Pyro

Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC’s Pyro rebounded from an eighth-place finish in the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) to draw off to a 1 3/4-length victory over My Pal Charlie in the seventh running of the $190,925 Northern Dancer Stakes (GIII) on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan and trained by Steve Asmussen, Pyro rated third off the pace of dueling leaders Texas Wildcatter and My Pal Charlie as the duo carved out fractions of :24.88 and :48.83.

Leaving the backstretch, Pyro moved at the leaders along with Visionaire, who had finished 12th in the Kentucky Derby.  Pyro overcame My Pal Charlie at the head of the lane and then shook off the challenge of Visionaire at the eighth pole to complete the mile and one-sixteenth on a “fast” main track in 1:43.53, defeating five other 3-year-olds.

As the second choice, Pyro returned mutuels of $5.60, $3.60 and $2.60. B. Wayne Hughes’ My Pal Charlie, ridden by Jamie Theriot, returned $6.60 and $3.60, while Team Valor International and Vision Racing’s Visionaire, ridden by Garrett Gomez, finished another 2 1/4 lengths back in third and paid $3.20 to show.

Favored Recapturetheglory, who ran fifth in the Kentucky Derby, finished fourth, another 1 1/4 lengths back.

The victory was worth $117,345 and increased Pyro’s career earnings to $1,174,163. A homebred son of Pulpit, Pyro improved his record to 9-4-2-1.

STAKES QUOTES: THE NORTHERN DANCER STAKES

SHAUN BRIDGMOHAN (jockey, Pyro) – “Obviously, he’s tactical and he’s so classy. You can do whatever you want with him. Steve and his crew did a fabulous job. He’s been a temperamental horse, but he was fabulous today. The work that they’ve put into him has, obviously, paid off.”

STEVE ASMUSSEN (trainer, Pyro) – “The horse left there very cleanly today and Shaun had him in great position. He ran a very strong race. I’m just proud of how he acted. Pre-race, he was very confident and back to how he was over the winter. I was very glad to see it. Hopefully this is the first step to a very good second half of the year.

“He just came over a lot more relaxed. Pre-race and schooling before the Derby, he seemed agitated and flat nervous. Scott did a great job with him, doing a lot of schooling and (getting him) able to run back here. He beat a nice group of horses today.

“He was coming off two extremely disappointing efforts for a top-class horse. This was a quality field today and he handled what was thrown at him. He was a lot sharper in the race and looked comfortable the whole time. Hopefully we can map out a schedule that has some important races in it for 3-year-olds for the year.”

AL STALL JR. (trainer, My Pal Charlie) – “We actually talked about the one-horse (Recapturetheglory) missing the break because of his lack of starts, and Jamie took it right to ‘em.  It was very similar to the Louisiana Derby, but we were just second best – what can you say?”

JAMIE THERIOT (jockey, My Pal Charlie) – “He’s a horse that kind of puts himself into the race and he had everything his way.  He was just second-best to that horse (Pyro).  We ran all winter long with him and we were second-best to him then, and he still is.”

(It looked on the turn like all things might be possible for you...)
“On the turn I still had plenty of horse and I thought I could get away from him (Pyro), but that horse is just better than us.”

MICHAEL MATZ (trainer, Visionaire) – “He just kind of went pretty wide there (on the turn).  Garrett suggested that maybe we put some blinkers on him, so we’ll see what that is like.  I thought it was a good race coming back and we’ll just have to go one from here.”

GARRETT GOMEZ (jockey, Visionaire) – “He made a nice run on the turn.  We gave up a spot early on in the race that I was hoping to stay up in, but it’s a learning experience and hopefully we can move forward from this and get him back on the right track.  He’s a nice horse.”

E.T. BAIRD (jockey, Recapturetheglory) – “That’s the first time he’s every really broke with me like that.  He didn’t break coming out of there – he kind of broke over the top for a little bit – two or three jumps – and being in the one-hole, I was covered up immediately and I was forced to do what I really didn’t want to do. But I didn’t have a choice.”

(He still ran on pretty well to get fourth...)
“It’s tough.  I’ve never had him quite in the position he was in today.  He handled it pretty well I think, but I would have liked it if he had broke better and I’d have been able to take my position rather than take what was left.”

Stonestreet Stable and Midnight Cry Stable’s reigning “Horse of the Year” Curlin completed his serious training for Saturday’s Stephen Foster Handicap (Grade I) with an easy half-mile work on Monday at Churchill Downs.

The 4-year-old son of Smart Strike completed four furlongs over a “fast” track in :49 with exercise rider Carlos Rosas in the saddle. The Steve Asmussen trainee worked around 6:30 a.m. (EDT) on a humid morning and covered the distance in fractions of :12.60, :24.60 and :37. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.80.

Asmussen was displeased with the 128-pound weight assignment for his star in Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up, but said Curlin remains on target for an expected run in the Stephen Foster Handicap. The race has a value of $750,000-added, but a Churchill Downs purse supplement of $250,000 will drive the Stephen Foster purse to a record $1 million if at least one winner of a previous Grade I stakes race competes on Saturday.

“We like where he’s at – he’s an awesome horse,” Asmussen said. “It’s all about Curlin now, the other things are out of your control. To not run him would be an injustice to him. But giving solid horses 15 pounds is a challenge. I guess they were happy the day they got Azeri beat here."

Asmussen referred to the 2004 running of Churchill Downs’ Humana Distaff (GI) in which 2002 “Horse of the Year” Azeri, who carried 124 pounds, was upset by Mayo On the Side, who had been assigned 114 and edged the champion by a head.

Curlin carried 132 pounds in his 2008 debut in the Jaguar Trophy at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai, then he toted 126 pounds in a 7 ¾-length romp in the $6 million Dubai World Cup (GI) over the same track on March 29. Asmussen said he thought 126 pounds would have been a more equitable weight assignment for Curlin in the Stephen Foster, which would be Curlin’s third start of the year and his first in the United States.

“When you look at it, you’re giving quality horses 15 pounds and that’s quite significant,” Asmussen said. “He must overcome. They didn’t put him back in training to debate weights.”

Curlin will have regular jockey Robby Albarado in the saddle for the Foster. He has a career record of 8-1-2 in 11 races with earnings of $8,807,800. His two wins this year in Dubai are part of a four-race winning streak by Curlin that also includes last fall’s $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) at Belmont Park and the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (GI) at Monmouth Park.

DENIS OF CORK, MACHO AGAIN RETURN FROM BELMONT – Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren Jr.’s Denis of Cork and West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again, the second- and fifth-place finishers, respectively, in Saturday’s Belmont Stakes (GI) were scheduled to return to Churchill Downs on Monday afternoon.

“I was very pleased with his race. He showed up,” trainer David Carroll said of Denis of Cork, who previously had run third in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands.

“He made up some ground, but the winner (Da’ Tara) ran huge that day.”

Carroll said Denis of Cork would get a little time off before embarking on a summer campaign.

“The Travers (Aug. 23 at Saratoga) is our main goal,” Carroll said. “Before that we will look at the Jim Dandy (July 27 at Saratoga) or the Haskell (Aug. 3 at Monmouth Park).”

The Jim Dandy is one of the options under consideration for Macho Again, according to trainer Dallas Stewart.

“Either that or the West Virginia Derby, a Grade III for $750,000,” Stewart said referring to the Aug. 2 race at Mountaineer Park. “Either one would give us plenty of time.”

Macho Again won the Derby Trial on opening day of the Spring Meet and finished second in the Preakness (GI) before his Belmont run.

PYRO BREEZES EASY HALF-MILE FOR RETURN NORTHERN DANCER – Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC’s Pyro, the winner of the Louisiana Derby (GII) and a disappointing eighth in the $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), tuned up for a return to competition in Saturday’s $175,000-added Northern Dancer Stakes (GIII) with an easy half-mile breeze on Monday at Churchill Downs.

The 3-year-old son of Pulpit completed the distance in :50.80 under exercise rider Carlos Rosas. His internal fractions were :13.40, :26 and :38.80 as he worked over a “fast” track.

Trainer Steve Asmussen is hoping to get Pyro back on track in the 1 1/16-mile Northern Dancer. At one time the colt was among the favorites for the Kentucky Derby until he finished 10th as the favorite in the Toyota Blue Grass (GI) over Polytrack at Keeneland. He followed that race with his dull effort behind then unbeaten Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby.

“Backing up to a mile-and-a-sixteenth coming off a disappointing Derby, we just want to get back on track with him,” Asmussen said.

Asmussen has not been able to pinpoint any specific physical or mental concerns that could explain the colt’s back-to-back losses after he opened the season with impressive wins in the Risen Star (GIII) and Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.

“It just snowballed,” Asmussen said. “I think when you say mental, it got to be mental because of not having the results that he wanted. He’s just a very nice, competitive horse that expects good things to happen and when it didn’t go his way, it hurt his feelings – just like the rest of us.”

Asmussen used the same race last year as a launching point for the successful second half of the 3-year-old campaign of Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Zanjero, who had finished 12th in the Kentucky Derby before dropped a narrow decision to Centennial Farms’ Chelokee in the Northern Dancer. Zanjero went on to win the Indiana Derby (GII) and West Virginia Derby (GIII) after that outing.

“I still think there’s a Grade I in him,” Asmussen said. “We’ve got to get back on track. This isn’t going to be the race of his life, but hopefully it’s a step in that direction.”

Pyro has a career record of 3-2-1 in eight races and has earned $1,056,718.

POZNANSKY’S FIRST CD WINNER LONGSHOT PLAYER’S DELIGHT – Beating long odds has kind of been par for the course this spring at Churchill Downs for jockey Neil Poznansky. So, it should have come as no shock that when he hit the winner’s circle for the first time in 2008 with Ullaroesch on Saturday for owner-trainer Ingrid Boak, he brought a $108.60 payoff with him.

“Let’s face it, it was a tough time to get started here,” Poznansky’s agent Norm Schmitt said. “You come in Derby Week with a rider nobody knows with a name nobody can pronounce.”

To Kentuckians who may not know the name, Poznansky has done his best work in Canada, highlighted by winning the 1996 Eclipse Award as the top apprentice rider in North America.

In 2007, he decided to come to the States, but getting here took longer than expected.

“I had to keep waiting on my visa,” Poznansky said. “In August, a friend of mine, Justin Nixon who was training in Maryland, said I should come down and gallop horses for him after I got the visa. So I did, and the first horse he put me won at Timonium.”

That was Poznansky’s lone win from two mounts last year. After Maryland he went to New York to gallop horses for Hall of Famer Bill Mott and spent the winter with Mott at Payson Park in South Florida.

“I was looking to get started back and I was getting on some of Bill’s Derby horses and he suggested I come here,” Poznansky said. “It has been slow, but the win sure helps. We had been knocking on the door (with two seconds and three thirds from 11 previous mounts) and people are starting to take notice.”

Now, if they can just get the name right.

BARN TALK – It was hotter than hot Sunday at Churchill Downs, and keeping with that theme, no humans were hotter than the leading jockeys and trainers at the 52-day Spring Meet.

The top three riders – Robby Albarado, Miguel Mena and Julien Leparoux – won eight of the 10 races on the card, and the leading trainers – Tom Amoss and Ken McPeek – won with their only entrants on the program.

Albarado had his second four-win day of the meet to go with his four-bagger of May 24 and increase his win total to 41 after 32 days of racing. Mena and Leparoux had two wins each Sunday to raise their totals to 38 and 37, respectively.

Two of Albarado’s wins came for McPeek on Subscriber in the fourth and Must Be Gold in the ninth. Leparoux delivered the Amoss victory aboard Maria Victoria in the opener.

McPeek, who never has won a Spring training title here, and Amoss, who shared the 2002 Spring title with Dale Romans, have saddled 21 winners each. Steve Asmussen is third in the trainer’s standings with 16 victories.

CORRECTION – An item in the June 8 Barn Notes incorrectly stated Golden Yank was a dead-heat winner of the 2007 Delta Jackson (GIII). Golden Yank finished third.

WORK TAB (Track: FAST) – Bruce Lunsford’s Tessa Blue, winner of the 2007 Indiana Oaks (GIII) and Inside Information Breeders’ Cup, worked a half-mile in :49 over a fast track for trainer Frank Brothers. The move was the 13th fastest of 35 at the distance. … Kim and John Glenney’s Transduction Gold worked five furlongs in 1:02.40, the eighth fastest of 22 at the distance. Transduction Gold, winner of the 2007 Sycamore (GIII) at Keeneland, left later in the morning for Southern California where he is scheduled to run in Saturday’s 1 ¾-mile Round Table Handicap on the turf.

 

2008 SPRING MEET LEADERS

Through Sunday, June 8

 

Jockeys Starts 1-2-3

Robby Albarado 156 41-19-22

Miguel Mena 211 38-27-27

Julien Leparoux 201 37-36-37

Calvin Borel 206 30-32-32

Shaun Bridgmohan 139 26-27-18

Brian Hernandez Jr. 111 10-19-13

Jamie Theriot 149 25-22-10

Jesus Castanon 169 21-14-18

Elvis Trujillo 61 10-9-17

Corey Lanerie 127 9-18-14

Larry Sterling Jr. 68 9-8-9

Trainers

Ken McPeek 48 21-7-4

Tom Amoss 49 21-6-8

Steve Asmussen 76 16-14-12

Mike Maker 37 11-6-4

Dale Romans 87 10-18-16

Ian Wilkes 33 10-6-5

Eddie Kenneally 39 8-8-7

Cody Autrey 42 7-8-7

Steve Margolis 33 7-6-6

Wesley Ward 25 7-5-5

Nick Zito 19 7-5-1

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

Owners

Ken and Sarah Ramsey 37 12-5-6

Maggi Moss 19 10-2-3

Zayat Stables, LLC 33 7-6-7

Richard, Elaine & Bert Klein 28 6-7-3

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable 11 5-1-0

Padua Stables 7 4-1-0

Eliah and Lisa Kahn 4 4-0-0

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

 

Stonestreet Stable and Midnight Cry Stable’s reigning “Horse of the Year” Curlin heads a star-studded roster of veteran racing stars nominated to the 27th running of the Churchill Downs’ $750,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (Grade I) on Saturday, June 14 at Churchill Downs.

The 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up is the main event on a schedule of six stakes races on “Stephen Foster Super Saturday” and could carry a record purse of $1 million if the field includes one or more winners of a previous Grade I stakes event. Churchill Downs has offered to supplement $250,000 from its marketing account to the Stephen Foster purse if at least one Grade I winner starts in the race.

Curlin, a 4-year-old son of Smart Strike, won the $6 million Dubai World Cup (GI) on March 29 at Nad Al Sheba and last fall’s $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge (GI) at Monmouth Park. The Steve Asmussen-trained chestnut finished third to Street Sense in the 2007 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) at Churchill Downs, but avenged that setback in the Preakness (GI) and also won the Jockey Club Gold Cup (GI) at Belmont Park during the campaign in which he also earned an Eclipse Award as 3-year-old champion.

Curlin, who has won eight of 11 races and earned $8,807,800, opened his 4-year-old campaign with a pair of victories in Dubai highlighted by his 7 ¾-length romp in the Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest race.

Other Grade I winners among the 29 older stars nominated to the Stephen Foster Handicap include Stonecrest Farm’s homebred Perfect Drift, who upset eventual “Horse of the Year” Mineshaft to win the 2003 Foster and has career earnings of $4,699,321; Millennium Farms’ Student Council, the winner of the recent Pimlico Special (GI) and last year’s Pacific Classic (GI) who has career earnings of $1,307,731; Fred Bradley’s homebred Brass Hat, a career earner of $1,761,814 who won Donn Handicap (GI) at Gulfstream Park in 2006; J. Paul Reddam’s Great Hunter, who won the Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland in 2006; and Midnight Cry Stable’s Einstein, winner of the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) and two-time winner of the Gulfstream Park Turf (GI) who has earned $1,107,931.

Other notables nominated to the 2008 Stephen Foster Handicap include the Allen E. Paulson Living Trust’s A.P. Arrow, winner of the 2007 Clark Handicap (GII) at Churchill Downs; Stronach Stable’s Giant Gizmo, winner of the Alysheba (GIII) at Churchill Downs and the Lone Star Park Handicap (GIII) in his last two starts; William S. Farish and E.J. Hudson’s Grasshopper, winner of the Mineshaft Handicap (GIII) and runner-up to Street Sense in the 2007 Travers (GI); Michael Langford’s Jonesboro, winner of the Razorback Handicap (GIII); Mike Willman’s McCann’s Mojave, winner of the Berkley Handicap (GIII) at Golden Gate Fields and a career earner of nearly $1.5 million; and Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Zanjero, winner of the 2006 Indiana Derby (GII) and West Virginia Derby (GIII) who has earned more than $1.3 million.

The five major stakes races that share the spotlight with the Stephen Foster Handicap on the “Stephen Foster Super Saturday” racing program also attracted strong rosters of nominees.

The 34th running of the $300,000-added Fleur De Lis (GII) for fillies and mares ages 3 and up at 1 1/8 miles boasts Stronach Stable’s Ginger Punch and Rancho San Miguel, George Todaro and Jerry Hollendorfer’s Hystericalady among its 18 nominees. Ginger Punch capped a stellar 2007 campaign with a victory in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) at Monmouth Park. She also won the Ruffian (GI) and Go for Wand (GI) on her way to an Eclipse Award that honored her as America’s top older filly or mare. She won the Louisville Stakes (GII) at Churchill Downs in her most recent start.

Hystericalady burst to prominence last year with a victory in the $300,000-added Humana Distaff (GI) at Churchill Downs and finished a close second to Ginger Punch in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Other major stakes winners nominated to the Fleur De Lis include Bear Now, Leah’s Secret, Spring Waltz, Tough Tiz’s Sis and Tessa Blue.

Thirty-two 3-year-olds were nominated to the 31st running of the $200,000-added Jefferson Cup (GII) at 1 1/8 miles on the turf. Prominent members of that roster of nominees include Michael Cooper and Pamela Ziebarth’s Tizdejavu, winner of the $150,000-added Crown Royal American Turf (GIII); Ashbrook Farm’s Wicked Style, winner of the Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland; Sarah and Jon Kelly’s Calder Derby (GIII) and Palm Beach (GIII) winner Sporting Art; Arlington Classic winner Meal Penalty; and Cradle winner Old Man Buck.

The 39th running of the $200,000-added Regret (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course includes the versatile Pure Clan among its nominees. Owned by IEAH Stable, Lewis Lakin and Pegasus Holding Group, the daughter of Pure Prize finished third to Proud Spell in the 134th running of the $500,000-added Kentucky Oaks (GI). Trainer Robert Holthus plans to make the Regret a return to the grass for Pure Clan, who won her first two races on turf before she switched to the dirt to win Churchill Downs’ $250,000-added Golden Rod (GII) and $100,000-added Pocahontas (GIII).

Others nominated to the Regret include Zayat Stables’ Edgewood winner Zee Zee; Koolmen Racing Stable’s A to the Croft, a recent allowance winner on turf at Churchill Downs who ran seventh in the Kentucky Oaks and was Grade I-placed on the dirt at two; Absolutely Cindy, who ran 10th in the Kentucky Oaks, but defeated males in the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park for owner/trainer Keith Kinmon; Charles Laloggia’s Clearly Foxy, winner of Woodbine’s Natalma (GIII) as a 2-year-old; Sands Point (GII) and Calder Oaks runner-up Life is Sweet; and celebrity chef Bobby Flay’s Hollywood Starlet (GI) runner-up Grace and Power.

At least two horses that chased unbeaten Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) are expected to compete in the seventh running of the $175,000-added Northern Dancer (GIII) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the main track. Louie Roussel III and Ronnie Lamarque’s Recapturetheglory, who was fifth in the Kentucky Derby, and Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Pyro, who was eighth in the “Run for the Roses,” are among the 26 3-year-olds nominated to the Northern Dancer.

Other Derby veterans on the roster of Northern Dancer nominees include Cool Coal Man (15th in the Derby) and Visionaire (12th). Coolmore Lexington (GII) winner Behindatthebar; Louisiana Derby (GII) runner-up My Pal Charlie; Hollywood Prevue (GIII) winner Massive Drama; Racecar Rhapsody, the fourth-place finisher in the Preakness; and Gotham (GIII) runner-up Texas Wildcatter are also nominated.

Thirty-eight older fillies and mares were nominated to the 32nd running of the $150,000-added Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (GIII) at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Major stars in that group include Frank Calabrese’s multiple turf stakes winner Dreaming of Anna, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2006; Jacks or Better Farm’s Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile (GIII) winner Bayou’s Lassie; Joseph Allen’s Kentucky Cup Distaff (GIII) winner Danzon; Lawrence Goichman’s My Charmer (GIII) winner J’ray; and IEAH Stable and WinStar Farm’s Lake Placid (GIII) winner Sharp Susan.

 

A busy Monday at Churchill Downs saw significant training moves by several major stakes winners, including works by reigning “Horse of the Year” Curlin and Belmont Stakes (Grade I) contender Denis of Cork.

Stonestreet Stables LLC and Midnight Cry Stables Curlin, winner of the $6 million Dubai World Cup in his most recent start, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.80 over a “fast” track under exercise rider Carlos Rosas. Curlin breezed in the company of a stablemate and the move by the Steve Asmussen-trained son of Smart Strike ranked as the 17th fastest of 31 at the distance. It was the colt’s sharpest move since his return to training following his World Cup victory at Dubai’s Nad Al Sheba on March 29.

“I thought he went beautiful,” said Asmussen. “I think we’re in a very good spot with him and he seems to be coming around as expected.”

Curlin, the winner of the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic Powered by Dodge and third in last year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), is being pointed toward a return to racing in the $750,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) at Churchill Downs on June 14. Monday’s work was Curlin’s third since his return from Dubai. He had breezed a half-mile in :52.20 over a “fast” track at Churchill Downs on May 5 and followed that with a slow five furlongs in 1:06 on a “muddy” track on May 12.

Mr. and Mrs. William Warren’s Denis of Cork, third to unbeaten Triple Crown hopeful Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands and winner of the Southwest (GIII) at Oaklawn Park, turned in a solid five-furlong breeze as he worked for the first time since his strong effort in “Run for the Roses.” The David Carroll-trained son of Harlan’s Holiday, who is being pointed toward a run in the mile and a half Belmont Stakes (GI) on June 7 at Belmont Park, covered the distance in 1:01 just after the break for track maintenance. Jockey James Lopez was in the irons for the breeze, which ranked fifth among the 31 at the distance.

“He’s just starting to come back to himself,” said Carroll. “He finished up strong in the Derby and galloped out. With all the rain we’ve had here, I didn’t do a whole lot with him since the Derby – you don’t have to do a whole lot with him. Today we just let him stretch his legs, and he just went beautiful.”

Carroll said the work was everything he had hoped to see in Denis of Cork’s first significant training move since his Kentucky Derby bid. The colt is expected to breeze twice more before he travels to Belmont Park in an effort to derail Big Brown’s bid to become the 12th horse to sweep Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown.

“It’s good to get his head back in the game,” Carroll said. “We’ll see what happens in the Belmont. Big Brown is just a beautiful horse – a fantastic horse. But it wouldn’t hurt me to see him get beat. (Grade II Peter Pan winner) Casino Drive will be the second choice, but after that I don’t know. We fit well in that race with him.”

Denis of Cork won his first three starts, including the Southwest on Feb. 18, but turned in a poor effort in a fifth-place finish in the Illinois Derby (GII) at Hawthorne on April 5. Carroll’s colt rebounded in the Kentucky Derby, where he was last in the field of 20 in the early going and trained the leaders by 19 lengths. He rallied in the stretch to finish 8 ½-lengths behind the unbeaten Big Brown in third. Denis of Cork was ridden by Calvin Borel in the Kentucky Derby, but jockey Robby Albarado will have the mount on Warren’s colt in the Belmont Stakes.

Other works of note on Monday at Churchill Downs included moves by several stars from the Asmussen stable, including two horses that represented the barn in the Kentucky Derby. Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Pyro, winner of the Louisiana Derby (GII) and eighth in Kentucky Derby, breezed five furlongs in 1:04.40. Zayat Stables’ Z Fortune, tenth in the Kentucky Derby, covered the same distance in 1:02.20. Asmussen said Pyro would run next in the $175,000-added Northern Dancer (GIII) on June 14 at Churchill Downs, while Z Fortune would run in the Ohio Derby (GII) at Thistledown.

Indiana Derby (GII) and West Virginia Derby (GIII) winner Zanjero breezed four furlongs for Asmussen in :49.80 in preparation for a run in the $400,000 Lone Star Park Handicap on May 26. Fantasy (GII) runner-up Alina breezed five furlongs in 1:02.90 in preparation for a run in the $100,000-added Dogwood (GIII) on May 31 at Churchill Downs, while Churchill Downs Handicap (GII) runner-up Noonmark breezed the same distance in 1:03.40 in a prep for the $125,000-added Aristides (GIII) on the same date. Kodiak Kowboy breezed five furlongs for Asmussen in 1:02.80.

Other Monday works included a move by Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) runner-up Blackberry Road, who breezed four furlongs in :52.80. … Veteran sprint stakes winner Off Duty breezed four furlongs in :51 for trainer Lynn Whiting. … Cowtown Cat, 20th in last year’s Kentucky Derby, breezed six furlongs in 1:12.40 for trainer Todd Pletcher. … Tessa Blue breezed five furlongs for trainer Frank Brothers -in 1:01.40.

 

Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Pyro, the 5-1 second choice in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, will go for his third straight victory of 2008 when he faces 11 rivals Saturday in the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) at Keeneland.

Pyro, a homebred son of Pulpit out of the Wild Again mare Wild Vision, has compiled a record of 6-3-2-1 with earnings of $1,056,718. In 2008, Pyro has captured the Risen Star (GIII) and Louisiana Derby (GII) at Fair Grounds.

Shaun Bridgmohan, who has ridden Pyro in all of his starts, will have the mount Saturday and break from post position seven.  A victory would solidify his status as one of the major contenders, and perhaps the betting favorite, in the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) on May 3 at Churchill Downs.

Among Pyro’s rivals in the field that includes all Triple Crown nominees are three horses coming off stakes victories and all trained by men who have won the Kentucky Derby.

Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer will saddle two horses for owner Robert LaPenta. Cool Coal Man, winner of the Fountain of Youth (GII) in his most recent start, will break from the rail under two-time Kentucky Derby-winning rider Kent Desormeaux. Zito’s other runner is Stevil.

Eric Fein’s Big Truck, trained by Barclay Tagg, enters the Toyota Blue Grass off a victory in the Tampa Bay Derby (GIII). Team Valor International and Vision Racing’s Visionaire, trained by Michael Matz, took the Gotham (GIII) in his most recent start.

Visionaire closed at 19-1 in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager; Cool Coal Man was 20-1 and Big Truck 32-1.

The field for the Toyota Blue Grass, from the rail out, is Cool Coal Man, Bear Stables’ Kentucky Bear, Stonerside Stable’s Cowboy Cal, Stevil, Starlight Stable, Donald Lucarelli and Paul Saylor’s Monba, Big Truck, Pyro, Marylou Whitney Stables’ Stone Bird, Equine Prep Management’s Medjool, Briarwood Stable’s Miner’s Claim, Zayat Stables’ Halo Najib and Visionaire.

ADRIANO TO WORK AT CHURCHILL DOWNS ON SUNDAY – Courtlandt Farm’s Adriano, winner of the Lane’s End Stakes (GII) over Polytrack at Turfway Park, is scheduled to travel from Keeneland to Churchill Downs on Sunday morning for a workout on the one-mile dirt track over which the Kentucky Derby will be run on May 3.

Trainer Graham Motion hopes to use the work to gauge how the son of A.P. Indy handles the track.  If the work goes well, Adriano could train up to the Kentucky Derby.  If Motion is unimpressed, the colt could remain at Keeneland to run in next week’s $325,000 Coolmore Lexington (GII) over the Polytrack surface at the Lexington track.

EVENLY MATCHED FIELD OF 14 IN ARKANSAS DERBY – Zayat Stables’ Z Fortune is the lone graded stakes winner in the field of 14 entered for Saturday’s $1 million Arkansas Derby (GII) at Oaklawn Park, but that does not mean he has the field over a barrel.

Of the other 11 Triple Crown nominees in the mile and one-eighth test, eight have placed in graded stakes and are hoping to use the centerpiece of the Hot Springs meet to vault into Kentucky Derby prominence.

Trained by Steve Asmussen and ridden by Robby Albarado, Z Fortune will break from post position 12. Z Fortune won the LeComte (GIII) at Fair Grounds and subsequently finished second in the Risen Star (GIII) and fifth in the Rebel (GII).  Asmussen and Albarado teamed to win the Arkansas Derby with Curlin last year.

Z Fortune closed at 54-1 in Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager that closed April 6.  Four other Pool 3 propositions are in the Arkansas Derby: Dogwood Stable’s Blackberry Road (46-1), Cubanacan Stables’ Gayego (57-1), B. Wayne Hughes’ My Pal Charlie (73-1) and Kenneth Maier’s Liberty Bull (74-1).

The field for the Arkansas Derby, from the rail out, is as follows: Ellen and Peter Johnson’s Victory Pete, Beau Greely, John Greely IV and Phil Houchens’ Tres Borrachos, Horton Stables’ Shekinah, Mike McCarty’s King’s Silver Son, Gayego, Alex and Joann Lieblong’s Isabull, My Pal Charlie, Blackberry Road, Liberty Bull, the Millard Seldin Revocable trust’s Golden Yank, Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Ablaze With Spirit, Z Fortune, Cecil Peacock’s Indian Sun and Russata Stables’ Jazz In The Park.

All but Ablaze With Spirit and Jazz In The Park are Triple Crown nominees.

PONI COLADA HEADS NORTHERN SPUR FIELD – Bob Zollars and Mark Wagner’s Poni Colada, an eight-length winner of the Borderland Derby at Sunland Park in February, heads a field of 10 entered for Saturday’s $75,000 Northern Spur Stakes at a mile at Oaklawn Park.

Trained by Steve Asmussen, Poni Colada has compiled a record of 8-3-1-0 with earnings of $132,366. Poni Colada finished seventh in the WinStar Derby at Sunland Park in his most recent start.

Three other Triple Crown nominees are in the Northern Spur field. Headlining that trip is Dream Walkin Farms’ Sebastian County, who ran third in last summer’s Arlington-Washington Futurity (GIII) and was third in his 2008 debut in the Mountain Valley Stakes.

Other Triple Crown nominees are Shortleaf Stable’s Red Sandy and George Gilbert, K. Chan, Glyn Kelly and L.A. MacLennan’s Royal Hudson.

HEY BYRN FACES SIX IN HOLY BULL – Bea Oxenberg’s Hey Byrn, a late Triple Crown nominee, heads a field of seven entered Wednesday for Saturday’s $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes (GIII) at a mile and three-sixteenths at Gulfstream Park.

A romping winner of his first two starts in 2008, Hey Byrn finished fourth in the Florida Derby (GI) in his most recent start on March 29. Hey Byrn will break from post position two under Chuck Lopez.

Two other Triple Crown nominees are in the field: Bear Stables’ Chief Bear and Richard Brand’s Web Gem.

FIVE TRIPLE CROWN HOPEFULS EYE LA PUENTE – J. Paul Reddam’s No Jepordy, fourth in the March 16 WinStar Derby at Sunland Park in his most recent start, heads a list of five Triple Crown nominees in a full field of 12 entered Wednesday for Saturday’s $100,000 La Puente Stakes at a mile on the turf at Santa Anita.

No Jepordy, who also ran third in the Borderland Derby at Sunland Park in February, has compiled a record of 6-1-0-3 with earnings of $90,560 for trainer Doug O’Neill. Corey Nakatani has the mount.

Other Triple Crown nominees in the field are Joy Ride Racing’s Afleet Ruler, Legacy Ranch’s Capture the Call, Joseph Duffel’s Nevada Worrier and Diamond A Racing Corp.’s Tiz West.

IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr.’s Big Brown, the unbeaten winner of the Florida Derby (Grade I), remained the top choice of Kentucky Derby fans as the third and final pool of Churchill Downs’ 2008 Kentucky Derby Future Wager reached its midway point.

The Richard Dutrow Jr.-trained son of Boundary, who was not among the individual betting interests in either of the year’s first two pools of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, was the 3-1 favorite following the second day of betting in the four-day third pool.  Big Brown remained a narrow choice over Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Pyro, the winner of the Louisiana Derby (GII) and the pool’s second choice at 9-2.  Pyro closed as the 4-1 favorite in Pool 2 of the Derby Future bet.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager offers fans an opportunity to wager on contenders for the 134th running of the $2 million-guaranteed Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (GI), which will be run on May 3 at Churchill Downs, at odds that could be better than those they would receive on the day of the race.

Fans across North America wagered $40,020 on Friday to raise the pool’s two-day total to $66,752.  Betting on the four-day pool is scheduled to resume on Saturday, April 5 at noon (all times EDT). The pool will close at 6 p.m. (Eastern) on Sunday, April 6, and winning payouts will be based on the odds in place at the conclusion of wagering.

Friday’s betting saw continued solid support for Robert LaPenta’s War Pass, the champion 2-year-old in American racing in 2007 who suffered his first career defeat in a disappointing last-place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby (GIII) on March 15.  War Pass, who will attempt to restore his tarnished image in Saturday’s $750,000 Wood Memorial (GI) at Aqueduct, was the 8-1 third choice in Pool 3 at the conclusion of Friday’s betting. The mutuel field, which includes all 3-year-olds other than the 23 individual horses in Pool 3, was the fourth choice at 11-1.

The Wood Memorial is one of three major stakes races scheduled on Saturday that could shake up the odds for Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.  Also on the schedule are the $1 million Santa Anita Derby (GI), which is headed by Pool 3 wagering interest Colonel John (17-1) and El Gato Malo (15-1), and the $500,000-added Illinois Derby (GII), in which Pool 3 member Denis of Cork (17-1) is the likely favorite.

Real time odds on Pool 3 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager are available on the official Kentucky Derby Web site at www.kentuckyderby.com.

2008 KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER POOL 3

1 - Adriano*: morning line 20-1; 32-1 after day 1; 33-1 after day 2
2 - Atoned*: morning line 30-1; 43-1 after day 1; 46-1 after day 2
3 - Big Brown*: morning line 3-1; 5-2 after day 1; 3-1 after day 2
4 - Big Truck*: morning line 30-1; 27-1 after day 1; 29-1 after day 2
5 - Blackberry Road: morning line 50-1; 53-1 after day 1; 45-1 after day 2
6 - Bob Black Jack: morning line 30-1; 89-1 after day 1; 67-1 after day 2
7 - Colonel John: morning line 12-1; 19-1 after day 1; 17-1 after day 2
8 - Cool Coal Man: morning line 15-1; 38-1 after day 1; 25-1 after day 2
9 - Court Vision: morning line 20-1; 31-1 after day 1; 25-1 after day 2
10 - Denis of Cork: morning line 15-1; 17-1 after day 1; 17-1 after day 2
11 - El Gato Malo (g): morning line 12-1; 23-1 after day 1; 15-1 after day 2
12 - Gayego: morning line 30-1; 83-1 after day 1; 75-1 after day 2
13 - Liberty Bull*: morning line 50-1; 99-1 after day 1; 99-1 after day 2
14 - My Pal Charlie*: morning line 50-1; 72-1 after day 1; 67-1 after day 2
15 - Pyro: morning line 4-1; 3-1 after day 1; 9-2 after day 2
16 - Salute the Sarge*: morning line 50-1; 99-1 after day 1; 99-1 after day 2
17 - Smooth Air: morning line 50-1; 33-1 after day 1; 37-1 after day 2
18 - Tale of Ekati: morning line 30-1; 77-1 after day 1; 63-1 after day 2
19 - Tomcito*: morning line 30-1; 23-1 after day 1; 29-1 after day 2
20 - Visionaire: morning line 20-1; 17-1 after day 1; 20-1 after day 2
21 - War Pass: morning line 6-1; 10-1 after day 1; 8-1 after day 2
22 - Yankee Bravo: morning line 30-1; 38-1 after day 1; 42-1 after day 2
23 - Z Fortune: morning line 50-1; 99-1 after day 1; 23-1 after day 2
24 - Mutuel field "All Others:" morning line 15-1; 14-1 after day 1; 11-1 after day 2

Morning Line Odds by Mike Battaglia.  (g) – gelding.  (*) - New wagering interest in Pool 3.

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track.  Churchill Downs will conduct the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 3, 2008. The track’s 2008 Spring Meet begins on April 26. Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record six times. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

Louisville, KY (Feb. 10, 2008) -- The first of three pools of the Churchill Downs’ Kentucky Derby Future Wager ran true to form as the mutuel field, or “all others,” ended up as the favorite on a roster of 24 wagering interests. But an impressive victory in Saturday’s $300,000 Risen Star Stakes (Grade III) at Fair Grounds propelled Pyro past unbeaten 2-year-old champion War Pass into the status of individual horse favored to win the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) at the historic Louisville, Ky. track on May 3.

The mutuel field, a betting interest that included all 3-year-olds other than the 23 individual 3-year-olds in the pool, was the 3-1 fan favorite at the end of four days of betting in the first of three pools of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. The wager is now in its tenth year and “all others” has been favored in Pool 1 in each of those years.

Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Pyro, who unleashed a impressive last-to-first stretch rally to win the Risen Star and notch his first career stakes victory, ended up as the second betting choice in Pool 1 at odds of 5-1. He was ahead of champion and Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) winner War Pass, who closed at 6-1. Court Vision was next at 15-1 and was followed closely by El Gato Malo (16-1) Monba (16-1), Majestic Warrior (18-1) and Crown of Thorns (18-1).

The mutuel field wager in Pool 1 would be a winner if any 3-year-old other than the 23 individual horses in the pool won the Kentucky Derby. A winning $2 ticket on “all others” in Pool 1 would return $8.60. Should Pyro win the Kentucky, his Pool 1 Derby Future mutuel payout would be $12.20, while War Pass would return $14.80. The record winning payout on a Pool 1 wager was the $188 returned by Funny Cide when he won the Kentucky Derby in 2003.

A total of $439,379 was wagered during the four-day pool that opened at noon (all times EST) on Thursday, Feb. 7. Of that total, $211,833 was wagering during the final six hours of the wagering on Sunday, which opened at noon and closed at 6 p.m.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager is a minimum $2 wager and a win bet only. It offers Kentucky Derby fans the opportunity to bet on contenders at odds that could be greater than those they would receive on Derby Day. There are no refunds in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. Pool 2 of the wager is scheduled for March 6-9, while its third and final pool is set for April 3-6.

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 3, 2008. The track’s 2008 Spring Meet begins on April 26. Churchill Downs has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record six times. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.