Claiborne Farm

Craig B Singer’s Salty Strike took the lead approaching the top of the stretch and drew away to an emphatic 3 ¾-length victory in Saturday’s 37^th running of $109,300 Grade III Dogwood Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs.

            Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s heavily favored Might, a full sister to 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Blame who left the starting gate as the odds-on choice at 4-5, faded to fifth in the Dogwood field that was reduced to six fillies by the late scratches of Juanita and Henny’s Hurricane.

            Ridden by Manny Cruz, who scored his first career stakes victory at Churchill Downs, Salty Strike started a sweep for trainer Ken McPeek of the two Grade III stakes races offered by the historic track on Saturday.  McPeek also won the $110,300 Aristides with Noble’s Promise.

            The 5-1 third choice in the Dogwood, Salty Strike scored her first career stakes victory and won for the third time in four career starts at Churchill Downs as she returned mutuels of $12.80, $4.80 and $3.20.  IEAH Stable’s Fantasy of Flight, making only her second career start under jockey Robby Albarado, finished second and returned $4.60 and $3.20.  Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch’s Gran Lioness held well under Jamie Theriot to finish 1 1/4 lengths behind the runner-up in third and paid $3.60 to show.

            The victory by Salty Strike improved the career record of the homebred daughter of Smart Strike to 3-1-1 in seven races and the winner’s purse of $67,090 boosted her career earnings to $152,492.  She completed the one mile distance over a fast track in 1:35.39.

            Salty Strike’s only loss at Churchill Downs came in a close third-place finish to Just Louise in last year’s $100,000 Grade III Debutante Stakes in early July.  McPeek’s filly fractured a cannon bone in that race and did not return to competition until mid-February.  Salty Strike was coming off a seven-length victory in a May 20 allowance race at Churchill Downs that was her first win since a successful racing debut at the same track just over a year earlier.                        

            “She has really come around,” McPeek said. “I’d like to keep her sprinting on the dirt. I think we will look at sending her to the (Grade I) Test at Saratoga.”           

            Fantasy of Flight, coming off an impressive victory in her career debut during Kentucky Derby Week, shot to the lead when the starting gates open and held a two-length advantage down the backstretch over Gran Lioness, Salty Strike and the favored Might.  Cruz turned Salty Strike loose on the far turn and she made a quick three-wide move to grab the lead and quickly drew clear as the rest of the strung out field gave chase down the stretch.

            Might, a winner of two of three starts for trainer Al Stall Jr. prior to her stakes debut in the Dogwood, made a mild rally under Julien Leparoux near the top of the stretch, but faltered in the drive and was beaten by nearly six lengths. 

            “Julien said she was traveling fine down the backside and just didn’t go on,” Stall said.  “She didn’t seem to be the worse for wear when I watched her jog back and walk off.  So, I don’t know.  She has no excuses as far as I can see right now.” 

            Angelica Zapata finished fourth, and was followed by Might and Holy Heavens.

DOGWOOD STAKES QUOTES

Manny Cruz, rider of Salty Strike (winner)

“This is my first stakes win at Churchill Downs. I hope this is just the first of many more to come.

            “She (Salty Strike) sat perfectly in the race. I took her outside because I knew I had a ton of horse and I didn’t want to take any chances. When I asked her to move, she responded and broke away from the group.”

Ken McPeek, trainer of Salty Strike (winner)

“She (Salty Strike) has really come around. She was injured here in the Debutante last year (stress fracture to cannon bone), but we got that fixed and she was able to come back this year. She wasn’t herself in the race at Oaklawn (Honeybee (GIII)) and then she really didn’t like the Polytrack at Keeneland.”

            “We took her off Lasix for her last start and she really responded and so we didn’t put her on Lasix again today. She doesn’t need it, it seems to dull her out, and we especially didn’t want to put her on it with the heat today.”

            “I’d like to keep her sprinting on the dirt. I think we will look at sending her to the Test (GI) at Saratoga.”

Robby Albarado, rider of Fantasy of Flight (runner-up)

“She ran a huge race.  She just couldn’t hold off the winner.  That winner is a really good filly – I’ve ridden her before.  So it’s no shame to finish second to her off just one race.  My horse ran a big race and looks like she has a really bright future.”

 Julien Leparoux, rider of Might (fifth as the favorite)

“We got a very good spot, but she just never picked it up for me at the end.  I don’t know.  She felt real good all the way around.  It seemed like I had plenty of horse underneath me.”

Q: At what point did you think you were in trouble?

“When I asked her to accelerate on the turn, around the quarter pole.  I asked her, and she didn’t really kick.”

Al Stall Jr., trainer of Might (fifth as the favorite)

“Julien said she was traveling fine down the backside and just didn’t go on.  He didn’t alert us to any problems and she came back fine, it seemed like.  So I really don’t know right now.  She didn’t seem to be the worse for wear when I watched her jog back and walk off.  So, I don’t know.  She has no excuses as far as I can see right now.”

MIGHT HOPES TO STEP OUT OF BLAME’S SHADOW IN DOGWOOD - Since Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Might made her debut on Feb. 20 of this year, she has been known to most racing fans as “Blame’s younger sister.”

            Her older brother is most famous for winning the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI) at Churchill Downs by a head over Zenyatta last November. Saturday’s Dogwood (GIII) at Churchill Downs may not be the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but it will be Might’s first opportunity to make history of her own beneath the Twin Spires as she competes stakes company for the first time.

            Trainer Al Stall Jr. was pleased with Might’s two most recent works and saw the Dogwood as the next logical step following her very impressive 4 ¾-length victory in a seven-furlong allowance race at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Oaks Day.

            “She won so impressively in her last start and has been working well since then,” Stall said. “If she ran in another allowance she probably would have had to face older horses. Running in the Dogwood allows her test stakes company and keep running against 3-year-olds.”

            While Stall is well-aware that it will be difficult to replace Blame, who was crowned champion older horse at the most recent Eclipse Awards, he is excited about Might’s potential. “I don’t know if she (Might) is as good as him (Blame), but she’s pretty good in her own right,” Stall said.

            The 3-year-old Arch filly may be talented, but she doesn’t have the nicest of dispositions.

            “She’s hot and fiery,” Stall said. “Blame was very laid back and a total gentleman. They have totally different personalities.”

            The Dogwood is the main focus for Might; however, the Stall barn has looked ahead to a few possible spots for her if Saturday goes as planned.

            “We want to get by Saturday first, but then we may look at the Test (GI at Saratoga on Aug. 6),” Stall said. “Looking way ahead we may bring her back to Churchill for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (GI).”

            Might will face a field of eight in Saturday’s race. The field for the Dogwood from the rail out (with jockey, weight) includes: Might (Leparoux, 117), Angelica Zapata (Pedroza Jr., 117), Salty Strike (Cruz, 117), Juanita (Court, 119), Fantasy of Flight (Albarado, 117), Henny’s Hurricane (Garcia, 117), Holy Heavens (Bridgmohan, 117), and Gran Lioness (Theriot, 119).               

NUMBER ONE IN LUND’S BARN – Having two Roys in the same barn can get a little confusing. So how does trainer Valorie Lund handle being around Roy Schaefer of R.E.V. Racing and stable star Atta Boy Roy at the same time?

“It’s simple. I call him (Atta Boy Roy) Roy number one and he (Schaefer) is Roy number two,” Lund said.

Atta Boy Roy, winner of the Churchill Downs (GII) in 2010 and the number one Roy in Lund’s barn, will face a strong field of eight Saturday in the $100,000-added Aristides (GIII). The 23^rd running of the six-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up includes three Grade-I winners in Here Comes Ben, Capt. Candyman Can and Noble’s Promise; the defending Arisitides champion in Riley Tucker; two graded-stakes winners at Churchill Downs in Hurricane Ike, winner of last year’s The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (GIII), and Atta Boy Roy; a multiple-stakes winner in Cash Refund; and Good Lord, who has a record of 2-2-2 in eight starts over the main track at Churchill Downs.

“Everyone I’ve talked to says it’s one of the toughest Aristides’ fields they’ve ever seen,” Lund said. “It’s a very tough race, but we are excited to be apart of it.”

Atta Boy Roy, a 6-year-old ridgling by Tribunal out of Irish Toast by Synastry, is one of six horses who currently race under the colors of R.E.V. Racing for Schaefer. The owner recently flew into Louisville from his home in Seattle, Wa. and was on hand to watch Atta Boy Roy jog around the historic Churchill Downs track prior to the renovation break on Friday morning.  

“He’s my first and only stakes winner,” Schaefer said. “There’s something special about the first one and I don’t think anyone will ever be able to replace him.”

Following Atta Boy Roy’s victory in the Churchill Downs last year, he would go on to finish second in both the Aristides and the Iowa Sprint Handicap before making a return to the winner’s circle in the $200,000 Remington Park Sprint Cup. Atta Boy Roy finished his 2010 campaign with an eighth place finish in the Woodford (GIII) on the turf at Keeneland and a 10^th place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (GI) at Churchill Downs.

After a disappointing last-place finish in the in the Potrero Grande (GII) at Santa Anita, the Washington-bred won a six-furlong allowance race at Turf Paradise on May 1 in his most recent start.

Atta Boy Roy will be ridden Saturday by Jesus Castanon, but he won’t be the first member of the family to have ridden “Roy number one.”

“Jesus’ brother, Antonio, was aboard him for his first two starts and he broke the horse’s maiden,” Lund said. “So we’re happy that Jesus gets to ride him now.”

The Aristides, which will be the 10^th race of Saturday’s 11-race program, is scheduled to go off at 5:29 p.m. The field for the Aristides from the rail out (with jockey) includes Here Comes Ben (Leparoux), Riley Tucker (Desormeaux), Capt. Candyman Can (Borel), Hurricane Ike (Albarado), Cash Refund (Bridgmohan), Good Lord (Lanerie), Atta Boy Roy (Castanon) and Noble’s Promise (Garcia).

MEET LEADERS AT THE HALF – Through the first 19 days of the 39-day Spring Meet, jockey Corey Lanerie, trainer Steve Asmussen and owners Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds were the leaders in their respective categories at Churchill Downs. Below is a look at the leaders entering Friday’s action:

Top 12 Jockeys

  1. Corey Lanerie (23-for-103, 22% win-percentage, $703,881 in earnings)

  2. Shaun Bridgmohan (22-for-102, 21%, $656,817)

  3. Julien Leparoux (14-for-88, 16%, $569,593)

  4. Jon Court (13-for-71, 18%, $328,416)

  5. Calvin Borel (12-for-107, 11%, $419,040)

  5. Miguel Mena (12-for-88, 14%, $415,038)

  7. Kent Desormeaux (11-for-67, 16%, $671,463)

  8. Freddie Lenclud (8-for-68, 12%, $243,320)

  9. Marcelino Pedroza Jr.* (7-for-85, 8%, $241,269)

  9. Constantino Roman* (7-for-79, 9%, $189,418)

11. Manny Cruz (6-for-52, 12%, $235,433)

11. Brian Hernandez Jr. (6-for-49, 12%, $184,594)

Top win-percentage for jockeys with more than three wins: Martin Garcia (75.0%), John Velazquez (31.3%), Corey Lanerie (22.3%), Shaun Bridgmohan (21.4%), Garrett Gomez (20.0%), Jon Court (18.3%), Jimmy Graham (18.2%), Rafael Bejarano (17.6%), Kent Desormeaux (16.4%) and Julien Leparoux (15.9%).

Top 16 Trainers

  1. Steve Asmussen (9-for-53, 17%, $871,152)

  2. Tom Amoss (8-for-21, 38%, $213,661)

  2. Dale Romans (8-for-53, 15%, $674,665)

  4. Brad Cox (6-for-23, 26%, $113,485)

  4. Tim Glyshaw (6-for-19, 32%, $100,525)

  4. Eddie Kenneally (6-for-26, 23%, 143,411)

  4. Steve Margolis (6-for-31, 19%, $197,595)

  4. Merrill Scherer (6-for-22, 27%, $131,007)

  9. Bob Baffert (5-for-7, 71%, $880,869)

  9. Ian Wilkes (5-for-29, 17%, $198,060)

11. Jim Baker (4-for-11, 36%, $92,889)

11. Greg Foley (4-for-20, 20%, $81,974)

11. D. Wayne Lukas (4-for-35, 11%, $183,828)

11. Mike Maker (4-for-38, 11%, $178,467)

11. Ken McPeek (4-for-28, 14%, $207,468)

11. Tom Proctor (4-for-17, 24%, $277,712)

Top win-percentage for trainers with more than three wins: Bob Baffert (71.4%), Kellyn Gorder (42.9%), Tom Amoss (38.1%), Jim Baker (36.4%), Tim Glyshaw (31.6%), Garry Simms (30.0%), Merrill Scherer (27.3%), Brad Cox (26.1%) and Michelle Lovell (25.0%).

Top 8 Owners

1. Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds (5-for-20, 25%, $101,870)

2. Robert C. Baker and William L. Mack (4-for-12, 33%, $76,775)

3. Don Adam’s Courtlandt Farms (3-for-14, 21%, 215,979)

3. Billy, Donna and Justin Hays (3-for-26, 12%, $73,965)

3. Mace and Samantha Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Stable (3-for-12, 25%, $92,018)

3. Merrill Scherer, Dan Lynch and Ken Sentel (3-for-14, 21%, $83,242)

3. Tom Ludt’s Vinery Stables (3-for-6, 50%, $126,316)

3. Ahmed Zayat’s Zayat Stables LLC (3-for-8, 38%, $534,244)

Horses with multiple wins: Backside Blackie (2-for-2, $45,000), Cherry Included (2-for-2, $19,200), C J Russell (2-for-2, $60,000), Distorted Love (2-for-2, $62,700), Manhattan Man (2-for-2, $21,000), Racing Office Joe (2-for-2, $23,400), Sassy Image (2-for-2, $276,412), She’s an Alpha Gam ($25,200), Shot of Kela (2-for-3, $19,800), Strike Impact (2-for-2, $71,760) and Valid Citizen (2-for-2, $18,000).

 

BARN TALK – Donald Adam’s possible Belmont Stakes (GI) starter Prime Cut is scheduled to work at Churchill Downs Monday morning according to trainer Neil Howard. The work will be the final major move for Prime Cut before a decision is made on his next start. …

             Gaillardia Racing LLC’s Wilkinson, who was considered to be a possible starter for the Belmont Stakes, will opt to run in the Ohio Derby (GIII) Saturday at Thistledown rather than make a start in the third and final leg of the Triple Crown. …

Trainer Benard Chatters recorded the first Churchill Downs win of his career when Slew of Medals crossed the line first in the sixth race at Churchill Downs Monday. Chatters will send out Holy Heavens Saturday in the $100,000-added Dogwood (GIII) at a mile on the main track at Churchill Down. …

Jockey Nathaniel Puello also recorded his first Churchill Downs win with Slew of Medals. It was only the second mount beneath the Twin Spires for the 38-year-old journeyman. …

Trainer Al Stall Jr. said Claiborne Farm and Adele Dischneider’s Bind, second beaten a half-length to Worldly in his most recent start in a Churchill Downs allowance race on Kentucky Derby Day, will next run in the $125,000-added Matt Winn (GIII).  The 1 1/16-mile race, formerly known as the Northern Dancer, is part of the June 18 Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) undercard. …

Scavenger hunts and crafts involving horse shoes for children aged 3-10 will highlight the weekend’s activities at Churchill Downs’ Junior Jockey Club located near the Guest Services Booth inside Gate. 10. The Junior Jockey Club is open every Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Churchill Downs’ mascot Churchill Charlie will be on hand for photographs between 2-2:30 p.m. Coloring books, crayons, individual games and reading material are available as well.      

  STEPHEN FOSTER HANDICAP, THREE FOSTER DAY STAKES CLOSE SATURDAY - Nominations for the four graded-stakes to be run on Stephen Foster Day on Saturday, June 18 will close this Saturday, June 4. Heading the roster is the 30^th running of the $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (GI), a race won last year by Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s Blame, who returned to Churchill Downs in November to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic (GI). 

            Other horses that completed the Stephen Foster-Breeders’ Cup Classic sweep in the same year include Black Tie Affair (1991), Awesome Again (1998) and Saint Liam (2005).

The other graded stakes races set for Stephen Foster Handicap Day include the $125,000-added Matt Winn (GIII), formerly known as the Northern Dancer, for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16^th miles on the main track; the $125,000-added Regret (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8^th miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course; and the $100,000-added Jefferson Cup (GIII) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16^th miles on turf. 

WHO’S HOT – The hottest jockeys over the last five racing days (May 26- June 2) are Corey Lanerie (9-for-31) and Shaun Bridgmohan (7-for-28). Brad Cox (4-for-8) and Merril Scherer (3-for-6) are the hottest trainers over the same period. The hottest owners are Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. (3-for-7) and Ken Sentel and Merrill Scherer (2-for-2).

WORKTAB – Robert Baker and William Mack’s Dublin worked four furlongs over a fast main track in :47.20 at Churchill Downs on Friday morning for trainer Wayne Lukas. The workout was the fastest of 45 at the distance, giving Dublin his third bullet work beneath the Twin Spires in three weeks. The 4-year-old son of Afleet Alex has not raced since finishing fifth in the 2010 Preakness Stakes (GI). ...

Columbine Stable’s J.B.’s Thunder breezed three furlongs in 37.80 on Friday for trainer Al Stall Jr. The 3-year-old son of Thunder Gulch was victorious in the Breeders’ Futurity (GI) at Keeneland before finishing ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) at Churchill Downs in his most recent start. …

Frank L. Jones Jr.’s Tapitsfly, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Churchill Downs last November, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 for trainer Dale Romans. Tapitsfly is a possible starter for the 35^th running of the Early Times Mint Julep Handicap (GIII) at Churchill Downs on June 11.

WEATHER – Friday: Mostly sunny, 91. Saturday: Mostly sunny and hot, 96. Sunday: Partly sunny with a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 92. Monday: Mostly sunny, 92. Tuesday: Mostly sunny and hot, 94. Wednesday: Mostly sunny, 93. Thursday: Mostly sunny and hot with a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms, 94. 

CHAMPION RACHEL ALEXANDRA WELL AFTER FLEUR DE LIS VICTORY – Reigning Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra was reported by trainer Steve Asmussen to be doing well on Sunday following her 10 ½-length victory in the $200,000-added Fleur De Lis Handicap (Grade II) on the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) undercard.

The win by the 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro owned by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Stables and Harold McCormick was her first in three races in 2010.  Her previous victory had been a narrow win over older males in the Woodward (GI) at Saratoga to complete her championship campaign at three.  It was the first victory by a female of any age in that prestigious race, but she opened this year with narrow losses to Zardana (BRZ) in the New Orleans Ladies at Fair Grounds and Unrivaled Belle in the La Troienne (GII) on Kentucky Oaks Day at Churchill Downs.

While Rachel Alexandra appeared to come out of the race well, Asmussen was concerned about whether there was any lingering impact from Saturday’s sultry weather conditions.  Temperatures on the humid day climbed to above 90, and the heat index hovered around 100 degrees.

“It was a very humid, oppressive type of afternoon,” Asmussen said.  “We’ll see if she shows any residual effect from the weather when she goes back to the track.”

If all continues to go well, Rachel Alexandra should resume her training on Wednesday. 

Rachel Alexandra covered the 1 1/8-mile distance in a faster time than the winning time for Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame in the 4-year-old colt’s three-quarter length victory in the $600,000 Stephen Foster Handicap.  The winning time for Rachel Alexandra was 1:48.78, while Blame covered the nine furlongs in 1:49.37.

The win improved the career record for Rachel Alexandra 12-4-0 in 17 races and she has earned $3,206,730.  The champion has a record of 4-3-0 in eight races at Churchill Downs.

SARATOGA AWAITS STEPHEN FOSTER WINNER BLAME – Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame got to spend an extra day at Churchill Downs on Sunday as his Keeneland workmate Apart was entered in Sunday’s eighth race.

“They will both go back to Keeneland on Monday,” trainer Al Stall Jr. said Sunday morning as he watched Blame walk the shedrow at Barn 47.

Blame rallied to overcome a four-length deficit on Battle Plan to win the Stephen Foster and give Stall his second Grade I victory at Churchill Downs. Joyeux Danseur won the Turf Classic for Stall here in 1998.

“He overcame a slow pace and a bad post (11) yesterday,” Stall said of Blame, now a winner of seven of 10 starts. “There was only mild pressure on the leader (Battle Plan), but he started to bear down and when Battle Plan switched leads at the eighth pole, I figured that was it.”

Stall said he was not sure how long he would keep Blame at Keeneland before shipping to Saratoga, where the next objective for Blame is the $750,000 Whitney (GI) at 1 1/8 miles on Aug. 7.

“Right now, we are just thinking about the Whitney,” Stall said. “It is tough to run two races like that at Saratoga (with the Woodward on Sept. 4 being the other). You can throw the Hawthorne Gold Cup (GII) into the mix. That’s a mile and a quarter on the same day (Oct. 2) as the Jockey Club Gold Cup (at Belmont Park) and we could ship up from Keeneland and back and that sets you up for November (and the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs).”

Despite the Stephen Foster victory, Stall found out that Blame was not the big story of Saturday.

“A friend of mine on the East Coast sent me a text saying that I win a Grade I, but Rachel Alexandra is on the cover of Monday’s Daily Racing Form,” Stall said.

PLETCHER ENJOYS ALMOST PERFECT 24 HOURS IN LOUISVILLE – Trainer Todd Pletcher flew into Louisville from New York shortly before noon on Saturday and was headed back to the Big Apple before noon Sunday. In that time span, his horses won three races at Churchill Downs, including two stakes, and trainer also picked up his trophy for winning the Kentucky Derby with Super Saver.

So, on a scale of one to 10, how did the brief stay in Louisville rate?

"It was a nine,” Pletcher said with a laugh. “If Battle Plan wins the Stephen Foster it is a 10. It was just about perfect.”

In his first Grade I test, Battle Plan surrendered late to Blame in losing by three-quarters of a length to have his four-race win streak snapped.

“I thought he gave a big effort yesterday for his first race over the surface,” Pletcher said. “The track had dried out a bit from earlier in the day and it was a bit cuppier. At the five-sixteenths pole, (jockey) Javier (Castellano) asked him for a bit more and the ground broke out from under him.”

Pletcher said that Battle Plan would return to New York on Wednesday and a schedule would be mapped out to keep Battle Plan and stable star Quality Road on separate paths.

Pletcher, whose day started with a victory by the 2-year-old maiden Blue Orleans in the fifth race, said that Northern Dancer (GIII) winner Colizeo and Regret (GIII) winner Caminadora would remain at Churchill Downs for the time being.

Regarding the 2-year-old Razmataz, a winner Friday night who gave Pletcher his 100th victory at Churchill Downs, the trainer said the July 3 Bashford Manor (GIII) “is a possibility. I want to see how he bounces back from Friday.”

BARN TALK – Owner-trainer Tom McCarthy said that third-place Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) finisher General Quarters remained on track for a return to the turf this summer at Arlington Park. “That’s the plan right now,” McCarthy said of the Arlington Handicap (GIII) on July 17 and the Arlington Million (GI) on Aug. 21. McCarthy said General Quarters was affected by the heat Saturday. “(Jockey) Alex (Solis) said the heat got him at the sixteenth pole,” McCarthy said. “He always finishes up well, but he got back here and ate all his supper last night and his breakfast this morning.” …

Trainer Tony Reinstedler reported all was well with Jefferson Cup (GIII) winner Gleam of Hope on Sunday morning. “Arlington Park is next,” Reinstedler said referring to the American Derby (GII) on July 17 and then the Secretariat (GI) on Aug. 21. Gleam of Hope signaled his readiness for the Jefferson Cup with a work last Sunday in company with Giant Oak, who ran fourth in Saturday’s Stephen Foster Handicap. “We changed things up a little bit because he can be lackadaisical and he worked in blinkers,” Reinstedler said. “The idea was to get him to settle and finish up well. He worked well in them and that gave us confidence going in.” …

    Drew Coontz, assistant to trainer Chris Block, said that Giant Oak would head back to Arlington Park on Wednesday. “He’s fine this morning,” Coontz said of Giant Oak, who finished 4 ½ lengths behind Blame. “He ran great for the company he was with.” …

    Trainer Paul McGee said that Demarcation, fifth in the Stephen Foster, and Worldly, runner-up in the Northern Dancer, were doing well Sunday morning. “I was pretty happy with him and so were the owners (Mr. and Mrs. John Amerman),” McGee said of Demarcation, who was a head behind Giant Oak. “He ran well in the Clark here last fall beaten only 6 ½ lengths, but he is just a cut below those horses.” McGee is not sure when Worldly, beaten a neck by Colizeo, would run next. “I will be running quite a bit at Arlington Park, but I would prefer to keep him on dirt rather than the Polytrack.” …

    Trainer Wally Dollase said he would have an idea “in a day or two” as to what would be next for Distinctive Dixie, runner-up to Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in the Fleur de Lis (GII). Distinctive Dixie got to within a half-length of Rachel Alexandra nearing the top of the stretch, but could get no closer as Rachel Alexandra drew off to a 10 ½-length victory. “For a fleeting moment there …” Dollase said of the upset possibility. “Did you hear my wife (Cincy) scream? I know I sure did! I’m proud of my filly. She hadn’t run in some time (six weeks) and she held on to get second over Jessica Is Back, who is a nice filly.”

WORK TAB – Tap Tap Tapping, runner-up in the Dogwood (GIII), worked five furlongs in 1:03.40 over a fast track. … Backtalk, winner of last spring’s Bashford Manor (GIII) and unraced since finishing last in the Kentucky Derby, worked six furlongs in 1:12.60.

BRASS HAT COULD RETURN TO THE DIRT – After nine consecutive starts against graded-stakes company on the grass, a change in venue could be in store for Fred Bradley’s homebred veteran Brass Hat.

“I’d like to find an easier spot for him and I haven’t ruled out going back to the dirt,” trainer Buff Bradley, the owner-breeder’s son, said in the wake of Brass Hat’s third-place finish in last Saturday’s Louisville Handicap (GIII) behind Free Fighter.

“He tries hard every time he runs, but with his style in the mile and a half races he runs, he is at the mercy of the pace. I may have to run him shorter, so they will come back to him. A mile and an eighth is a possibility.”

After winning the Louisville Handicap last year, Brass Hat hit the road and recorded third-place finishes in the United Nations (GI) at Monmouth Park and the Sword Dancer (GI) at Saratoga.

“Saratoga was too tough,” Bradley said. “I don’t know where I am going to run, but I know it won’t be on Polytrack.”

Brass Hat, whose actual birthday was last Saturday when he turned 9, returned to Fred Bradley’s farm in Frankfort on Monday for a week of R & R.

“He came out of the race good,” Buff Bradley said. “He will get a week off and maybe even a couple of extra days depending on what my dad and I plan for him.”

Brass Hat’s most recent start on dirt came in the 2008 Stephen Foster (GI) when he ran fifth behind two-time Horse of the Year Curlin. His most recent dirt victory came in the 2007 Massachusetts Handicap, one of seven stakes wins for Brass Hat on dirt.

STALL TURNS SLOW WINTER INTO BANNER SPRING – The number practically screams off the page: 91.

That’s the in-the-money percentage through the first 18 days of the Spring Meet for trainer Al Stall Jr. Stall has saddled five winners with three seconds and two thirds, a 180-degree turnaround from the season he had at Fair Grounds.

“January, February and March were the three worst months I have had in years,” said Stall, who ended the nearly five-month meet with only 15 winners from 128 starters. “For whatever reason, my horses didn’t run and they sure didn’t use their conditions up.”

 Stall, who has 16 horses stabled at Churchill Downs along with a 25-horse string at Louisiana Downs and 20 at Keeneland, accepts the pendulum swing as part of the game.

"There is no rhyme or reason to it,” Stall said. “But for a claiming trainer, he can have no turnover in the barn and they get some new stock in and things can turn around quick.”

Tne horse that is not part of Stall’s current statistics at Churchill Downs is stable star Blame, who made a winning 2010 debut in the W.D. Schaefer Handicap (GIII) at Pimlico on May 15.

Blame is back at Keeneland, where Stall has all horses owned by Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm housed.

“I will probably breeze him Saturday or Sunday,” Stall said of Blame, whose next race is scheduled to be the $600,000 Stephen Foster (GI) here on June 12. “I may just leave him over there until the Foster or come over the day before and not risk getting hung up the day of the race in the construction on I-64.”

Blame, a 4-year-old homebred son of Arch, has compiled a record of 9-6-1-2 for earnings of $676,747. He will bring a three-race win streak into the Stephen Foster after closing 2009 with victories in the Fayette (GII) at Keeneland and the Clark Handicap (GII) at Churchill Downs.

“WORK MATE” GETS HIS DAY IN THE SUN – During the two weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby, Awesome Act was accompanied through his morning exercise daily by a chestnut who wore a yellow saddle towel adorned with the words “Work Mate”.

In Thursday’s third race, “Work Mate” will hit the track as a solo act under his proper name: Peace Town.

Owned by Vinery Stables, the co-owner of Awesome Act, Peace Town is a 4-year-old Maryland-bred Peace Rules colt trained by Steve Asmussen.  Racing primarily on the Mid-Atlantic circuit in the care of trainer Michael Trombetta, Peace Town has compiled a record of 13-5-2-0 for earnings of $152,267.

Thursday’s race, a $50,000 claiming event at five furlongs on the turf, will be Peace Town’s first race for Asmussen.

BARN TALK – Jockey Calvin Borel was off all of his mounts Thursday. “He’ll ride tomorrow,” agent Jerry Hissam said of Borel, who has been sidelined by an eye infection since May 16. Borel, who leads all riders with 22 victories this spring here, is named on eight mounts on Friday’s 11-race card. …

Trainer Tom Proctor, who won the Regret (GIII) last year with Keertana, will try for a repeat in this year’s renewal to be run June 12 with Keertana’s half-sister, Snow Top Mountain. Both fillies are homebreds for owner Barbara Hunter. Snow Top Mountain was an allowance winner here on May 13. Proctor also plans to run Patinack Farm and Tim Turney’s Queen of the Creek, a Keeneland allowance winner who broke her maiden here last fall, in the Regret. Proctor, who has won seven stakes at Churchill Downs, also won the Regret in 2005 with Rich In Spirit. …

Trainer Dale Romans, seeking to become the second trainer at Churchill Downs to record 500 victories beneath the Twin Spires, has six runners entered Thursday and four Friday. Tied for fourth in the trainer standings with six victories this meet, Romans has 494 career wins at Churchill Downs, trailing only Bill Mott (630).

WORK TAB – Donegal Racing’s Paddy O’Prado worked a half-mile on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in :48.80 with Mary Doser up. Sixth in the Preakness in his most recent start, Paddy O’Prado ran third in the Kentucky Derby and could return to the turf in the $100,000-added Jefferson Cup (GIII) on June 12. Paddy O’Prado has a record of 4-1-1-2 on the grass with the victory coming in the Palm Beach (GIII) at Gulfstream Park in March. … IEAH Stables and Resolute Group Stables’ Court Vision, second in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) in his most recent start, worked six furlongs on the fast main track in 1:15.60.

HEADTAP TO PERFORM DURING FRIDAY HAPPY HOURS – This week’s “Dress to Impress” Friday Happy Hours from 4-7 p.m. in Churchill Downs’ paddock area will showcase live music by Headtap, $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. 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.

TRAINER STEVE MARGOLIS WILL BE SPECIAL ‘GET IN THE GAME WITH JILL BYRNE’ GUEST ON SATURDAY – Trainer Steve Margolis, who will saddle Cash Refund in the Aristides and Visavis in the Dogwood on Saturday, will be Saturday’s “Get in the Game with Jill Byrne” special guest. Byrne and Margolis will discuss several topics including Saturday’s stakes events, plus Stay Put’s upcoming start in the June 5 Belmont Stakes. 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.

HORSEMEN’S GOLF SCRAMBLE RETURNS ON JUNE 8 – The second annual Horsemen’s Golf Scramble will be held Tuesday, June 8 at the Glenmary Country Club in Fern Creek, Ky. to help raise funds for the Backside Learning Center at Churchill Downs. The cost of the golf outing is $100 per player with four players to a team. Players will be treated to an 11 a.m. lunch. The 18-hole tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. There will be contests for the longest drive, closest to the pin, and a hole-in-one in which someone could win a 2010 Toyota Corolla from Oxmoor Toyota. Registration is due Friday and entry forms can be found at the Backside Learning Center or by visiting www.derbymusuem.org/backsidelc.

PREAKNESS RUNNER-UP FIRST DUDE BACK AT CHURCHILL, SET FOR NEXT STOP IN BELMONT STAKES – Donald Dizney’s First Dude did not win the second jewel of the Triple Crown, but trainer Dale Romans could not have been much happier had he managed to hold off Lookin At Lucky in Saturday’s $1 million Preakness (Grade I) at Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course.

The Churchill Downs-based First Dude sprung from post 11 in a field of 12 3-year-olds in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness to grab the lead and the rail from Super Saver, winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI), heading into the first turn.  He set strong early fractions under Ramon Dominguez then battled the victorious Lookin At Lucky through the stretch to fall three-quarters of a length short of picking up his second victory in seven starts, but the imposing son of Stephen Got Even immediately established himself as a major contender for the Triple Crown’s final jewel: the 1 ½-mile Belmont Stakes (GI) on June 5 at Belmont Park.

The connections of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and Preakness champ Lookin At Lucky confirmed Sunday that neither horse would run in the Belmont Stakes, so Romans believes First Dude could well be the horse to beat in the big race three weeks down the road.

“I think so, and so does Ramon,” Romans said Sunday.  “The mile and a half should help him.”
    First Dude returned to Churchill Downs on Sunday morning following a flight from Baltimore.  Also on the plane was stablemate Paddy O’Prado, Donegal Racing’s third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby on May 1 who finished sixth in Saturday’s Preakness.

Romans said the Belmont is the clear goal for First Dude, while the immediate future is less clear for Paddy O’Prado, a versatile winner on turf and synthetic surfaces who did not fire at Pimlico.

“He came out of it good,” said Romans of Paddy O’Prado.  “I’ll talk with Jerry (Donegal Racing managing partner Jerry Crawford) later in the day and see what we want to do with him.”

The Preakness bid by First Dude, while it fell just short, served as validation for high hopes Romans and his staff has held for the colt since his arrival in the barn.

"We are proud of him,” Romans said.  “We kept thinking all along that he was this kind of horse, but he just had circumstances that kept him from running a big, big race.  Finally nothing went wrong and he put it all together and he got beat by a champion.”

OTHER BELMONT HOPES AT CHURCHILL DOWNS – With word that neither Super Saver nor Lookin At Lucky would compete in the third jewel of the Triple Crown, a large field of contenders is beginning to take shape for the June 5 race at Belmont Park.

First Dude is one of at least four Churchill Downs-based horses that could run in the Belmont.  The others include the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Dublin, Robert Baker and William Mack’s son of Afleet Alex who finished fifth in the Preakness following a horrible start; Thomas and Jack Conway’s Stately Victor, winner of the Toyota Blue Grass (GI) and eighth in the Kentucky Derby; and Richard, Elaine and Bert Klein’s Stay Put, a winner of an allowance race at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day.

Trainer Steve Margolis said the Louisville-based Klein family is, at this point, pointing Stay Put toward the third jewel of the Triple Crown.

“We’ve been talking about it over the last week or 10 days,” Margolis said of Stay Put’s Belmont bid.  “As long has he stays healthy and well, he’s got two more breezes and we’re gonna go.”

Stay Put, a homebred son of Broken Vow, has won three of seven career starts, but finished fifth in both the Louisiana Derby (GII) and the Risen Star (GII) at Fair Grounds in his only efforts in stakes competition.

“There’ll be some tough horses in there in (Derby runner-up) Ice Box, (Dwyer winner) Fly Down and (Dwyer runner-up) Drosselmeyer,” Margolis said of the Belmont.  “But we’re running good, and as long as we stay healthy and good and are training good, we’ve got to take a shot.”

BLAME BOUND FOR STEPHEN FOSTER FOLLOWING RETURN VICTORY IN PIMLICO’S SCHAEFFER – Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Blame looked like a horse with a big future when he whipped older rivals to win Churchill Downs’ Clark Handicap (GII) as a 3-year-old in late November.

The anticipated return to racing by the now 4-year-old homebred son of Arch did nothing to diminish those expectations when Blame rolled to an easy 1 ½-length victory in Saturday’s William Donald Schaefer Handicap (GIII) on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico on Saturday.  With that successful return to competition behind the colt, trainer Al Stall Jr. will now point Blame to his next goal: a run in the $600,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) on June 12 at Churchill Downs.

“He’s a good horse and it’s really good to get that one under his belt,” Stall said.  “It was definitely time for him to go run, and you just don’t know what’s going to happen.  Sometimes they don’t come back like you think and sometimes they’re not as ready as you think they are, so there was a little more anxiety than in a regular race.”

That case of race-day nerves aside, Stall said Blame had blossomed during his training over the synthetic Polytrack course at Keeneland in recent weeks and he felt the colt was ready for a good effort.

“In the last three or four weeks he just really let you know that it was time,” Stall said.  “He’s a great looking horse, but he really just started looking phenomenal.  He just was really good to go.”

Now Stall will focus completely on the 1 1/8-mile Foster, a race in which Blame is expected to face the likes of defending winner Macho Again and Alysheba (GIII) Arson Squad.

"We’ve got four weeks, to the day almost, to the Foster,” said Stall.  “I can map out sort of a simple schedule to get him there.  It gives you something to get out of bed for, that’s for sure.”

The Schaeffer victory improved Blame’s career record to 6-1-2 in nine races – including a 2-1-0 slate in three starts at Churchill Downs, which will also be the host track for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 6.  Blame has earned $676,747.

THISKYHASNOLIMIT IMPRESSES IN RETURN TO RACING IN MATT WINN – He had been on the sidelines for a good while, but a sharp victory Bob and Cathy Zollars and Mark Wagner’s Thiskyhasnolimit in Saturday’s ninth running of Churchill Downs’ $108,000 Matt Winn Stakes had it look as if the colt had never been away.

The 3-year-old son of Sky Mesa, away from racing since late November, rallied from fourth and wore down favored Cool Bullet to win the seven furlong race for 3-year-olds by three-quarters of a length.  He covered the distance over a fast track in 1:22.29.

The victory by Thisskyhasnolimit was the third in the Matt Winn for trainer Steve Asmussen, but, despite the long layoff, it came as no surprise to assistant Scott Blasi, who oversees Asmussen’s Churchill Downs stable.

"He had been training like a bear,” Blasi said Sunday morning.  “The way he was training I would have surprised if he hadn’t won.”

Thiskyhasnolimit had not run since a sixth-place finish as the favorite in the $150,000-added Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) on Nov. 28 – a race won by WinStar Farm’s future Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver.

"We just gave him some time,” said Blasi.  “I don’t remember any specific problem.  He was just a big, immature colt   He’s doing good this morning.  Steve will get together with the owners and we’ll see where we go next with him.”

The victory improved the winner’s career record to 3-1-1 in seven races and increased his career earnings to $204,439.

While disappointed by the loss, trainer Steve Margolis was upbeat about the effort by Robert and Lawana Low and Winmore LLC’s Cool Bullet,

“The horse ran a big race and got a great trip,” Margolis said.  “He fought on game, but the other horse just had a little more.”

It was the second consecutive runner-up finish in the Winn for Margolis, who saddled Richard, Elaine and Bert Klein’s Cash Refund for a second place Winn finish behind Capt. Candyman Can in its 2009 renewal.d

Margolis said Cool Bullet could run next in the $175,000 Jersey Shore Breeders’ Cup (GIII) on July 4 at Monmouth Park.

BARN TALK – Gold Mark Farms LLC’s Backtalk returned to serious training on Sunday following his run in the Kentucky Derby.  The Tom Amoss trainee, who finished last in the Derby field of 20 3-year-olds, breezed four furlongs over a fast track in :51.80. … Owner/trainer Tom McCarthy said Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI) winner General Quarters is scheduled to work on Monday, but McCarthy is keeping an eye on the weather and the plan could change because of track conditions.  General Quarters has now won Grade I races on turf and synthetic surfaces.  He took the 2009 Toyota Blue Grass (GI) over the Polytrack surface at Keeneland before running 10th over the main track at Churchill Downs in the 135th Kentucky Derby (GI).

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.”

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.

(June 26, 2008) – Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Quota reclaimed the lead at midstretch from Lenawee and went on to score a three-length in Thursday’s $45,200 Valu Market Classic for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at Churchill Downs.

The victory was the third of the day for jockey Robby Albarado, giving the Spring Meet’s leading rider his second consecutive three-win day and eighth three-win day of the meet to go with two four-win days.

Quota, a 4-year-old daughter of Seeking the Gold, covered the six furlongs on a fast track in 1:10.24 in winning for the third time in six career starts. She boosted her career earnings to $118,666 with the $28,348 winner’s check.

Trained by Al Stall Jr., Quota returned $5, $2.80 and $2.20 as the favorite in the field of five. Lenawee, ridden by Jamie Theriot, returned $3 and $2.20. Kristabella ran third under Robert Reeves Jr., but was disqualified for interference in the stretch to elevate Star of Luvina and Julien Leparoux into the show spot and a $2.40 payoff.

Quota was the lone favorite to prevail on Thursday’s nine-race program. Seven double-figure win payoffs equaled a high for the meet, matching that of the April 26 opening day card. As a result, there were no perfect tickets in the Pick 6 that triggered a $17,238.37 carryover for Races 6-11 on Friday.

The first of 11 live races at Churchill Downs on Friday is 2:45 p.m. (EDT).

(May 24, 2008) – Jockey Robby Albarado capped a four-win day with a hedge-skimming victory aboard Lattice in Saturday’s $170,100 Louisville Handicap (Grade III) at Churchill Downs. Conditioned by Al Stall Jr., the 4-year-old colt beat 34-1 outsider Transduction Gold by three-quarters of length en route to his second career graded stakes win.

Lattice, bred in Kentucky by his owners Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider, ran 1 ½ miles over a “firm” turf course in 2:31.13 for his fourth victory in nine starts. The $99,134 winner’s share of the purse jumped his career earnings to $345,233.

Last summer, Lattice took the Grade II American Derby at Arlington Park.

“This horse is growing up,” said Albarado, who notched his third stakes win of the Spring Meet. “I rode him all last year and I felt like I always had to shove on him and get him some position. I had to make him do things, but we thought a lot of him. This year he’s taking himself into the race and he’s running.”

Sent off as the 5-2 second betting choice in the field of 11 older horses, Lattice tracked pacesetter Transduction Gold from the inside through dawdling fractions of :26.25 for the first quarter mile, :52.08 for the half, 1:17.21 for three-quarters of a mile and 1:42.38 for one mile.

Lattice, in close pursuit the entire way, began to vie for the lead midway through the final turn, slipped through an opening along the inside and kicked on gamely for the victory.

“There was an obvious question with the third turn and the trip, but I figured that if he stayed the trip he was certainly competitive with this group. And he did,” said 46-year-old Stall, who collected his fourth Churchill Downs stakes win and first since the 2003 Edgewood with Forest Shadows. “It might be a new road to go down, these staying races. It’s kind of exciting. It’s all new to me, that’s for sure. But I’m looking forward to trying to plot out a little program for him.”

Birdbirdistheword, a 46-1 longshot, finished a neck behind Transduction Gold in third with 2-1 favorite Brass Hat fourth and three-time Louisville Handicap winner (2004-06) Silverfoot fifth.

The 7-year-old gelding Brass Hat and 8-year-old Silverfoot were last and third to last, respectively, with a half-mile to the finish. Both displayed strong closing kicks, but could not close ground on the top three.

“They were going so slow up front,” said Brass Hat’s jockey Calvin Borel. “He (trainer Buff Bradley) wanted me to take him back a little bit, and distance-wise he was perfect, but they were going too slow.”

Lattice, a son of Arch out of the Rahy mare Lateral, returned $7.40, $4.60 and $4.20. Tranduction Gold paid $23.80 and $13. Birdbirdistheword returned $13.20.

Albarado won three other races on Churchill Downs’ 11-race program to grab sole possession of the lead in the jockey standings from Julien Leparoux, 26-25. Leparoux, the defending riding champ, won three races, including an allowance with Sam P., who equaled Louisville Stakes (GII) winner Ginger Punch’s time of 1:43.08 for 1 1/16 miles – the two fastest of 33 races at the distance this meet.

Albarado – nine-for-22 since Wednesday – rode three winners for trainer Ken McPeek, including Rue de Vie in the second race. That triumph gave McPeek, the Spring Meet’s leading trainer with 16 victories, his 200th win at Churchill Downs. Only 28 trainers have accomplished the feat in the 133-year history of the track.

“We love to win here at Churchill Downs and we love to win at Keeneland,” said McPeek, Churchill Downs’ 2002 Fall Meet training champ. “We’re on fire at the moment (16-for-36 for a 44.4% win clip). I’ve got a great team behind me and a great group of clients. At this rate, I think we can even get to 300 or 400!”

Live racing on Memorial Day weekend resumes Sunday at Churchill Downs with a 10-race program that begins at 1:15 p.m. ET. On Monday, the special 11-race holiday program is topped by the $100,000-added Winning Colors Stakes (GIII). Defending champ Miss Macy Sue headlines a field of six fillies and mares for the six-furlong sprint.

Louisville Handicap Jockey & Trainer Quotes

AL STALL JR., Trainer of LATTICE (WINNER)

Q: You were a little concerned going into the race about his ability to handle the mile-and-a-half distance…

“There was an obvious question with the third turn and the trip, but I figured that if he stayed the trip he was certainly competitive with this group. And he did.”

Q: What does a win like this make you think with him for the rest of the year?

“It might be a new road to go down, these staying races. It’s kind of exciting. It’s all new to me, that’s for sure. But I’m looking forward to trying to plot out a little program for him.”

Q: What were your thoughts during the race? He was in a good spot, but the pace was very slow…

“I just thought it would be best if Robby just put him in a trance and let him just go steady, because in his training it just seems like he can literally gallop all day long. That’s what Robby did, he just kind of let him pace himself and he ended up being in the right spot.”

ROBBY ALBARADO, jockey on LATTICE (WINNER)

“This horse is growing up. I rode him all last year and I felt like I was always having to shove on him and get him some position. I had to make him do things, but we thought a lot of him. This year he’s taking himself into the race and he’s running.”

Q: Miguel Mena on Transduction Gold said he didn’t see you coming up the inside until it was too late…

“He’s not supposed to see me (laughs). They were going slow. He’s supposed to be that close – he even gave himself a breather midway down the backstretch.”

Q: This is a big step for Lattice…

“He’s coming around at the right time.”

JOHN GLENNEY, owner-trainer of TRANSDUCTION GOLD (runner-up)

“We thought if we slowed it down we could be able to get it from the front end, but it’s a tough mile-and-a-half. Then once he got a horse in front of him, he really dug in. That’s probably his better style, just stalking a little bit.”

MIGUEL MENA, jockey on TRANSDUCTION GOLD (runner-up)

“He was running good on the lead, but I didn’t see Robby (Albarado on Lattice) coming up the inside. I wish I would have. He got through on me. By the time I saw him it was too late.”

Q: Did you know how slow you were going out there?

“Yeah, it was like :52 (for the half-mile) – it was really slow. I thought we were going to steal it, man – we’ve been able to steal a few races on the lead on the grass. He was the only speed and I thought he was going to hold on to the lead. I thought I was going to get it.”

JESUS CASTANON rider of BIRDBIRDISTHEWORD (third)

“He ran big. I wasn’t really surprised, because I knew that horse could run. He ran well last time and made a nice run last time. Here he was going to go a mile and a half and I thought with the way he likes to run, he was going to get me through the race, and he did.”

Q: Did the pace hurt your chances?

“Yeah. If I had been a little closer maybe it would have been a little different kind of thing. But we just decided I was going to ride it the way it came out.”

WILLIAM “BUFF” BRADLEY, BRASS HAT, (4th as the favorite)

“I stood and just watched them go on and run around the turn after the race and it seemed like he just got geared up. So he got about a three-eighths of a mile run and that was it – the rest was a gallop.”

Q: It had to be frustrating to see him that far back off a slow pace…

“I didn’t mind him being far back, but when the pace was slow, that’s what bothered me. That was the thing, and the first thing Calvin said was ‘That’s my fault.’ And he should know, but he didn’t. He knew he was going slow, but he said he just didn’t want to gear him up too early and was hoping for something more. He said he left him too much to do -- and he did. But that’s part of horse racing. Calvin not knowing him well might have been a factor, too. But he got him to relax well and that’s what I wanted to see. I wanted to see him relaxed and on the rail, and he had him there in a good enough position – but he just didn’t have any pace out front. I thought there would be pace. Looking at the race, I thought there would be pace.

Q: He ran well despite the slow fractions, so would you try him on the grass again?

“I don’t think the grass bothers him – I can run him on the dirt or the grass. I think if he’d have had the right trip today, you’d have seen a different outcome.”

CALVIN BOREL, jockey on BRASS HAT (4th as the favorite)

“They were going so slow up front. He (trainer Buff Bradley) wanted me to take him back a little bit, and distance-wise he was perfect, but they were going too slow. It’s not we were 20 miles back, but he wanted me to take him back there and just make one run – which he did, but they just went a little too slow.”

Q: You also had to go wide with him….

“Down the lane was the only part I really had to go wide with him, so it was fine. The old horse finished up real good, I thought.”

NOTE: Hall of Fame jockey Don Brumfield, the second leading rider in Churchill Downs history and a winner of 12 local riding titles, presented the Louisville Handicap trophy to the winning connections. Brumfield was celebrating his 70th birthday.

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