General Quarters smokes five furlongs in :58 1/5 for Blue
Grass
Sam F. Davis (G3) hero GENERAL QUARTERS (Sky Mesa) turned in a sizzling
five-furlong workout on Saturday at Churchill Downs in preparation for next
Saturday’s Blue Grass S. (G1) at Keeneland.
Exercise rider Julie Sheets was in the saddle as the gray zipped five
furlongs in :58 1/5 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13 over a fast track. The
work by General Quarters was easily the fastest of 17 moves at the distance by
more than two full seconds.
Owner-trainer Thomas McCarthy, a retired educator who served as principal at
three Louisville, Kentucky, area public high schools, admitted to initial
concern over the rapid time, but said General Quarters appeared to do it easily.
“I really wanted a 1:01 or right in that vicinity, but he did it on his own
and she just sat on him,” McCarthy said. “He’s got to be ready for something.”
McCarthy hopes that “something” will be a big effort in the $750,000 Blue
Grass, the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Derby (G1) prep run over Keeneland’s synthetic
Polytrack surface. General Quarters is coming off a troubled fifth-place run
behind Musket Man (Yonaguska) in the March 14 Tampa Bay Derby (G3).
“He got in a lot of trouble and he got cut up pretty bad, but he’s doing fine
now and he loves it here,” McCarthy said. “I’m just hoping he holds his
condition and he’ll do good in the Blue Grass. He likes Polytrack.”
McCarthy, who claimed General Quarters for $20,000 out of the colt’s career
debut last May at Churchill Downs, said the colt’s mission is clear if he is to
earn a start in the $2 million Kentucky Derby on May 2.
“He’s got to hit the board in the Blue Grass — if he hits the board, we’ll
go on to the Derby,” McCarthy said. “When you’ve seen as many Derbies and Blue
Grasses that I have, every single year, it’s just fantastic to think that I
would have a horse in it. I’ve tried for so many years and failed, but now I’m
just lucky.”
General Quarters has $130,645 in graded stakes earnings.
Also beneath the Twin Spires on Saturday, Rushaway S. runner-up ZIEGFELD
(Elusive Quality) breezed five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 for trainer Dale Romans.
Dogwood Stable President Cot Campbell said earlier this week that the gray colt,
who has no graded stakes earnings, would make his next start in either the Blue
Grass or next Saturday’s Arkansas Derby (G2) at Oaklawn Park.
At Keeneland, Grade 3 victor TERRAIN (Sky Mesa) put in his final major move
Working in company with Grade 3-winning four-year-old filly Sky Mom (Maria’s
“I got (Terrain) in 1:00.87,” trainer Al Stall Jr. said. “I thought it was visually
Terrain, who was awarded the victory via disqualification in the
“I have no regrets about running in the Delta Jackpot after the Breeders’
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Terrain did not run again until March 14, when he finished third in the
Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds.
“He got a little sick on me before the (February 7) Risen Star (G3) and we
had to miss that race,” Stall said in explaining Terrain’s late start at three.
“It might turn out to be a blessing in disguise.”
Terrain has bankrolled $410,830 in graded earnings.
In another Blue Grass development, Kempton Kentucky Derby Challenge S. winner
MAFAAZ (GB) (Medicean) was scheduled to arrive at Keeneland’s quarantine barn at
1:30 p.m. (EDT) Saturday. Once the John Gosden trainee clears quarantine, he
will be stabled in Barn 1. The Sheikh Hamdan colt is already guaranteed a spot
in the starting gate for the Run for the Roses.