Giacomo breezes; High Fly ready for rematch

Last updated: 5/17/05 8:04 PM

Giacomo hopes to silence his critics in the Preakness
(Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

GIACOMO (Holy Bull), the surprise 50-1 winner of the Kentucky Derby (G1),
breezed four furlongs in :51 4/5 over a fast track at Churchill Downs on
Tuesday.

“I was kind of debating whether to breeze him, but he’s doing so good, I went
ahead and breezed him,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “I trained him very hard
for the Derby, so I didn’t want to do too much with him.”

The gray colt was timed in fractions of :13 1/5, :26 1/5 and :39 before
galloping out five furlongs in 1:05 4/5 under a strong hold by exercise rider
Frankie Herrarte.

“This was just a maintenance drill,” Shirreffs said. “He got a little breeze
— we didn’t ask anything of him. We just let him extend his legs and blow a
little.”

Giacomo is expected to face a full field of 14 in Saturday’s $1 million
Preakness S. (G1). Post positions for the middle jewel of the Triple
Crown will be drawn on Wednesday at the ESPN Zone in Baltimore, Maryland. The
event will be televised live on ESPN’s “SportsCenter at the Preakness,”
beginning at 5 p.m. (EDT).

In most press coverage, Giacomo is being given very little respect to win the
Preakness due to his improbable, come-from-behind, half-length victory in the
Derby.

“I understand what the press is saying and some people are saying, I guess,”
Shirreffs said. “But, that being said, they were all in the gate, and Giacomo
won the race.”

A victory by Giacomo in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness would give the colt a shot
at becoming the first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. However, in
six of the last eight years, Silver Charm, Real Quiet, Charismatic, War Emblem,
Funny Cide and Smarty Jones all won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness before
being denied a sweep of the Triple Crown in the Belmont S. (G1).

Giacomo is expected to arrive at Pimlico around 1 p.m. Wednesday after a mid-morning flight from Louisville, Kentucky.

All systems are go for Florida Derby (G1) winner HIGH FLY (Atticus) to run in
the Preakness after the Nick Zito-trained colt breezed four furlongs in :50 1/5
at Churchill Downs on Tuesday. The chestnut colt rallied to the lead turning for
home, and was still fighting near the eighth-pole, before finishing tenth in the
131st “Run for the Roses.”

High Fly was timed in fractions of :13 4/5, :26 4/5 and :38 1/5 before
galloping out five furlongs in 1:03 1/5 under exercise rider Carlos Correa.

“He’s a very courageous horse and, more importantly, he runs close to the
pace,” Zito said. “I really think horses that do that don’t need as much
training as horses that actually come from off the pace. They’re running all the
way, from start to finish. It was a good work.”

NOBLE CAUSEWAY (Giant’s Causeway) and SUN KING (Charismatic) walked at
Churchill Downs on Tuesday, one day after they breezed five furlongs in 1:02 3/5
and 1:00 1/5, respectively. Zito said they came out of their works in good
order.

“They worked exceptionally well and this horse (High Fly) worked very well
this morning,” Zito said. “That’s all you can ask for. You just regroup, go to
the next town, and see what happens.”

High Fly will join his stablemates on a Wednesday afternoon flight from
Louisville to Baltimore. The trio is expected to arrive at the Preakness Stakes
barn around 4 p.m.

Wilko is expected to arrive at Pimlico on Wednesday
(Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com)

Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner WILKO (Awesome Again) breezed four
furlongs in :50 3/5 at Churchill Downs on Tuesday. The chestnut colt galloped
out strongly under jockey Joe Deegan, which pleased trainer Craig Dollase.

“When the boy (Deegan) pulled on him, he took off again,” Dollase said. “We
were very pleased with the way he did it. It looked like he picked it up the
last part, and he finished well. He came out of it in great shape, too, and
we’re ready to go.”

Wilko bled slightly when he finishing a closing sixth in the Kentucky Derby. He
is scheduled to be aboard the second flight from Louisville on Wednesday. Corey Nakatani has the call.

GOLDEN MAN (Suave Prospect), who is 15th on the list of Preakness probables,
breezed four furlongs in :48 1/5 over a fast track at Aqueduct on Tuesday. If
all 15 enter, Golden Man will be excluded from the field since only 14 horses
can run in the Preakness.

Should Golden Man draw into the field, trainer Richard Dutrow will be forced
to select a new rider. Rafael Bejarano, who was originally named, is committed
to ride Sun King.

In other Preakness news:

Withers S. (G3) winner SCRAPPY T (Fit to Fight) arrived at Old Hilltop on
Monday afternoon after a van ride from Delaware Park. Trainer Robert Bailes said
the colt will breeze three furlongs on Wednesday.

“He likes to look around a bit,” Bailes said. “It’s nice to give him a couple
of days to do that. Hopefully, by Friday or Saturday, he’ll be settled in.”

Ramon Dominguez has picked up the mount on Scrappy T.

Holy Bull S. (G3) winner CLOSING ARGUMENT (Successful Appeal), who came
within a half-length of Kentucky Derby glory, walked at Belmont Park on Tuesday,
one day after breezing four furlongs in :49.

“He looks great today,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “He came out of the
work very well.”

Closing Argument will travel by van from New York to Maryland on Wednesday
morning.

Multiple stakes winner GOING WILD (Golden Missile), who breezed five furlongs
in 1:01 2/5 at Churchill Downs on Monday, will be on the first flight Wednesday
from Louisville. The D. Wayne Lukas trainee is also nominated to the
six-furlong, $100,000 Hirsch Jacobs S. (G3) on the Preakness undercard.

There are 10 Preakness probables coming out of the Kentucky Derby. That ties
the record set in 1999, when the field of 13 contained 10 who ran in the Derby.