by Calvin Borel, led the field of six through fractions of :23.30, :47.29 and 1:12.66 with Decelerator in closest pursuit and Sassy Image running fourth but within striking distance. Midway through the far turn, Terry Thompson sent Decelerator after Vivid Colors with Sassy Image on the move just to their outside.

Decelerator hit the top of the stretch with a narrow advantage, but was soon joined by Sassy Image. The two raced on even terms to the eighth pole when Sassy Image began to draw away for her third win in seven starts.

Sassy Image returned $4.60, $2.80 and $2.20 as the favorite. Decelerator paid $4.20 and $2.80 with Upperline finishing another 7 ¼ lengths back in third under E.T. Baird and paying $2.80 to show. Completing the field in order were Vivid Colors, All Due Respect and Canadian Storm.

Sassy Image, who also won the opening-day Pocahontas (GIII) here, is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Broken Vow.

L.T.B. Inc. and Miles Childers’ Sheer Beauty led all the way to win the $61,968 Caressing for 2-year-old fillies by two lengths over Check the Label.

Ridden by Borel for trainer Bernie Flint, Sheer Beauty completed the mile over a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:37.01 in defeating 11 rivals to pick up her second win in three starts. Sheer Beauty increased her earnings to $56,020 with the $37,220 winner’s check.

Sheer Beauty paid $18.20, $8.60 and $6. Check the Label, ridden by Gabriel Saez, returned $5 and $3.60 with Jody Slew finishing a half-length back in third under Jon Court and paying $24.60 to show.

POST-RACE QUOTES – THE GOLDEN ROD

JERRY ROMANS, owner of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “This is so exciting to win the two top graded stakes races for 2-year-old fillies. We grew up here at Churchill Downs so it’s really exciting. We’ll take it one race at a time but, of course, the Kentucky Oaks would be the master plan if she keeps moving forward, stays healthy and keeps doing what she’s doing. She’ll probably get a little time off, go to Florida and shoot for the big spring races.”

ROBBY ALBARADO, jockey of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “The filly (Sassy Image) is great. (Trainer) Dale (Romans) gave me some instruction to keep her a little bit closer today, so I jumped on her out of the gate. We got to settle back on the inside and save some ground. I knew when we got to the top of the stretch she was going to stay the distance. She is a long striding filly that will really improve with the longer races. This is just the type you look for next year in the big races. Dale did such a great job getting this one ready. You have to give him all the credit for this one.”

DALE ROMANS, trainer of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “I think she just improves. The further they go, the better she’s going to get. We always thought that and she’s proven it the last two races. That was a good stretch drive but she put her (Decelerator) away at the end. It was what we were wanting. I was very impressed with her and very happy with her.”
    Q: Did her experience help? “Definitely. When you go in these types of races and it gets down to the nitty gritty, the experience pays off. She’s been a very sound horse, she hasn’t missed a dance and she’s done everything we’ve asked of her. I think it really helps.”
    Q: Does this get you dreaming of the Kentucky Oaks? “Yeah. We just talked about it, (jockey) Robby (Albarado) and I. That’s got to be our big goal.”
    Q: Where does Sassy Image go from here? “We’ll probably go to Gulfstream. I don’t know where yet or what we’ll do with her. She’s had a lot of races so we may give her a little break and give her December and January off. I’ll sit down next week and figure it out.”

D. WAYNE LUKAS, trainer of DECELERATOR, second: “She ran hard and she tries every time.  I was pleased with her and thought she ran a really good race.  I think if we weren’t pressured we would have been closer, but whether we’d have beat her (Sassy Image) I don’t know.  She beat us in the Iroquois the same way.”
Q: She’ll go to Oaklawn with you? “We’ll go there with her. That’s where those people (Westrock Stables) are located, in Little Rock. Until she proves us wrong we’ll keep treating her like an Oaks filly. We’ll certainly nominate her and she’ll go through that series there, then we’ll come back here and see.  But that’s a long way off and there’s time for a lot of things to happen.”

TERRY THOMPSON, rider of DECELERATOR, second: “She gave me everything she had. I was able to sit to the top of the stretch and when I called on her, she gave me a heck of a punch.  But we just got outrun down the lane.  Everything went our way – we just got out-footed late and a nice filly beat us.”

MIKE STIDHAM, trainer of UPPERLINE, third: “Our big concern was whether she was going to handle the dirt and E.T. (Baird) said when he kind of had to set her down for the run, it was breaking away from her.  So, we’re happy that she’s Grade II-placed, but I think probably grass and synthetics are going to be more what she needs.”

E.T. BAIRD, rider of UPPERLINE, third: “She was running real comfortable and I was sitting in behind the 1-horse (Sassy Image). She looked like a tough horse and I was just more or less tracking her.  But when it came time to set her down, it (the ground) was just kind of breaking from her underneath a little bit.  She was real comfortable and when you had her in hand, but you can only go so far doing that.  So you had to drop her over and it just kind of broke from her.

Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image weaved her way between horses in the stretch and then drew away to win the 41st running of the $115,900 Pocahontas (GIII) for 2-year-old fillies by two lengths over Decelerator on the opening day of Churchill Downs’ 21-day Fall Meet.

Sassy Image was ridden by Robby Albarado, who posted his fourth victory of the afternoon on the “Stars of Tomorrow I” card that featured racing exclusively for 2-year-olds. Dale Romans, who won the Pocahontas last year with Sara Louise, trains Sassy Image.

Albarado gave Sassy Image a ground-saving trip down the backstretch as Tiz Miz Sue and Vivid Colors dueled through fractions of :22.46 and :45.66. The field began to bunch up as the leaders hit the quarter pole in 1:11.62 and Albarado began to look for an opening with Sassy Image.

He found it at the eighth pole as he moved between Vivid Colors and All Due Respect and spurted clear with plenty left to hold a late challenge by Decelerator, who had won the Debutante (GIII) here in June.

Sassy Image, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Broken Vow, covered the mile on a “fast” main track in 1:38.63. The victory was worth $66,828 for Sassy Image to boost her career earnings to $147,512 with a record of 6-2-1-1.

Sassy Image returned mutuels of $6.20, $3.40 and $2.80. Decelerator, ridden by Rajiv Maragh, returned $7.20 and $6 in finishing a head in front of All Due Respect who paid $8.80 to show under Brian Hernandez Jr.

POST-RACE QUOTES – THE POCAHONTAS

DALE ROMANS, trainer of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “It’s great to be back on the real stuff and it’s great to be back at Churchill Downs. I think she’ll run all day. She outlasted ‘em and had the most stamina today and I just think she’ll run even further.

“You just don’t know [what will happen] when you turn for home and you’re down on the inside all boxed up like that. Are they going to get through? I just thought if [jockey Robby Albarado] found a seam that she would kick through and she did.”

Q: How nice is it to see her overcome adversity at such a young age? “It shows a lot. She’s got a bright future and she’s got a lot of room to improve.

Q: What’s next? “We’ll be here [for the Grade II, $150,000-added Golden Rod for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles] on closing day [Saturday, Nov. 28].”

JERRY ROMANS, owner of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “When she got through on the rail, that was the only anxious moment. Turning for home it didn’t look like it was going to open up. Robby [Albarado] said she felt like a different horse back here on her home track. Once she got head and head, I felt pretty good.
Q: How many horses do you have with your brother Dale? “I’ve got five horses with Dale and she’s by far the best. She’s the best one I’ve ever had. These are once-in-a-lifetime types of horses, for me anyway and not necessarily for Dale training-wise but for us to own.”

Q: The age difference between you and Dale? “I’m 17 months older than Dale.”

ROBBY ALBARADO, jockey of SASSY IMAGE, winner: “The filly (Sassy Image) ran great. [Trainer] Dale [Romans] gave me some instruction to keep her a little bit closer today, so I jumped her out a little earlier and got some forward position going down the backside. I was always very comfortable during the race and just had to find a place to get through. She found the spot up the rail and just went on without me really asking anything of her."

Q: On four wins through the first eight races: “This is just the way that I wanted to start my meet.  I wanted to get off to a hot start and try and keep it going.”

RAJIV MARAGH, rider of DECELERATOR, second: “She ran pretty well. She was game. She fought hard to finish second. ‘As seen on TV’ – it was the same way it felt out there. Maybe if I’d had an inside post it would have made a difference between winning and losing, because she did have a wider trip than the eventual winner. The winner was able to stay down along the rail while I was four wide. But she ran good.”

D. WAYNE LUKAS, trainer of DECELERATOR, second: “I thought she ran well. She got a little wide on the turn, but that other filly is nice filly, so I was pleased with the effort.”

Q: Was there any specific problem in her three off-the-board finishes coming into this race? “I don’t know. We had an active spring and she probably needed a little less action. Then I gave her a little break and came back with her, and now she’s good again. She appears to really like this track.”

Westrock Stables’ Decelerator, winner of the Debutante (Grade III) here in June, bids for a second graded stakes victory on Sunday as she takes on a dozen 2-year-old fillies in the 41st running of the $100,000-added Pocahontas (Grade III) at a mile on the main track at Churchill Downs.

The Pocahontas shares the marquee with $100,000-added Iroquois (GIII), a mile race for 2-year-old colts and geldings, on the “Stars of Tomorrow I” program that opens Churchill Downs’ 21-day Fall Meet, which will run through Saturday Nov. 28. First post time for Sunday’s 11-race card, of the first of two programs during the meet devoted exclusively to races for juvenile runners, is 12:40 p.m. (all times EST).  The Pocahontas is scheduled as the eighth race with a 4:05 p.m. post time.

The second “Stars of Tomorrow” program is set for the meet’s closing day.

Trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who has won the Pocahontas three times, Decelerator is 2-for-2 at Churchill Downs but enters the Pocahontas off a seventh-place finish in the two-turn Darley Alcibiades (GI) over the synthetic Polytrack surface at Keeneland on Oct. 9. Despite that perfect local record and her status as the only graded stakes winner in the Pocahontas, Decelerator is a 10-1 risk in oddsmaker Mike Battaglia’s morning line odds for the race. New York-based Rajiv Maragh has the mount on Decelerator, who will break from post position eight and carry top weight of 123 pounds.

Louisville-born trainer Dale Romans, who edged past the Hall of Famer Lukas in the Spring Meet and now ranks second in all-time wins at Churchill Downs, will bid for his second consecutive Pocahontas victory when he sends Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image into Sunday’s race. Romans saddled Sara Louise, who is scheduled to run in next Friday’s Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) at Oak Tree at Santa Anita, to defeat Rachel Alexandra in the 2008 Pocahontas.  Rachel Alexanadra has not lost a race since.

A maiden winner at Churchill Downs in June and runner-up in the Grade II Adirondack at Saratoga in August, Sassy Image comes into the Pocahontas off an eighth-place finish in the Alcibiades, 1 ¼ lengths behind Decelerator. Robby Albarado has the mount on Sassy Image, who is the 9-2 morning line favorite for the Pocahontas and will carry 117 pounds when she breaks from post position three.

Other stakes winners in the field include Robert DeWitt and Catherine Kenneally’s All About Anna (15-1), who took the Bassinet at River Downs; Summerplace Farm’s Running Bride (6-1), an undefeated Indiana-bred who won the restricted City of Anderson and Miss Indiana stakes at Hoosier Park; and Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Vertical Vision (6-1), winner of two stakes races at Iowa’s Prairie Meadows this summer.

The field for the Pocahontas, from the rail out (with jockey, assigned weight and morning line odds), is as follows: Biorra (I. Ocampo, 117 pounds, 30-1), All Due Respect (B. Hernandez Jr., 117, 20-1), Sassy Image, Tiz Miz Sue (J. Castanon, 117, 5-1), Happy Week (E. Prado, 117, 6-1), Running Bride (J. Leparoux, 121), Jody Slew (L. Goncalves, 119, 30-1), Decelerator, Snap Happy (C. Borel, 119, 20-1), Vertical Vision (S. Bridgmohan, 121), Vivid Colors (K. Desormeaux, 117, 5-1), All About Anna (C. Lanerie, 121) and Tidal Pool (J. Theriot, 119, 12-1).  

LUKAS HALFWAY HOME TO DEBUTANTE-BASHFORD MANOR DOUBLE – Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas has now won the Debutante Stakes (GIII) a record seven times and also holds the Bashford Manor (GIII) record with five wins, but he has never swept Churchill Downs’ marquee Spring Meet juvenile events in the same year.

Lukas took the first step toward that double on Saturday when Westrock Stables’ Decelerator posted a gritty neck victory over Wild Forest Cat in the Debutante.

“They are both good this morning,” Lukas said on Sunday, referring to Decelerator and Tidal Pool, who ran fourth in the Debutante in the Westrock silks. “They will both be going to Saratoga.”

Lukas has won five 2-year-old races with four horses this spring. In addition to the two Debutante fillies, Lukas has won races with Westrock runners Soundman and Westrock Gold.  Both colts are being aimed toward Friday’s 108th Bashford Manor.

“They are both doing great and will run,” Lukas said. “Soundman worked Saturday (1:01.80 for five furlongs) and Westrock Gold worked today (half-mile in :48.80).”

Lukas also said that “nothing is on the horizon” for Robert Baker and William Mack’s Flying Private. Sixth in the Belmont Stakes (Grade I) in his most recent start, Flying Private and Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Mine That Bird were the only two horses to run in all three legs of the Triple Crown this spring.

CAPT. CANDYMAN CAN GEARS UP FOR SARATOGA – Away from the hustle and bustle of the Churchill Downs backstretch, Capt. Candyman Can has begun preparations for the second half of 2009 that will open with the $150,000 Amsterdam (Grade II) at 6 ½ furlongs at Saratoga on Aug. 3.

    Owned by Joseph Rauch and David Zell, Capt. Candyman Can worked a half-mile in :51.40 over the synthetic Pro-Ride surface on Wednesday at the Skylight Training Center in nearby Goshen.  It was the Candy Ride gelding’s first work since winning the May 16 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs.

    “I just wanted to freshen him up and out there I can turn him out in a paddock for a couple of hours a day,” trainer Ian Wilkes said. “I will probably let him stay out there unless I see a reason to change. He is doing very well out there, but then he does good here too.”

    In addition to the Matt Winn, Capt. Candyman Can won the Iroquois (Grade III) here last fall. This year he has won the Hutcheson (Grade II) at Gulfstream Park and the Bay Shore (Grade III) at Aqueduct. Wilkes plans to ship Capt. Candyman Can to Saratoga on July 19 or 20.

    Also headed to Saratoga that day will be Fleur de Lis (Grade II) winner Miss Isella, who is being pointed to the $300,000 Go For Wand Handicap (Grade I) on Aug. 2.

    Closer on the radar for Wilkes is Saturday’s $200,000 Dwyer (Grade II) at Belmont Park for Warrior’s Reward, runner-up in the Northern Dancer (Grade III) here on June 13. Warrior’s Reward had his first work since the Northern Dancer last Tuesday, a half-mile in :49.

    “He’s doing fine and will work tomorrow morning and fly to Belmont on Tuesday,” Wilkes said of Warrior’s Reward, who also could show up in major Saratoga races in August. “Right now we are just taking it one step at a time.”

DERBY WINNER MINE THAT BIRD SET FOR MONDAY WORK -- Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Mine That Bird is scheduled to work a half-mile Monday morning after the renovation break with jockey Calvin Borel up.

The work will be the first for Mine That Bird since he finished third in the Belmont Stakes (Grade I) on June 6. Trainer Chip Woolley plans to ship Mine That Bird to Mountaineer the third weekend of July in time to get in two breezes over the track in preparation for the Aug. 1 West Virginia Derby (Grade II).

Mine That Bird went twice around the main track Sunday with exercise rider Rudy Gallegos up.
    
DEFENDING CHAMPION THORN SONG ASSIGNED TOP WEIGHT FOR FIRECRACKER – Zayat Stables’ Thorn Song, winner of the Grade I Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park in his most recent start, was assigned top weight of 123 pounds by Racing Secretary Ben Huffman for Saturday’s 19th running of the $150,000-added Firecracker Handicap (GII) at a mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

    Trained by Dale Romans, Thorn Song won last year’s Firecracker under 118 pounds in defeating four rivals that included the favored Einstein.

    Sharing the second high weight of 120 pounds are Michael Cooper and Pamela Ziebarth’s Tizdejavu and Circle E Racing’s Mr. Sidney. Tizdejavu won the American Turf (Grade III) and the Jefferson Cup (Grade II) at Churchill Downs last spring and Mr. Sidney won this spring’s Maker’s Mark Mile (Grade I) at Keeneland. Both runners are considered as possible starters by the Churchill Downs racing office.

    Others considered as probable for the Firecracker are Seaspeak (118), Wise River (118), Wicked Style (115), Artic Cry (114) and Veiled Prophet (113).

    Entries for the Firecracker will be taken Wednesday.

ACOMA ASSIGNED HIGH WEIGHT OF 122 POUNDS FOR CLOSING-DAY LOCUST GROVE HANDICAP – Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Acoma, winner of the Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (Grade III) in her most recent start, was assigned high weight of 122 pounds for the 28th running of the $100,000-added Locust Grove Handicap (Grade III) to be run on the closing day of the Spring Meet, July 5.

    Trainer David Carroll said Acoma is not expected to run in the Locust Grove.

As of Sunday, Churchill Downs racing officials had five horses considered as probable for the one-mile test on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

Among the probables, the top weights at 116 pounds go Kim and John Glenney’s Gloria Goodbody and James Spence’s Tensas Yucatan. Other probables with their weight assignments are Closeout (115), Flaming Slew (114) and Stealin’ Kisses (112).

    Entries for the Locust Grove will be taken Thursday.

BARN TALK – Trainer William “Buff” Bradley said Sunday morning that Brass Hat, owned by his father Fred, would run in Saturday’s $750,000 United Nations Handicap (Grade I) at 1 3/8 miles at Monmouth Park. “He is leaving Tuesday and Stewart Elliott will ride him,” Buff Bradley said. An earner of more than $1.8 million, Brass Hat won the Louisville Handicap (Grade III) in his most recent start on May 23.

     A new face in the barn area is apprentice rider Stephanie Slinger. Agent Steve Elzey has lined up three mounts for Slinger when she makes her Churchill Downs debut on the “Downs After Dark” night racing program on Thursday, July 2.  Slinger will target  Ellis Park and Indiana Downs this summer. “I watched the Kentucky Derby in 1995 with D. Wayne Lukas, Gary Stevens and Thunder Gulch and I decided I wanted to be a jockey,” said Slinger, who was an 8-year-old at the time and living in Detroit. Slinger has galloped horses for trainers such as Lukas, Bobby Frankel, Patrick Biancone and Mike Maker and Sunday morning got on a horse for Tom Bohannan.

     Julien Leparoux rode one winner on Saturday’s card to increase his lead over Calvin Borel in the race for leading rider with five days remaining in the meet to four (57-53). Leparoux is named on eight mounts Sunday and Borel seven. After Sunday, Leparoux will ride only the Thursday and Friday cards. On Saturday, he will be at Arlington Park to ride Informed Decision in the Chicago Handicap (Grade III) and on Sunday he will be at Hollywood Park to ride Magical Affair in the American Oaks (Grade I) and Rebellion in the Triple Bend Handicap (Grade I). Borel will be at Belmont Park on Saturday to ride Warrior’s Reward in the Dwyer Stakes (Grade II).

    Miguel Mena’s four-win day on Saturday boosted his meet total to 38 to move into a tie for third in the standings with Robby Albarado. Three of the victories were for trainer Dale Romans, who now has 12 wins for the meet and 469 total at Churchill Downs … two fewer than D. Wayne Lukas for second all time. Bill Mott is the career win leader at Churchill Downs with 621 victories.    

MILESTONE WATCH -- William Connelly, who has 999 career victories, failed to reach the 1,000 mark Saturday night when Bred to Win finished second in the seventh race at Indiana Downs. Connelly’s next shot at the milestone will come Wednesday night when he sends out Brilliant Bid in the fifth race at Indiana Downs.

WORK TAB (Track: FAST) – Helen Alexander’s Selva, prepping for a run in Saturday’s Grade I Prioress at Belmont Park, worked a half-mile in :49 over a fast track Sunday morning. Team Valor International’s King of the Roxy, away from the races since April 2008, worked a half-mile in :48.20. Mark Stanley’s Swift Temper, runner-up in the Fleur de Lis (Grade II) on June 13, worked a half-mile in :49.40. Don Benge’s Wise River, prepping for Saturday’s Firecracker Handicap, worked a half-mile in :50.60.

Westrock Stables’ Decelerator prevailed by a neck over Wild Forest Cat to win Saturday’s 109th running of the $111,300 Debutante Stakes (Grade III) for 2-year-old fillies and give trainer Hall of Fame trainer  D. Wayne Lukas his record seventh victory in the race.

    Ridden by Julien Leparoux, Decelerator raced in fourth place in the run down the backstretch as Brown Eyed Baby led the field of nine through the first quarter-mile in :21.66 with Wild Forest Cat and Our Tekela Rose in closest pursuit. At the head of the stretch after a half-mile in :45.39, Wild Forest Cat under Brian Hernandez Jr. took control with Decelerator right on her flank.

The two battled as a team through the lane, exchanging a few bumps, before Decelerator drew clear to complete the six furlongs on the fast main track in 1:11.28. Hernandez claimed foul against Decelerator, but the claim was disallowed.

The victory was worth $66,246 for the 2-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Dehere who was a $250,000 February purchase at Ocala. Decelerator, now 2-for-2, boosted her career earnings to $95,671.

    Lukas first won the Debutante with Burnished Bright in 1986 and his most recent triumph before Saturday’s victory by Decelerator came in 2004 with Classic Elegance.  

    Saturday’s victory by Decelerator was Lukas first graded stakes win since Firey Pursuit won the Grade II Louisville Distaff at Churchill Downs on May 4, 2007.  It was the 72nd stakes victory at Churchill Downs for the 73-year-old native of Antigo, Wis., just two victories behind all-time leader and fellow Hall of Famer Bill Mott.  Lukas’ stakes total includes four victories in the Kentucky Derby (GI) and four in the Kentucky Oaks.  

    Sent off as the favorite, Decelerator returned mutuels of $4.60, $3 and $2.40. Wild Forest Cat returned $3.80 and $3.20. Kinsolving rallied to finish third another 3 ¾ lengths back under Shaun Bridgmohan and paid $3.60 to show. Both the second and third-place finishers are trained by Steve Asmussen.  Completing the field in order were Tidal Pool, Phone Marybe, Send Rose Thecheck, Brown Eyed Baby, Henry’s Posse and Our Tekela Rose.

    Racing resumes Sunday with a 10-race program that begins with a 12:45 p.m. EDT first post time. There will be a $66,217 carryover to the Z-5 Super Hi-5 wager, and that pool will carry over to the sixth race at Calder on Sunday afternoon.

POST-RACE QUOTES – THE DEBUTANTE (GIII)

D. WAYNE LUKAS, trainer of DECELERATOR (winner)
    “You always get a little nervous when they throw the inquiry sign up like that. But I thought that the other horse (Wild Forest Cat) maybe came out as much as anything, but we don’t have the view that the other guys got.
    “She’s a gutsy filly. You know, she hadn’t run since May and I didn’t do a lot with her, as you could see by the works. If she was short, she’d be short; I wanted to save a little something for that little place in northern New York (Saratoga). We’ll come back in about 30 days and go in the Schuylerville (Saratoga’s Grade III, $100,000-added Schuylerville for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs on Wednesday, July 29).
    “These people, the Fords (Joe and Scott Ford), have been wonderful, wonderful people to train for. They’re going to be in this thing for a long time; they both have a passion for it. I’m just lucky to have made the association. They’ve really been something else. We’ve got about 13 horses together. We better get another one because I don’t like sitting on that number! I don’t miss a trick, do I?”

JULIEN LEPAROUX, rider of DECELERATOR (winner)
“It feels great to win a stakes for Mr. Lukas, especially a baby race. When we swung for home I didn’t really want to go that wide, but I didn’t want to get stuck behind Corey Lanerie (Our Tekela Rose) so I took the chance and went around outside and she finished up great for me. She is a really good filly.”

JOCKEY BRIAN HERNANDEZ JR., rider of WILD FOREST CAT (runner-up)
“She ran hard.  But just late she was wanting to drift and drift, and both of ‘em were tired and they kind of came together and it cost us pretty good.  We were in front of her the whole way and the minute they kind of brushed each other mine kind of threw in the towel for good.  It was a tough race.
    “I think we’ve run second in every major stakes race of the meet.
    “I think we had a great chance today.  It just didn’t work out for us.”

SHAUN BRIDGMOHAN, rider of KINSOLVING (third)
“She ran pretty good.  She stumbled pretty bad leaving there and I had to reach up and let her gather herself up, but she made a nice little run in there.”

JON COURT, rider of TIDAL POOL (fourth)
“She broke just enough to be in a little trouble – you know, a 2-year-old.  She overcome quite a bit and she just rallied up.  She couldn’t save the ground I wanted to, but she rallied up for fourth, so you’ve got to give her a lot of credit.  She took a lot of dirt in the face and showed a very competitive finish.  I think with a little cleaner break she would have been a little more competitive on the front end, but a fourth-place finish is better than fifth.”

Trainer D Wayne Lukas, who has saddled the Debutante winner a record six times, will have two chances at bringing home No. 7 on Saturday when he sends out Westrock Stables’ Decelerator and Tidal Pool in the 109th running of the $100,000-added Grade III event at Churchill Downs.

            The Debutante, which drew a field of nine 2-year-old fillies, will be run at six furlongs on the main track and will go as the 10th race at 5:29 p.m. (all times EDT) on Saturday’s 11-race program that begins at 12:45 p.m.

            Lukas, who saddled his first Debutante winner in 1986 (Burnished Bright) and most recent winner in 2004 (Classic Elegance), picked both of his 2009 Debutante starters out of the February Ocala sale, paying $250,000 for Decelerator and $220,000 for Tidal Pool.

            Decelerator, who will be ridden by Julien Leparoux and break from post position eight, won at first asking, taking a five-furlong race by a half-length on May 14. Decelerator, a daughter of Dehere, has had five works since, including two bullet moves. Tidal Pool, who will be ridden by Jon Court and break from post position seven, broke her maiden on her second try going 4 ½ furlongs on May 21.

            Trainer Steve Asmussen, who has won the Debutante four times, will send out Lewis Lakin and Diane and Roger Stanton’s Wild Forest Cat and Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Kinsolving.

Wild Forest Cat, a winner by 4 ¾ lengths going 4 ½ furlongs on May 7 in her second start, will be ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. and break from post position three. Kinsolving, who broke her maiden at first asking at Keeneland on April 17, has been idle since finishing sixth in the Kentucky Juvenile (Grade III) on April 30 at Churchill Downs. Shaun Bridgmohan will ride Kinsolving and break from post position one.

The field for the Debutante, from the rail out:  Kinsolving (Shaun Bridgmohan), Henry’s Posse (Miguel Mena), Wild Forest Cat (Brian Hernandez Jr.), Our Tekela Rose (Corey Lanerie), Phone Marybe (Inocencio Ayarza), Brown Eyed Baby (Robby Albarado), Tidal Pool (Jon Court), Decelerator (Julien Leparoux) and Send Rose Thecheck (Jesus Castanon). All starters will carry 118 pounds.

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