El Kabeir picks up Borel for Derby

Calvin Borel had ridden El Kabeir to victory in the November 29 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography) Grade 2 hero El Kabeir (Scat Daddy), a belated third off a slow pace in the April 4 Wood Memorial (G1), will get a rider switch for the May 2 Kentucky Derby (G1) — to three-time Derby winner Calvin Borel. Zayat Stables tweeted the news on Sunday, adding that Ramon Vazquez would have the mount on Mr. Z (Malibu Moon) to complete their Derby riding arrangements. Zayat homebred champion American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile), the likely Derby favorite, was already long secured by regular rider Victor Espinoza. El Kabeir and Borel have teamed up successfully at Churchill Downs before, in last fall’s Kentucky Jockey Club (G2). Borel’s most recent Derby winner, Super Saver (2010), had likewise won the Kentucky Jockey Club as a juvenile. The Hall of Fame jockey previously scored in the 2007 and 2009 editions of the Derby with Street Sense and Mine That Bird, respectively. During El Kabeir’s winter campaign at Aqueduct, C.C. Lopez had the call, guiding the gray to victories in the Jerome (G3) and Gotham (G3) and a second in the Withers (G3). After he was beaten 5 3/4 lengths in the Wood, however, owner Ahmed Zayat publicly discussed a rider change.

On Sunday, El Kabeir breezed five-eighths in 1:00 on the fast main track at
Belmont Park for trainer John Terranova.

Mr. Z, most recently third in the
Arkansas Derby (G1), is set to work on Wednesday or Thursday at Churchill Downs,
according to Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

Rafael Bejarano has also lined up his Derby mount by committing to Bolo
(Temple City), the third-place finisher in both the San Felipe (G2) and Santa
Anita Derby (G1). Co-owner Keith Brackpool made the announcement via Twitter.

In other Derby news:

Assistant trainer Norman Casse said John C. Oxley’s Danzig Moon (Malibu Moon) came out of
Saturday’s swift five-furlong work in :58 in good shape.

“Everything’s perfect,”
said Casse, the son of trainer Mark Casse who oversees his father’s stable at
Churchill Downs.

The younger Casse said his father would be at Churchill Downs
on Saturday for a four-furlong work that would be the final pre-Derby training
move.

Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s International Star (Fusaichi Pegasus),
winner of the Louisiana Derby (G2) and the points leader on the “Road to the
Kentucky Derby” Leaderboard, came out of his Saturday work at Churchill
Downs well, according to trainer Mike Maker. He breezed five furlongs in 1:01
4/5 under jockey Miguel Mena.

International Star returned to Maker’s base at Trackside training center
after the work, but will return to Churchill Downs this week and will remain at
the track through his Kentucky Derby run. Maker said Saturday that the colt
would return to Churchill Downs on Monday or Tuesday, but said Sunday that the
plan had changed and the four-mile journey from Trackside had been pushed back
to later in the week.

Stall manager Steve Hargrave reports Philip S. Birsh’s Wood Memorial
runner-up Tencendur (Warrior’s Reward), trained by George Weaver, is expected to arrive
at Churchill Monday
after a van ride from New York.

Loooch Racing Stables and Glenn K. Ellis’ War Story (Northern Afleet) is
scheduled to work at Churchill on Wednesday, according to trainer Tom Amoss.

Robert V. LaPenta and Harry T. Rosenblum’s Arkansas Derby
runner-up Far Right is aiming to work on Saturday or Sunday at Churchill,
trainer Ron Moquett reports.

“Bubble” horses Frammento (Midshipman) and Bold Conquest (Curlin), numbers 22
and 23 on the leaderboard, are mapping out their work schedules in hopes of
getting into the 20-horse field for Derby 141.

Ackerley Brothers Farm’s Bold Conquest, runner-up in the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs
and third in the Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park, is slated to work beneath the Twin
Spires Monday. Trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday’s weather would determine
whether he would work shortly after the track opens for training at 6 a.m. or during
the training period for Oaks and Derby horses.

Trainer Nick Zito said that Frammento, fourth in the Blue Grass (G1) in his
latest, would work at Keeneland Saturday.

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