Santa Anita Derby (G1) third-placer MR. COMMONS (Artie Schiller) became a
definite Preakness (G1) candidate following a seven-furlong workout Friday
morning at Hollywood Park. With jockey Victor Espinoza in the irons, the John
Shirreffs-trained colt worked seven furlongs in 1:24 2/5.
“He did it very well, except he was a little strong in the middle part of the
work,” Shirreffs said. “The horse couldn’t have blown a candle out when he got
back to the barn. He’s very fit. It was Victor’s first time on him, so I just
attribute that to Victor not knowing him.”
Espinoza will pick up the mount in the second jewel of the Triple Crown on
May 14, replacing Mike Smith, who has secured a Preakness mount on ASTROLOGY
(A.P. Indy).
Mr. Commons opened 2011 with a 5 1/2-length maiden score on turf and
proceeded to capture an entry-level allowance victory on Santa Anita’s main
track on February 26. Making his stakes debut in the April 9 Santa Anita Derby,
the colt was beaten 2 1/4 lengths in third.
The St. George Farm Racing homebred recorded his third consecutive
seven-furlong work on Friday. Mr. Commons is scheduled to be flown from
California to Kentucky on Tuesday before spending the night in Kentucky and
completing his Baltimore journey on Wednesday.
Trainer Chris Grove loaded NORMAN ASBJORNSON (Real Quiet) onto a van at Bowie
Training Center Friday morning for a short ride to Pimlico Race Course, where
the three-year-old colt was given his final workout for the 136th running of the
Preakness.
With jockey Julian Pimentel aboard, the son of 1998 Kentucky Derby (G1) and
Preakness winner Real Quiet breezed five furlongs in 1:02 1/5.
“He’d didn’t have any company. It was educational for him,” Grove explained.
“He got more out of last week’s work (a mile in 1:40 at Pimlico on May 6). This
was more of a maintenance work to keep him in form.”
Norman Asbjornson turned in fractional times of :13 2/5, :25 4/5, :38 4/5 and
:50 1/5 on his way to his official clocking, before galloping out six furlongs
in 1:16.
“He went good and handled the track good,” Pimentel said. “He did it pretty
easily. He finished up good.”
After cooling out, Norman Asbjornson was vanned back to Bowie, where he will
remain until Preakness morning.
“Everything’s done except a whole lot of gate schooling,” Grove said. “He
needs to be gate schooled to make sure he stays focused in the gate.”
Norman Asbjornson finished second behind Stay Thirsty (Bernardini) in the
Gotham (G3) at Aqueduct on March 5 before returning to New York for a
fourth-place effort in the April 9 Wood Memorial (G1).
Florida Derby (G1) hero DIALED IN (Mineshaft), eighth as the 5-1 favorite in
Trainer Nick Zito, who won the 1996 Preakness with Louis Quatorze after that
“He’s got a lot of energy,” Zito said as Dialed In walked off the track. “He
|
By virtue of his wins in the Holy Bull (G3) and Florida Derby at Gulfstream
Park, Dialed In will be eligible for a $6.1 million payday in the Preakness
under the conditions of the Preakness 5.5, a bonus series offered by MI
Developments.
Trainer Steve Asmussen had his confirmed Preakness starter, Grade 3 winner
Astrology, visit the starting gate under Carlos Rosas Friday morning
at Churchill Downs. Astrology has finished second in both starts this year, the
April 23 Jerome S. (G2) and March 27 Sunland Derby (G3).
Kentucky Derby runner-up NEHRO (Mineshaft), who is under consideration for
the Preakness, walked the shedrow at Churchill Downs Friday for Asmussen.
CONCEALED IDENTITY (Smarty Jones), a two-length winner of Saturday’s Federico
Tesio S. at Pimlico, galloped 1 1/2 miles Friday at Bowie Training Center Friday
morning for trainer Eddie Gaudet.
“He doesn’t need to do too much,” Gaudet said. “He just ran on Saturday.”
Regular rider Sheldon Russell will retain the Preakness mount.
DANCE CITY (City Zip), a good third when making his stakes debut in the April
16 Arkansas Derby (G1), continued his preparations by galloping 1 1/2 miles at
Churchill Downs with exercise rider Obed Perez up. He will join the Triple Crown
fray at Pimlico for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Eclipse Award-winning jockey Ramon Dominguez, who was based in the
Mid-Atlantic region for several years, will ride Dance City for the first time
in the Preakness. Dominguez competed against Dance City when he rode Brethren
(Distorted Humor) in the Arkansas Derby for Pletcher.
“I was very impressed with him in the Arkansas Derby,” Dominguez said. “He is
a big horse with a beautiful stride. Turning for home I thought he was going to
win but he got unlucky by getting pushed.”
Dominguez said it would mean a lot to him to win the Preakness.
“Maryland was the place, along with Delaware, where I got a great deal of
exposure and jump-started my career,” he said. “I know so many people at Pimlico
and have found myself daydreaming about winning a race the magnitude of the
Preakness. It has always been a race I wanted to win and I am excited to have a
live mount this year.”
Trainer Wesley Ward will send his Preakness candidate, FLASHPOINT (Pomeroy),
“He’s doing great,” Ward said. “He had an easy gallop today and he’s ready
Winner of the seven-furlong Hutcheson S. (G2) two starts back, Flashpoint
|
Trainer Doodnauth Shivmangal has decided to scratch the ISN’T HE
PERFECT (Pleasantly Perfect) from Saturday’s Peter Pan (G2) in favor of a start
in the Preakness.
Shivmangal said the colt, who was fifth in the Wood Memorial (G1) and the
Jerome (G2) in his last two starts, will breeze a half-mile at Belmont Park on
Saturday.
“From the races he’s run before, this horse has got the kind of speed that I
think he will have a fair shot against these horses,” Shivmangal said. “He’s
bred to go long.”
West Point Thoroughbreds’ KING CONGIE (Badge of Silver) galloped 1 1/4 miles
at Belmont Park Friday morning. The Tropical Park Derby winner has been pointed
toward the Preakness since a head third in the April 9 Blue Grass (G1).
Trainer Tom Albertrani, who captured the 2006 Preakness with Bernardini, said
the colt is doing well and may breeze Sunday morning, weather permitting. Rain
is in the forecast for the weekend.
MIDNIGHT INTERLUDE (War Chant), 16th in the Kentucky Derby, galloped 1 5/8
miles at Churchill Downs under Peter Hutton, assistant to trainer Bob Baffert.
The morning activity came before the renovation break.
Baffert is scheduled to return to Louisville, Kentucky, from his Southern
“He may do something like he did last year with Lookin At Lucky with a couple
Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Dream Team Racing’s MUCHO MACHO MAN (Macho
|
Trainer Kathy Ritvo says the third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby has
settled in nicely at Belmont, .
“I love the training track and he does, too,” Ritvo noted. “He likes the
training track a lot. That’s where he trained for the Nashua (G2) and Remsen
(G2).”
The Florida-bred colt produced back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Remsen
and Nashua at Aqueduct last fall. Ritvo said it’s possible that Mucho Macho Man
could breeze next Tuesday, but said the Risen Star (G2) winner could also gallop
up to the Preakness.
George and Lori Hall’s RULER ON ICE (Roman Ruler), who is stabled at Monmouth
Park with trainer Kelly Breen, remains a possible candidate for the Preakness.
SANTIVA (Giant’s Causeway) galloped early Friday morning at Churchill Downs
under Brendan Walsh, assistant to trainer Eddie Kenneally.
Kenneally, who was stabled at Pimlico for the 1995 spring meet, said the
sixth-place Kentucky Derby finisher is doing well but that no decision had been
reached on Santiva’s Preakness participation.
SARATOGA RED (Eddington), who is stabled at Churchill Downs with trainer D.
Wayne Lukas, is under consideration but will need the list of Preakness
probables to dwindle to make the 14-horse field.
SHACKLEFORD (Forestry) galloped 1 1/2 miles at Churchill Downs under exercise
rider Faustino Ramos after the morning renovation break.
Trainer Dale Romans gave the thumbs up to the morning activity for the
Kentucky Derby pacesetter who finished fourth behind Animal Kingdom
(Leroidesanimaux [Brz]).
“It’s on to Pimlico,” Romans said.
The Jeff Bonde-trained SWAY AWAY (Afleet Alex) jogged a mile at Churchill
Downs Friday under exercise rider Keith Davis.
Fourth in the Arkansas Derby (G1) in his most recent start, Sway Away is
scheduled to work Saturday morning in the first or second set after the track
opens at 6. Davis is scheduled to be aboard for a likely six-furlong move.