GIANT MOON WORKS AT BELMONT; STEVIL BREEZES AT CHURCHILL
Baltimore, MD. 05-13-08
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Photo Credit: Jim McCue/MJC
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BIG BROWN – The unbeaten Kentucky Derby winner owned by IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr. is scheduled to ship from Churchill Downs to Pimlico Wednesday afternoon on a flight with Preakness runners Tres Borrachos and Racecar Rhapsody.
Preakness officials have been told the flight with Big Brown is scheduled to land at Baltimore-Washington International Airport at 5:30 p.m. The van carrying the horses from BWI is expected to arrive at Pimlico approximately one hour later.
Trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. is expected to attend the Preakness post-position draw, to be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the ESPN Zone in downtown Baltimore.
Dutrow was born and raised in Maryland, where his father, the late Richard E. Dutrow, was a prominent trainer for many years.
Big Brown will be the younger Dutrow’s first Preakness runner. His father started one horse in the Preakness, Spartan Cat, who finished sixth in 1998.
Dutrow is scheduled to attend the annual Alibi Breakfast Thursday morning at Pimlico. He has been selected as the Fox News “Power Player of the Week” and will be interviewed by Fox News anchor Chris Wallace Thursday afternoon for the segment that will air Sunday morning.
If Gayego and Big Brown both run Saturday, it will be the sixth time since Kentucky Derby horses began running in the Preakness in 1918 that only two Derby starters moved on to Baltimore for the Preakness. The last time was in 1980 when Codex defeated the Derby-winning filly Genuine Risk in the Preakness. Codex was Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas’ first winner in a Triple Crown race. Lukas, who has saddled five Preakness winners, is tied with “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons with a record 13 victories in races in the Triple Crown series.
Big Brown, a son of Boundary, won his first start for Pompa and trainer Patrick Reynolds by 11¼ lengths in a turf race at Saratoga Race Course on Sept. 3. The victory on the closing day of the 2007 Saratoga season quickly produced offers to purchase the colt. Pompa sold 75 percent of Big Brown to the IEAH partnership headed by Michael Iavarone and the colt was transferred to Dutrow, who handles many of IEAH’s runners.
Since recovering from hoof problems during the late fall and winter, Big Brown has reeled off three consecutive victories for Dutrow. The colt was entered in a turf race at Gulfstream Park in Florida on March 5 for his 3-year-old season debut. Wet conditions forced the race to be moved from the turf to the main track, where Big Brown romped to a 12¾-length victory. Dutrow brought the colt back in the Florida Derby (G1) 24 days later and he won by five lengths after starting from the outside post in the field of 12. He started from post 20 in the Derby, quickly got into a stalking position under Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, moved to the lead at the head of the stretch and drew away to a 4 ¾-length victory.
BEHINDATTHEBAR – With Eddie King aboard, the Lexington Stakes (G2) winner returned to the track at Belmont Park Tuesday morning and galloped 1¼ miles.
The Forest Wildcat colt trained by Todd Pletcher breezed five furlongs in 1:00.13 Sunday morning and walked the shedrow Monday.
Behindatthebar began his career in California in January with trainer Craig Dollase. He moved to Pletcher’s barn prior to a fifth-place finish in the El Camino Real Derby at Bay Meadows on March 8. Since then, he’s won an allowance race at Santa Anita and the Lexington on April 19 at Keeneland.
“We’ve obviously been pleased with his progress,” Pletcher said by phone from his office at the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. “His last two races have been very good. He was able to step up in the Lexington and run a good race. We feel like he’s a horse on the improve.
Behindatthebar has mainly trained and competed on synthetic surfaces. The breeze Sunday at Belmont indicated he is comfortable on a dirt track similar to what he will run over in the Preakness.
“That was encouraging that he was able to work well on the dirt,” Pletcher said. “Now we’ll see if he can adapt to having some dirt in his face. We’re pleased with the way he’s doing.”
GAYEGO – Trainer Paulo Lobo reported Tuesday that Gayego is a “go” for Saturday’s Preakness Stakes. The son of Gilded Time, who galloped 1¼ miles at Hollywood Park Tuesday morning, is scheduled to arrive at Pimlico Wednesday afternoon following a cross-country flight that he will share with Preakness hopeful Yankee Bravo.
“He’s an extremely good shipper,” said Lobo, whose colt shipped to Oaklawn Park in April for a victory in the Arkansas Derby and shipped again for a start in the Kentucky Derby on May 3.
Gayego finished a disappointing 17th in the Derby as the sixth betting choice in a field of 20, compromised by a sluggish start and early crowding. Lobo reported that the Kentucky-bred colt didn’t overexert himself in the Run for the Roses.
“He came back very well,” he said. “He’s been eating everything. He’s feeling happy.”
Mike Smith, who has ridden Gayego in each of his six lifetime starts, has the return mount for the Preakness. Smith rode Prairie Bayou to victory in 1993. Lobo has not started a horse at Pimlico.
GIANT MOON - Under regular exercise rider Caesar Correa, Albert Fried Jr.’s homebred colt turned in a bullet half-mile work in :47.77 Tuesday morning at Belmont Park.
“Actually it was a little quicker than we had anticipated,” said trainer Richard Schosberg. “I was looking at somewhere between :48 and :48 2/5, but he seemed to have done it in good order.
“He jumped on the bit right away at the beginning of the work, which for him is a bit unusual when he’s working by himself. But he’s pretty sharp right now and he went the first quarter pretty quick. It was more like a good three-eighths blowout and he galloped out in :47 3/5 for the half.
“It looks like he’s fine. He cooled out in good order and he’s biting and playing and acting like himself after the work. So I’m not too worried about him.”
Schosberg said Giant Moon completed the first quarter in :22 4/5 and covered three furlongs in :35 4/5.
Giant Moon, a son of Giant’s Causeway, was named the 2007 champion 2-year-old male at the New York Thoroughbred Breeders’ annual award dinner Monday night in Saratoga Springs.
Schosberg had said that track conditions would determine whether Giant Moon had his final breeze for the Preakness on Tuesday or Wednesday. He decided the track had dried out sufficiently from the rain that fell on Sunday and Monday and sent the colt out for the work Tuesday.
“The track was good and he handled it well,” Schosberg said. “If he was going a little bit quick, maybe it’s better that we had an extra day. Certainly, we’re in good order fitness-wise for the race. We don’t have to do a whole lot, just basically keep him happy and get him down there in good order.
HEY BYRN – The Eddie Plesa-trained colt arrived by van at Pimlico shortly after 6 a.m. Tuesday, following an uneventful 20-hour journey that originated at Calder Race Course outside Miami.
While Hey Byrn figures to be a long shot in the Preakness, veteran handicappers might give him a longer look, having learned from experience to respect Calder shippers.
“Maybe it’s that the horses appreciate getting out of the hot climate,” said Plesa, whose Preakness hopeful was accompanied in the van by Gottcha Gold, a contender for Friday’s Maryland Lottery Pimlico Special (G1). “People may tend to overlook the quality of horses that are stabled at Calder. It’s probably a combination of both.”
Beatrice Oxenberg’s Hey Byrn was purchased for $160,000 at the 2007 Ocala Breeders’ 2-year-olds-in-training sale.
“I liked his looks. I liked the way he moved,” Plesa recalled. “I had a lot of respect for the consignor, Barry Eisman, and value his input. The owner and I took a look at him and decided to bid on him.”
Hey Byrn is expected to jog over the Pimlico track following stablemate Gottcha Gold’s introduction to the local racing strip at 6 a.m.
ICABAD CRANE – The Federico Tesio Stakes winner galloped 1½ miles over the Tapeta racing surface at Fair Hill Training Center Tuesday morning.
Earl Mack’s son of Jump Start will remain in the country setting until he is vanned to Pimlico on Preakness morning. Trainer Graham Motion said he prefers to keep Icabad Crane in his daily routine.
“We’re not restricted by a racetrack environment and training hours. It’s a more relaxed environment here and gives us more options,” Motion said.
The New York-bred Icabad Crane’s development has been a pleasant surprise.
“We thought he’d do well, but we didn’t expect him to perform at this level,” Motion said. “He’s matured physically and mentally. His development is probably due to his attitude. He’s got a wonderful temperament and is a pleasure to train.”
KENTUCKY BEAR – The third-place finisher in the Blue Grass (G1) galloped around the Pimlico racetrack twice under exercise rider Cassie Garcia on a picture-perfect May morning that followed more than a day of heavy rains.
“He gave me a workout,’’ said Garcia, who has been here with the colt for nearly a week along with assistant trainer Sherri Wickett. “He’s had a couple easy days, but the track’s a lot better. It’s a little bit nicer to ride him. Ever since the Blue Grass he’s improved more and more. He’s matured; he’s put on weight; he’s put on muscle. He just looks great going into (the Preakness).’’
Trainer Reade Baker, who was here for Kentucky Bear’s final workout last Saturday, said the colt has “put on somewhere between 50 and 75 pounds’’ since the Blue Grass. The son of Mr. Greeley finished a close third to Monba at Keeneland, beaten only 1 ½ lengths, in only his third career start.
“Coming late to me is just a new phenomenon,’’ said the 61-year-old Baker, a Canadian native who will join his horse on Wednesday. “I guess if you had a big outfit in New York and you were there everyday, you can’t be in two places at once. So it makes it more convenient that you’re there all the time, just like I’d like to be around this horse all the time. Traditionally, 20 years ago, I think everybody would have come at the same time I did.’’
It’s been inordinately calm and quiet to this point, but the stakes barn will begin filling up Wednesday.
“It’s been a good environment for him,’’ Garcia said. “It’s given him time to settle in and that’s a bit of an advantage for this horse. I heard it gets pretty exciting down here.’’
MACHO AGAIN – The Derby Trial winner galloped 1-3/8 miles under exercise rider Kenny Bourque at Churchill Downs Tuesday morning.
Macho Again had been scheduled to arrive in Baltimore Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. after sharing a flight with Kentucky Derby hero Big Brown. However, trainer Dallas Stewart has arranged for an earlier flight that is slated to arrive at 1:15 p.m. at BWI airport. He will share that flight with the California Preakness contingent.
The son of Macho Uno has finished worse than second only once in his six races on conventional dirt tracks, that coming in a sixth-place finish in the LeComte Stakes (G3) at Fair Grounds.
“We always thought we had a nice horse. That’s why we sent him on the Louisiana Derby trail, but he got banged up in the LeComte,” said Stewart, whose colt suffered a minor injury to a hind leg in the Louisiana Derby prep. “He ran second going a mile at Churchill Downs in the fall. When you win or finish second, you know you’ve got a nice horse because the fall meeting at Churchill is real tough.”
RACECAR RHAPSODY – Trainer Kenny McPeek sent the Tale of the Cat colt out for a routine 1½-mile gallop Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs.
“Everything was smooth,” McPeek said. “Nothing fancy.”
Racecar Rhapsody, whose dam is Reflect the Music, is scheduled to be shipped from Kentucky to Baltimore Wednesday on the same plane that will carry Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown to the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown. Co-owner Jerry Carroll, who built and operates Kentucky Speedway, frequently gives his horses names connected to automobile racing.
Jockey Robby Albarado is scheduled to ride Racecar Rhapsody in the Preakness. Albarado has been board for all six of the colt’s races and is very familiar with his off-the-pace running style.
“He leaves himself a lot of work to do and hopefully he will give himself a chance early in the race,” Albarado said. “It seems like he will be able to handle the tighter turns at Pimlico. He will be coming late.
“Hopefully, we will get some pace up front to run at, but at the same time, I don’t want to be too far out at the back that I can’t get to them.”
RILEY TUCKER – The heavy lifting was done in a workout over the Belmont Park training track Monday for the bay son of Harlan’s Holiday, who is expected to be vanned to Baltimore Wednesday or Thursday, according to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. He plans to school the colt in the Pimlico paddock Thursday or Friday.
“Everything’s good here,’’ said Mott, who timed his colt in 1:04 for five furlongs Monday. “He hand-walked today; that was about it.’’
Riley Tucker wore blinkers in his last start for the first time since his 2-year-old campaign and will wear them again for the Preakness.
Mott has re-enlisted the services of Edgar Prado, the newest riding member of the Hall of Fame, for the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown. Prado rode Adriano in the Kentucky Derby, but trainer Graham Motion elected to bypass the Preakness after a 19th-place finish.
“It seems like the horse is maturing,’’ said Prado, who finished second with Riley Tucker in the Transylvania (G3) two races back at Keeneland. “I don’t think Billy would put him in the race if he didn’t have a chance to win it. I know it’s going to be very tough competition, but we’re looking forward to give it a try.’’
Prado was Riley Tucker’s first jockey when Mott introduced the Zayat Stable’s $375,000 yearling purchase in a six-length romp in his debut at Belmont Park.
Prado was also aboard in a third-place finish behind Kodiak Kowboy in the Saratoga Special (G2) last year.
STEVIL – The roan son of Maria’s Mon left a solid impression in his final workout at Churchill Downs Tuesday morning, breezing four furlongs in :47.80 under exercise rider Megan Smillie over a fast surface. It was the sixth-fastest work of 61 runners at the distance.
“It was pretty nice, and he galloped out real nice,’’ said trainer Nick Zito, who will be saddling his 19th Preakness starter, a number that ties him for second all-time with the legendary Max Hirsch. Only D. Wayne Lukas (32) has run more horses in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
“He’s a very consistent horse, and hopefully he’ll run well Saturday,’’ said Zito, who collected fourth money in last year’s Preakness with C P West. Zito won the 1996 Preakness with Louis Quatorze, who shares the official record for the 1-3/16-mile stakes with Tank’s Prospect and last year’s winner, Curlin (1:53 2/5).
Stevil, whose best stakes outing this season was a fourth-place finish in the Blue Grass (G1) in his last start, hasn’t won since his debut last fall in New York. John Velazquez, the regular rider for trainer Todd Pletcher, has the mount for the first time on the Robert LaPenta-owned colt. Stevil was scheduled to arrive by van later on Tuesday.
“We’re ready. He’s been running good all winter,” Zito said.
LaPenta also owns 2-year-old champion War Pass, who was injured before the Kentucky Derby, and Cool Coal Man, who finished 15th in the Derby field.
TRES BORRACHOS – California-based rider Tyler Baze flew in to ride the gelded son of Ecton Park for his final work at Churchill Downs Tuesday morning, a four-furlong breeze that clockers timed at 50.40 seconds, slightly slower than the 49 4/5 that Greely calculated.
“It went very well,’’ said Greely, who saddled Borrego for a seventh-place finish in the 2004 Preakness. “He went nicely, came home in 11 (seconds) and change, so that was good. Tyler seemed to be happy with it, and he seemed to come back ready.’’
Tres Borrachos ran on synthetic surfaces in California for his first five career starts, but his speed figures have improved dramatically in his last two outings on dirt tracks.
He was third in the El Camino Real Derby (G3) at Bay Meadows, then third again in the Arkansas Derby (G2) at Oaklawn in his last start after dueling with eventual winner Gayego. Greely had toyed with the idea of trying blinkers for the Preakness, but abandoned the notion Tuesday for the work.
“It was just probably the fact that in Arkansas a horse had passed him and then he came back and dug in and beat that horse,’’ said Greely, whose colt will arrive at BWI Airport along with Derby winner Big Brown late Wednesday afternoon. “It was just a thought that went through my mind. We tried it one morning, and he actually went no different. After rethinking it, he’s got enough speed to where I’d just hate to mess it up and put a little too much (speed) into him.’’
Baze, who will be riding in his first Preakness, was impressed with Tuesday’s exercise.
“It was so beautiful it was ridiculous,’’ said Baze, who flew back to California after the work. “He did it the right way and finished well. He is so impressive, the way he worked today and went over a dirt track like that and not be blowing. I’m hoping Saturday is my day. I know this is a good horse now that I’ve ridden him in Arkansas and I know him. I’m really looking forward to it.’’
YANKEE BRAVO – The Paddy Gallagher-trained colt galloped 1½ miles at Hollywood Park Tuesday morning in preparation for a start in the Preakness Stakes.
Yankee Bravo won his first two starts on turf, including his debut in England, last year before capturing the California Derby on the synthetic surface at Golden Gate Fields in his 3-year-old debut in January. The son of Yankee Gentleman finished third on dirt in the Louisiana Derby (G2), before checking in fourth over a synthetic track in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
“He’s seemed to handle all types of tracks,” Gallagher said. “It’s too early to tell if he likes one of them best.”
Yankee Bravo is expected to arrive at BWI Airport at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday.
“So far, he’s shipped well,” said Gallagher, who will name Alex Solis to ride Yankee Bravo when entries are taken for the Preakness Wednesday morning.
-MJC-