Coin Silver earns berth in Derby

Last updated: 4/24/05 8:25 PM

Coin Silver won the sloppy Lexington by easy lengths
(Jim Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com)

COIN SILVER (Anees), an impressive 3 1/2-length winner of Saturday’s
Lexington S. (G2) at Keeneland, will point for the Kentucky Derby (G1) in two
weeks, according to trainer Todd Pletcher.

“That was a pleasant surprise,” Pletcher said. “He’s a colt that seems like
he has been improving. Right now, he is going to start in the Kentucky Derby,
unless something happens between now and then to tell us not to.”

“Coin Silver came out of the Lexington in great shape,” assistant
trainer Tristan Barry added. “We’re
very excited about his race.”

The dark bay colt was sent off at 13-1 in the 8
1/2-furlong, sloppy Lexington. Coin Silver finished the test in 1:45 3/5,
overcoming a bumpy start as well as a wide trip under Javier Castellano, who is
the regular rider for possible Derby favorite Bellamy Road (Concerto).

“We don’t know who will ride him in the Derby, but Todd will make that
decision shortly,” Barry said. “After the way he ran, it shouldn’t be too
difficult to find a jockey.”

Coin Silver was scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs from Keeneland Sunday
morning.

ROCKPORT HARBOR (Unbridled’s Song) was the 3-5 choice in the Lexington, but
beat only one horse when finishing sixth. The John Servis-conditioned gray
reportedly didn’t take to the off track and was scheduled to make his final
start before the Derby in the Arkansas Derby (G2) last weekend, but a blood clot
in his neck prevented him from making the race. He’s made only one other start
so far this season, a runner-up finish in the Rebel S. (G3) at Oaklawn Park, and
is now on a “wait and see” basis for the Derby.

“He came out of this race better than he came out of the race in Arkansas,”
assistant trainer Bobby Velez said. “His feet were ice cold and he’s bright and
alert. We’re gonna take Rocky back to Pennsylvania and let him tell us what he
wants to do.”

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said that two-time stakes winner GOING WILD (Golden
Missile) would still be pointed to the Derby despite his fifth-place finish,
saying that the dark bay colt didn’t handle the muddy track and deserved another
try on Derby Day.

“I’ve said it for years, but I think it’s more true this year — I don’t put
any stock into what happens over that racetrack,” Lukas said. “He’s training
beautifully over this racetrack (Churchill Downs). We’ll just see what happens
with him.”

Going Wild would need some defections from the current list of likely Derby
runners to draw into the Run for the Roses. He is currently listed as 22nd on the
graded earnings list.

One of those defections may have already come, though. Trainer Dallas Stewart
indicated that Lexington third-place finisher STORM SURGE (Storm Cat) would
probably not run in the Derby.

“I haven’t talked with Overbrook about it, but I’d think it would be highly
unlikely that they would want to run,” he said. “He came out of the race good
and that’s the main thing.”