Wicked Strong gets feel for Churchill; California Chrome
arrives
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:
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.