Wicked Strong gets feel for Churchill; California Chrome arrives

Wicked Strong gets feel for Churchill; California Chrome
arrives

Wicked Strong is taking his new surroundings in stride (Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos) Wicked Strong made his first trip to the track at Churchill Downs Monday morning and galloped approximately 1 1/4 miles over the sloppy surface under exercise rider Kelvin Pahal. The Wood Memorial winner shipped from New York to Louisville by redeye van Saturday night and did not go to the track Sunday. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens sent the colt out to the track at 8:30 a.m. (EDT) during the time reserved for Derby and Oaks runners. “He galloped pretty much like he always does, starts out real slow looking around and once he gets warmed up he starts stretching out,” Jerkens said. “He didn’t pull like he does back home, only because of the combination of the mud and he’s never seen the place before. I thought he looked good and comfortable and switched his leads nice. “The pony was with him, which is good because he can get a little tough on the way home. He got loose a couple of times on us early in his career coming home from the track. We like to have at least somebody there with a shank or a pony or both.” Jerkens said he was happy when the worst of the intense electrical storm moved away from Churchill Downs and he was able to get Wicked Strong out to the track. “It definitely was important. I wanted to get him out there and stretch his legs a little bit. He walked the day after he worked and spent the whole night cramped up in a van. I really wanted to get him out there and stretch his muscles a little bit.”

Jerkens said the colt appears to have made a smooth transition to Churchill
Downs. He is stabled in trainer Eddie Kenneally’s barn.

“He doesn’t seem to be bothered,” Jerkens said. “He’s close to the track and
there has been a lot of activity so far. Bill (Mott) and Eddie jog their horses
up and down here to examine them before they go out and it hasn’t bothered him
at all. I’m really happy about that. He hasn’t given a care about anything. So
far, so good.”

In other Kentucky Derby news:

Likely Derby favorite California Chrome is now on the grounds at Churchill (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography) As the rains pelted, the lightning flashed and the thunder roared at Churchill Downs Monday morning, likely Kentucky Derby favorite California Chrome and a dozen of his West Coast buddies went airborne from Ontario Airport near Los Angeles on a Tex Sutton charter shortly after 5 a.m. (PDT). The flight landed in Louisville just after 11:30 a.m. local time and the horses arrived at the track at 12:45 p.m. California Chrome will take up residence in Barn 20 on the Churchill backside, sharing space with the horses of trainer Tom Proctor. The chestnut colt’s trainer, Art Sherman, and his wife Faye, had a flight of their own out of Los Angeles at 8 a.m. Monday. Sherman had indicated that his millionaire charge would get his first feel for the Churchill strip Tuesday morning with a likely jog over what is eligible to be a wet surface.

*Skychai Racing, in partnership with Starlight Racing, has acquired Kentucky
Derby contender General a Rod. The Roman Ruler colt, who captured the Gulfstream
Park Derby and placed in the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby, was purchased
outright from previous owner J. Armando Rodriguez.

General a Rod, who is currently 14th on the Road to the Kentucky Derby
Leaderboard with 40 points, will retain his current trainer Mike Maker and
jockey Joel Rosario for Saturday’s race. He will carry the orange and turquoise
colors of James Shircliff in the race.

“I am proud of my involvement with both Skychai Racing and Starlight Racing
partnerships,” Shircliff said. “I have been interested in acquiring this horse
for some time, and I’m thrilled that we were finally successful in coming to
terms with Mr. Rodriguez.”

*After his colts had worked Sunday morning, trainer Todd Pletcher indicated
he was happy with three of them, but had reservations about running Spiral
winner We Miss Artie in the race. He was not especially pleased with his work
and wasn’t sure the Canadian-bred was at his best on a dirt surface. He had
indicated that he was going to talk to his owner — Ken Ramsey — and see if he
could convince him to consider other options.

Ramsey, who has a well-earned reputation as an enthusiastic, successful and
— not least of all — adamant owner, overrode his trainer on this one and We
Miss Artie will start in Derby 140 nonetheless.

Asked about that conversation with Ramsey, Pletcher just smiled.

*We Miss Artie, fellow Ramsey colorbearer Vicar’s in Trouble, and the Bob
Baffert-trained duo of Hoppertunity and Chitu are all scheduled to sport Speed
Silks® in the Kentucky Derby. The brand is a registered trademark of Matt
Darby’s Darby Racing Technology LLC, who uncovered the product’s Aero Dimplex®
material.

A patented aerodynamically-engineered fabric, Aero Dimplex is textured to
actively reduce drag. The fabric is textured much like a golf ball with dimpling
that moves air across it with minimal resistance. Moreover, it is colored by dye
sublimation rather than the traditional sewn-on patchwork, further reducing the
weight and drag caused by seams.

“When race outcomes like the Kentucky Derby can be determined by a nose or
neck, having an aerodynamically engineered fabric surrounding the jockey that
reduces drag, can make all the difference between going down in history or
simply being a runner up,” Darby said.

“The entire team at Darby Racing Technology is thrilled that our Speed Silks
jockey wear will be featured in the Kentucky Derby — and possibly be in the
winner’s circle — within a year of their introduction,” Darby said. “The first
Saturday in May can’t get here quickly enough.”

The Speed Silks line consists of silks, helmet covers, jockey pants and boot
sleeves.