Flying Private

WIN BY ACTION SEEKER PUTS WHITING IN SELECT COMPANY – Veteran trainer Lynn Whiting was all smiles Saturday as he accepted congratulations for his 300th Churchill Downs win, a milestone achieved by JoAnn and Alex Lieblong’s Action Seeker in the eighth race.
    “I thought he had a chance once he got clear,” Whiting said of Action Seeker, who rallied to collar Duke of Pearl in deep stretch to win by a head.
    The victory made Whiting only the 10th trainer to post 300 career victories in 135 years of racing at Churchill Downs.
    “My first year here was 1979,” said Whiting, who began training in 1969. “I spent my first couple of years in Rhode Island at Lincoln and Narragansett and then the next eight winters in Maryland.”
    Whiting’s biggest Churchill Downs winner was W.C. “Cal” Partee’s Lil E. Tee, who captured the 1992 Kentucky Derby (Grade I) under Hall of Famer Pat Day. The trainer has a couple of other favorites to go with his Derby winner.
    “Big Pistol had the three fastest times here in the 1980s at six furlongs, 7 ½ furlongs and a mile and an eighth,” Whiting said of his sprint star who won five races at Churchill Downs, three of them stakes events. “At the Threshold (a two-time Churchill Downs winner) ran third in the 1984 Derby. All of those were owned by Mr. Partee.”
    
MINE THAT BIRD CONTINUES PREPARTIONS FOR BELMONT STAKES RUN – As Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine’s Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird headed to the track Saturday morning, he and jockey Calvin Borel crossed paths.
    Borel walked up to Mine That Bird, tousled his mane, gave him a couple of pats on the neck and planted a big smooch on the gelding’s forehead.
    Trainer Chip Woolley could only grin at the exchange between horse and rider who will be reunited on the Triple Crown trail next Saturday in the $1 million Belmont Stakes (GI) at New York’s Belmont Park.”
    “Calvin really likes him and the horse likes him too,” Woolley said as he watched Mine That Bird gallop twice around before the renovation break under exercise rider Charlie Figueroa.
    Borel rode Mine That Bird to victory in the Kentucky Derby, but was aboard Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness in which the filly beat Mine That Bird. On Friday, the connections of Rachel Alexandra announced that the filly would pass on the third jewel of the Triple Crown, thus freeing Borel to return to Mine That Bird.
    “It was a relief, but I never believed she would run,” Woolley said. “In my mind, I thought I had him (Borel) all along. I am glad to have it all ironed out.”
    Woolley was called by Rachel Alexandra’s majority owner Jess Jackson about the decision not to run.
    “It was good that he called me first so I was ready for the barrage (of questions),” Woolley said. “I called (owners) Mark (Allen) and Doc (Leonard Blach) and they were happy.”
    Mine That Bird will gallop again Sunday morning and then is scheduled to work five furlongs after the break Monday morning with Borel up. Tuesday would be a walk day and Mine That Bird would fly to New York on Wednesday. Woolley is leaving for New York on Tuesday.
    Rachel Alexandra backtracked to the frontside and then galloped about a mile and a half under exercise rider Dominic Terry. Rachel Alexandra is scheduled work for trainer Steve Asmussen early Monday morning.

KAELIN ENJOYING BEST SPRING MEET IN YEARS – Last fall, veteran trainer Forrest Kaelin could not buy a win at Churchill Downs. Six months later, Kaelin has six winners from 17 starters and is enjoying one of his best Spring Meets beneath the Twin Spires in years.
    “I have no idea for the big turnaround,” Kaelin said Saturday morning. “It was just one of those falls. (D. Wayne) Lukas, Frankie (Brothers) and (Bob) Holthus couldn’t win a race either. I told folks to wait until we go to Tampa and we won 15 there.”
    Kaelin, 74, began his career at the track as a rider in 1952 and has been a Churchill Downs training fixture since the 1960s.  He won the first two runnings of the Stephen Foster Handicap, long before it achieved its current Grade I status, with local favorite Vodika Collins in 1982 and ’83.
“You go through things like that,” Kaelin said of the winless fall. “I had one year at Ellis when I was riding and I only had two winners and 20-something seconds. It gets to you.”
Kaelin picked up his sixth victory of the spring Friday when Nick’s Girl won the fourth race.
    “She has some issues, but she’s got a big heart,” Kaelin said. “But she got claimed from me by (Wayne) Catalano.”
    Kaelin, who has 14 horses here, has 312 career wins at Churchill Downs, eighth most in track history. The six wins equal Kaelin’s total from 1989 when he was 6-for-48 and he is en route to having his best season here since he saddled 16 winners in the spring 1985 meet.
    “Things have just come around,” said Kaelin, who has been stabled in Barn 46 for 40 years. “Sometimes that old worm gets in a hole and eventually has to come up for air.”

ONE CAROLINE SIDELINED BY INJURY -- G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s One Caroline, who suffered her first career loss in six starts when she ran second to Miss Isella in the Louisville Distaff (Grade II) on May 1, will not get a rematch with that rival in the June 13 Fleur De Lis (Grade II).
    “She suffered a slight injury yesterday and she will be out for 60 days,” trainer Rusty Arnold said. “It is not major and she will be back in the fall. If you had to ask me now, I’d say we’d look for Churchill Downs in the fall.”
One Caroline worked five furlongs in 1:01 on Friday at Keeneland and the injury was detected afterward.
“It is not career threatening, just a bump in the road,” Arnold said. “I feel sorry for Churchill, because we wanted to come back and meet (trainer) Ian Wilkes’ filly (Miss Isella) again. It looks like that is going to be a nice little rivalry.”

MILESTONE WATCH – Robby Albarado has eight mounts at Churchill Downs on Saturday as he continues his pursuit of 4,000 career victories. Albarado has 3,998 wins.
David Vance will go for Churchill Downs victory No. 300 in Saturday’s ninth race with Kiss Mine. Ten trainers have won 300 races at Churchill Downs, the most recent being Lynn Whiting, who achieved the feat on Friday.
Bill Connelly, who has 998 career victories, will saddle two horses Saturday night at Indiana Downs in his bid to reach 1,000. The two horses are Hard Rock Man in the seventh and Go Lydia Go in the eighth.

BARN TALK – Trainer D. Wayne Lukas has named Julien Leparoux  to ride Robert Baker and William Mack’s Flying Private in next Saturday’s Belmont Stakes. Lukas’ other Belmont prospect, the Marylou Whitney Stables’ Luv Gov, will be ridden by Miguel Mena. The horses will leave for Belmont Park at 2 a.m. (EDT) Sunday.
The Kentucky Derby-winning team of trainer Chip Woolley and jockey Calvin Borel will join New York-based trainer Gary Contessa in ringing the opening bell on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday morning, June 4.
Nominations close Saturday for the five stakes that make up the June 13 Reunion Day card, highlighted by the $600,000-added Stephen Foster (Grade I) at 1 1/8 miles on the main track. Other stakes that day are the $200,000-added Fleur De Lis (Grade II) for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/8 miles on the main track, the $150,000-added Jefferson Cup (Grade II) for 3-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course, the $100,000-added Northern Dancer (Grade III) for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16th miles on the main track and the $150,000-added Regret (Grade III) for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

WORK TAB – Three-time Churchill Downs stakes winner Pure Clan put in her final major prep for next Saturday’s Early Times Mint Julep (Grade III) by working five furlongs in 1:01.80 over a fast track after the renovation break under exercise rider Steve Schmelzel. The move was the second fastest of 25 at the distance.
    The Mint Julep will be Pure Clan’s first start since a loss to champion Forever Together in the Oct. 24 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (GI) at Santa Anita.
    “I am eager to get her going again,” trainer Bob Holthus said. “She is the best filly I have had. I want to see how she comes out of this one. She is nominated to the Modesty (Grade III on July 11) and the Beverly D. (Grade I on Aug. 11) at Arlington Park.”
    Terrain, in his first work since finishing seventh in the Preakness, worked a half-mile in :47.60, the second fastest of 71 at the distance. Trainer Al Stall Jr. is pointing Terrain toward the Iowa Derby on June 26 at Prairie Meadows.
    Undefeated Hull worked a half-mile in :49.60 as his final tuneup for next Saturday’s Woody Stephens (Grade II) at Belmont Park.

BRASS HAT SEEKS ELUSIVE FIRST TURF WIN IN LOUISVILLE HANDICAP – When Fred Bradley’s homebred Brass Hat made his turf debut in 2004, four of his rivals in Saturday’s Louisville Handicap (Grade III) had not been foaled.
    “Four of them? That’s pretty neat, I’ve got to tell my dad,” said trainer William “Buff” Bradley of the popular 8-year-old gelding who has yet to win in seven career turf tries.
    The Louisville Handicap will mark the fourth race back for Brass Hat since he suffered a strained suspensory ligament in his left leg last summer.
    “He has been playing when he comes off the track, which is great for an 8-year-old,” Buff Bradley said. “He is training like a 4- or 5-year-old. It is amazing how he keeps coming back. You don’t ever count him out.”
    After breaking his maiden in the Rushaway Stakes at Turfway Park in March 2004, Bradley put Brass Hat on the grass in the Forerunner at Keeneland.
    “He is bred for the grass (by Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Prized) and he ran second to (eventual Jefferson Cup winner) Prince Arch,” Bradley said. “He was beaten only five lengths by Kitten’s Joy here in the American Turf, and Kitten’s Joy was a champion that year. He has been competitive against top horses on the grass.”
    Brass Hat’s second of three Matt Winn Turf Course tries came two years later in his first start after suffering a condylar fracture in his right front ankle a year earlier in the Lone Star Derby. Brass Hat ran seventh that day, his worst turf showing ever.
    “The rail was out that day and the first thing (jockey) Willie (Martinez) said was, ‘He’s good. Don’t worry about it.’ ” Bradley said.
    Fourth in the Louisville Handicap last year behind Lattice, Brass Hat enters Saturday’s race off a third-place finish in the Grade II Elkhorn at Keeneland.
    “I thought he ran huge at Keeneland,” Bradley said. “Maybe he flattened out a little bit at the end. (Jockey) Calvin (Borel) keeps saying I should run him on the dirt the way he is training.
    “I am not completely off the dirt with him. I’d like to go back to the Mass Cap (a race Brass Hat won in 2007). But you get in a cycle and if I had gone in the New Orleans Handicap (instead of the Mervyn Muniz Jr. Memorial) which may have been better for him, I would have gone in the Alysheba (on May 1). I thought the surface (grass) would be kinder for him and the distance (a mile and a half) would make it so he would not have to run so hard the whole way.”
    Brass Hat has a career record of 8-5-2 in 29 races with earnings of $1,825,814.

WOOLLEY’S WONDERFUL RIDE ENTERS SECOND MONTH – On April 21, Chip Woolley was a little known trainer from New Mexico who came to Churchill Downs with modest expectations for a Kentucky Derby hopeful named Mine That Bird.
    One month, a Kentucky Derby (GI) victory and runner-up finish in the Preakness (GI) later, life has totally changed for Woolley.
    “I wouldn’t change a thing,” Woolley said as he watched Mine That Bird gallop twice around the main track before the renovation break Thursday morning. “When we came here, we had planned on going on to the Belmont after the Derby.”
    But what Woolley did not count on was an extended stay personally in Kentucky and tending to one horse instead of 25, which are being overseen by Woolley’s older brother Bill in New Mexico.
    “Bill can gallop and do everything and if I stay here after the Belmont, I might let him come in for a while and I’ll fly home for a week,” Woolley said.
    Despite all the notoriety from the Triple Crown run, Woolley yearns a bit for the regular routine of a full barn.
    “With 25 head, there is something new every day,” Woolley said. “There are a lot of things going on. This (watching Mine That Bird gallop) is the highlight of my morning right now and with my leg, I can’t do a lot of stuff.”
    In addition to Mine That Bird, all other Churchill Downs-based Preakness runners were on the track Thursday morning headlined by Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra, who galloped under Dominic Terry.
    Returning to the track for the first time since their Pimlico excursions were Flying Private (fourth) and Luv Gov (eighth) for D. Wayne Lukas, seventh-place finisher Terrain for Al Stall Jr. and ninth-place finisher General Quarters for Tom McCarthy.
    
PURE CLAN HAS FIRST TURF WORK OF 2009 – Three-time Churchill Downs stakes winner Pure Clan worked six furlongs around the “dogs” in 1:14.60 under exercise rider Steve Schmelzel on Thursday morning.
    “It was a pretty good work around the dogs,” trainer Bob Holthus said as he prepares Pure Clan for her 2009 debut in the June 6 Early Times Mint Julep (Grade III). “This will probably be her only turf work.”
    Winner of two races on the dirt in the fall of 2007 as a 2-year-old, Pure Clan moved to the grass last summer to win Churchill Downs’ Grade III Regret, then headed to California to win the American Oaks Invitational (Grade I) at Hollywood Park.
    Nominations for the Early Times Mint Julep, worth $100,000-added for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going a mile and a sixteenth on the Matt Winn Turf Course, close on Saturday, May 23

FIELD OF SEVEN PROBABLE FOR MONDAY’S WINNING COLORS – The 2-3 finishers from the May 2 Humana Distaff (Grade I), Temple Street and Dubai Majesty, are among seven fillies and mares expected to pass the entry box Friday for Monday’s sixth running of the $100,000-added Winning Colors (Grade III) at six furlongs on the main track.
Among the other probables according to stakes coordinator Allison De Luca are Keep the Peace, Lady Chace, Nadeshiko, Tar Heel Mom and Tiz to Dream.
Two stakes scheduled for May 30, the Dogwood and the Aristides, drew 25 and 21 nominations, respectively.
Heading the probables on De Luca’s list for the Dogwood is Rainbow Miss Stakes winner Affirmed Truth, a stablemate of sixth-place Kentucky Derby finisher Summer Bird trained by Tim Ice. Other probables for the $100,000-added Dogwood for 3-year-old fillies going a mile on the main track are Hightap, Lady’s Laughter and Slides Choice.
Two-time Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (Grade III) winner Semaphore Man heads the list of probables for the $100,000-added Aristides for sprinters 3-years-old and up going six furlongs. Other probables include Bold Start, Cassoulet, Garfine, Grand Sensation, Knights Cross and Vicarian.
Entries for both stakes will be drawn Wednesday.

CLASSIC WINNER BOREL JOINS JILL BYRNE FOR SATURDAY’S “GET IN THE GAME” SEMINAR – Popular Kentucky Derby and Preakness-winning jockey Calvin Borel will be racing analyst Jill Byrne’s special guest during Saturday’s free “Get in the Game” Handicapping Seminar at Churchill Downs.
The new weekly series takes place every Saturday in the paddock area at noon (EDT) and features informative and in-depth analysis of races and handicapping topics. Among Borel’s scheduled mounts on the day is a ride aboard veteran Brass Hat in the $100,000-added Louisville Handicap.

BARN TALK – Julien Leparoux, who entered Thursday’s card with a six-win lead (24-18) over Miguel Mena in the race for leading rider, will be out of town on Memorial Day to ride at Lone Star Park. Leparoux’s major mount that day will be trainer Marty Wolfson’s It’s a Bird in the $400,000 Lone Star Park Handicap (Grade III).
    Robby Albarado entered Thursday’s card with 3,995 career victories. He has five mounts Thursday and five more on Friday as he bids to become the 56th North American rider to reach the 4,000-win plateau.
    Also approaching milestones are trainers Ken McPeek and Bill Connelly. McPeek, with 999 career wins, has one horse entered Thursday (Sandstorm Cat in the eighth). Connelly, with 998 career wins, sends out two runners – Dancing Lydia in the fifth and Talkin Indian in the eighth.
    Mambo in Seattle, runner-up in the 2008 Travers (Grade I) worked a half-mile Thursday in :48.40 before the renovation break, fourth-best of 31 at the distance. Also working a half-mile Thursday was Sam P., ninth-place finisher in the 2007 Kentucky Derby, who covered the distance in :51.

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND KICKS OFF WITH ‘FRIDAY HAPPY HOURS’ – This week’s “Dress to Impress” Friday Happy Hours at Churchill Downs will showcase live music by Radio Radio. The popular Spring Meet promotion, which takes place most Fridays from 4-7 p.m. in the paddock area, also features $2 Budweiser Select, $2 select specialty drinks and $2 hot dogs. Also, one female in the crowd will be chosen as “best dressed” and win a $250 gift certificate to a Louisville area boutique.
    Churchill Downs has partnered with General Electric to giveaway GE stainless steel products in an on-track sweepstakes offer over the three-day Memorial Day weekend (Saturday, May 23 through Monday, May 25). Each day, there’ll be a daily prize drawing after the seventh race with one daily winner who’ll take home their choice of either a new refrigerator, range, dishwasher or microwave oven, courtesy of GE. Registration for the drawings will take place at a tent in the paddock area, where the first 5,000 entrants each day will receive a free koozie.
    Sunday, May 24 is “GE Day at the Races” at Churchill Downs. Employees of General Electric who show their employee ID badge at Gate 10 will receive complimentary admission for themselves and their guests, as well as reserved seating in either Sections 115-116 or Millionaires’ Row 6.

MINE THAT BIRD GALLOPS TWICE AROUND – Longshot Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird galloped twice around the Churchill Downs through a light drizzle Wednesday morning with exercise rider Charlie Figueroa up.
    “He looked super and switched leads perfectly,” trainer Bennie “Chip” Woolley Jr said. “I was happy with him yesterday (when Mine That Bird galloped a mile). He tried to run off a little bit and that surprised me. I will let him do a little bit more tomorrow.”
    Owned by Double Eagle Ranch and Buena Suerte Equine, Mine That Bird is scheduled to ship to Pimlico next Tuesday where he likely will face a full gate of challengers.
    Woolley said he feels no added pressure going into the second leg of the Triple Crown to quiet naysayers who viewed the 50-1 Derby victory as a fluke.
“He had a great run and came out on top,” Woolley said. “We are going to train him the way we trained here and hope things go well again.
“I don’t expect us to be the favorite. Pioneerof the Nile, if he runs, rightfully so. He may have stumbled a little bit in the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness is a sixteenth of a mile shorter and that is in his favor.”
Woolley may have had karma on his side Derby Week without knowing it.
His stable jacket has a horse on the back bearing a No. 8 saddle cloth. Mine That Bird, of course, wore No. 8 in the Derby.
“This jacket’s at least three years old,” Woolley said. “I hadn’t even thought about that.”

STALL’S TERRAIN PREAKNESS-BOUND – Adele Dilschneider’s Terrain galloped a mile and half at Churchill Downs under exercise rider Jimmy Valdez rather than boarding a plane to Texas for Saturday’s Lone Star Derby (Grade III).
    “We are not exactly sure what we saw last Saturday,” trainer Al Stall Jr. said of Mine That Bird’s upset victory and the decision to go on to Baltimore.
    Fourth in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) in his most recent start on April 11, Terrain vanned to Churchill Downs on Tuesday afternoon from Keeneland where he had two works since the Blue Grass after a little break.
    “He is right where he needs to be,” said Stall, who plans to work Terrain Saturday or Sunday and ship to Baltimore next Wednesday.
No Preakness rider has been confirmed for Terrain.

PAPA CLEM HEADING TO PIMLICO THIS WEEKEND -- Trainer Gary Stute said Wednesday morning that Bo Hirsch’s Papa Clem, fourth to Mine That Bird in Kentucky Derby 135, may leave Churchill Downs for Pimlico on Friday or Saturday.
    “My alternate plan was to breeze him five-eighths at Churchill Downs on Friday, then check his legs on Saturday and wait to ship,” Stute said. “But I am thinking now that I will go on to Baltimore and meet the horse there, gallop him a few days then breeze five-eighths either Monday or Tuesday.”
    Papa Clem galloped a mile and a half before the renovation break on Wednesday under exercise rider Mundo Gonzalez.

McCARTHY EYES PREAKNESS WITH GENERAL QUARTERS – “I think he went from 50 percent to 80 percent today,” owner/trainer Tom McCarthy said of the Preakness status of General Quarters after the colt galloped a mile and a quarter under exercise rider Julie Sheets on Wednesday morning.
    “I knew I couldn’t walk him another day and Julie couldn’t stop him,” McCarthy said. “He came out of this race better than any race yet.”
    General Quarters, winner of the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) before finishing 10th in Kentucky Derby 135, returned to the track Wednesday for the first time since the Run for the Roses.
    “You never know until they gallop if there is anything wrong. You can see it right away,” McCarthy said. “But he did so well this morning.”
    General Quarters is scheduled to gallop again in the morning for McCarthy, who had said he wanted to see the colt gallop two days before rendering judgment on a Preakness bid.
    But after the morning’s activity, McCarthy sounded like a man whose mind was made up.
    “He likes to ship, so if we go, he would van up Tuesday and that would give us Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to gallop over there,” McCarthy said. “Julien (Leparoux) would ride him back.”

PREAKNESS PROSPECTS GALLOP, JOG UNDER TWIN SPIRES – Heiligbrodt Racing Stable, Team Valor International and Gary Barber’s undefeated Hull galloped after the renovation break Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs.
    Now three-for-three after winning the Grade III Derby Trial on April 25, Hull is scheduled to have his first work since that victory on Saturday before heading to Pimlico on May 13.
    Trainer Dale Romans, who never has had a Preakness starter, was asked what the deciding factor was in opting for the Preakness for the son of Holy Bull.
    “It looks like a wide-open race,” Romans said.
    Miguel Mena, who rode Hull to his Derby trial victory, has the Preakness mount.
Robert Baker and William Mack’s Flying Private galloped before the renovation break with exercise rider Taylor Carty up.
    Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Flying Private returned to the track for the first time since running 19th in the Kentucky Derby on Tuesday to jog. Lukas said no rider has been confirmed for Flying Private, who is scheduled to ship to Pimlico on May 12.
    Lukas also will be bringing Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) runner-up Stone Legacy to Pimlico for the May 15 Black-Eyed Susan, plus Jazz Nation.
            Zayat Stables’ Pioneerof the Nile was one of the first horses on the track, jogging once around accompanied by a pony.
    “Everything is looking good this morning,” said Jim Barnes, assistant to trainer Bob Baffert of Pioneerof the Nile’s first day back at the track since his runner-up finish in Kentucky Derby 135. Exercise rider George Alvarez was aboard Pioneerof the Nile.
    
BARN TALK – L and M Partners’ Rachel Alexandra, record-breaking 20 ¼-length winner of the Kentucky Oaks 135 last Friday, returned to the track Wednesday morning for the first time since that score. With exercise rider Rudy Gallegos up, Rachel Alexandra jogged a mile and a quarter.
    Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s undefeated Cash Refund is headed for the May 16 Matt Winn for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs. “He is going to work Friday or Saturday,” trainer Steve Margolis said of Cash Refund, who was a seven-length allowance winner on opening day, April 25 going six furlongs.
    In the $100,000-added Matt Winn, Cash Refund is likely to meet up with three-time graded stakes winner Capt. Candyman Can for trainer Ian Wilkes. Owned by Joseph Rauch and David Zell, the 3-year-old gelding worked a bullet five-eighths in 1:00.20 on Tuesday.

 
Churchill Downs Spring Meet Leaders (through May 2)       
    Starts    1-2-3       
JOCKEYS       
Julien Leparoux    54    10-9-4       
Jamie Theriot    38    10-4-7       
Calvin Borel    45    9-5-6       
TRAINERS       
Steve Asmussen    26    5-4-5       
Greg Foley    12    4-4-0       
Steve Margolis    14    4-1-0       
Al Stall Jr.    12    3-3-1       
OWNERS       
Zayat Stables; Marylou Whitney Stable; Richard, Elaine and Bert Klein; Heiligbrodt Racing Stable; Billy Hays; and Columbine Stable tied with 2 (two) wins    

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CHOCOLATE CANDY – The Sid and Jenny Craig Trust’s Chocolate Candy tuned up for his engagement in Kentucky Derby 135 by working a mile over a track rated as “fast” in 1:42 with jockey Mike Smith up.

Churchill Downs clockers caught the Candy Ride colt in fractions of  :12.60, :24.80, :37.20, :49.80, 1:02.20, seven-eighths in 1:28.60 and galloping out the mile and one-eighth in 1:57.

Both Smith and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer expressed satisfaction with the work.

“I liked it, it was a nice maintenance work,” Smith said. “He did everything I asked of him. He didn’t turn a hair. If he had gone a mile in 1:42 and was gasping and not coming back as well as I liked, I’d be a little worried. I am as happy as I can be. He handled the turns, which is an important part of it.”

Hollendorfer, who also had two other workers here Tuesday morning, said, “It was a nice work. I wanted to see how he handled the turns and he handled them well. The track was a little off, but I was very happy with the work.”

Hollendorfer was headed back to California after the works but planned to return Saturday.

“He will work again either Monday or Tuesday,” Hollendorfer said. He’ll have a blowout of a half-mile or five-eighths.”

Rene Douglas worked Hollendorfer’s other two horses: Rendezvous (five furlongs in 1:00.60, which was second fastest of 19 at the distance, in preparation for Saturday’s Derby Trial) and Sugar Mint (IRE) (a best of 36 half-mile in :47.60 for the Louisville Distaff or Humana Distaff).

DESERT PARTY / REGAL RANSOM – With regular exercise rider Bob Chapman up, Regal Ransom and then Desert Party galloped a mile and a quarter before the morning renovation break.

FLAT OUT – Oxbow Racing’s Flat Out breezed five furlongs in 1:03.20 under exercise rider Walter Aguilar before the renovation break.

The Florida-bred son of Flatter covered the distance in fractions of :13, :25.40 and :37.60.  He galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.30 and seven-eights in 1:28.80.

“I was satisfied with the work, just what I wanted,” trainer Charles “Scooter” Dickey said.

But, Scooter, don’t all trainers say that?

“Yes, but this one really turned out the way I wanted,” Dickey said.

Flat Out would need a couple of defections of probable starters in the next week to gain a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate.

“I see the list is down to 22,” Dickey said. “We’ll see how he comes out of this work and then work him back. Whoever we decide on being the rider, we’ll have him work him.”

Flat Out has two career wins to his credit, including a victory in the Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park.

FLYING PRIVATE – Robert C. Baker and William L. Mack’s Flying Private had a get-acquainted session with jockey Robby Albarado on Tuesday morning, working five furlongs in company in 1:01.20 after the renovation break.

Churchill Downs clockers recorded fractions of the work in :12, :24, :36.20 and out six furlongs in 1:16.

Flying Private worked in company with stablemate Lord and T.

“It was a very good work and I liked the way he handled the turns,” trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. “He came off the turn very well and finished strong. Robby did a good job with the test drive.”

Albarado also was happy with the work.

“I had watched him run numerous times,” Albarado said. “This was my first time on him and I thought it went well. Wayne just wanted a nice maintenance work and he had some company. He gets a little lax when he works by himself. Overall, I think we accomplished what we wanted this morning.”

GENERAL QUARTERS – Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) winner General Quarters galloped a mile and a half before the renovation break with exercise rider Julie Sheets up.

Owner-trainer Tom McCarthy is looking at Thursday or Friday as the final pre-Derby work for General Quarters.

“It depends on the weather and how he gallops tomorrow,” McCarthy said. “If it warms up and the track dries out well, I’d probably go Thursday and that would give him an extra day before the Derby.”

Julien Leparoux has the Derby riding assignment.

I WANT REVENGE – David Lanzman, IEAH Stables and Puglisi Racing’s I Want Revenge, winner of the Wood Memorial (GI), turned in his second work since his arrival at Churchill Downs as he breezed five furlongs in company with stablemate Gato Go Win after the break for track maintenance.

The son of Stephen Got Even covered the distance in 1:01.60 under Joe Talamo, the 19-year-old Louisiana native who is scheduled for his first Kentucky Derby ride aboard trainer Jeff Mullins’ colt in the big race on Saturday, May 2.

I Want Revenge broke off about two lengths behind his workmate and was clocked in fractions of :12.40, :25, and :37.20.  The Kentucky Derby contender had narrowed Gato Go Win’s advantage to a length after three-eighths of a mile and was a neck in front of his stablemate when the pair passed the finish line.  I Want Revenge galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.20.

“I thought it was a great work,” Talamo said.  “I think it was exactly what we wanted. We had another horse in front of him to give him something to look at the last part.  We sat right off of him and finished the last part, just like we wanted and galloped out good and strong.  I give him an A-plus.”

I Want Revenge worked over a muddy track in his first serious training move at Churchill Downs.  Talamo was also aboard for that move and said the track was not much different on Tuesday, although it was officially listed as fast.

“I didn’t think it was too fast today – it was still kind of ‘mushy’ on top,” he said.  “Last week it rained a lot the day before and it wasn’t sloppy, but it was a little bit cuppy.  And today it was the same thing – like about three or four inches on top were kind of ‘mushy.’ So it was kind of the same track, but I felt like he got over it great.  I put him right behind that other horse and he got a lot of dirt in his face, and he took it like nothing.”

Mullins said I Want Revenge would have one more piece of serious training over the Churchill Downs strip before the Derby.

“He’ll have an easy half (mile) next Tuesday,” he said.  “We just want to keep him on the ground.  We won’t ask him for much.  We’ll just let him open his lungs up and stretch his legs.  We won’t ask him to do a whole lot.”

MINE THAT BIRD – Double Eagle Ranch and Bueno Suerte Equine’s Mine That Bird was scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Tuesday night after completing a two-day van trip from Sunland Park near El Paso.

Trained by Bennie Woolley Jr., Mine That Bird will be housed in Barn 42, Stall 22 and be ridden in Derby 135 by Calvin Borel, who won the roses in 2007 aboard Street Sense.

MUSKET MAN – Eric Fein and Vic Carlson’s Musket Man was one of the first horses on the track Tuesday morning, galloping 1 ¾ miles under exercise rider Salvador Dominguez.

Trainer Derek Ryan said that Musket Man would probably have his final work on Saturday and may visit the starting gate prior to the Derby.

Eibar Coa has the mount.

PAPA CLEM – Bo Hirsch’s Papa Clem walked the shedrow at Barn 10A for a second consecutive day after a five-furlong work on Sunday.

“He will go back to the track in the morning,” trainer Gary Stute said. “He will probably work again Saturday and I’ll probably have Larry Sterling handle the work. He worked him for me in Arkansas.”

Rafael Bejarano will ride Papa Clem in the Kentucky Derby.

PIONEEEROF THE NILE – Zayat Stables LLC’s Pioneerof the Nile brought a smile to the face of three-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert with a sharp five-furlong work over a “fast” track just after the break for track maintenance.

Joe Steiner was in the saddle as the son of 2003 Kentucky Derby runner-up and Belmont Stakes (GI) winner Empire Maker covered the distance in 1:00.80.  The time was the fourth-fastest of 19 at the distance over a surface that seemed to be playing slower as the morning wore on.

Pioneerof the Nile, who made the recent Santa Anita Derby (GI) his fourth consecutive stakes victory, covered the distance in fractional times of :12.20, :24.20, and :36.40.   He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.40.

Baffert said the work was actually longer than the five furlongs credited to the colt by Churchill Downs clockers.

“He looked good – he skipped right over it,” said Baffert.  “I ended up working him seven-eighths and let him gallop out strong.  I got him in :26-and three, and he galloped out all the way down the backside.  So it was a good little work and it was not really hard on him.”

Baffert is pleased with the way Pioneerof the Nile is getting over the sandy loam surface at Churchill Downs.  He has raced exclusively on turf and synthetic surfaces in his eight career starts.

“It was nice and relaxed – I didn’t want to do too much,” Baffert said. “It looked like he skipped over it, because I know the track, with the rain, was a little bit deep.  I had some other horses work and some horses struggled over it.  But he has taken to it great, so far.  I like what I see.”

Baffert said Pioneerof the Nile would work one more time before the May 2 Derby, most likely on Monday or Tuesday of next week.  Eclipse Award-winning jockey Garrett Gomez will ride the colt in the “Run for the Roses.”

Pioneerof the Nile has a record of 5-0-1 in eight races and has earned $1,234,200.

SQUARE EDDIE – J. Paul Reddam’s Square Eddie arrived at Churchill Downs around mid-afternoon on Tuesday following a van ride from Lexington’s Keeneland, where he had been stabled since running third in last Saturday’s Grade III Coolmore Lexington Stakes.

Trainer Doug O’Neill, who was back at his Southern California base, said he would come to Louisville on Sunday.

O’Neill said that no riding assignment has been finalized for Square Eddie.

WEST SIDE BERNIE – George and Lori Hall’s West Side Bernie galloped a mile and five-eighths with trainer Kelly Breen in the saddle before the renovation break.

Stewart Elliott has the riding assignment on West Side Bernie.

CHOCOLATE CANDY – The Sid and Jenny Craig Trust’s Chocolate Candy visited the paddock and then galloped a mile and a half over a muddy Churchill Downs track Monday morning with exercise rider Lindsey Molina up.
Galen May, assistant to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, said Chocolate Candy would work Tuesday morning, most likely after the break.
“We are going to work all of them tomorrow,” May said referring to Rendezvous, who is being pointed to Saturday’s Grade III Derby Trial, Sugar Mint (IRE), a candidate for the Humana Distaff (Grade I) or Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (Grade II).

DESERT PARTY/REGAL RANSOM – The Godolphin duo of Regal Ransom and Desert Party jogged Monday morning with exercise rider Bob Chapman handling the duties on both.
    Regal Ransom was the first colt out shortly after the track opened at 6 o’clock and Desert Party follows about an hour later.
    Rick Mettee, assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor, is due to be back in Louisville on Wednesday. Henry Spiller is overseeing morning training in Mettee’s absence.

FLAT OUT – Oxbow Racing’s Flat Out galloped a mile and three-quarters under exercise rider Walter Aguilar early Monday morning.
     Trainer Charles “Scooter” Dickey remains hopeful Flat Out can get into the Derby field despite having only $32,500 in graded stakes earnings. If Flat Out does not make the Derby field, Dickey said “there are three or four options out there, but we haven’t made a decision.”

FLYING PRIVATE – Grand Slam Farm LLC’s Flying Private galloped Monday morning under exercise rider Taylor Carty for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
    Lukas said the son of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus would likely work Tuesday morning, “weather permitting.”
    Robby Albarado is scheduled to ride Flying Private in Kentucky Derby 135.
    
GENERAL QUARTERS – Owner-trainer Tom McCarthy sent Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) winner General Quarters out for a mile and a half gallop under exercise rider Julie Sheets.
“He had a slow gallop over a muddy racetrack,” McCarthy said. “I didn’t see too many going fast out there this morning.”
Julien Leparoux has the Kentucky Derby riding assignment on General Quarters.

GIANT OAK – The Virginia H. Tarra Trust’s Giant Oak, runner-up in the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) at Churchill Downs and the recent Illinois Derby (GII), is out of consideration for Kentucky Derby 135.
    Trainer Chris Block told Churchill Downs officials on Monday that the homebred son of Giant’s Causeway would get some time off before focusing on a summer campaign that could include a return to the grass.  Block’s colt won his racing debut over that surface.
    Giant Oak was considered by many to be a major contender for the “Run for the Roses” after his strong effort in last fall’s Kentucky Jockey Club, but he had a star-crossed winter at Fair Grounds that included a fifth-place finish in the Risen Star (GII) and a fourth-place run in the Louisiana Derby (GII).  He returned home to his Chicago base to run second to Musket Man in the Illinois Derby (GII), but Block said he continued to be concerned by the colt’s mental outlook.  So Giant Oak will get some time off for freshening
    “Physically he’s ready, mentally he’s not,” said Block by telephone.  “He just hasn’t gone forward mentally enough.  What I’d be scared to death of is the experience of the Derby is tough on some of those 3-year-olds who aren’t mentally prepared.  I’m afraid we’d take major steps backwards.  We’d love to be there, but in the best interests of him, I think we’ll wait it out and look for something else.”
    Block said a Kentucky Derby bid was tempting, but the ultimate decision to skip the race was not a difficult one.
    “It was pretty easy after we considered everything,” he said.  “We waited to see how he came out of the Illinois Derby, and he came out of it good.  He’s been good mentally since the race, but we kind of looked back over our experience of the last three or four races and I thought the only really solid performance was the race last fall there at Churchill.  Things didn’t go well in New Orleans where we could get a real good read, and I’m not sure we learned a ton more in the Illinois Derby that would make us think that we’re worthy of running with those top 10 in the Kentucky Derby.”
    Giant Oak has a career record of 2-2-0 in seven races with earnings of $218,396.    

I WANT REVENGE – IEAH Stables, David Lanzman and Puglisi Racing’s I Want Revenge had a leisurely stroll through the barn area while some maintenance work was being done on the track Monday morning.
“Just doing a little trail riding,” said Bobby Troeger, assistant to trainer Jeff Mullins.
After “trail riding” was complete, I Want Revenge jogged in the mile chute and then galloped a mile under former jockey Joe Deegan.
I Want Revenge is scheduled to work Tuesday morning after the renovation break with jockey Joe Talamo coming in for the work.

MUSKET MAN – Eric Fein and Vic Carlson’s Musket Man jogged early Monday morning with exercise rider Salvador Dominguez up.
    Trainer Derek Ryan, who never has started a horse at Churchill Downs, said Musket Man “probably would work Saturday, weather permitting.”
    Eibar Coa has the Derby riding assignment on Musket Man.

PAPA CLEM – Arkansas Derby (Grade II) winner Papa Clem walked the shedrow at Barn 10A on Monday morning, a day after working five furlongs in 1:04.60 on Sunday.

PIONEEROF THE NILE – Zayat Stables’ Pioneerof the Nile galloped a little more than a mile and a half with exercise rider George Alvarez up after the renovation break.
    “He goes well over everything, but today was his first time on slop,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “He’s got a big, long stride. He seems to be more focused here than at Santa Anita.”
    Baffert, who has won the Kentucky Derby three times, plans to work Pioneerof the Nile on Tuesday morning.
    “I might wait until Wednesday, but the track was OK today and I don’t see a problem,” Baffert said. “He’s pretty ready. Then he would come back next Monday or Tuesday.”
    Baffert’s most recent Kentucky Derby win was in 2002 with War Emblem. He enjoyed his first Kentucky Derby success in 1997 with Silver Charm and won again the following year with Real Quiet.
    “Coming in that gate and seeing the Twin Spires with a contender, it’s like ‘Here we are!’ There are a lot of great memories,” Baffert said. “I am going to have fun. You’ve got to appreciate it, because you never know when you will be back.”
    Baffert said the key question with any Kentucky Derby horse is whether they can handle the mile and a quarter distance.
    “The distance is what separates a lot of them and that is one thing I love about this horse is the distance will not be a problem,” Baffert said. “People ask me to compare horses but he is maybe like Real Quiet, I knew he’d get the mile and a quarter.”

WEST SIDE BERNIE – George and Lori Hall’s West Side Bernie galloped a mile and three-quarters with trainer Kelly Breen up.
    West Side Bernie, second to I Want Revenge in the Wood Memorial (Grade I) in his most recent start, is slated to be ridden in the Kentucky Derby by Stewart Elliott, who piloted Smarty Jones to victory in the 2004 Derby.
    As for a work schedule, Breen said, “I don’t think he will breeze until next week.”

KENTUCKY DERBY 135 ARRIVAL SCHEDULE – Two prospective Kentucky Derby starters are scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Tuesday according to Director of Stalls Mike Hargrave.
    Double Eagle Ranch and Bueno Suerte Equine’s Mine That Bird is due in tomorrow night after vanning from Sunland Park. Trained by Bennie Woolley Jr., Mine That Bird will be stabled in Barn 42, Stall 22.
    J. Paul Reddam’s Square Eddie, third in last Saturday’s Coolmore Lexington Stakes (Grade II) at Keeneland, is scheduled to arrive Tuesday afternoon and will be housed in Barn 17.
    Anticipated to arrive on Wednesday is Drs. K.K. and Vilasini Jayaraman’s Summer Bird, trained by Tim Ice. Summer Bird will be going to Barn 42, Stall 11.
    Coming Thursday are WinStar Farm’s Mr. Hot Stuff and Jer-Mar Stable’s Win Willy.
    Trained by Eoin Harty, Mr. Hot Stuff will be going into Barn 41 and Win Willy, trained by Mac Robertson, will be housed in Barn 45.
    Another WinStar runner, Hold Me Back, is at Keeneland and will move into Bill Mott’s Barn 19 when he ships to Churchill Downs.
    Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm’s Friesan Fire, trained by Larry Jones, is expected to arrive Friday afternoon and will be stabled in Barn 45.
    Not expected to arrive until April 28 are Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor’s Dunkirk, who will go into Barn 34 with trainer Todd Pletcher’s string, and Edward P. Evans’ Quality Road, trained by James Jerkens. No barn assignment has been made for Quality Road.