During training hours Friday morning at Fair Grounds, conditioner Neil Howard
reported all systems still “on go” for appearances by the talented sophomore duo
of Gaillardia Racing’s WILKINSON (Lemon Drop Kid) and Courtlandt Farms’ MACHEN
(Distorted Humor) in the upcoming 98th running of the $1 million Louisiana Derby
(G2) on March 26.
With its new seven-figure purse, the upcoming Louisiana Derby will be the
richest Thoroughbred race ever run in New Orleans, and Lecomte S. (G3) winner
Wilkinson and Risen Star S. (G2) fourth-place runner Machen join Risen Star
winner MUCHO MACHO MAN (Macho Uno), owned by Reeves Thoroughbred and Dream Team
One Racing, and Catesby Clay’s ROGUE ROMANCE (Smarty Jones), third in that same
test, as a contentious foursome to head the field of probable Louisiana Derby
starters.
Wilkinson breezed four fast-track furlongs in :51 2/5 Monday at Fair Grounds,
while Machen went that same half-mile distance that same morning in :50 3/5.
“They were both basically ‘leg-stretcher’ breezes,” Howard said Thursday.
“I’ve been giving Wilkinson three or four ‘halves’ six days apart since the
Lecomte, and Machen’s move Monday was just a maintenance kind of tune-up to see
where we are with him since the Risen Star.
“They are both fairly easy horses to train, and right now all we’re trying to
do is see what they need and how stringent we have to be with their training
leading up to the Louisiana Derby.
“They will both have fairly simple schedules leading up to the (Louisiana
Derby),” Howard added.
“At this point in time, there is a remote possibility that I will work them
in company with other horses to keep them sharp, but not with each other.
They’re both too competitive for me to do that with them.”
Howard also mentioned that Courtlandt Farms’ CHLOE KATE (Afleet Alex), who
finished fifth in the Rachel Alexandra S. (G3) February 19, will not run back in
the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) March 26.
“She’s doing fine,” said Howard, “and I thought she ran well in the Rachel
Alexandra, but I think what I want to do now is back off on her slightly.
“We may have pushed her a little bit putting her in that last race, so now I
think we’ll take her to Kentucky and look for a ‘two-other-than’ race for her
next start. I’ve found that most of the time, when you back off on these young
horses a little bit, they’ll turn around and reward you for doing that later
on.”