Jamie Theriot

Owner-trainer Tom McCarthy’s General Quarters, a versatile Grade I winner on both turf and synthetic surfaces, drew the rail post when a field of eleven older horses was entered Friday to compete in the 21^st running of the $175,000-added Firecracker Handicap Presented by GE (Grade II) on Monday, July 4, the closing day of Churchill Downs’ 38-day Spring Meet.

The one-mile race for 3-year-olds and up on the Matt Winn Turf Course is the final stakes race of the Spring Meet and is scheduled as the 10^th event on an 11-race Independence Day program that opens with its first race at 12:45 p.m. (all times EDT).  Post time for the Firecracker Handicap is set for 5:25 p.m.

A true “rags to riches” story, General Quarters was claimed for $20,000 out of his racing debut and has earned nearly $1.2 million dollars and for a good part of his career has been the only horse in McCarthy’s stable.  He won the Toyota Blue Grass (GI) over Keeneland’s synthetic Polytrack course as a 3-year-old and subsequently ran 10^th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) won by Mine That Bird.  At four he returned to Churchill Downs to win the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) and was being pointed toward a race in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at the Louisville track when he was injured following a seventh-place run behind Debussy in late August in the Arlington Million.

General Quarters was out of action until June 10, when he returned with a strong runner-up finish to multiple stakes winner Native Ruler in a seven-furlong, stakes-quality allowance race on dirt at Churchill Downs.  The Firecracker marks the return to graded stakes competition for General Quarters, who will carry high weight of 119 pounds and will be ridden by Jamie Theriot.

A pair of rapidly improving veterans – Jeffrey A. Columbro and Connie Apostolos’ Baryshnikov and Chester Miller and Patrick Dupuy’s Strike Impact – will attempt to knock off General Quarters and collect their first victory in a graded stakes race.

Baryshnikov finished 12^th of 14 in last year’s Firecracker won by Tizdejavu, but comes into this year’s renewal of the Independence Day race on an impressive run of five victories in his last seven races.  The most recent of those was a runner-up finish to Grade I winner Paddy O’Prado in the Dixie (GII) on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico.  The Mike Maker-trained son of Empire Maker started his hot streak with a victory in a race for $15,000 claiming horses over Polytrack at Turfway Park on Dec. 12.                                  

ZENYATTA EXPERIENCE LEAVES LASTING IMPRESSION ON PENROD – Trainer Steve Penrod has been stabled at Churchill Downs for more than 20 years, most of the time in Barn 41.

He has seen a lot of top horses walk that shedrow, but nothing prepared him for last week when he shared his barn with Zenyatta.

“There have been a lot of horses here that people knew about like A.P. Indy, Fusaichi Pegasus and Sunday Silence, but I have never seen anything like that and I doubt we will ever see it again,” Penrod said. “It was just the right combination of the horse and the connections.”

Zenyatta arrived at Churchill Downs last Tuesday and returned to California on Sunday night after her runner-up finish to Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI). Wherever she went, traffic came to a halt.

“I had no idea it would be like that until the first day she got here with the police escort and 200 to 300 people just waiting to see her,” Penrod said.

On Sunday, trainer John Shirreffs brought Zenyatta out for extended periods of time to graze near the fence that runs along Longfield Avenue so that people, both inside the track and those on Longfield, could see the mare.

“People were asking John if they could get their picture taken with Zenyatta,” Penrod said. “He told me that if he could have cut a hole in the fence, he would have let everybody in. She would do anything. The Mosses (owners Jerry and Ann Moss) were signing autographs and posters and so was John. It was incredible. People were coming out in taxis to see her.”

Another trainer who was stunned at the Sunday gathering was Tony Reinstedler.

“I came back to the barn about 4:30 to help Drew (Coontz) get his filly (Askbut I Won’ttell) ready for the Cardinal (Handicap), and I saw cars parked all along Longfield,” said Reinstedler, who was an assistant to Shug McGaughey when 1988 Juvenile champion and beaten 1989 Kentucky Derby favorite Easy Goer was in the barn. “Easy Goer was fan friendly, but I never saw anything like this.”

THERIOT SAVORS BREEDERS’ CUP RIDING DOUBLE – Jockey Jamie Theriot still was beaming Wednesday morning, four days removed from completing a Breeders’ Cup riding double over the weekend.

Have you come down yet?

“Nope, not yet,” said the 31-year-old Louisiana native, who earned his first Breeders’ Cup victory on Friday with Dubai Majesty’s 2 ¼-length victory in the Filly & Mare Sprint (GI) and came back the next day to win the Turf Sprint on Chamberlain Bridge by 1 ½ lengths.

"I have been fortunate enough to ride in these types of races and do well,” said Theriot, one of three riders to earn their initial Breeders’ Cup victories over the two-day Championships at Churchill Downs. “You work 363 days a year for days like that and then it is back to Ground Zero. There are a lot of people involved and it is great to be able to compete in the event.”

What made the victories even sweeter was that both horses were trained by Bret Calhoun.

“I have been riding for Bret for eight or nine years,” Theriot said. “To see people from Louisville do well was very gratifying.”

HOMEISTER ENJOYS FAST START TO EXTENDED CHURCHILL STAY – One rider who has gotten a fast start out of the gate at the meet is Rosemary Homeister Jr., who has notched four victories from just 13 mounts, including a riding double on Sunday.

The 38-year-old Florida native is riding at Churchill Downs on a full-time basis for the first time in her career that has been spent mostly at Florida and Mid-Atlantic region tracks.

“My agent Steve Elzey has my book at Tampa and he suggested I come to Kentucky after Delaware Park ended and ride the mini-meet before going to Florida,” Homeister said. “It’s a good opportunity and I’ve had a good start.”

Homeister’s first trip to Churchill Downs came in 2003 when she rode in the Kentucky Derby on Supah Blitz, who finished 13th behind Funny Cide after breaking from the No. 1 post position.

“I was on the one horse the other day and it felt like I was back at the Derby being the first one on the track,” Homeister said. “Churchill Downs is such a prestigious track. When I come back next spring for the Derby, I will feel like I have this track down pat.”

Also coming to Churchill Downs from Delaware Park is Irwin Rosendo, who also is represented by Elzey.

The Delaware Park meet ended Saturday and Rosendo will see his first local action Thursday when he is named on three mounts.

A 31-year-old native of Venezuela, Rosendo finished fourth in the rider standings at Delaware Park with 81 victories and previously has ridden at Tampa as well as at tracks in Ohio.

BARN TALK – The portable fencing around Barn 45 that served as one of the quarantine barns during the Breeders’ Cup is scheduled to begin coming down Wednesday according to track superintendent Butch Lehr. However, the fencing around Barn 42 will remain up.

“We are going to use it again next year, so we will just leave it up,” Lehr said. “There are gates, so horses can still to back there to graze and the horsemen like it because it will keep people back from their horses.”

BACK INJURY SIDELINES LEPAROUX; EYE INFECTION DERAILS BOREL – It appears the spill that jockey Julien Leparoux took last Friday in Pimlico’s Black-Eyed Susan (GII) was more serious than initially believed.

He has a compression fracture of the T-8 in the middle of his back,” said Steve Bass, Leparoux’s agent. “He had an MRI done Tuesday and that’s when the fracture was discovered. He will be out a week and a half to two weeks.”

Currently the second-leading rider at the meet with 13 victories, Leparoux was hurt Friday when his mount in the Black-Eyed Susan, Diva Delite, clipped heels approaching the far turn and threw Leparoux. Leparoux honored all of his commitments Saturday at Pimlico and Sunday at Churchill Downs, where he rode two winners.

“Julien was still sore when he got back here and when we went to the doctor he didn’t think it was anything major,” Bass said. “I told him it was something that needed to be tended to before it turned out to be something that could affect him long term.

“It is the first time he has been hurt and I hope it is the last.”

Meanwhile, leading rider Calvin Borel was off all of his mounts Thursday because of an eye infection.
“He is off today and maybe Friday, but he hopes to be back Saturday,” Borel’s agent Jerry Hissam said.
Borel, who has ridden 22 winners here this spring, has a huge lead in the jockey standings in his bid for the first Spring Meet leading rider title. He has won one Fall title outright and shared two others.
 Borel has 995 victories beneath the Twin Spires and trails only Pat Day (2,482) in Churchill Downs triumphs.

STAY PUT WORKS SIX FURLONGS IN 1:14 FOR BELMONT – Bertram, Richard and Elaine Klein’s Stay Put had his final Churchill Downs work in preparation for the June 5 Belmont Stakes (GI), final jewel of the Triple Crown, by working six furlongs in 1:14 under jockey Jamie Theriot.

Fractions for the move over a fast track after the renovation break were :13, :26, :38.60, :50.60, 1:02.40 and out seven furlongs in 1:27.

“He galloped out really strong,” said Theriot, who has been aboard Stay Put in his past six starts. “I think we’ve got a big chance. The longer I can sit on him, the better off we’ll be.”

Trainer Steve Margolis, who never has had a Belmont Stakes starter, liked what he saw of the work from the grandstand.

“It was very good. Jamie said he finished well and I got him galloping out in 1:28 and a mile in 1:42,” Margolis said. “He will ship to Belmont next Thursday, train Friday and then work a half-mile Saturday or Sunday.”

Stay Put won a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer on May 1 after having finished fifth, beaten fewer than three lengths, in the Louisiana Derby (GII) and Risen Star (GII) at Fair Grounds.

"We always thought he had talent,” Margolis said. “Jamie says he never seems to get tired and his Derby Day race was impressive in the way he did it.”

Richard Klein is eagerly anticipating the shot at the Belmont.

“I think we have a colt going in the right direction,” Klein said. “Typically, we don’t do this. We would normally be looking at the $125,000 race (the Northern Dancer) here next month, but you have to take a shot.”

EIGHT BELLES WINNER BUCKLEUPBUTTERCUP HEADS DOGWOOD NOMINATIONS – Avalon Farms’ Buckleupbuttercup, who romped to a 6 ¼-length victory in the Eight Belles (GIII) on May 1, tops a list of 22 3-year-old fillies nominated to the 36th running of the $100,000-added Dogwood (GIII) at a mile on the main track on May 29.

Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Buckleupbuttercup is undefeated in two starts at Churchill Downs, having broken her maiden for a $30,000 claiming tag in her debut last November.

Among the nominees are four fillies that competed in the 136th running of the Kentucky Oaks (GI) on May 1 that was won by Blind Luck.

Topping the quartet is Starlight Partners’ Ailalea, who was fifth in the Oaks. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Ailalea is 2-for-2 at the mile distance with one of the victories coming in the Tempted (GIII) last fall Aqueduct.

The other Oaks runners are Mark Stanley’s two-time graded stakes winner Quiet Temper, who was eighth in the Oaks; Twin Creeks Farm, Sky Chai Racing and Bluegrass Equine Center’s Age of Humor (12th) and the Martin Racing Stable and Dan Morgan’s Jody Slew (13th).

Entries for the Dogwood will be taken Wednesday.

DEFENDING CHAMP DUBAI MAJESTY TOPS WINNING COLORS NOMINATIONS – The Martin Racing Stable and Dan Morgan’s Dubai Majesty, winner of the 2009 Winning Colors (GIII), heads a list of 25 sprinters for this year’s renewal of the six-furlong dash for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up to be run May 31.

Trained by Bret Calhoun, Dubai Majesty has compiled a record of 11-5-4-0 at six furlongs. In two starts at the distance this year, Dubai Majesty ran second, beaten a nose over the Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint, and second in the Pan Zareta over dirt at Fair Grounds to Winning Colors nominee Double Espresso.

Now 5, Dubai Majesty finished ninth in the Humana Distaff (GI) on May 1 in her most recent start. Other Winning Colors nominees coming out of the Humana Distaff are Pretty Prolific (second), Warbling (fifth), Double Espresso (sixth) and Rated Fiesty (eighth).

No 3-year-old has won the Winning Colors, but included among the two sophomore nominated this year is Grace Stables’ Hot Dixie Chick. Winner of the Grade I Spinaway last year, Hot Dixie Chick is 2-for-2 at the six-furlong distance. Trained by Steve Asmussen, Hot Dixie Chick finished third in the Eight Belles (GIII) on May 1 in her most recent start going 7 ½ furlongs on a “sloppy” track.

BARN TALK –  Donald Dizney’s Preakness (GI)  runner-up First Dude is scheduled to leave Friday afternoon for New York and an anticipated start in the June 5 Belmont Stakes (GI) according to trainer Dale Romans. Romans said no plans have been confirmed for the next start for Paddy O’Prado, who finished sixth in the Preakness after running third in the Kentucky Derby (GI). …

The past two winners of the Churchill Downs (GII) – Accredit (2009) and Atta Boy Roy (2010) – headline a list of 19 sprinters nominated to the 22nd running of the $100,000-added Aristides (GIII) to be run May 29 at six furlongs on the main track. Other graded stakes winners among the nominees are three-time Grade III winner Custom for Carlos and 2009 Derby Trial winner Hull. Bold Start won the 2009 Aristides. …
Nominations close Saturday for the 34th running of the $100,000-added Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (GIII) for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course on June 5. Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Acoma won the 2009 Early Times Mint Julep.

MILESTONE WATCH – Trainer Dale Romans, with 494 victories at Churchill Downs, has one entrant Thursday: Dream Only of Me in the ninth race. Only Hall of Famer Bill Mott has more Churchill Downs victories (628) than Romans.

WORK TAB – Tom McCarthy’s Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) winner General Quarters worked a half-mile in :48.60, seventh-fastest of 30 at the distance. West Point Thoroughbreds’ 2009 Stephen Foster (GI) winner Macho Again worked five furlongs in 1:00.60, eighth best of 22 at the distance, and Jay Em Ess Stable’s Alysheba (GIII) winner Arson Squad covered the same distance in 1:01.20, 10th best of the morning.

SONGS FOR TUESDAY TO PERFORM AT THIS WEEK’S “DRESS TO IMPRESS” FRIDAY HAPPY HOURS – Fashion forward horse racing fans can once again look to Friday’s “Dress to Impress” Friday Happy Hours from 4-7 p.m. in the Churchill Downs paddock area. Songs for Tuesday will be providing live music for patrons to enjoy in between races, plus there will be drink and food specials, including $2 Anheuser Busch draft beer, $3 Bacardi mojitos and $2 hot dogs.

Also, one male and one female deemed “most stylish” will a $100 wagering voucher and $250 gift certificate to a local Louisville area boutique, respectively. This week’s boutique is Clodhoppers. Weekly winners will be invited back for the finals on Friday, June 25 for a chance to win a shopping spree in Chicago, which includes hotel and a $1,500 Visa gift card.

BRASS HAT’S TRAINER ‘BUFF’ BRADLEY WILL BE SPECIAL ‘GET IN THE GAME WITH JILL BYRNE’ GUEST ON SATURDAY – Trainer William “Buff” Bradley, who conditions the popular 9-year-old gelding Brass Hat, will be Saturday’s “Get in the Game with Jill Byrne” special guest. Byrne and Bradley will discuss several topics including Saturday’s feature race, the 73rd running of the Grade III Louisville Handicap, where Bradley will send out defending champ Brass Hat. The weekly 30-minute seminars offer fans an insider look at the world of horse racing every Saturday in the paddock area starting at 11:45 a.m. Also, it will be televised on television monitors throughout Churchill Downs.

PRIZE MONEY, TRIP TO HORSEPLAYER WORLD SERIES UP FOR GRABS IN SUNDAY’S ‘WHO’S THE CHAMP?’ HANDICAPPING CONTEST – Churchill Downs’ “Who’s the Champ?” Handicapping Contest continues every Sunday through June 13 with $4,000 in prize money and a coveted prize package to compete in the Horseplayer World Series each week.

The weekly first prize is $1,500 and a five-day, four-night trip to Las Vegas with round-trip airfare courtesy of American Airlines to compete in the Horseplayer World Series, which is scheduled for Feb. 16-19, 2011 at the Orleans Resort and Casino.

Ira Hopkins of Louisville was last week’s winner.

The “Who’s the Champ?” Handicapping Contest is a game of skill that tests the player’s ability to handicap Thoroughbred racing. Each contestant will start the day with a $24 imaginary bankroll and may only wager exactly $2 to win and $2 to place on six designated races from Churchill Downs.

The contest costs $30 per entry ($25 for Twin Spires Club members) and is limited to 400 entries with a limit of three entries per person. Registration is open Sundays between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in the Champions Club Lounge on the second floor of the clubhouse.

Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame outdueled fellow 3-year-old Misremembered by a neck in a heated stretch run and fended off a late charge from Einstein (BRZ) to win Friday’s 135th running of the $460,600 Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (Grade II) at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Jamie Theriot for trainer Al Stall Jr., Blame covered the 1 1/8 miles over a fast main track in 1:49.39 in winning for the fifth time in eight starts. Blame carried 118 pounds, five fewer than race high weight Einstein.

Longshot Anarko (CHI) led the field of 14 through early fractions of :23.69, :47.60 and 1:12.16 with Etched, Kiss the Kid and Timber Reserve in closest pursuit. Victor Espinoza had Misremembered in the clear in fifth and made a move toward the lead leaving the far turn with Anak Nakal and Joe Bravo to his outside.

Theriot followed those two and was five-wide at the top of the stretch. Misremembered dove to the rail with Anak Nakal and Blame to his outside. Anak Nakal backed out of the duel at the sixteenth pole only to have Einstein appear on the scene and have his late charge fall a neck short of Misremembered.

It was three-quarters of a  length back to Giant Oak, who was followed in order by Anak Nakal, Dubious Miss, Bullsbay, Demarcation, favored Macho Again, Kiss the Kid, You and I Forever, Anarko, Etched and Timber Reserve.

Blame returned $10.80, $6 and $4.20 as the second choice. Misremembered paid $10.20 and $6.40 with Einstein, ridden by Rajiv Maragh, paying $4.60 to show.

The victory was worth $259,872 and increased Blame’s career bankroll to $616,747. It was the second consecutive Grade II victory for Blame, a homebred son of Arch, who took the Fayette at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

The 21-day Fall Meet concludes Saturday with the 12-race “Stars of Tomorrow II” card exclusively for 2-year-olds. The program begins at 11:30 a.m. (all times ET) and will be highlighted by the 66th running of the Golden Rod (GII) for fillies that goes as the ninth race at approximately 3:28 p.m. and the 83rd running of the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) that goes as the 11th race at approximately 4:27 p.m.

AL STALL JR., trainer of BLAME, winner: “What you see on paper is about what we see on a day-to-day basis. He just continues to get better and better. He’s a wonderful looking horse with a tremendous pedigree. We’ve just spaced his races and taken our time with him and pointed to the end of the year and a 4-year-old type of campaign. He’s shown up every time.”

Q: Your thoughts on Blame’s determination in the stretch?" Jamie (Theriot) said he was waiting all the way. Once he gets to the front, he kind of throws his ears up and says ‘OK, what’s next?’ He was on the deceleration a little bit on the way down the lane. But he finally dug in when [Bob] Baffert’s horse (Misremembered) came back at him.”

Q: Any thoughts on what might be next? “He’ll winter at Fair Grounds and the Breeders’ Cup is here next year. He could do a number of things. He’s done everything; he’s won on [synthetic surfaces] and he’s run well on the dirt. It’ll be fun talking about it.”

Q: How big was this effort today? “You’re asking a lot for a young horse against the elders. We think he’s a wonderful horse. We’ve always thought he’d be a better 4-year-old. To get this out of the way and run the way he did, to the way he idled once he made the lead – he looked like he had more in the tank – we’re very excited. He’s done everything we’ve ever asked of him . . . and then some!”

Q: What was your confidence level coming into this race? “We were pretty confident in this horse. He’s a fresh horse and, knock on wood, he’s very sound. He had a minor setback where we missed seven months but that was strictly a foot issue and nothing boney. So, I thought we had the right horse in the right spot but it’s racing.”

JAMIE THERIOT, jockey of BLAME, winner: “He took me to the lead well within himself. Once he gets in front he starts to look around and loses a little bit of interest. I felt the horse on the inside start coming to me, and my horse started to dig in when he felt the pressure. He kept giving me more. We could have went around again and the outcome wouldn’t have changed. That’s how he does it. This was a very good field of horses he beat today. You will probably be seeing a lot of him as a 4-year-old.”

Q: How does it feel to win the Clark Handicap with your first mount? “This is a great accomplishment for me. I have been here for three years and this is my first mount in the Clark Handicap. It feels great to be able to get the job done for these connections.”

BOB BAFFERT, trainer of MISREMEMBERED, second: “He ran a good race.  He was there – he just came up short and got beat by a nice horse.  We’re just mad that we didn’t bet that good 3-year-old exacta there.”
Q: How good can Misremembered be? “He’s very immature still.  He’s just filling out still.  So I wanted a chance here on the dirt with him.  We’re going to freshen him up and run him in that series of 4-year-old races, the San-this-and-that.”

Q: It looks like 2010 will be a good year to know that your horse likes Churchill Downs, with the Stephen Foster and the Breeders’ Cup Classic on the schedule … “It’s good to know that they like Churchill, but I’m stuck in second here.  I don’t know why I can’t win these big ones anymore.  But I didn’t get beat by Calvin Borel, so I don’t feel as bad.”

VICTOR ESPINOZA, jockey on MISREMEMBERED, second: “He ran great.  He’d been doing so well since his last race that I expected him to run big.”
Q: How did you get to the rail with him from the 12-hole? “I tried to save as much ground as I could.  The winner kind of moved a little earlier than I wanted, but I had to go.  He ran great – he’s a nice horse.”

Q: Did you think you had a chance to catch the winner? “You know what, for a minute I thought he was going to come back to us, but he ran his race.”

HELEN PITTS-BLASI, trainer of EINSTEIN, third: “He ran fantastic.  The way it panned out turning for home they kind of stacked up on him, but when he did get through he gave it his all, as usual.  He ran his heart out today.  I can’t complain. Rajiv (Maragh) rode a great race.  He didn’t win, but it was good.
    “It’s good when he can get that jump on them turning for home, but Rajiv said they just stacked up and that was kind of the way it played out.”

Will this be the last roundup for him? “I don’t know.  We’ll have to see what Mr. (Frank) Stronach says.”

RAJIV MARAGH, rider on EINSTEIN, third: “The only way I would have been able to go outside earlier was to go early at the half-mile and he would have been six-wide.  I was never going to do that, but I didn’t think we could win if I did that.  So I just waited patiently for it to open up, and when it did he shot through there and put it all out.  But the other horse (Blame) got a little jump."

Q: You had a lot to do from that outside post… “We got a great trip going into the first turn and I was able to drop over into a nice spot.  The race was really unfolding nicely except for the horses stacking up a little bit in front of me.  Other than that, he finished up real well.”

CHRIS BLOCK, trainer of GIANT OAK, fourth: “We knew this race was going to be an acid test, and we’re real pleased.  The only real excuse I can give him is the start.  He kind of hopped out of there and probably cost himself a couple of lengths and a little bit more forward positioning.  Other than that, he was following Blame all the way around the far turn there and when they came off the turn he had dead aim on any of those in front of him. Shaun (Bridgmohan) said, ‘I thought I had ‘em turning for home.’  But I said, ‘You know Shaun, it wasn’t like you’re running against some second-rate group – you were trying to run down some really good horses.’ So I’ve just got to say we got outrun from the head of the lane to the wire, but we’re real pleased with where he finished.  We really are.”

Q: With some big races at Churchill Downs next year, including the Grade I Stephen Foster and the Breeders’ Cup Classic, it’s a good year to have an improving horse that you know likes the dirt at Churchill Downs …“That’s why we’re here, to be honest with you.  I told the owner the Clark was going to be tough, but we need to find out where we stand with this guy in the future because Churchill offers some nice races here and we really need to think about running him in the Clark and seeing where we stand afterward. So we’re really tickled with the way he went.”

SHAUN BRIDGMOHAN, rider of GIANT OAK, fourth: “He hopped a little bit leaving the starting gate and that prevented him from getting a closer position, but I think he ran pretty good.  At the top of the stretch I thought I really had a good shot at getting ‘em.  I followed the winner and angled out and he finished up pretty well.
    “I think his future is still ahead of him.  I think with time and maturity he’s going to be a nice little horse.  He stepped up to the plate and ran with older horses today, so I think he’s got a good future.”

Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Serte Equine’s Mine That Bird, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), turned in a sharp four-furlong work on Monday in his final major training move at Churchill Downs prior to his scheduled run in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (GII) on Aug. 1 at Mountaineer.

    Jockey Jamie Theriot was in the saddle as the Chip Woolley-trained Birdstone gelding covered the distance over a fast track in :48.20.  Churchill Downs clockers caught Mine That Bird in fractional times of :12.20, :24.80 and :36.80 and he galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.20.  Mine That Bird’s work, which came just after the break for track maintenance, ranked as the fourth-fastest of 31 moves at the distance on the cool and sunny morning under the historic Twin Spires.

    “He finished up well and he’s going into the race very well,” said Theriot.  “You can’t ask for any better.  I told Chip that he’s going into the race fantastic.”

    Woolley said he had originally planned a relatively easy half-mile for Mine That Bird, but decided Sunday night that the Kentucky Derby winner might need something a bit stronger as he approaches his first race since a third-place run behind Summer Bird in the Belmont Stakes (GI) on June 6.  Mine That Bird will work one final time prior to the West Virginia Derby next Monday at Mountaineer.

    “The horse is going to be eight weeks between races, and I got to studying last night and told Jamie that I wanted him to start galloping out strong from the five-eighths and I want him really working when he hits the half-mile pole,” Woolley said.  “I told Jamie if we’re going to be dead fit, we’re going to have to step it out and Jamie said he was just super-strong.  So we ended up really getting almost a three-quarter mile work out of him.  Now we can go to Mountaineer and no matter what the track’s like we can go soft over there.  Instead of having to let him work hard over there, we can get real soft one and stretch out over the ground and get a feel for it.”

    Woolley said shipping to Mountaineer and a different racing surface is a concern, but he’s confident that Mine That Bird will be able to handle the challenge.

    “That scares you anywhere you go,” he said  “That track (at Mountaineer) has a tendency to really be loose, but I do feel like if there’s a horse in the world that’s going to go over there and get over it easy and do it well, it’s him.  He’s so light and gets over the ground so easy, it seems like he takes his racetrack with him anywhere he goes.”
    
    The usually low-keyed Woolley admitted to excited about the prospect of seeing Mine That Bird return to competition for the first time since he burst onto the scene with his remarkable Triple Crown run that opened with his 50-1 upset in the “Run for the Roses” and also included a runner-up finish to Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness (GI).  

    “I’m ready to go back to running,” said Woolley.  “It was enjoyable to be here the first month after the Belmont to just kind of relax and rest.  It had been a pretty long run and with my broken leg it takes twice as much out of you.  It gave me a chance to rest my leg and do a little healing, but now though I’m ready.  I’m definitely ready to be rolling again and get back to running.”

    With the final work at Churchill Downs now behind Mine That Bird, Woolley’s plans call for Mine That Bird to travel by van to Mountaineer on Friday, July 24.  Woolley plans to depart Churchill Downs around 7 a.m. (EDT).

Kentucky Derby (Grade I) winner Mine That Bird continued his preparation for a return to competition in the Aug. 1 West Virginia Derby (GII) with a strong five-furlong work on Monday at Churchill Downs.

    Trainer Chip Woolley looked on from the grandstand as the gelded son of Birdstone finished strong while covering five furlongs over a “fast” track in 1:02.  Jockey Jamie Theriot was in the saddle as Mine That Bird galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.  

    Fractional times for the work were not available, but observers timed Mine That Bird’s final eighth of a mile in less than 12 seconds, which pleased Woolley.

    “The horse is doing super – he really worked good this morning,” Woolley said.  “He started off real soft – I imagine that first eighth of a mile must have been in 13-and-change.  But he really picked it up down the lane and was really firing off the ground down the lane.  He’s coming into it real good.  We’re really kind of excited and ready to pick up and head across there and run.”

    “He worked fantastic,” said Theriot. “He was nice and easy leaving the pole and he wanted me to pick it up in the last eighth of a mile and he came home in 11, so it was exactly what we wanted from him.”

    Woolley said Mine That Bird would work again next Monday, July 20, at Churchill Downs, which is scheduled to be his final local work before the West Virginia Derby.  The race will be his first since he finished third to Summer Bird in the Belmont Stakes (GI) on June 6 at Belmont Park.  The schedule now calls for Mine That Bird to ship to Mountaineer Park on Friday, July 24.

    “We’ll breeze him one soft one over the racetrack over there (at Mountaineer) and run,” Woolley said.  “After that we’ll head straight to Saratoga (for the Grade I Shadwell Travers on Aug. 29).”

    The work by Mine That Bird ranked as 12th fastest out of 18 moves at the distance.

Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Serte Thoroughbreds’ Mine That Bird, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), tuned up for a return to competition with a sharp four-furlong work on Tuesday at Churchill Downs.

    Jockey Jamie Theriot was aboard the gelded son of Birdstone as he covered the half-mile over a “fast” track in :49.40.

    Mine That Bird started slowly, but finished fast as he covered the distance in fractional times of :13.20, :25.60 and :38 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.80.  The clocking reflects a final eight in 11:40 and he galloped out the extra furlong in :12.40.

    “He did it very easy,” said Theriot.  “He came off the track bouncing.”

    “The horse looked perfect – he did just what I asked,” said trainer Chip Woolley.  “Jamie did a good job on him. He started off a little slow and picked it up all the way.  It looked like he got the last eighth in :11-and-two and he was :12-and-two past the wire in another eighth, so he looked sharp.  That was what we were looking for.”

    Mine That Bird is training toward a run in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (Grade II) at Mountaineer on Aug. 1.  That race would be his first since a third-place run behind Summer Bird in the Belmont Stakes (GI) on June 6.

    The Kentucky Derby winner is scheduled to work again on Monday, July 13 and could remain in his familiar surroundings at Churchill Downs until just before race day at the West Virginia track.

    “I haven’t decided for sure if I’ll take him and work him one time at Mountaineer right before the race or just stay here and go into the race from here,” Woolley said.  “Either way, the horse is doing good and is ready to roll.”

    A Triple Crown run that included his win in the Kentucky Derby, a runner-up finish to Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness (GI) and his third-place run in the Belmont Stakes left Mine That Bird’s record at 5-2-1 in 11 races with earnings of $2,121,581.

A wet track prompted trainer Chip Woolley to delay by a day a scheduled Monday work at Churchill Downs for Mine That Bird, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I).

The Birdstone gelding instead galloped once around the one-mile Churchill Downs track that was officially listed as muddy. Regular exercise rider Rudy Gallegos was aboard for Monday’s training activity.

Woolley said Mine That Bird would breeze just after the mid-session break for track maintenance on Tuesday, July 7 and jockey Jamie Theriot would be aboard for the move. The Kentucky Derby winner should hit the track around 8:30 a.m. (EDT).

“The track was a little wet on top today and had no reason to rush him, so we just decided to wait until tomorrow to work him,” said Woolley. “We can work him back in six days next Monday and be back on our regular schedule.”

Mine That Bird finished third to Summer Bird in his most recent effort in the Belmont Stakes (GI) on June 6. He is being pointed toward a return to competition in the $750,000 West Virginia Derby (GII) at Mountaineer on Aug. 1.

In other training moves over the muddy surface, King of the Roxy continued tow work toward his comeback for trainer Todd Pletcher with a five-furlong move in 1:01.40, which was the best of seven works at the distance. Early Times Mint Julep (GIII) winner Acoma breezed four furlongs for trainer David Carroll in :49.80 as she points toward a possible run in the Beverly D. (GI) at Arlington Park. Stone Legacy, a distant runner-up to Rachel Alexandra in the Kentucky Oaks (GI), breezed four furlongs in :49.40 for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

THERIOT TO WORK MINE THAT BIRD ON MONDAY MORNING – Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) winner Mine That Bird is scheduled to work a half-mile after the renovation break on Monday morning with jockey Jamie Theriot in the saddle.    Trainer Chip Woolley secured the services of Hall of Famer Mike Smith to ride Mine That Bird in the Aug. 1 West Virginia Derby (Grade II) at Mountaineer and the Aug. 29 Shadwell Travers (Grade I) at Saratoga. Woolley did not get a commitment for the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup Classic (Grade I) at Santa Anita.

    “I am tickled that this is over with,” Woolley said of landing Smith to replace Calvin Borel, who was aboard for the gelding’s upset victory in the Kentucky Derby and third-place run in the Belmont Stakes (GI), but could not give a commitment to the West Virginia Derby. “We’ve got a rider that we are comfortable with and that is more important than the three-race commitment. We can get through the first two at least.”

    Smith rode Mine That Bird to a runner-up finish behind Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness (Grade I) when Borel honored a commitment to ride the filly.

    “Calvin’s in a tough spot with three horses in the same category,” Woolley said referring to Rachel Alexandra and Warrior’s Reward, who Borel is committed to ride in the Aug. 1 Jim Dandy (Grade II) at Saratoga. “It is a tough spot, but he is fortunate in that not many get that opportunity.

“Hopefully we’ll have Calvin for a backup, you never know. With Rachel Alexandra, the Travers is one of the races they are talking about with her, so we wouldn’t get him for that one. There is just too much drama mixed in.”

    On Sunday morning, Mine That Bird backtracked to the paddock runway and galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Rudy Gallegos.

MR. SIDNEY HAS PROFITABLE STAY AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – Mr. Sidney made only a brief visit to Churchill Downs, but he was here long enough to pick up his second graded stakes score with a triumph in Saturday’s Firecracker Handicap (GII).

    “He arrived here Monday and he probably will be heading back to New York before too long,” said Kenny McCarthy, assistant to trainer Bill Mott. “He looked good this morning.”

    The Firecracker victory added $101,896 to Mr. Sidney’s bankroll and gave him two graded stakes wins in 2009, the other coming in the Maker’s Mark Mile (GI) in April at Keeneland.

    Mr. Sidney had finished 11th in his start before the Firecracker on the dirt in the Metropolitan Mile (GI) at Belmont Park.

    “The key to him is to keep him nice and quiet,” McCarthy said. “He did not like that detention barn at Belmont the last time. That was the Storm Cat in him.”

    Mr. Sidney’s victory was the 11th of the meet for the Mott barn, the most in a spring meet here since 2004 when 12 wins were recorded. From 54 starters, there also have been 10 seconds and 10 thirds for a 57 percent in-the-money rate. Mott is the all-time leader at Churchill Downs in wins (622) and stakes victories (75).

    “It has been a nice meet,” McCarthy said. “We will keep 30 horses here this summer, send some up to Saratoga and get some back from New York.”

RAVI’S SONG FIRST WINNER FOR MILLIONAIRE LU RAVI – If one wants to elicit a huge smile from trainer Carl Bowman, just mention Lu Ravi.

    On Sunday morning, Bowman was grinning from ear to ear after the performance of Ravi’s Song on Saturday when she became Lu Ravi’s first winner.

    In the 1 1/16-mile race, Ravi’s Song was bottled up on the inside until the eighth pole. She trailed by four lengths at the time, but finally found racing room at the sixteenth pole and drew off to win by a length.

    “I liked the way she won yesterday going a route. It was very impressive the way she did it,” Bowman said. “She probably should have won the first time she ran here, but then she wouldn’t have had that chance yesterday. But I am really proud for Lu Ravi.”

    Ravi’s Song, a daughter of Unbridled’s Song, is Lu Ravi’s third foal. Superb in Roses never made it to the races and Ravi’s Lovin was winless in two starts. Lu Ravi now has a yearling filly by Ghostzapper.

    Under Bowman’s care, Lu Ravi compiled a record of 26-11-8-3 for earnings of $1,819,781. She won eight stakes, five of them graded, and in 2000 beat future Hall of Famer Silverbulletday twice.

    “I trained her mother, At the Half, too,” Bowman said of the four-time stakes winner and earner of $338,393. “She was one of the top three or four fillies as a 2-year-old in the country (in 1993). It is always enjoyable to win with a number of horses from the same family.”

    Ravi’s Song did not make her racing debut until this March at Fair Grounds.

    “She has got some issues,” said Bowman, who intends to keep Ravi’s Song on the dirt. “I’d like to look for an allowance going long and then make a decision.”

BARN TALK – Trainer Ian Wilkes reported that Warrior’s Reward came out of his third-place finish in Saturday’s Dwyer (Grade II) at Belmont Park “with a few little cuts but otherwise looked fine.” Warrior’s Reward stumbled badly at the start and trailed the field most of the way before rallying for third. “Obviously the race did not develop the way we hoped,” Wilkes said. “To rally from that far back to get third, I was really proud of him. We are going to go on to the Jim Dandy as long as he comes back OK. We are going to bring him back here on Tuesday.”

    Helen Alexander and Helen Groves’ Selva is scheduled to return to trainer David Carroll’s barn on Monday afternoon after her fourth-place finish in the Prioress (Grade I) at Belmont Park on Saturday. “I was really proud of her,” Carroll said of Selva’s first start since April 8. “She ran her butt off. If she comes out of it all right we will point to the Victory Ride (Grade III) at Saratoga (on Aug. 29).”

Trainer Jim Baker, who has enjoyed a banner spring meet with nine winners from 25 starters (36 percent), will be sending two of his stable standouts east in the coming weeks. Tom Walters’ Pretty Prolific, who won her 2009 debut with an allowance win on May 30, is being pointed to the $70,000 Dearly Precious Stakes at six furlongs on July 18 at Monmouth Park. Patton’s Creek Farm’s War Eagle Lady, one of three three-time winners this meet, is scheduled to be at Delaware Park on July 19 for the $75,000 Light Hearted Stakes at 7 ½ furlongs on the turf.

Calvin Borel entered the final day of the 2009 Spring Meet with a chance to catch meet-long leader Julien Leparoux in the race for leading jockey.  Borel trailed Leparoux 62-58 heading into the meet finale and Leparoux is riding out of town.

WORK TAB – Decelerator, winner of the Debutante Stakes (Grade III) on June 27, worked a half-mile in :51 over a track rated as “sloppy” before the renovation break.

Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame found running room at the eighth pole and drew off to win Thursday’s featured $50,397 Moon Over Prospect Purse for 3-year-olds and up by 1 ¼ lengths over Blackberry Road before a “Downs After Dark” crowd of 33,481 at Churchill Downs.

The attendance was the largest of the three “Downs After Dark” night racing programs and is believed to be the largest non-Kentucky Derby, Oaks or Breeders’ Cup crowd in modern Churchill Downs history. The initial “Downs After Dark” program on Friday, June 19 attracted 28,011 and 27,623 were on hand last Friday.

Blame, a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Arch, covered the mile on a fast main track in 1:36.41. The victory, the second in four starts for Blame, was worth $30,580 and increased his earnings to $69,025.

    Trained by Al Stall Jr. and ridden by Jamie Theriot, Blame returned $9.20, $5.60 and $4. Blackberry Road, ridden by Corey Lanerie, returned $11.60 and $8.20 with Forest Warfare finishing a neck back in third under Julien Leparoux and paying $5.80 to show in the field of 10.

    There were three “Bet or No Bet” winners on the evening:  Michelle Clubb, Amy Linton and Laura Burnam, all from Louisville. Their names were among five drawn at random with the choice to take $100 in cash or bet a $1,000 win ticket.

Clubb won $2,800 when Win Grammy Boy won the eighth race, Linton won $1,500 when Step Out Smartly finished in a dead heat to win the seventh race and Burnam picked up $2,000 when Sister Lou Ann finished in a dead heat to win the ninth race.

    “I retired this week from 32 years of teaching and I also found out I am going to be grandma in January and my daughter is positive it is going to be a boy,” Clubb said of her choice of Win Grammy Boy, who won by five lengths.

    Linton and Burnam had to sweat out lengthy photos to claim their checks.

    “I thought it was going to be just like the 1996 Kentucky Derby when Bob Baffert lost (by a nose with Cavonnier),” Linton said. “I thought the photo was going to be just like that.”

Racing resumes Friday with an 11-race program that begins with a 2:45 p.m. (EDT) post time. The 108th running of the $100,000-added Bashford Manor Stakes for 2-years-old highlights the card and will go as the 10th race with a 7:24 p.m. post time. The 45-day Spring Meet closes Sunday.