El Kabeir (Scat Daddy) logged his final work in preparation
“Everything went great,” trainer John Terranova said. “He accidentally hooked
“Everything looked good. From our vantage point, everything seemed to go well. He’s nice and
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Owned by Zayat Stables, who will also be represented in the
Derby by likely favorite American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) and the D. Wayne
Lukas-trained Mr. Z, El Kabeir most recently finished third in the
Twinspires.com Wood
Memorial (G1) on April 4. The colt competed in all four Aqueduct preps for the
Derby, winning the Jerome (G3) to kick off the year, finishing second in the
Withers (G3), and capturing the Gotham (G3) before his third-place finish
in the Wood.
Following the Wood, in which El Kabeir was ridden by C.C.
Lopez, it was announced that three-time Kentucky Derby winner Calvin Borel would
replace Lopez aboard the colt in the Derby. Borel rode El Kabeir to
victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs last fall, but
Lopez picked up the mount for the Jerome after Borel was unable to take the
call.
El Kabeir is Terranova’s second Derby starter; the trainer
sent out sprinter Falling Sky to a 19th-place finish in the 2013 edition of the
Run for the Roses. According to Terranova, El Kabeir is scheduled to ship to
Churchill Downs on Sunday afternoon.
“We’re looking forward to a good week,” said Terranova.
“He’s a real smart, well-seasoned colt, and he’s been battle tested already.
We’re just going to go in and enjoy the week — keep him happy, keep us happy —
and hopefully we’ll have a fun Derby.”
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