Sealy Hill will fly the flag for Canada when she goes into the gate for Friday’s Kentucky Oaks, the filly companion to Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, at Churchill Downs. She completed her preparations for the 1 1/8-mile race by galloping a mile and a half before the harrow break.
Trainer Mark Casse likes the way the daughter of Point Given is training. “After a breeze (five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 on Saturday), she tends to get stronger every day and I was looking for that eagerness and I saw that today.”
Also prominent in the Canadian-bred’s schooling is a familiar name to those at Woodbine, Julia Brimo. She gallops the dark bay or brown filly every day for owner Eugene Melnyk.
“Julia says (Sealy Hill) has been getting better every day,” Casse said. Casse said Sealy Hill would walk in the morning before the race.
Woodbine regular Patrick Husbands will ride from post 12 of 14. Casse likes the post. “She likes to run around horses rather than be inside. She has enough gas to get to where she needs to be without losing a lot of ground. With her tactical speed, if there is an opening, Patrick can place her where he wants.”
Other Canadian-connected stakes horses on the Oaks card are Canadian-bred Cobrador, a prominent Queen’s Plate contender (8-1 in the Winterbook), has drawn post 11 for the Grade 3 American Turf event (Race 8) for trainer Paul McGee…Indian Vale drew post four for the Grade 2 Louisville Breeders’ Cup Stakes (Race 9) for trainer Todd Pletcher and
Canadian owner, Eugene Melnyk.
Also in Louisville is 2006 Sovereign Award Turf Male winner, Sky Conqueror, who is set to start in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic in the race before the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. Darwin Banach trains the five-year-old Bill Sorokolit homebred.
Sky Conqueror, the runner-up to Arravale in Horse of the Year voting in 2006, finished fifth last time out at Keeneland. Sorokolit expects a good effort on Saturday. “He had a tough trip in the Maker’s Mark, like the (Pattison) Canadian International (in which he finished third),” Sorokolit said. “He’s doing well.” Javier Castellano will ride the Sky Classic horse.
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