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Kentucky Derby Entries: Field of 20, One Also Eligible
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KENTUCKY DERBY ENTRIES
BLACK ONYX (KY) -- SCRATCH On April 13, Black Onyx breezed five in 1:00.60 (3/26) at CD. On April 27, Black Onyx breezed four in :48.60 (12/70) at CD.
PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE
March 23, Grade III Spiral Stakes, Turfway Park, 1 1/8 Mile. Black Onyx won in his first stakes effort -- and now it's on to the Kentucky Derby. Rated by Joe Bravo in fifth and sixth in the early going just behind Uncaptured, Black Onyx was never far off the pace. With a quarter-mile run in :23.74 and a half in :48.30, he was 4 1/2, then 2 1/2 lengths back of the pace set by Mac the Man. Mac the Man began to fade as the field headed for the far turn, impeding an oncoming Fear the Kitten. Taken by the Storm got the lead with six furlongs run in 1:13.00, with Giant Finish just behind and Black Onyx third, a length back of the lead. Uncaptured was right there in fourth position, where he'd been all the way.
PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO
CHARMING KITTEN (KY) NEXT RACE: Kentucky Derby on May 4? Arrived at Churchill Downs on April 8, in barn 34, stall 6. POST-RACE WORKOUTSOn April 27, Charming Kitten breezed four in :48.40 (8/70) at CD. PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE Jan. 20, Kitten's Joy Stakes, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/16 Mile (T). Charming Kitten prevailed over Bambazonki by a head after a stretch duel. He and John Velazquez employed a stalking style typical for this colt.
March 3, Grade III Palm Beach Stakes, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/8 Mile (T). Rydilluc prevailed over Charming Kitten by 3 1/2 lengths, timed in 1:48.18 while being ridden out by Edgar Prado. Rydilluc assumed a stalking position just off the pacesetting Dad’z Laugh during a first half-mile in a pedestrian :49.59. Charming Kitten was in fifth, and wide. Rydilluc, the 2-1 second betting choice, edged to the front on the far turn without any encouragement from Prado before sprinting away from his rivals in the stretch. Charming Kitten, the 8-5 favorite ridden by John Velazquez, closed well to finish second, a neck ahead of Reporting Star, who had a stalking trip under Eduardo Nunez.
April 13, Grade I Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, Keeneland, 1 1/8 Mile. Charming Kitten, sent off at 22-1 odds, got up for third with a significant late run. He was tenth after six furlongs and was beaten only a half-length for it all. Rydillic finished fourth, 1 3/4 length in arrears of Java's War. But it was Java's War who went from worst to first after a thrilling stretch run. He got up in the final strides to defeat Palace Malice. Fourth with 100 yards to run, Java's War was timed in 1:50.27 for the 1 1/8 mile.
PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO
FALLING SKY (KY)
$16,000 Keeneland November 2010. NEXT RACE: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Arrived at Churchill Downs April 2. Located at barn 36, stall 22. Luis Saez will ride him in the Derby. POST-RACE WORKOUTSOn April 26, Falling Sky breezed five in :59.60 (1/32) at CD. PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE
Feb. 2, Grade III Sam F. Davis Stakes, Tampa Bay Downs, 1 1/16 Mile. Falling Sky, bought only 18 days earlier, won in his first start for the new ownership and his first start at two turns. After hopping at the start, Falling Sky was soon on the lead. He and Jose Espinoza cut out fractions of :23.49, :47.68 and 1:12.61 while being closely pursued by Divine Ambition. Balino and Dynamic Sky stalked. Rounding the far turn, Falling Sky continued on the front while Dynamic Sky began to gear up. At the furlong marker, Falling Sky was still two lengths ahead of Dynamic Sky. The latter one inched into that margin but came up a neck short at the wire. Those two were alone at the finish. My Name Is Michael made a belated late run to get third, beaten 3 1/4 lengths. Falling Sky was timed at 1:44.79. Feb. 5 NOTE: “We’ll probably have a better idea in a week or so (about his next start),” trainer Terranova told DRF.com. “He came out of the race really well. He’s sound, happy. Everything’s good. He’s nominated to everything. We’ll just have to figure out what’s best timing-wise. I do like that we can get two more races into him before the Derby.” Feb. 23, Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes, 1 1/16 Mile. Falling Sky was scratched, and the Grade II Tampa Bay Derby was reset as his next target.
March 9, Grade II Tampa Bay Derby, Tampa Bay Downs, 1 1/16 Mile. Verrazano remained unbeaten in three starts, winning by three lengths. Java's War closed well after breaking slowly to finish second, and Dynamic Sky, the only competitor to challenge Verrazano, was third, beaten 7 1/4 lengths. March 16 NOTE: “He came out of the race very well; he’s going to be very fit coming off two races at Tampa,” trainer Terranova said. “The timing’s good, I think he fits in well with that type of track. Speed is pretty good. He’s got good tactical speed; it makes a lot of sense aiming for that.” April 13, Grade I Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/8 Mile. Overanalyze, in a major form reversal, came from off the pace to win in dominant fashion. Best by 4 1/4 lengths, he was timed in 1:51.94 as horses struggled to get home over Oaklawn Park's long stretch. Falling Sky, who set the pace in fractions of :23.32, :47.64, 1:12.57 and 1:39.22, fell back to fourth as the winner, Frac Daddy and Carve all got by him in the final eighth mile. Only a length separated the second, third and fourth finishers. Oxbow finished fifth, beaten 5 1/4 lengths, after running ninth or tenth of 10 in the early going.
PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO
FRAC DADDY (KY) NEXT-RACE: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Arrived at Churchill Downs on April 17. He's in barn 6, stall 6. Victor Lebron will ride. POST-RACE WORKOUTSOn April 27, Frac Daddy breezed five in 1:02.00 (32/52) at CD. PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE Jan. 12 NOTE: “I’m leaning towards maybe running him in the Holy Bull,” said trainer McPeek after Frac Daddy worked on even terms in company with Golden Ticket. "We don’t have to decide today. We’ll just see how he does for the next week or two. It was a good work, excellent. They pretty much worked together. He got a little tired the last part of it, but we’re getting him ready. I’ll either run him in an allowance or the stake. I can take that up to a few days before." Jan. 21 NOTE: “I’m leaning toward the Holy Bull,” trainer McPeek said after Frac Daddy breezed. “Nothing set in stone. I’ll wait until Wednesday and see how he’s eating and see how he’s doing. No pressure. It was a nice solid breeze. We didn’t want to go too fast the first three-eighths. He finished up the last quarter and galloped out good. He went the last quarter in :24 3/5 and galloped out three-quarters in 1:14. He worked faster last week, but he worked too fast last week. (The Kentucky Jockey Club) was an excellent race. He just got a smidgeon tired. It was only his third race. The other horse was going on six or seven. I think we can run with (Shanghai Bobby).”
Jan. 26, Grade III Holy Bull Stakes, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/16 Mile. Frac Daddy finished sixth, beaten 16 3/4 lengths by Itsmyluckyday. The latter part of his post parade didn't go well, and he was fractious at the gate. Then he grabbed a quarter during the race, which looked pretty nasty in a photo tweeted by trainer McPeek after he made a post-race comment set out below. The chart call: "Frac Daddy settled in along the rail in opening stages, continued to stalk the pace in the backstretch, asked for response nearing the far turn, raced three wide into the lane and failed to kick in the drive." Jan. 29 NOTE: Trainer McPeek tweets photo of Frac Daddy's foot, recovering from grabbed quarter, saying it's better but still tender to the touch. Jan. 30 NOTE: “I don’t know when he did it, whether he did it coming out or the gate or pulling up,” trainer McPeek said. “He’ll probably miss 4 or 5 days, but it could be as long as two weeks, depending on how sore it is.” Feb. 4 NOTE: Ken McPeek tweets, "Frac Daddy foot much better." Feb. 9 NOTE: Ken McPeek tweeted, "Frac foot seems fine. Workout two more times and find a good spot for him." Feb. 22 NOTE: This tweet from Kenny McPeek today: "Frac Daddy slow progress on throat ulcer issue. Behind Eight Ball a bit. Schedule may point him to @Turfway Mar23rd. Assuming all goes well." March 2 NOTE: Agent Tony Matos said Garrett Gomez would ride Frac Daddy in the Grade III Spiral Stakes on March 23. March 16 NOTE: Now it looks like the Grade I Florida Derby is more probable. “He grabbed the quarter in the Holy Bull really bad. I think that was probably more an issue than the throat (ulcer)," said trainer McPeek. "Then, again, maybe it was the throat,” McPeek said. “It’s been really a tough one to get together. We’ve had to wait a long time here. Another week won’t hurt him. I’m more inclined to keep him here, because of the extra week, and we can school him a little more, and he’s been training over this track.” March 23 NOTE: Trainer McPeek on Frac Daddy: "He's a big, immature colt. He's a big Baby Huey." March 30, Grade I Florida Derby, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/18 Mile. Frac Daddy finished seventh, beaten 18 lengths by Orb and a time of 1:50.87. April 13, Grade I Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/8 Mile. Overanalyze, in a major form reversal, came from off the pace to win in dominant fashion. Best by 4 1/4 lengths, he was timed in 1:51.94 as horses struggled to get home over Oaklawn Park's long stretch. Falling Sky, who set the pace in fractions of :23.32, :47.64, 1:12.57 and 1:39.22, fell back to fourth as the winner, Frac Daddy and Carve all got by him in the final eighth mile. Only a length separated the second, third and fourth finishers. Oxbow finished fifth, beaten 5 1/4 lengths, after running ninth or tenth of 10 in the early going.
Ken McPeek, second on Frac Daddy and first with Java's War in the Blue Grass: "The day was excellent. It makes all of the hard work you put in worth it. I couldn't see (from watching on TV in KY) what happened that caused the objection, but he had to put it in. But my horse ran great and he punched his ticket to the Derby. In the past he's shown a lot of talent, and today he put it together. Victor did a very good job riding him. He let him settle and then kept him in the clear. PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO
Frac Daddy demonstrated a lot of potential in his three starts at age two. The late-developing colt worked his way through traffic to finish second in his career debut at Belmont Park on Oct. 4 before scoring in a two-turn 1 1/16-mile race at Churchill Downs by nearly 10 lengths on Nov. 3. Nov. 17 NOTE: Following a workout: “He did incredible. He did it easy. He’s a very talented horse,” trainer McPeek said. Nov. 22 NOTE: “We know he’s good,” trainer McPeek said. “It’s going to be interesting to see how he runs against a horse like Uncaptured and some other horses that have shown some talent. It’s a good barometer for next year."
Nov. 24, Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club, Churchill Downs, 1 1/16 Mile. Uncaptured (9-5), Frac Daddy (5-2) Dewey Square (6-1) and Tesseron (8-1), the four favorites, ran one-two-three-four in the order of their odds. Uncaptured outlasted a tenacious Frac Daddy in deep stretch to win by a neck, timed in 1:44.97. Dewey Square was beaten 1 1/2 length, and Tesseron was beaten 2 1/4 lengths. The winner was awarded only a 75 Beyer. Dec. 19 NOTE: “I was around Skip Away when Sonny Hine had him, and this horse reminds me of him. He’s out of a Skip Away mare. Physically, he looks like Skip Away, so that’s kind of neat,” trainer McPeek said. “Having been around a few good horses in my time, I think this horse could be any kind. The most impressive was his first race. It looked like he had every reason to lay down, but he kept fighting back to finish second, kind of weaving his way through traffic. The second race was just dominant. We knew he was good. I was a little concerned about how he’d handle Churchill. It was amazing how powerful he was. In his third race I thought I could have trained him a little harder. He might have beaten the other horse. He got a little tired. Having been around a few good horses in my time, I think this horse could be any kind. If he improves the way I expect him to, we’ve got a big chance to be in the middle of a lot of nice races. Dec. 29 NOTE: Frac Daddy still being pointed to the Grade II Fountain of Youth on Feb 23.
GIANT FINISH (NY) NEXT RACE: Kentucky Derby; to be ridden by Jose Espinoza. May 2 arrival from Fair Hill Training Center. POST-RACE WORKOUTSOn April 8, Giant Finish breezed four in :48.20 (3/4) at FAI. On April 17, Giant Finish breezed four in :48.00 (1/4) at FAI. On April 25, Giant Finish breezed four in :49.40 (1/2) at FAI.
PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE
March 23, Grade III Spiral Stakes, Turfway Park, 1 1/8 Mile. Giant Finish finished third after being in second place at the first three calls. Black Onyx won in his first stakes effort. Rated in fifth and sixth in the early going just behind Uncaptured, Black Onyx was never far off the pace. With a quarter-mile run in :23.74 and a half in :48.30, he was 4 1/2, then 2 1/2 lengths back of the pace set by Mac the Man. Mac the Man began to fade as the field headed for the far turn, impeding an oncoming Fear the Kitten. Taken by the Storm got the lead with six furlongs run in 1:13.00, with Giant Finish just behind and Black Onyx third, a length back of the lead. Uncaptured was right there in fourth position, where he'd been all the way.
PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO
GOLDEN SOUL (KY) NEXT RACE: Arrived at Churchill Downs April 6 and lodged in barn 48, stall 18. Robby Albarado has the mount. POST-RACE WORKOUTSOn April 18, Golden Soul breezed six in 1:12.40 (1/3) at CD. On April 26, Golden Soul breezed five in 1:00.80 (7/32) at CD. PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE Jan. 18 NOTE: I think he’s going to be kind of a ‘longer the better’ type of horse,” trainer Stewart said.
Jan. 19, Grade III Lecomte Stakes, Fair Grounds, One Mile 70 Yards. Golden Soul finished second, but it was a little over 11 lengths second as Oxbow led throughout to win in 1:43.30. Feb. 24, Grade II Risen Star Stakes, Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 Mile. Golden Soul and Miguel Mena finished sixth, beaten 2 3/4 lengths. They were sixth or seventh at every point in the race. Ive Struck A Nerve rallied on the outside to win from last position at the first call. The time was 1:44.52. The chart call: "Golden Soul raced near the inside on the first turn, was reserved off the pace, came under urging on the far turn, swung five wide into the stretch and lacked the needed kick." March 30, Grade II Louisiana Derby, Fair Grounds, 1 1/8 Mile. Golden Soul was last of 14 at the first two calls and thirteenth after six furlongs. After making a sustained run from the 5/8 pole to the furlong marker, he finished fourth. Revolutionary and Mylute both came from far back to run one-two. Revolutionary took the overland route to win. Unhurried early, he was about a dozen behind a fast early pace, while Mylute was nine to 11 lengths back. Hip Four Sixtynine and Titletown Five alternated for the early lead with splits of :22.84 and :46.34. They tired to six in 1:11.84, and Revolutionary was only 2 3/4 lengths behind at that point, with Mylute four lengths back of the pace. Revolutionary launched a bid five wide in the far turn -- it looked like eight. Mylute, at 19-1, went four and five wide and briefly got the lead at the sixteenth pole but hung a bit, and Revolutionary prevailed by a neck over Mylute, timed in 1:50.28. Finishing third, three lengths farther back, was Departing. Fourth was Golden Soul, who was beaten 4 3/4 lengths.
PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO
GOLDENCENTS (KY)
$5,500 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall 2011. NEXT RACE: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Arrived at Churchill Downs April 27, is in barn 42. Kevin Krigger will ride. POST-RACE WORKOUTSOn April 17, Goldencents worked four in :48.40 (6/24) at SA. On April 25, Goldencents breezed six in 1:16.20 (8/8) at SA.
PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE
THE DAY AFTER: “No plans right now,” said trainer O’Neill. “But he ate up great and his legs are ice cold. We’ll meet up with the owners over lunch in 10 days and map out an agenda.” Jan. 26 NOTE: “Goldencents worked like a champ,” trainer O’Neill said. “I’m very happy." Feb. 7 NOTE: “He worked great,” trainer O'Neill said. “He brings it every day. I wish they were all like him. He’s very willing.” Feb. 14 NOTE: “He worked really well,” trainer O’Neill said. “He galloped out good, cooled out great and looked great this morning, so we’re one day closer.”
March 9, Grade II San Felipe Stakes, Santa Anita, 1 1/16 Mile. Hear the Ghost came from nowhere to win. Salutos Amigos set the tone for a wild and woolly San Felipe when he went to the front into the first turn. Flashback and Goldencents sprinted behind him, the first quarter-mile timed in :22.97. Goldencents and Flashback easily put away Salutos Amigos and ran up the backstretch in fast fractions of :45.95 and 1:09.94. While it was the game plan of Goldencents' connections to sit off of Flashback -- they broke from posts 3 and 2 respectively -- the opposite configuration unfolded as Flashback hammered Goldencents with pressure from the outside. March 10 NOTE: Assisant trainer said, “He came out really good. He ate well, but I would say he knows, that in his mind, he was upset that he got beat. He was pinning his ears back a little bit and he never does that. He’s just a kid. He’s learning the basics right now, I think. (The Santa Anita Derby is) up to the owners. I guess they’re going to have a meeting and talk about it, but they’ll decide whether to run in the Santa Anita Derby or try somewhere else.” March 16 NOTE: "I’ve got to do a little better job training him. I will, and we’ll be tough in the Santa Anita Derby,” trainer O'Neill said.
April 6, Grade I Santa Anita Derby, Santa Anita, 1 1/8 Mile. Goldencents, ridden brilliantly by Kevin Krigger, won the race. Krigger and Goldencents got after it right away. When Super Ninety Nine shot the lead from the gate, he was almost immediately engaged by Goldencents off his flank to the outside. The pair cut out splits of :22.72 and :46.48, reminiscent of the fast early pace in the San Felipe. But this time it was different. Krigger took hold of Goldencents and rated him through a third quarter-mile in 24 seconds, and Super Ninety Nine, ridden by Martin Garcia, maintained a short lead. Flashback and Garrett Gomez stalked two lengths back, give or take, in fourth, then fifth, then third going into the far turn.
April 11 NOTE: “He came out of the Santa Anita Derby great,” trainer O’Neill said. “He’s doing super but it’s one day at a time. He was back on the track for the first time today, jogging, and at this point, we would work him nine days out and fly him (to Kentucky) seven days out. That’s the tentative game plan. he fact that he’s traveled to New York, traveled to Louisiana, and he’s a pretty well-seasoned 3-year-old, has us pretty excited as well.” April 17 NOTE: Trainer O’Neill said Goldencents' workout on April 17 was six furlongs in 1:14.40, not four furlongs in :48.40 (6/24) as reported by official clockers. O’Neill said he thought that Goldencents was able to relax “big time. I saw a relaxed, mature horse that finished up great." O'Neill said he timed Goldencents in :37.20 for the first three furlongs. Goldencents will work again April 25 before being shipped to Churchill Downs on April 27. PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO
Sept. 2, Maiden Special Weight, Del Mar, 5 1/2 Furlongs. Goldencents was bet down from an 8-1 morning line to 8-5, then proceeded to run the distance, pretty much on his own, in 1:02.79, just .09 second off the track record. Kevin Krigger was up for the 7 1/4-length win. A track record was set by a 3-year-old filly earlier in the day. The chart call: "Goldencents had good early speed and dueled inside, inched away on the turn, was mildly hand ridden for several strides to open up in the lane and drew off without further encouragement." Oct. 11 NOTE: Goldencents wasn't nominated to Breeders' Cup, and he won't be supplemented to the Juvenile. Nov. 17, Grade III Delta Downs Jackpot, Delta Downs, 1 1/16 Mile. Goldencents, the 5-2 second choice, led at each call, setting sharp early fractions, then slowing it down a bit with the first six furlongs in 1:11.18. His winning time was 1:44.89. Favored at 9-5 odds, Bern Identity was ninth of nine after three-quarters of a mile, and he charged hard late to get second, beaten 1 3/4 length. The chart call: "Goldencents was sent right to the front to set a well rated pace, drew off in upper stretch then was kept to a strong drive and held sway in the end." Doug O'Neill: “Kevin knows this colt. He’s worked him nearly every out. When I heard the announcer give the early fractions I thought, ‘uh oh we are going a little too quick,’ but we all have so much faith in this colt. Kevin kept him out of trouble and didn’t fight him and it worked out perfect. I don’t know the exact path (to the Kentucky Derby), but we will probably look somewhere at Santa Anita after the first of the year, maybe the Bob Lewis Stakes. This horse has been in New York and Louisiana in two of his three starts, so he travels great.” Dec. 21 NOTE: Dennis O’Neill said that Goldencents will make his 3-year-old debut in the Grade III Sham Stakes on Jan. 5,
ITSMYLUCKYDAY (KY) NEXT RACE: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Elvis Trujillo to ride. Itsmyluckyday was vanned from Calder to Churchill Downs and arrived on April 27. POST-RACE WORKOUTSOn April 11, Itsmyluckyday breezed five in 1:01.00 (1/9) at CRC. On April 18, Itsmyluckyday worked a mile in 1:43.20 (1/2) at CRC. On April 25, Itsmyluckyday breezed four in :53.00 (9/9) at SA.
PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE
Jan. 26, Grade III Holy Bull Stakes, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/16 Mile. Itsmyluckyday became the first horse to defeat Shanghai Bobby, and it took a track-record time to do it, 1:41.81, cutting .54 second off then 5-year-old Endorsement's mark from Feb. 1, 2012. Shanghai Bobby broke from post 1 on the lead under Rosie Napravnik. He was pursued most closely going into and up the backstretch by longshot Clearly Now. Behind those two was the eventual winner, Itsmyluckyday, written by Elvis Trujillo. Frac Daddy and Bern Identity vied for fourth position as the field ran toward the second turn. Heading into the turn, Shanghai Bobby and Itsmyluckyday separated themselves from the rest of the field. Shanghai Bobby led into the top of the stretch, but he was soon overtaken by Itsmyluckyday. Feb. 8 NOTE: "We've already decided with the new points system, that if for some reason we don't get enough points in the next race, the Florida Derby, we won't go to the Kentucky Derby," trainer Plesa told Jennie Rees in USA Today. "Because I don't think I'm going to run him in a race between the Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby to get enough points to get into the race." March 16 NOTE: “He worked perfect with Elvis,” said trainer Plesa. “He galloped out three-quarters in 1:14. I couldn’t be more pleased with him. We’re coasting from here. He’ll just have an easy half-mile breeze next weekend, and that’s it. It’s been a long wait, but I think we’ve done the right thing with him.” March 26 NOTE: “It was a matter of him finding his niche,” trainer Plesa said. “I was waiting for the distance races all along. Did he far exceed anything that I thought? Absolutely. But I did expect him to be a distance horse.”
March 30, Grade I Florida Derby, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/18 Mile. Orb initially set up a couple of lengths behind the pace set by Merit Man, who was pressed by Narvaez. Itsmyluckyday and Elvis Trujillo were tracking those two outside of two-year-old champion Shanghai Bobby, who was on the rail after breaking from post 1. Merit Man and Narvaez went the first quarter-mile in :24.74 and the half in :48.56, and at the second call Orb was in fifth position, four lengths from the front.
April 18 NOTE: “I couldn’t be more pleased with the way he worked,” trainer Plesa told DRF.com. “The first half-mile is what it is, I just wanted him to finish up. I’ve been doing this a long time over here and they don’t tend to go much faster than 1:43 for a mile at Calder. Maybe one or two have but I don’t think I’ve had a horse finish like he did or gallop out so strongly after working a mile in that kind of time. He’s bigger and stronger than he’s ever been. The 62 days between the Holy Bull and Florida Derby was just what we needed to do. He’s responded very favorably and is on top of his game right now.” PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO
Itsmyluckyday was a four-length winner of the five-furlong Fasig-Tipton Dash on Aug. 25, improving his career record to three wins from five starts with $110,600 in earnings. The purse for the Foolish Pleasure would be $100,000. Oct. 17 NOTE: “I talked to the partners in Itsmyluckyday and for them, geographically, it’s not what they wanted. He’d be 20-1 or higher in the Juvenile and they’ve been to California before with a horse and didn’t have any luck. We’ll just bypass the Breeders’ Cup and get him ready for the bigger races down here this winter,” trainer Plesa told DRF.com. Nov. 17, Grade III Delta Downs Jackpot, Delta Downs, 1 1/16 Mile. Itsmyluckyday failed to impact the race and finished sixth, beaten 7 1/4 lengths. The chart call: "Itsmyluckday was unhurried early then rallied on the far turn while five wide to upper stretch then failed to menace in the stretch drive."
JAVA'S WAR (KY) NEXT START: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Julien Leparoux will have the mount. Arrived at Churchill Downs April 18. He's in barn 6, stall 2. POST-RACE WORKOUTSOn April 27, Java's War breezed five in 1:02.00 (32/52) at CD. PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE
March 9, Grade II Tampa Bay Derby, Tampa Bay Downs, 1 1/16 Mile. Verrazano remained unbeaten in three starts, winning by three lengths. Java's War closed well after breaking slowly to finish second, and Dynamic Sky, the only competitor to challenge Verrazano, was third, beaten 7 1/4 lengths. March 23 NOTE: Trainer McPeek said today, "He is, I think, bred more for grass than the dirt. He's small, almost feminine. He's got a great mind."
April 13, Grade I Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, Keeneland, 1 1/8 Mile. Java's War went from worst to first after a thrilling stretch run. He got up in the final strides to defeat Palace Malice. Fourth with 100 yards to run, Java's War was timed in 1:50.27 for the 1 1/8 mile. On how he thinks Java’s War will handle the 11/4-mile distance of the Kentucky Derby -- “I think he’ll be fine. The way he relaxes the first part, I think he’ll be fine for the mile and a quarter.”
PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO Nov. 17 NOTE: “He’s been doing great,” trainer McPeek said. “He’s been training super.” Nov. 22 NOTE: "I think he’ll run all right on (dirt)," trainer McPeek said. "He’s trained well on it, and he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. His pedigree says he’s a grass horse on the female side, but his sire (War Pass) was a good dirt horse." Nov. 24, Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club, Churchill Downs, 1 1/16 Mile. Java's War finished sixth, beaten 5 1/4 lengths. The chart call: "Java's War broke slow, was taken in hand, angled out and made a middle move six wide, but flattened entering the stretch."
LINES OF BATTLE (KY)
MYLUTE (KY) $150,000 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky 2011. NEXT RACE: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Arrived Churchill Downs April 2. Located in barn 29, stall 20. Rosie Napravnik has the mount. POST-RACE WORKOUTSOn April 7, Mylute breezed four in:50.20 (16/24) at CD. On April 14, Mylute breezed six in 1:12.20 (1/6) at CD. On April 21, Mylute breezed four in :47.80 (2/81) at CD. On April 27, Mylute breezed four in :50.60 (59/70) at CD. PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE Feb. 24, Grade II Risen Star Stakes, Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 Mile. Mylute and Shaun Bridgmohan contended early in fourth, were still in contention during the stretch drive, but faded to finish seventh beaten 3 1/4 lengths. Ive Struck A Nerve rallied on the outside to win from last position at the first call. The time was 1:44.52. The chart call: "Mylute was rated under a very strong hold, went two then three wide on the far turn, was asked near the quarter-pole, chased into the final furlong and weakened." Feb. 26 NOTE: “The way he was trained and the amount of time between races had something to do with him faltering at the end, so we’re going to try one more time with him,” trainer Amoss said.
March 30, Grade II Louisiana Derby, Fair Grounds, 1 1/8 Mile. Revolutionary and Mylute both came from far back to run one-two. Revolutionary took the overland route to win. Unhurried early, he was about a dozen behind a fast early pace, while Mylute was nine to 11 lengths back. Hip Four Sixtynine and Titletown Five alternated for the early lead with splits of :22.84 and :46.34. They tired to six in 1:11.84, and Revolutionary was only 2 3/4 lengths behind at that point, with Mylute four lengths back of the pace. Revolutionary launched a bid five wide in the far turn -- it looked like eight. Mylute, at 19-1, went four and five wide and briefly got the lead at the sixteenth pole but hung a bit, and Revolutionary prevailed by a neck over Mylute, timed in 1:50.28. Finishing third, three lengths farther back, was Departing. Fourth was Golden Soul, who was beaten 4 3/4 lengths. THE NEXT DAY: “We’re going to head right to Louisville,” said trainer Amoss. “I’m still not exactly sure what our plans are when we get there, but our horse ran a huge race yesterday, and we’re very proud of him. He came out of the race just fine.”
PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO
NORMANDY INVASION (KY) NEXT START: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Arrived at Churchill Downs on April 14, in barn 42, stall 10. Javier Castellano will ride.
POST-RACE WORKOUTS PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE Jan. 4 NOTE: Twitterverse says Normandy Invasion being is pointed to the Risen Star Stakes. Feb. 14 NOTE: “He ran good in the Remsen, and he’s been training real good down here in Florida," trainer Brown said, discussing shipping to Fair Grounds for Normandy Invasion's 2013 debut. "But he hasn’t had a lot of experience, and I know the track at Gulfstream wouldn’t be conducive to his (closing) style. We’re searching for a better situation.” Feb. 24, Grade II Risen Star Stakes, Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 Mile. Normandy Invasion and Jose Lezcano finished fifth, beaten only 1 1/2 length after a rough start. Only a half-length separated the top four finishers, Ive Struck A Nerve, Code West, Palace Malice and Oxbow. Normandy Invasion was eleventh, twelfth and tenth at the first three calls. Ive Struck A Nerve rallied on the outside to win from last position at the first call, Normandy Invasion went wide, then wider, to eventually get seven wide, but he got up too late. The time was 1:44.52. The chart call: "Normandy Invasion broke a bit slow then bobbled, angled in at the rear, lugged out while rank into the first turn, drifted five wide midway through that bend, was reserved well back while on the outside, went three then four wide early on the far turn, moved to six wide outside the quarter-pole, came seven wide into the stretch, gained ground on the outside and finished well but was too late." March 30 NOTE: “I think Normandy Invasion’s race at the Fair Grounds was kind of sneaky good,” said trainer Pletcher on March 29. “Now, if you go based on my horse (Overanalyze) and Delhomme, yes you have to look at it as a negative key race. We keep looking, and every kind of speed figure shows it was a fast, big number race. But, I don't think the race was horrible.”
April 6, Grade I Wood Memorial, Aqueduct, 1 1/8 Mile. Verrazano narrowly after being sent off as the 4-5 crowd favorite, and Normandy Invasion passed Vyjack late to get second. Verrazano stalked the early pace set by longshot Chrisandthecapper though moderate fractions of :24.89 and:49.62. Normandy Invasion wasn't far back, initially sitting six lengths off the leader, then three with a half-mile run. Vyjack was outside of Normandy Invasion at that point. Verrazano quickly disposed of Chrisandthecapper six furlongs into the race -- timed in a tepid 1:13.74 -- and just as suddenly seemed to go into idle mode on the far turn as Velazquez peeked over his shoulder to see what was behind him. The jockey urged him on, and Verrazano responded with a mile in the books in 1:37.72 -- and Vyjack coming to him in the stretch. Verrazano repelled that charge and hit the wire just after Normandy Invasion rumbled up past Vyjack to get second by the length of a neck. The winning margin was 3/4 of a length, with Vyjack beaten by one. Verrazano was timed in 1:50.27. April 12 NOTE: "It was a very, very tough decision," agent Matt Muzikar said of Javier Castellano's decision to ride Normandy Invasion. "These were some of our best clients; we just won a million-dollar race on Revolutionary and we ran huge with Normandy Invasion. WinStar are great supporters of ours and of course there's our man Todd. Javier really liked the way Normandy Invasion ran in the Wood; he thought two more strides and he would have caught Verrazano, and he thought he galloped out strong. There's pros and cons to every situation -- Revolutionary has a lot of heart and grit -- but it's just one of those things where we had to choose." April 20 NOTE: "I spoke with Chad a couple hours ago and he is very upbeat about Normandy Invasion," Rick Porter wrote on his website on April 19. "He is eating better than he ever has and he has always been a good eater. His energy level is increasing every day. He is galloping a mile and three eighths daily and getting over the track beautifully. He is planning to work him this Sunday an easy half a mile. He will work one more time the following Sunday which will probably be five eighths. He couldn't be doing better. This is always a tough race to win. We need a good post and a great trip and the best effort of Normandy Invasion's life along with some good old fashioned racing luck." PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO Normandy Invasion won his second start, a one-mile maiden special weight at Aqueduct on Nov. 2. He trailed in seventh of 10 under Jose Lezcano for half the race, then made a bold move before drawing off by 9 1/4 lengths. Very impressive. His time was 1:37.31. Tiz Chris was second. “He looked like a winner turning for home. To the other horse’s credit, he really dug in and fought back,” trainer Brown said a few weeks later. “They’re two really good horses. I’m sure they’ll meet again. He’s a very talented horse. He’s still learning the game. He can obviously handle two turns. Distance won’t be a problem for him moving forward. He has a great disposition about him. He’s a very smart horse. If he continues to learn and progress, he could be a horse on the trail. I’m hoping. We did like the horse quite a bit. Very soon after I received him, we identified him as one of our top prospects – he way he moved, the way he was breezing.”
Nov. 24, Grade II Remsen Stakes, Aqueduct, 1 1/8 Mile. Delhomme led at each call except the most important one, and that call went to Overanalyze, who was timed in 1:50.13. Delhomme set splilts in "12's" with six furlongs in 1:12.54, but he couldn't hold off the winner and second finisher Normandy Invasion. While Overanalyze tracked the early leader, Normandy Invasion swooped in from ninth of 10 during the early going only to lose by a nose. Delhomme was only three parts of a length back in third, while the fourth finisher was beaten 17 1/2 lengths. Dec. 13 NOTE: “Mr. Porter and I have discussed it. We’re going to let him settle in here at Palm Meadows,” said trainer Brown. “After he has his first workout later in the month, we’ll probably get more serious about targeting a specific race. Until that time, we’ll just let the horse tell us how he’s doing and go from there.”
ORB (KY) NEXT RACE: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Joel Rosario will ride. Arrived in Louisville April 22 and is in barn 43, stall 1. POST-RACE WORKOUTSOn April 14, Orb breezed four in :48.00 (2/8) at PAY. On April 21, Orb breezed five in 1:02.00 (3/5) at PAY. On April 29, Orb breezed four in :47.80 (5/43) at CD. PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE Jan. 26, Entry Level Allowance, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/8 Mile. Orb started slowly, had to be checked, then went from last to first in a quarter-mile, although the field was fairly compact at the time he made his move. But he did that from behind moderate fractions during the first six furlongs. He defeated a stubborn, front-running Duke of the City by a length and appeared to be waiting on horses after he got the lead inside the furlong marker. The fractions and final time were :24.32, :49.11, 1:13.58, 1:37.69, 1:51.05. Two races earlier, 3-year-old Cerro won an allowance at the same distance in 1:50.29.
The chart call: Orb raced in tight going into the first turn, steadied slightly and raced in the back in opening quarter, continued to pull in early stages, forced to settle in under patient handling, given permission to pick up the pace in the backstretch, edged up to the leader near the quarter pole, matched strides with Duke of the City into the stretch, shook free in the final sixteenth and continued clear to the wire."
Feb. 23, Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/16 Mile. Too-swift early fractions were made to order for a late run by Orb. Majestic Hussar set fractions of :23.11, :45.45 and 1:08.85. Cerro was in closest pursuit up the back, followed by Sr. Quisqueyano, Violence and Elmutahid. Speak Logistics and Orb played it cool near the back of the nine-horse field. Violence edged closer to Majestic Hussar heading into the second turn and was within a half-length at six furlongs. Violence got to the furlong marker with a 1 1/2-length lead, but Orb, ridden by John Velazquez, was coming at them and surged past to beat Violence by a half-length. The time was a solid 1:42.24. Speak Logistics also closed, but not as quickly as Orb, to finish third, beaten 7 1/4 lengths. March 26 NOTE: “Like I said after the Fountain of Youth, I wake up every morning thinking of winning the Kentucky Derby. I wish I’d won it a long time ago so I wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore,” trainer McGaughey said. “The reason I don’t get Derby Fever is that I want to take the right horse.”
March 30, Grade I Florida Derby, Gulfstream Park, 1 1/18 Mile. Orb did what trainer McGaughey hoped he'd do, and that's take him a step closer to the Kentucky Derby. Orb and John Velazquez initially set up a couple of lengths behind the pace set by Merit Man, who was pressed by Narvaez. Itsmyluckyday was tracking those two outside of two-year-old champion Shanghai Bobby, who was on the rail after breaking from post 1. Merit Man and Narvaez went the first quarter-mile in :24.74 and the half in :48.56, and at the second call Orb was in fifth position, four lengths from the front.
OVERANALYZE (KY) NEXT RACE: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Arrived at Churchill Downs on April 14. He's in barn 34, stall 1. Rafael Bejarano will ride. POST-RACE WORKOUTSOn April 27, Overanalyze breezed four in :47.00 (1/70) at CD. PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE
March 2, Grade III Gotham Stakes, Aqueduct, 1 1/16 Mile. Overanalyze ran in fourth up the backstretch and was in excellent position around the turn, but he had nothing left for the stretch run. He finished fifth, beaten 4 1/4 lengths by Vyjack. Visually, it didn't look as close as that. March 30 NOTE: “I think Normandy Invasion’s race at the Fair Grounds was kind of sneaky good,” said trainer Pletcher on March 29. “Now, if you go based on my horse (Overanalyze) and Delhomme, yes you have to look at it as a negative key race. We keep looking, and every kind of speed figure shows it was a fast, big number race. But, I don't think the race was horrible. The way (Overanalyze has) been training, I think he's ready to move forward, and he's going to have to.” April 8 NOTE: Rafael Bejarano to replace John Velazquez in the Arkansas Derby.
April 13, Grade I Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/8 Mile. Overanalyze, in a major form reversal, came from off the pace to win in dominant fashion. Best by 4 1/4 lengths, he was timed in 1:51.94 as horses struggled to get home over Oaklawn Park's long stretch. Falling Sky, who set the pace in fractions of :23.32, :47.64, 1:12.57 and 1:39.22, fell back to fourth as the winner, Frac Daddy and Carve all got by him in the final eighth mile. Only a length separated the second, third and fourth finishers. Oxbow finished fifth, beaten 5 1/4 lengths, after running ninth or tenth of 10 in the early going. PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO
Overanalyze won his debut on Aug. 9 going five furlongs at Saratoga. That was followed by a fourth-place finish in the seven-furlong, Grade I Hopeful on Sept. 3. Oct. 17 NOTE: Overanalyze will not go to Breeders' Cup. Instead, the Grade II Nashua at Aqueduct or Grade III Iroquois at Churchill Downs. “I’m a pro-Lasix person,” owner Repole said. “It’s the one drug that can prevent a horse from bleeding and help a horse. I’ve spoken to a lot of veterinarians and a lot of trainers who have given me enough information to make me feel Lasix is a drug that horses need. For them to experiment on one of America’s biggest racing days and stages makes no sense. It’s kind of par for the course.”
Oct. 28, Grade III Iroquois Stakes, Churchill Downs, One Mile. Overanalyze finished third, beaten eight lengths by Uncaptured. The chart call: "Overanalzye, with the early pace outside rivals, lost position into the turn, moved out five wide with less than three furlongs to go and improved his position while no threat." Nov. 14 NOTE: Overanalyze will skip the Grade III Delta Jackpot and is now being pointed to the Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs on Nov. 24. “We decided to stay at Churchill since he was already there and felt the extra week would be beneficial,” Pletcher said. “I also wanted to get a two-turn race at Churchill into him and see how he handled it.” Pletcher won the race with Super Saver in 2009 and Gemologist in 2011. “It’s been a good race for us in the past,” Pletcher said. “Those two horses went on to win significant races afterward, and we also had Any Given Saturday run second in it. We feel like it’s important to get a good two-turn race into the 2-year-olds before you winter and prepare for the spring.” Nov. 24 NOTE: Pletcher changes course and puts Overanalyze in the Remsen.
Nov. 24, Grade II Remsen Stakes, Aqueduct, 1 1/8 Mile. Delhomme led at each call except the most important one, and that call went to Overanalyze, who was timed in 1:50.13. Delhomme set splilts in "12's" with six furlongs in 1:12.54, but he couldn't hold off the winner and second finisher Normandy Invasion. While Overanalyze tracked the early leader, Normandy Invasion swooped in from ninth of 10 during the early going only to lose by a nose. Delhomme was only three parts of a length back in third, while the fourth finisher was beaten 17 1/2 lengths.
Nov. 25 NOTE: “Everyone came back from their efforts in good shape,” said trainer Pletcher. “We’ll take them to Florida and sort it out from there.”
OXBOW (KY) NEXT RACE: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Arrived at Churchill Downs April 14, and he's in barn 44, stall 18. Gary Stevens has the mount. POST-RACE WORKOUTSOn April 22, Oxbow breezed five in 1:01.00 (7/43) at CD. On April 29, Oxbow breezed five in :59.80 (1/34) at CD.
PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE Feb. 7 NOTE: “Oxbow is just super right now,” said trainer Lukas on Feb. 6. “He’s really an amazing horse with the way he trains.”
Feb. 24, Grade II Risen Star Stakes, Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 Mile. Oxbow and Jon Court finished fourth, beaten only a half-length. In a wild finish, a half-length separated the top four runners and the winner paid over $200. Ive Struck A Nerve upset at 135-1. He nosed out Code West by a nose after rallying from last in the 12-horse field. He was timed in 1:44.52. Code West was ridden by Martin Garcia. March 5 NOTE: Will race next in the Grade II Rebel; Mike Smith named to ride.
March 16, Grade II Rebel Stakes, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/16 Mile. Will Take Charge, ridden by Jon Court, won the race by a head over Oxbow, ridden by Mike Smith. As expected, Title Contender sped to a lead designed to set up a late run by fellow entry Treasury Bill -- a late run that never materialized. But the tactic may have been the undoing of Super Ninety Nine, who was never far from Title Contender. They were followed up the backstretch by Delhomme and Oxbow, then Oxbow and Delhomme, through fractions of :23.36 and :47.19. Hitting the far turn, Title Contender was done. Super Ninety Nine and Oxbow were in a battle for the lead, with Oxbow to the outside of the 6-5 post-time favorite. However, Den's Legacy and Will Take Charge were putting pressure on both of them. Six furlongs had gone in 1:12.39. March 26 NOTE: Mike Smith will ride War Academy in the Grade I Arkansas Derby, and Gary Stevens will replace Smith on Oxbow.
April 13, Grade I Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/8 Mile. Oxbow finished fifth, beaten 5 1/4 lengths, after running ninth or tenth of 10 in the early going. Overanalyze, in a major form reversal, came from off the pace to win in dominant fashion. Best by 4 1/4 lengths, he was timed in 1:51.94
PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO
PALACE MALICE (KY)
$25,000 Keeneland September 2011. NEXT RACE: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Arrived at Churchill Downs on April 8 and is in barn 34, stall 8. Mike Smith will ride. Adds blinkers. POST-RACE WORKOUTSOn April 27, Palace Malice breezed four in :47.20 (2/70) at CD. PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE Jan. 19, Entry Level Allowance, Gulfstream Park, Seven Furlongs. This race was all about Majestic Hussar and Palice Malice, who ran one-two on the slop.Majestic Hussar and Jose Lezcano got the jump on Palace Malice and Javier Castellano and gradually increased their lead to three lengths before winning by 2 1/4. Majestic Hussar's time was 1:22.53 after six in 1:09.77. The third finisher was another eight lengths back. The chart call: "Palace Malice tracked just off the pace in early stages, asked to make a bid for leader nearing the far turn, shifted out five wide in the turn, continued to chase Majestic Hussar into the stretch and finished clearly second best."
Feb. 24, Grade II Risen Star Stakes, Fair Grounds, 1 1/16 Mile. Palace Malice and Rosie Napravnik finished third, beaten a half-length after being eighth and ninth at the first two calls. In a wild finish, a half-length separated the top four runners and the winner paid over $200. Ive Struck A Nerve upset at 135-1. He nosed out Code West by a nose after rallying from last in the 12-horse field. He was timed in 1:44.52. March 9 NOTE: Edgar Prado will ride Palace Malice in the Louisiana Derby on March 30. Rosie Napravnik rode him in the Risen Star but will be on Shanghai Bobby in the Florida Derby on March 30. “Our horse is doing great,” said Dogwood Stable's Cot Campbell. “He’s been getting a little gate schooling lately because he was somewhat of a reluctant load at Fair Grounds last month and also at Saratoga last summer. I think the plan Todd has right now for him is to breeze him a half on Sunday and then next Sunday go five-eighths with Edgar aboard." March 23 NOTE: “Palace Malice is a horse we’ve always liked a lot,” said trainer Pletcher on March 22. “We’ve had high hopes for him from the beginning, and hopefully there is more to come. He got a little further back than I would have liked in his first two-turn race (the Risen Star), but we did finish in front of Oxbow in that race, and he went on to run real well when a close second in Oaklawn’s Rebel the other day." Grade II Louisiana Derby, Fair Grounds, 1 1/8 Mile. Palace Malice finished seventh, beaten 7 1/4 lengths by Revolutionary and a time of 1:50.28. Palace Malace had significant traffic trouble in the stretch. The chart call: "Palace Malice saved ground on the first turn, made a strong middle move, moved closer while off the rail on the far turn, waited while blocked from the quarter-pole to the furlong marker, had a bunch of rivals pass him in the process, moved to the outside and lost any chance."
April 13, Grade I Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, Keeneland, 1 1/8 Mile. Java's War went from worst to first after a thrilling stretch run. He got up in the final strides to defeat Palace Malice. Fourth with 100 yards to run, Java's War was timed in 1:50.27 for the 1 1/8 mile.
PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO
REVOLUTIONARY (KY) NEXT RACE: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Arrived at Churchill Downs April 12. He's in barn 34, stall 11. Calvin Borel will have the mount. POST-RACE WORKOUTSOn April 21, Revolutionary breezed four in :48.80 (22/81) at CD. On April 27, Revolutionary breezed four in :48.20 (6/70) at CD. PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE
Feb. 2, Grade III Withers Stakes, Aqueduct, 1 1/16 Mile. Despite a very tough trip, Revolutionary got up in the last jump to win in a last-to-first effort. Timed in 1:44.32 under Javier Castellano, Revolutionary took victory from the grasp of the late-surging Escapefromreality to get up by a neck in an exciting finish. THE NEXT DAY: Revolutionary heading to Florida on Feb. 5 for one more race -- somewhere -- before the Kentucky Derby. “I was watching the replay of the race a little while ago, and there was nothing good about it except for the last two or three jumps,” said trainer Pletcher’s assistant, Michael McCarthy. “That may have been one of the worst winning trips I’ve ever seen.” Feb. 5 NOTE: Shipping to Palm Meadows today. March 23 NOTE: “After that last race in New York, we decided to ship Revolutionary to South Florida because of the better weather and the easier ship from South Florida to just about anywhere this time of year,” said trainer Pletcher on March 22. “We decided awhile back that the Louisiana Derby would make the most sense for him because he has a tendency not to break real sharply and that the long stretch at Fair Grounds would help overcome that. He’s not a bad gate horse; he just doesn’t do it very quickly.
Grade II Louisiana Derby, Fair Grounds, 1 1/8 Mile. There are wide trips, and then there are wide trips. Revolutionary took the overland route to win. Revolutionary was unhurried early, about a dozen behind a fast early pace under Javier Castellano. Hip Four Sixtynine and Titletown Five alternated for the early lead with splits of :22.84 and :46.34. They tired to six in 1:11.84, and Revolutionary was only 2 3/4 lengths behind at that point. Revolutionary launched a bid five wide in the far turn -- it looked like eight. Mylute, at 19-1, briefly got the lead at the sixteenth pole but hung a bit, and Revolutionary prevailed by a neck over Mylute, timed in 1:50.28. Finishing third, three lengths farther back, was Departing. Fourth was Golden Soul, who was beaten 4 3/4 lengths.
April 12 NOTE: "It was a very, very tough decision," agent Matt Muzikar said of Javier Castellano's decision to ride Normandy Invasion. "These were some of our best clients; we just won a million-dollar race on Revolutionary and we ran huge with Normandy Invasion. WinStar are great supporters of ours and of course there's our man Todd. Javier really liked the way Normandy Invasion ran in the Wood; he thought two more strides and he would have caught Verrazano, and he thought he galloped out strong. There's pros and cons to every situation -- Revolutionary has a lot of heart and grit -- but it's just one of those things where we had to choose."
Sept. 3, Maiden Special Weight, Saratoga, 5 1/2 Furlongs. This was Revolutionary's debut. Always in a Tiz won over Clawback by a half-length and was timed in 1:04.13. He was the beneficiary of a chain reaction caused at the break when Stage Street veered out from post 1. Clawback, one of those affected, was five lengths back after a quarter-mile and finished second. Revolutionary, the 7-5 favorite, was knocked way off stride at the break, came from 14 lengths back after a quarter, and finished third, beaten only 1 1/4 length. The next horse was another 2 1/4 lengths back. Seven ran. Oct. 13, Maiden Special Weight, Belmont Park, One Mile. Revolutionary was scratched. Oct. 17 NOTE: Race at Belmont stays on turf, Revolutionary is scratched. Oct. 28, Maiden Special Weight, Belmont Park Six Furlongs. In his debut, Little Distorted was 2.4-1 and beat heavily favored Revolutionary (1-5), who finished second by 2 1/4 lengths. The race was timed in 1:09.72. Main Man Mike (79-1) was another 8 1/2 lengths back in third. Eight ran.
Nov. 24, Special Weight, Aqueduct, One Mile. At 1-5 odds, Revolutionary finished third to Orb and Freedom Child, beaten 4 1/4 lengths. On the rail, he was sixth of seven at the first call, but he could not get to the top two, who were bookends initially. Orb was last of seven at the first call, and Freedom Child set the pace. Revolutionary didn’t get a good start, taken in hand inward to get away from an errant gate-breaker.
VERRAZANO (KY) A half to El Padrino campaigned by the same owners. NEXT RACE: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Arrived at Churchill Downs on April 14. In barn 34, stall 4. John Velazquez will ride.
POST-RACE WORKOUTS PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE Jan. 1, Maiden Special Weight, Gulfstream Park, 6 1/2 Furlongs. Verrazano was an impressive-looking 7 3/4-length winner in his debut. Verrazano stalked the pace before romping away from his competition under John Velazquez. He was timed in 1:16.48. “El Padrino is a very good horse, but this colt is even more impressive,” Pletcher said after the race. Jan. 17 NOTE: Trainer Pletcher: "...we’ll look for a spot for him maybe next month.Most likely we’ll go the allowance route. We’ll look to gradually stretch out.” Jan. 20 NOTE: Verrazano worked in company with Shanghai Bobby. “They went head and head and finished evenly. It was a nice work for both of them,” trainer Pletcher said. Feb. 2, Entry Level Allowance, Gulfstream Park, One Mile. Verrazano won under a hand ride by John Velazquez. He went in 1:34.80. Eton Blue and Gunderman were second and third far up the track. The winning margin was 16 1/4 lengths, with Gunderman a neck back of Eton Blue. Verrazano increased his lead by about 10 lengths in the final furlong. His splits were :22.94, :45.45, 1:09.98 and 1:22.33. Five ran. The chart call: "Verrazano pressed the pace outside Gunderman, gained command from that rival on the turn, then drew off while winning with something left." Todd Pletcher: “That was about as impressive as you’ll see one run. He’s been training really, really well, so we were anticipating a good race and hoping for a good race. You’re going from one at 6 1/2 furlongs and stretching out against some horses with more experience and some stakes form. We were encouraged going into it and even more so coming out. Obviously, he’s earned a right to step up into a big one. We’ve just got to figure out the timing of it. We’re a little close to the Fountain of Youth, so it probably won’t be there. We’re just going to have to figure it out.” March 7 NOTE: “He trained so well before his maiden race, we anticipated he’d run well. Then, he trained just as good or better for his second race. When you have one that trains as well as he does and has run as well as he had, you want to see more of the same,” trainer Pletcher said on March 6.
March 9, Grade II Tampa Bay Derby, Tampa Bay Downs, 1 1/16 Mile. Verrazano remained unbeaten in three starts, winning Tampa's biggest race of the year by three lengths. Java's War closed well after breaking slowly to finish second, and Dynamic Sky, the only competitor to challenge Verrazano, was third, beaten 7 1/4 lengths.
April 6, Grade I Wood Memorial, Aqueduct, 1 1/8 Mile. Verrazano narrowly after being sent off as the 4-5 crowd favorite, and Normandy Invasion passed Vyjack late to get second. Verrazano stalked the early pace set by longshot Chrisandthecapper though moderate fractions of :24.89 and:49.62. Normandy Invasion wasn't far back, initially sitting six lengths off the leader, then three with a half-mile run. Vyjack was outside of Normandy Invasion at that point. Verrazano quickly disposed of Chrisandthecapper six furlongs into the race -- timed in a tepid 1:13.74 -- and just as suddenly seemed to go into idle mode on the far turn as Velazquez peeked over his shoulder to see what was behind him. The jockey urged him on, and Verrazano responded with a mile in the books in 1:37.72 -- and Vyjack coming to him in the stretch. Verrazano repelled that charge and hit the wire just after Normandy Invasion rumbled up past Vyjack to get second by the length of a neck. The winning margin was 3/4 of a length, with Vyjack beaten by one. Verrazano was timed in 1:50.27. Trainer Pletcher said Verrazano will be shipped to Churchill Downs on April 14.
PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO
VYJACK (KY) $600,000 Keeneland September 2011. A gelding. NEXT RACE: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Connections were planning to ship on April 14, but see April 14 NOTE. Vyjack arrived at Churchill Downs on April 21, and he's in barn 4, stall 12. Garrett Gomez has the mount.
POST-RACE WORKOUTS
PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE Feb. 10 NOTE: “He’s got a strong head. I don’t know if he’ll be able to relax. Let’s hope,” trainer Rodriguez told DRF.com on Feb. 7. “We try to do everything we can in the morning – put him behind horses, change his attitude, let him hang around the track. If he wants to be a good horse, he’ll need to settle a little bit more.” Feb. 16 NOTE: Joel Rosario will ride Vyjack in the Gotham. Feb. 26 NOTE: “I just think Cornelio is better with horses that aren’t as aggressive,” owner Wilkenfeld told DRF.com. “I just felt they were fighting each other a little bit. I thought there were other guys that were a good fit, and when (Joel Rosario) became available, I decided to make a change. It was not an easy thing to do. We had a lot of success together; it was just something I thought gave us our best shot to win going forward.”
March 2, Grade III Gotham Stakes, Aqueduct, 1 1/16 Mile. Using a strong late kick, Vyjack remained undefeated with a come-from-behind victory. Ridden patiently by Joel Rosario, early on Vyjack was tenth of the 11 runners, well off the early pace set by West Hills Giant, who cut out the initial quarter-mile of :24.16. The pacesetter went on with fractions of :48.69 and 1:12.72. Transparent was second going up the backstretch, followed by Escapefromreality and Overanalyze, who broke well from the outside post 11 under John Velazquez. Rounding the far turn, West Hills Giant stayed on despite his 33-1 odds, while Overanalyze, the 8-5 favorite, was being ridden by Velazquez. Transparent was staying with the leader in second, and Escapefromreality was beginning to falter. March 13 NOTE: On March 15, trainer Rodriguez will begin serving a 20-day suspension for two medication positives found in 2012 -- the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory Flunixin in post-race samples taken from Heiden on April 7, 2012, and Alston Gunther on Nov. 21. He'll be back by the Wood Memorial. Rodriguez is the leading trainer at Aqueduct and used to work for Rick Dutrow, Jr.
April 6, Grade I Wood Memorial, Aqueduct, 1 1/8 Mile. Verrazano narrowly after being sent off as the 4-5 crowd favorite, and Normandy Invasion passed Vyjack late to get second. Verrazano stalked the early pace set by longshot Chrisandthecapper though moderate fractions of :24.89 and:49.62. Normandy Invasion wasn't far back, initially sitting six lengths off the leader, then three with a half-mile run. Vyjack was outside of Normandy Invasion at that point. Verrazano quickly disposed of Chrisandthecapper six furlongs into the race -- timed in a tepid 1:13.74 -- and just as suddenly seemed to go into idle mode on the far turn as Velazquez peeked over his shoulder to see what was behind him. The jockey urged him on, and Verrazano responded with a mile in the books in 1:37.72 -- and Vyjack coming to him in the stretch. Verrazano repelled that charge and hit the wire just after Normandy Invasion rumbled up past Vyjack to get second by the length of a neck. The winning margin was 3/4 of a length, with Vyjack beaten by one. Verrazano was timed in 1:50.27. THE NEXT DAY: Vyjack bled in the Wood Memorial, owner David Wilkenfeld said.
April 14 NOTE: Bloodhorse.com reports that Vyjack exited the Wood Memorial with a lung infection and has gotten regular treatments in a hyperbaric chamber at Fair Hill Training Center. The story attributes the information to Bruce Jackson, who operates the rehab facility. At first, it was said by owner David Wilkenfeld that Vyjack had bled a "2 on a scale of 5," but it turned out to be mucus and a slight lung infection, according to the Bloodhorse.com story. Vyjack was vanned to Fair Hill by trainer Rudy Rodriguez, where he had received his early training by Jackson. "The lung infection has completely cleared, and being here at Fair Hill and taking it easy for a little while has done him a world of good," Jackson said. Jackson added he did not know how long it will be before Vyjack is taken to Churchill Downs. The original plan was to ship him this date.
PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO Dec. 9, Traskwood Stakes, Aqueduct, Seven Furlongs. Vyjack was much the best in this sloppy-track race, winning by 5 3/4 lengths over Always In A Tiz while timed in 1:24.38. He and Cornelio Velasquez tracked Black Hornet for a half-mile, a couple of lengths back, then quickly got the jump on the small field. At the furlong marker, he was ahead by four lenths. The chart call: "Vyjack stalked outside, bumped lightly with Tweet Me entering the turn, ran by the pacesetter turning for home, drew away, drifted out and was kept to the task." Dec. 31 NOTE: “He’ll be stretching out, going around two turns, and trying the inner track for the first time,” said trainer Rodriguez. “It will be a learning experience for him, and for us. It’s a very competitive race, but he’s been training very well.”
WILL TAKE CHARGE (KY)
POST-RACE WORKOUTS
PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE Jan. 31 NOTE: “I was glad to see this from him,” said trainer Lukas. “I told the exercise rider to go in 49, so that was almost perfect. It was just a maintenance half mile, but there were a couple of horses who broke off in front of him, and he was pretty aggressive. He’s come back good and we’re still looking at the Southwest or Rebel with him.” Feb. 18, Grade III Southwest Stakes, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/16 Mile. On a sloppy track, Will Take Charge came away from the gate slowly and was never in contention. He finished sixth, beaten 18 lengths.
March 16, Grade II Rebel Stakes, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/16 Mile. Will Take Charge, ridden by Jon Court, won the race by a head over Oxbow, ridden by Mike Smith. As expected, Title Contender sped to a lead designed to set up a late run by fellow entry Treasury Bill -- a late run that never materialized. But the tactic may have been the undoing of Super Ninety Nine, who was never far from Title Contender. They were followed up the backstretch by Delhomme and Oxbow, then Oxbow and Delhomme, through fractions of :23.36 and :47.19. Hitting the far turn, Title Contender was done. Super Ninety Nine and Oxbow were in a battle for the lead, with Oxbow to the outside of the 6-5 post-time favorite. However, Den's Legacy and Will Take Charge were putting pressure on both of them. Six furlongs had gone in 1:12.39.
ALSO ELIGIBLE
FEAR THE KITTEN (IL) -- SCRATCH NEXT RACE: Kentucky Derby on May 4. Stationed at the Churchill Downs Training Center across town and has a Thursday arrival date at Churchill Downs. Alan Garcia has the mount.
POST-RACE WORKOUTS
PERFORMANCE AT AGE THREE Feb. 18, Grade III Southwest Stakes, Oaklawn Park, 1 1/16 Mile. Fear the Kitten and Rosie Napravnik finished a distant second. He closed after being ninth of 10 at the first three calls. Super Ninety Nine met no resistance in winning by 11 1/4 lengths. Under Rafael Bejarano, Super Ninety Nine went to the lead and stayed there on a track rendered sloppy by two downpours late in the card. With Heaven's Runway stalking him, Super Ninety Nine cut out fractions of: 23.33, :47.49 and 1:12.29 before finishing in 1:44.84. The chart call: "Fear the Kitten, void of early foot, began to move in the three path in the far turn, came five wide into the lane, came in slightly when straightened for home, rallied willing for the place while not a threat to the winner." Feb. 21 NOTE: Fear the Kitten will probably run next in the Grade III Spiral on March 23, trainer Maker said. March 23, Grade III Spiral Stakes, Turfway Park, 1 1/8 Mile. Fear the Kitten was ridden on the rail by Rosie Napravnik and was moving like a winner, but he got caught behind a faltering Mac the Man with about six furlongs in the books and lost several lengths taking back. He kept trying and finished fifth, beaten 3 3/4 lengths by Black Onyx. The chart call doesn't tell the whole story: "Fear the Kitten contended toward the inside, advanced between horses through the second turn, angled out entering the stretch and was making up ground." April 13, Grade I Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, Keeneland, 1 1/8 Mile. After breaking from post 14 and saving ground in tenth and eleventh position, Fearless Kitten finished fifth, beaten four lengths by Java's War. His owner said before the race that they would point to the Belmont Stakes if they didn't make the Kentucky Derby. PERFORMANCE AT AGE TWO
Fear the Kitten broke his maiden at first asking going 1 1/16 mile at Keeneland on Oct, 24. Fourth of seven after a half-mile, he got up to score by three-quarters of a length under Julien Leparoux. He was the 2-1 favorite. It was a $40,000 maiden claiming race. |
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