Wood Memorial (G1) star I WANT REVENGE (Stephen Got Even) jogged a mile and
galloped a mile under exercise rider Joe Deegan at Churchill Downs on Monday
morning, one day before his expected final tune-up for the Kentucky Derby (G1).
“I think he’s just peaking now,” trainer Jeff Mullins said. “He looks just as
good as he did in New York, maybe a little better. For as much traveling as he’s
done for a young horse, he hasn’t missed a beat. I don’t think he’s ever come
out of his feed tub one time.”
Mullins will send the Kentucky-bred colt to the track Tuesday morning right
after the renovation break, although he said he hadn’t decided whether the
workout will be four or five furlongs.
While getting his morning bath following his exercise Monday morning, I Want
Revenge looked like the picture of health, except for a few minor abrasions on
his left knee.
“He got cast in his stall the night before his first work here,” said
Mullins, whose colt has worked the two previous Tuesdays at Churchill Downs.
“You can see the scrapes on his head and everywhere else.”
I Want Revenge will be ridden by 19-year-old Joe Talamo, who guided him from
last to first with a heads-up ride in the eventful Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in
his final prep.
“He definitely moved up a couple notches in my book, that’s for sure. I knew
he was a good rider, but to tell you the truth, I didn’t realize he was that
young,” Mullins said. “I thought he was 20-something years old. To show that
kind of confidence and patience, it’s pretty strong for a guy that age.”
Although I Want Revenge settled nicely in the back of the pack after a very
slow start, Mullins isn’t so sure that he necessarily showed a new dimension
with his deep-closing effort at Aqueduct.
“That happened by accident,” the trainer said. “Sometimes you might not be
able to make him do that. He’s a strong-minded horse. If he breaks without any
trouble, I don’t think you’re going to be able to wrangle him back.”
Trainer Saeed bin Suroor watched his Kentucky Derby prospects REGAL RANSOM
(Distorted Humor) and DESERT PARTY (Street Cry [Ire]) jog a mile shortly after
the track opened for training at 6 a.m.
The Godolphin duo turned in the two fastest five-furlong works Saturday
morning: Regal Ransom in :59 1/5 and Desert Party in :59 3/5. Sunday morning
they walked the shedrow at Barn 41.
“They came out of their work in good form. No problem,” bin Suroor said.
“They are perfectly, sound, happy, fresh. No problems at all.”
The veteran trainer said the colts would gallop Tuesday morning.
“Both of these horses are much better than they were in Dubai,” bin Suroor
said. “They each had three runs in Dubai. They handled the travel very well.”
In their last start, Regal Ransom held off the closing Desert Party in the
U.A.E. Derby (UAE-G2).
Owner/trainer Tom McCarthy looked on as his Blue Grass S. (G1) hero GENERAL
QUARTERS (Sky Mesa) turned in a second straight spirited gallop mid-track under
exercise rider Julie Sheets. McCarthy said he won’t change plans with his
one-horse stable and continue to just gallop General Quarters up to Derby 135.
“He’s a strong galloper, maybe too strong sometimes,” McCarthy said moments
after Monday morning’s 1 1/2-mile exercise.
General Quarters does not have the prettiest conformation or stride,
especially in the right front foot, which is why he sold for just $20,000 as a
yearling.
“It does not affect him when he gallops or runs, there’s no doubt about
that,” McCarthy said. “You have to do something corrective when they are a baby,
or just live with it. He’s always had it and always will.”
McCarthy pointed out that General Quarters is very familiar with Churchill,
having raced, trained and been stabled there in the past.
“He knows his way around,” he said. “There’s no need to school him in between
races in the paddock or do too much with him at this point.”
Sunday morning, Hold Me Back worked five furlongs in 1:01 3/5 under Hall of
“He doesn’t like to walk,” Mott said. “He’d rather train. He’s full of energy
Illinois Derby (G2) and Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner MUSKET MAN (Yonaguska)
“He galloped an easy mile and a half today,” Ryan said, “and then he went to
Ryan bought the colt as a yearling in 2007 at Keeneland because he had
|
“I gave $20,000 for her as a two-year-old,” Ryan said. “She ended up getting
claimed for $50,000, but she was a remarkable mare. She won on everything —
dirt, mud, turf, synthetics — anything.
“So when I saw this colt in the book, I went to the sale to buy him. He’s
turned out to be a runner like his sister.”
Casablanca Babe won 12 of her 46 career starts and earned more than $200,000.
Arkansas Derby (G2) hero PAPA CLEM (Smart Strike), one of the potential Derby
135 pace players, walked the shedrow Monday morning for the second straight day
as scheduled. Papa Clem will return to the track Tuesday morning and will blow
out on Thursday with a “quarter-mile breeze, maybe let him go out
three-eighths,” trainer Gary Stute said.
“He came out of Saturday’s work perfect; his legs were ice cold,” Stute said.
“When I work him alone like that, it takes nothing out of him. He’s really one
who needs to see another horse to get serious. He’s never been one to impress
you training, so we’ll find out Saturday for sure how he’s handling the track,
honestly.”
With the defection of Quality Road, the Derby’s pace scenario softened
somewhat, which could benefit horses with solid early foot like Papa Clem.
“He can be up there or sit off the pace like we found out in Arkansas,” Stute
said. “He pretty much runs his :47-and-change for the half. If it’s slow, that
will put him up there. If it’s fast, he’ll be a few lengths off it. I wouldn’t
mind a post somewhere in that 6-7-8 range.”
Stute will be making his Kentucky Derby debut, but he carries on a family
legacy. His father, Mel, ran Snow Chief in the 1986 Derby. After an 11th-place
finish in Louisville, Snow Chief rebounded to win the Preakness (G1). The
younger Stute will have family support this week.
“My mom and dad are coming in this week, and dad has Kitty in the Bag
(Wildcat Heir) running Thursday in the two-year-old stakes ($100,000 Kentucky
Juvenile [G3]),” Stute said. “It figures to be an exciting week for all of us.”
Breeders’ Futurity (G1) romper SQUARE EDDIE (Smart Strike) limited his fancy
footwork to a walk around the shedrow at Barn 17 Monday morning following his
four-furlong drill in :50 1/5 on Sunday.
“Quiet day; all’s good,” exercise rider Tony Romero said.
Trainer Doug O’Neill was an early visitor to the barn to check on his charge
and he had noted that the colt was scheduled to go back to the track Tuesday for
a light jog.
Romero confirmed that Square Eddie would once again ship to Keeneland Monday
afternoon to continue his “swimming” routine, using the pool and treadmill at a
Lexington, Kentucky, facility. The Square Eddie connections have attributed a
fair share of their runner’s fitness and recovery from a small fracture suffered
in California in February to his additional regular exercise in various pools.
“He had already finished his gallop and was in the paddock when the track was
“He’s doing great, and he’ll just gallop up to the race. He’ll school in the
Summer Bird was bred by his owners, the husband-wife team of Drs K.K. and V.
“We got to the Derby after being in the business six or seven years, and we
The Jayaramans raced Summer Bird’s dam, the Summer Squall mare Hong Kong
|
“She hasn’t missed a season,” Dr. Jayaraman said. “She has a two-year-old by
Jump Start who hasn’t run yet (named Indy Squall), a yearling by Johar, and
she’s due to foal on May 11 from a cover to Friends Lake.
“When she does foal, she’ll be bred back to Birdstone. She’s been wonderful
to us.”
With trainer Kelly Breen aboard, Wood Memorial runner-up WEST SIDE BERNIE
(Bernstein) galloped 1 3/8 miles around the Churchill Downs oval Monday morning.
“He felt great out there,” Breen said. “The work (a half-mile in :48 1/5 on
Saturday) set him up right for the race.”
This is Breen’s first Derby experience, but his rider Saturday will be
Stewart Elliott, who won the Run for the Roses aboard Smarty Jones in 2004.
“Stew and I had dinner the other night,” Breen said, “and we started talking
about what post we would want if we had this pick or that pick. I had some
ideas, but Stew came up with some interesting stuff.
“I think I’ve run the race a thousand times in my head to figure out what the
best post will be. The draw will be interesting.”
West Side Bernie ran well to be third in the Holy Bull S. (G3) at Gulfstream
Park in January, but then threw in a clunker when sixth in the Lane’s End at
Turfway Park in March.
“He just didn’t fire in that race, for whatever reason,” Breen said. “We knew
we wanted to run in the Derby, and we wanted another race for him, so we settled
on the Wood Memorial.”
In that event at Aqueduct on April 4, West Side Bernie made a big run around
the turn and finished second, 1 1/2 lengths behind I Want Revenge.
“Now everybody is giving me statistics,” Breen said. “Like the fact that both
Monarchos and Funny Cide finished second in the Wood before they won the Derby
(in 2001 and 2003, respectively).
“All I know is that you need the best horse, or the luckiest horse, to win
the Derby. I hope that’s us.”
The final two contenders for Derby 135 were scheduled to ship to Churchill on
Monday.
Florida Derby (G1) runner-up DUNKIRK (Unbridled’s Song), who has been based
at Palm Meadows in Florida, spent his Monday morning traveling to West Palm
Beach Airport for a flight to Louisville, Kentucky. He was expected to join the
Todd Pletcher barn Monday afternoon.
Santa Anita Derby (G1) third MR. HOT STUFF (Tiznow) was airborne from
California on Monday, a day after drilling five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 at Santa
Anita. The stretch-running full brother to Travers S. (G1) winner Colonel John
is trained by Eoin Harty, who shipped successfully to Kentucky on Sunday after
overseeing the work.
Harty confirmed that the Eastern-based rider John Velazquez has taken the
call on Mr. Hot Stuff for Derby 135. Velazquez had been scheduled to ride
Florida Derby winner Quality Road in the Kentucky Derby, but became available
after that colt’s foot concerns took him out of Derby consideration on Monday
morning.
The plane carrying Mr. Hot Stuff from California was scheduled to arrive in
Louisville at approximately 5 p.m., and the colt is expected to arrive on the
grounds around 6 p.m.