Racecar Rhapsody

 

RACECAR RHAPSODY SOLD, SCRATCHED FROM WEDNESDAY RACE – Racecar Rhapsody, a 3-year-old son of Tale of the Cat who ran fourth to Kentucky Derby (Grade I) winner Big Brown in the Preakness (GI), was scratched from Wednesday’s seventh race at Churchill Downs after the colt was purchased by new owners.

            Trainer Ken McPeek would not disclose the name of the new owner or any details on the deal, but said Racecar Rhapsody “looks to be going to Dubai.”

            Racecar Rhapsody was the even-money morning line favorite in the seventh race, a 1 1/16-mile allowance race for 3-year-olds.  The colt has a career record of 1-1-1 in seven races and earnings of $208,391, but his last three races resulted in solid fourth place finishes in top 3-year-old competition.  He finished fourth to Adriano in the $500,000 Lane’s End Stakes (GII) at Turfway Park in his 2008 debut, and then lost to Behindattthebar in the $325,000 Coolmore Lexington (GII) at Keeneland and Big Brown in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown at Pimlico.

            The colt – who was previously owned by former Turfway Park owner Jerry Carroll, Stan Kaplan, Ronald Plattner and Mark Guilfoyle – had finished third to Anak Nakal last fall in the $250,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) at Churchill Downs and finished fourth behind dead-heat winners Turf War and Z Humor in the $1 million Delta Jackpot (GIII) at Delta Downs.           

            “This was a good deal for Jerry and his partners,” McPeek said by telephone from Lexington.  “We hate not to run him, but all this came together after he had been entered in this race.”

            McPeek ranked second in the “leading trainer standings” heading into Wednesday’s racing at Churchill Downs.  With three weeks of racing remaining in the 52 day session, McPeek had saddled 24 winners from 61 starters and trailed leader Tom Amoss by two victories.

           

ASMUSSEN NOMINATES SIX TO DEBUTANTE – Trainer Steve Asmussen has saddled the winner of the Grade III Debutante the past three years, and he has nominated six 2-year-old fillies for the 108th running of the $100,000-added stake to be run this year on June 28.

Prominent among the Asmussen nominees is Gainesway Thoroughbreds, Ltd.’s Ocean Colors, the next-to-last foal of 1988 Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors. Ocean Colors broke her maiden in her debut by 5 ¼ lengths on June 13 at Churchill Downs.

Asmussen’s past two Debutante winners, Rated Fiesty and Richwoman, have been owned wholly or in part by the Heiligbrodt Racing Stable, which is represented on the nominee list by Songtress, a first-out winner at Churchill Downs on May 22.

D. Wayne Lukas, who has saddled a record six Debutante winners, has two nominees: Devil Eleven Stable’s Cameron Crazies, who broke her maiden at Churchill Downs on May 29, and Donald Dizney’s Runaway Heart, an 8 1/4-length maiden winner at Calder on May 31 in her second start.

 Todd Pletcher, who has won the past four Eclipse Awards as the nation’s leading trainer, is represented by three nominees. Topping the trio is Twin Creeks Racing Stable, LLC’s Garden District, who ran second against the boys in the Grade III Kentucky Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 1.

 

BRASS HAT TO GET SHORT BREAK – Trainer Buff Bradley said that his father’s Brass Hat came out of his fifth-place finish behind Curlin in the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) in good shape, but said some time off is in order for the 7-year-old son of Prized.

“I am going to give him at least three weeks off, maybe six,” Bradley said. “I haven’t decided where to run next, but I’d like to go back to the Massachusetts Handicap (on Sept. 20) and I’d like to find a race for him before the Mass Cap.”

Brass Hat won the 2007 Mass Cap, but has lost his subsequent seven starts. He has brought home a check in all of those races except for the Fayette over Keeneland’s Polytrack surface last fall and he earned $28,500 in the Foster to boost his career earnings to $1,790,314.

“I am not down on him,” Bradley said. “His two turf races (before the Foster) were pretty good. I think he has still got it. Maybe he is not as good as he was at 5, but I think he is still capable of competing at that level.”

Bradley was not surprised at the tour de force displayed by Curlin in winning the Foster.

“The way he had been training, and (runner-up) Einstein, too,” Bradley said. “I watched them every day and I knew they were going to run well.”       

 

DOGWOOD WINNER ACOMA WORKS TOWARD NEXT START – Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Acoma, who won the Grade III Dogwood on May 31 in her stakes debut, worked a half-mile Monday morning in :48, the third fastest of 50 at the distance over a “fast” track.

            “I am not sure where she will run next,” trainer David Carroll. “It will be either the Mother Goose (on June 28) or the Coaching Club American Oaks (on July 19) and then on to the Alabama (on Aug. 16). She would not run in both.”

The Mother Goose is a mile and an eighth and the Coaching Club American Oaks is a mile and a quarter, as is the Alabama.

“I would think the longer the better for her,” Carroll said of the daughter of Empire Maker, who won the Dogwood going a mile around one turn. “Both of the races at Belmont are one turn.”

 

MOSS MOVES INTO TIE FOR LEADING OWNER – The victory by Morghyn in Sunday’s 10th race represented the 12th of the meet for Maggi Moss, moving her into a tie with Ken and Sarah Ramsey for the title of leading owner of the Spring Meet.

            The 12 wins for Moss have come from just 22 starters. The Ramseys have had 41 starters through the first 37 days of the 52-day meet that ends July 6.

            Morghyn’s victory was the second of the day for trainer Tom Amoss.

            The victory also capped a banner day for jockey Jamie Theriot, who recorded the fourth four-win day of the Spring Meet. Leading rider Robby Albarado, who has 50 victories, rode four winners on May 24 and June 8, while Julien Leparoux, third in the standings with 40 victories, had a four-win day on April 29. Miguel Mena, second to Albarado with 45 victories, had the best single day of the meet when he rode five winners on May 8.

 

NOMINATIONS DUE THIS SATURDAY FOR CLOSING WEEK STAKES – Saturday, June 21 is the deadline for nominations for the final three stakes of the 52-day Spring Meet: The Firecracker (GII), the Bashford Manor (GIII) and the Locust Grove Handicap (GIII).

The $200,000 Firecracker is a mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course for 3-year-olds and up on July 4. The Bashford Manor carries a $150,000 purse for 2-year-olds going six furlongs on the main track on July 5 with the $150,000 Locust Grove scheduled for closing day July 6 at a mile on the turf for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

Information is available by calling Churchill Downs Racing at (502) 636-4470 or nominations may be made via fax at (502) 636-4479.

 

BARN TALK – Robby Albarado and Julien Leparoux will be out of town Saturday riding in the $600,000 Colonial Turf Cup (GIII) at Colonial Downs for Churchill Downs-based trainers. Albarado has the mount on Alien Farm’s Nistle’s Crunch, trained by Ken McPeek. Leparoux will ride Uptown Racing’s Boss Lafitte for trainer Tom Amoss in the mile and three-sixteenths race. Boss Lafitte, winner of the USA Stakes at Lone Star in his most recent start in addition to taking the Grade III Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland, worked a half-mile Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs in :48.20 over a “fast” track, the second fastest of 37 at the distance. … Calvin Borel, fourth in the rider standings with 34 victories, is scheduled to return to the saddle Friday after a swollen ligament in his knee forced him to take off all mounts Saturday and Sunday, agent Jerry Hissam said. Borel is named on four mounts Friday. … Trainer Jinks Fires is considering running Patricia Blass’ Prom Shoes in the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Breeders’ Cup Handicap (GII) in Iowa on June 28. … Trainer Mike Tomlinson said that 2007 Falls Handicap (GII) winner Kettleoneup is in foal to Bernardini. “She chipped an ankle in the Louisville Handicap (on May 2) and she was retired,” Tomlinson said. Kettleoneup is owned by Tom Crouch.

 

WORK TAB – On Monday with the track fast, Zayat Stables’ Z Fortune, 10th in the Kentucky Derby, worked five furlongs in 1:02.40 for trainer Steve Asmussen. … Overbrook Farm’s Clearly Foxy, scratched out of Saturday’s Grade III Regret, worked five furlongs in :59.60 for trainer Mark Casse which was the second fastest of 32 at the distance. … Bruce Lunsford’s graded stakes-winning Tessa Blue worked five furlongs for trainer Frank Brothers in 1:01.60. … Lloyd Madison Farms, IV’s Valentine Fever, a two-time stakes winner at Turfway Park this winter, worked a half-mile over a “fast” track in :48.40 on Wednesday for trainer Greg Foley. The work was the sixth fastest of 35 at the distance.

 

   2008 SPRING MEET LEADERS

          Through Sunday, June 15 Jockeys                          Starts   1-2-3

Robby Albarado                  190  50-25-25

Miguel Mena                       248   45-33-31

Julien Leparoux                  234   40-44-43

Calvin Borel                        225  34-33-34

Shaun Bridgmohan             164   33-27-22

Jamie Theriot                     185   32-31-20

Jesus Castanon                   192   21-17-21

Corey Lanerie                    152   12-21-17

Brian Hernandez Jr.            137   12-20-15

Elvis Trujillo                        75   10-10-18

Larry Sterling Jr.                  75      9-9-9

Trainers

Tom Amoss                       59    26-8-10

Ken McPeek                        61    24-11-5

Steve Asmussen                  89   19-14-13

Dale Romans                     103   11-22-18

Mike Maker                         42    11-9-4

Ian Wilkes                           38    11-8-5

Eddie Kenneally                   47   9-9-8

Cody Autrey                        48     8-9-9

Nick Zito                             20    8-5-1

Greg Foley                          54    7-9-8

Steve Margolis                     36     7-6-8

Paul McGee                         35    7-6-2

Wesley Ward                       27     7-5-5

Robert O’Connor II              18     7-2-4

Bret Calhoun                       17     7-1-2

Owners

Ken and Sarah Ramsey         41     12-7-8

Maggi Moss                         22     12-3-3

Zayat Stables, LLC                41      7-8-9

Richard, Elaine & Bert Klein   30     6-7-4

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable      14      5-1-0

Padua Stables                       7       4-1-0

Eliah and Lisa Kahn               4       4-0-0

 

NOMINATIONS CLOSE FOR $750,000-ADDED STEPHEN FOSTER, FIVE ‘SUPER SATURDAY’ RACES – Nominations close at midnight (all times EDT) Saturday for the 27th running of Churchill Downs’ $750,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (Grade I) and the five stakes races on the undercard for “Stephen Foster Super Saturday” on Saturday, June 14.

            The 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster is the main event on the “Super Saturday” schedule that packs total stakes purses of $1.775 million. 

            Stonestreet Stable LLC and Midnight Cry Stable’s reigning “Horse of the Year” Curlin is expected to top the roster of 3-year-olds and up that will be nominated to the Stephen Foster Handicap.  The race is being strongly considered for the return to competition by the 4-year-old champion who scored a dominant victory in the $6 million Dubai World Cup (GI) at Nad Al Sheba in his most recent start on March 29.

            The five remaining races on the “Stephen Foster Super Saturday” schedule include the $300,000-added Fleur De Lis (GII) for fillies and mares 3 and up at 1 1/8 miles; the $200,000-added Jefferson Cup (GII) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf; the $200,000-added Regret (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies on turf at 1 1/8 miles; the $175,000-added Northern Dancer (GIII) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt; and the $150,000-added Early Times Mint Julep (GIII) for fillies and mares 3 and up at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

            Information is available from Churchill Downs Racing at (502) 636-4470, or nominations may be made via fax at (502) 636-4479.  Stakes nomination forms are available on-line at http://www.churchilldowns.com/horsemen/files/29.  

 

STALL WORKS LOUISIANA DERBY VETS TOGETHER – The runners-up in the last two renewals of the Louisiana Derby (GII) reside in the barn of trainer Al Stall Jr., and the New Orleans native worked the B. Wayne Hughes-owned duo in company on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

            The 4-year-old Ketchikan, runner-up to Circular Quay in the 2007 Louisiana Derby, breezed four furlongs in the company of the 3-year-old My Pal Charlie, who finished second to Pyro in this year’s renewal, over a “fast” track.  The two horses had identical clockings of :48.60, which ranked as the fourth-fastest time of 43 training moves at the distance.

            Exercise rider Randi Melton was in the saddle aboard Ketchikan, while jockey Jamie Theriot was up on My Pal Charlie.

            Stall said that Ketchikan was being pointed toward an allowance race for 3-year-olds an up as he continues his comeback from a long layoff, while My Pal Charlie – who turned in back-to-back fifth-place finishes in the Arkansas Derby (GII) and Lone Star Derby (GIII) after big effort in the Louisiana Derby – was “possible” for the $175,000-added Northern Dancer Stakes (GIII) on the “Stephen Foster Super Saturday” program on Saturday, June 14.

            A bone bruise suffered while training for the 2007 Arkansas Derby knocked Ketchikan out of consideration for last year’s Kentucky Derby.  The son of Mr. Greeley made his anticipated first start since his 2007 Louisiana Derby run in a 6 ½-furlong allowance race at Churchill Downs on May 1.  Stall‘s horse left the starting gate as the even-money favorite that day, but finished last in a field of six behind the victorious First Regent, who ran the distance in a swift 1:15.83.

            Stall was hoping to catch a race at Churchill Downs’ one-turn mile for Ketchikan, but said a 1 1/16-mile race on “Stephen Foster Super Saturday” appeared to be the most likely spot for Ketchikan’s next race.  Stall said Ketchikan has trained well since his disappointing return to racing during Kentucky Derby Week and the colt simply needed the race after his long vacation.

            “I’m sure he’ll need another race,” said Stall.  “He’s very sound – he’s dramatically better than he was as a 3-year-old.  But he’d been off 418 days and they ran (a minute and) nine flat (for six furlongs) and :15-and-change (for 6 1/2 furlongs) that day.  I had worked him a couple of five-eighths and he wasn’t anywhere near ready for that kind of fire.”

            Although Ketchikan didn’t beat a horse that day, Stall was encouraged that he lost by only 5 ¼ lengths and is looking forward to the next step in the colt’s comeback.

            “He could have opened up 10 (lengths) on My Pal Charlie today if Randi had let out just a notch,” said Stall.  “I’m looking forward to running him and I hope he doesn’t roll craps again, but he should show some more life.”

 

RACECAR RHAPSODY BREEZES FOR McPEEK, BUT BELMONT IS NOT IN HIS PLANS – Racecar Rhapsody, who rallied to finish fourth behind Kentucky Derby (GI) winner Big Brown in the $1 million Preakness (GI) at Pimlico, breezed five furlongs at Churchill Downs on Saturday – but trainer Ken McPeek said that work should not be interpreted as a sign that he might be considering a rematch with the unbeaten Derby winner in next Saturday’s Belmont Stakes (GI).

            “It was just a maintenance work, just getting him going,” said McPeek, who won the 2002 Belmont Stakes with Sarava. “We haven’t picked a spot for him.”

            The colt is owned by Jerry Carroll, Stan Kaplan, Ronald Plattner and Mark Guilfoyle, and McPeek said he had nominated the 3-year-old son of Tale of the Cat to the $175,000-added Northern Dancer at Churchill Downs on June 14.

            Two 3-year-olds stabled at Churchill Downs are expected to take on Big Brown in next week’s Belmont Stakes.

            West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again, the runner-up in the Preakness trained by Dallas Stewart, and Mr. and Mrs. William Warren’s Denis of Cork, third in the Kentucky Derby for trainer David Carroll, are scheduled to ship to New York on Tuesday. Macho Again worked on Friday at Churchill Downs, while Denis of Cork’s final Belmont Stakes work is scheduled for Monday.

           

BARN TALK – The McPeek-trained Bold Start was scratched on Saturday from the $100,000-added Opening Verse because of concern over his outside post in the 1 1/16-mile turf race.  Lawrence Carroll’s 4-year-old son of Jump Start has been entered in a seven-furlong allowance optional claiming race on the main track on Wednesday, June 4 that has also attracted 2007 Aristides (GIII) runner-up Cougar Cat and graded stakes veteran Forty Grams in its field of six.  The 4-year-old Bold Start finished second in the Hutcheson (GII) and third in the Illinois Derby (GIII) on the main track at three.  He breezed four furlongs on Saturday in :48.20. … Two-time defending Spring Meet leader Julien Leparoux and Robby Albarado were tied at 30 wins apiece in the battle for leading jockey in the 52-day Spring Meet heading into Saturday’s 26th day of racing.  Miguel Mena remained just behind the top pair with 28 wins at the meet’s midpoint. …Ken McPeek continued to lead the trainers race and had a 17-15 edge over Tom Amoss, who had two Friday wins.  Steve Asmussen had 14 victories.

 

WORK TAB (Track: FAST) – Zee Zee, Zayat Stables’ winner of the Edgewood, breezed five furlongs in 1:02.80 for trainer Bill Mott. … Cradle winner Old Man Buck breezed five furlongs in a sharp :59.20, which tied as the fastest of 28 moves at the distance. … Hirsch Jacobs (GIII) runner-up Silver Edition breezed five furlongs in :59.60 for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

 

   2008 SPRING MEET LEADERS

          Through Friday, May 30

 

Jockeys                          Starts   1-2-3

Julien Leparoux                  167   30-30-32

Robby Albarado                  117  30-12-16

Miguel Mena                       167   28-22-24

Calvin Borel                        168  23-25-24

Shaun Bridgmohan             106   22-19-12

Jesus Castanon                   131   17-12-12

Jamie Theriot                     110    16-15-9

Elvis Trujillo                        38      8-6-11

Corey Lanerie                    101     7-16-9

Brian Hernandez, Jr.            89     7-15-11

Tracy Hebert                       67      7-3-5

John McKee                        73     6-12-12

Larry Sterling, Jr.                 49      6-6-7

Fernando De La Cruz            70      6-4-6                  

Trainers

Ken McPeek                        38     17-5-4

Tom Amoss                        41   15-6-6

Steve Asmussen                  63    14-11-10

Mike Maker                         29      8-5-3

Ian Wilkes                           23      8-5-3

Dale Romans                       63     6-15-11

Greg Foley                          42      6-7-6

Eddie Kenneally                   31      6-6-7

Wesley Ward                       20      6-4-4

   Four (4) trainers tied with five (5) wins

Owners

Ken and Sarah Ramsey         27      9-3-5

Maggi Moss                         15      6-2-3

Zayat Stables, LLC                27      5-6-5

Richard, Elaine & Bert Klein   20      4-4-2

Padua Stables                       6       4-1-0

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable       7       4-0-0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Ronald Lamarque and Louie Roussel III’s fifth-place Kentucky Derby finisher, Recapturetheglory, has had his Preakness plans put on hold by a fever.

“We took his temperature last night,” assistant trainer Lara Van Deren said. “He just wasn’t acting right. He was backing up against the gate in the stall and he never does that.

“This morning his temperature was over 102. He’s definitely not shipping (to Pimlico) tonight. We pulled blood on him and gave him some anti-inflammatories. The blood work will tell us everything and we should get that back this afternoon.”

Van Deren said Recapaturetheglory was still eating and not coughing and that the temperature began to drop later in the morning.

MACHO AGAIN BACK IN PREAKNESS PICTURE – A day after being taken out of consideration for the Preakness, West Point Thoroughbreds’ Macho Again was back in the picture according to trainer Dallas Stewart.

“Last night we sat down and really looked at the field,” Stewart said. “There is one superstar in there (Big Brown) and I feel he can be competitive with the rest of them. He has never been doing better than he is now.”

Winner of the Derby Trial on April 26 in his most recent start, Macho Again worked a half-mile in :50.80 before the renovation break over a fast track Saturday morning at Churchill Downs with Kenny Bourque up. The move was the 52nd fastest of 59 at the distance.

“The decision was not based on his work this morning,” Stewart said. “He never has been much of a work horse. But we will see how he is in the morning, and we are seriously considering it. It’s a once in a lifetime chance and Terry (Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds) has left the decision up to me.”

Macho Again has compiled a record of 8-3-2-0 with earnings of $143,761. His two worst races came on synthetic surfaces and his only off-the-board finish on dirt was a sixth-place effort in the LeComte (GIII) at Fair Grounds in which he raced wide and was coming off a seven-week layoff.

About a dozen horses are likely for next Saturday’s $1 million Preakness Stakes (GI) at Pimlico Race Course: Behindatthebar, Big Brown, Giant Moon, Hey Byrn, Icabad Crane, Kentucky Bear, Macho Again, Racecar Rhapsody, Riley Tucker, Stevil, Tres Borrachos and Yankee Bravo. Harlem Rocker and Recapturetheglory are considered possible starters.

RACECAR RHAPSODY DRILLS FIVE-EIGHTHS FOR PREAKNESS – Jerry Carroll, Stan Kaplan, Ronald Plattner and Mark Guilfoyle’s Racecar Rhapsody worked five furlongs in 1:01 after the morning renovation break at Churchill Downs under Jose Castanon. The move was the third fastest of 29 at the distance.

“He worked well,” trainer Ken McPeek said. “He laid off another horse and finished strong.”

Robby Albarado, who has ridden Racecar Rhapsody in all six of his starts, has the call for the Preakness.

Racecar Rhapsody never has been worse than fourth in his career and the most he has been beaten was four lengths in the Lane’s End (Grade II) at Turfway Park on March 22 in his 2008 debut.

“He’s a nice horse, but he’s a horse that comes from behind and needs a clean trip,” McPeek said. “He needs plenty of ground.”

He will get that extra ground in the Preakness with the 1 3/16 miles being the longest he has run. Racecar Rhapsody is scheduled to ship to Pimlico on Wednesday.

BIG BROWN GALLOPS AFTER BREAK – With the sun out and a fast track, Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown galloped for the first time since taking down the first leg of the Triple Crown last Saturday at Churchill Downs.

“God is good,” trainer Rick Dutrow said with a smile as he glanced up at the clear skies, a commodity that had been absent the previous two mornings.

With Michelle Nevin aboard Big Brown and an NBC film crew monitoring every move, the colt went to the track at 8:30 a.m., jogged around to the front side and then galloped a little more than a mile.

“I was looking for what I saw,” Dutrow said after Big Brown returned to Barn 22.

Big Brown had jogged the past three mornings, the previous two because of wet track conditions.

Big Brown is scheduled to train at Churchill Downs the next four mornings and ship to Pimlico on Wednesday afternoon.

PREAKNESS HOPEFULS GALLOP UNDER TWIN SPIRES – With Dylan Armstrong up, Robert LaPenta’s Stevil galloped 1 ½ miles before the renovation break at Churchill Downs as he continued his preparations for next Saturday’s Preakness.

Heather Stark, assistant to trainer Nick Zito, reported all was well with the son of Maria’s Mon who is scheduled to work Monday.

The last of the Preakness hopefuls at Churchill Downs to go to the track Saturday morning was Tres Borrachos, who traveled a little less than 1 ¼ miles with a combination of jogging and galloping under Andy Durnin shortly after 9 a.m.

Trainer Beau Greely, who owns the Ecton Park gelding in partnership with John Greely IV and Phil Houchens, plans to work Tres Borrachos on Tuesday and ship to Pimlico on Wednesday.

Tres Borrachos has been bothered recently by a minor skin irritation on the left side of his neck.

“He had a little ringworm that showed up last week,” Greely said. “It has dried up now, but at the moment he wouldn’t win any beauty contests.”

BARN TALK – Veteran jockey Bill Troilo won two races on Friday’s card, scoring with Blackpool ($9.60) for trainer Joe Woodard in the first and Colin’s Princess ($12.40) for trainer Troy Newton in the 10th. The victories gave Troilo 250 for his career at Churchill Downs.

“Maybe in another 30 years I can catch Pat Day,” the 47-year-old Troilo said with a laugh, referring to the Hall of Famer who is Churchill Downs’ all-time leading rider with 2,481 wins.

WORK TAB – The 1-2 finishers from the March 8 New Orleans Handicap (GII), Circular Quay and Grasshopper worked over a track rated as “fast” on Saturday morning. Circular Quay, owned by Michael and Doreen Tabor, worked a half-mile in :49.80 for trainer Todd Pletcher. The move was the 38th fastest of 59 at the distance. Grasshopper, owned by Will Farish, E.J. Hudson and James Elkins, covered the same distance in :48.60 for trainer Neil Howard. The move was the 14th best at the distance. Also working a half-mile was Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith’s Passion. Third in the Grade II Stonerside Beaumont in her most recent start, Passion covered the distance in :48 flat, fifth-best time of the morning at the distance.

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TODAY'S TOP STORIES:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So, what does that portend for the Preakness?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Greely is eagerly looking forward to the Preakness challenge.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So, are you?

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

Macho Again galloped Wednesday morning.

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