Godolphin Racing’s Footbridge attempt to overcome some serious history on
Saturday when he makes his stakes debut in the 89th running of the Blue Grass
Stakes. No horse has won this major Keeneland prep for the Kentucky Derby after
breaking his maiden in his previous start, something Footbridge accomplished in
his fourth start.
Footbridge, who will be ridden for the first time by Corey Lanerie, is the
only 2013 Blue Grass entrant coming into the race off a maiden win. The Street
Cry colt and did not make his debut until December 26, the latest starting point
for any Blue Grass starter.
“I did not get him until September,” trainer Eoin Harty said. “He was very
straightforward and did things very easily. It was not like the light bulb just
went on.”
In his debut, going 6 1/2 furlongs, Footbridge finished third, beaten 5 1/2
lengths. Following two consecutive runner-up finishes going a mile, Footbridge
reached the winner’s circle with a victory by three-quarters of a length in a
mile race at Santa Anita on March 17.
That victory put Footbridge into consideration for the Blue Grass, a race
that awards the winner 100 qualifying points and a spot in the starting gate for
the 139th Kentucky Derby.
“It’s the nature of the beast,” Harty said about making the jump to Grade 1
stakes company for a shot at the Run for the Roses. “It is not like he is coming
in here off a 47 Beyer (speed figure) and the company line of who he has been
running against is very strong.”
In the race before he broke his maiden, Footbridge finished a neck behind Govenor
Charlie, who won the Sunland Derby in his next start in track-record time.
On Friday morning, Footbridge visited the Keeneland starting gate and then
galloped 1 1/2 miles under exercise rider Tim Neal.
“The gate this morning is part of my regular routine,” Harty said, noting
that Footbridge has not had any gate issues.
“He has been training on a synthetic surface (the Cushion Track at Hollywood
Park) and he is improving every race.”
In other Blue Grass activity at Keeneland Friday morning,Uncaptured and Dynamic
Sky, both trained by Mark Casse, galloped 1 1/2 miles after the renovation
break. Wayne Brown was on Uncaptured, the race’s 7-2 morning-line favorite, and
Juan Bernardini was on Dynamic Sky.
West Hills Giant galloped a little less than 1 1/2 miles with exercise rider
Leo Garcia up before the break to the delight of trainer John Terranova.
“He has done well here,” Terranova said of West Hills Giant, who arrived at
Keeneland Tuesday morning. “He settled in nicely and has gotten over the track
well.”
Rydilluc made his usual morning stroll through the paddock and then stood
trackside for about 15 minutes before jogging once around the main track with
exercise rider Ricardo Orantes up.
“I blew him out yesterday (:37 2/5 for three furlongs) and this is all we are
doing today,” trainer Gary Contessa said.
Rydilluc had another paddock schooling session with Friday afternoon’s 2ND
race.
“He has been great in the paddock all week; no problems at all,” said
Contessa, who noted Rydilluc can sometimes be a handful in the paddock. “Of
course, you never know what is going to happen on race day, but so far he has
been great here.”
The Ken McPeek-trained Java’s War galloped 1 1/2 miles with exercise rider
Danny Ramsey aboard.
For Baldo Hernandez and Sean Ryan, assistants to trainer Chad Brown, Balance
the Books schooled in the paddock and galloped once around the main track under
exercise rider Kriss Bon.
My Name Is Michael schooled in the paddock and galloped 1 1/8 miles with
exercise rider Marnie Pacheco aboard for trainer Bill Mott.
“We are very happy,” assistant trainer Rodolphe Brisset said. “He’s moving
very well.”
Tesseron jogged a half-mile and galloped a half-mile under Ruth Schmidt,
assistant to trainer Josie Carroll.
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