KENTUCKY DERBY NEWS
Still no rider for Eddie
with files from Kentuckyderby.com
J. Paul Reddam’s SQUARE EDDIE (Smart Strike) arrived at Churchill Downs around mid-afternoon on Tuesday following a van ride from Lexington’s Keeneland, where he had been stabled since running third in last Saturday’s Lexington S. (G2). The colt appears headed to the Derby starting gate, but a final decision hasn’t been announced.
Trainer Doug O’Neill, who was back at his Southern California base, said he would come to Louisville on Sunday. Square Eddie returned from a shin injury with an impressive rally in the Lexington, rallying from far back to grab the lead only to come up a little short, and jockey Edgar Prado will abandon him for DUNKIRK (Unbridled’s Song) on Derby Day.
O’Neill said that no riding assignment has been secured for Square Eddie.
PIONEER SIZZLES ON DIRT
from Daily racing Form’s Clocker Report
Work of the day
Pioneerof the Nile (six furlongs in 1:13.52): Any questions regarding Pioneerof the Nile’s ability to adapt to dirt after racing exclusively on synthetic surfaces throughout his career should have been erased after watching him glide across the track immediately after the break.
www.drf.com/news/article/103135.html
Trainer TODD PLETCHER has never won the Kentucky Derby and he has been quoted, from yesterday, that DUNKIRK, is the best chance he has ever had. The trainer’s student DVICE could also start in the Derby.
From the Albany Times Union:
Pletcher is 0-for-21 in the Derby, although he said Dunkirk offers his best chance of snapping that slump.
“I feel like we’re bringing the right horse for the right race,” he said.
www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=792576&category=SPORTS
EXTENSIVE STATISTICS ON DERBY HOPEFULS (22)
from the Louisville Courier-Journal
www.courier-journal.com/article/20090421/SPORTS08/904210439/1002
OBS APRIL SALE DAY 1 (MONDAY) and 2 (TUESDAY)
• Jeff Begg’s Windways Farm scooped up a filly from the immediate family of his Queen’s Plate hopeful EL BRUJO as soon as the April 2yo sale got underway Monday afternoon in Ocala, Florida.
Hip no. ONE was a Dance Master filly out of Galadriel, a stakes winning half sister to El Brujo out of the Windways mare Enchanted Spell.
Begg paid $26,000.
In two days however, it is Candian owner BEAR STABLES (Danny Dion) who has been on a shopping spree:
23 07 C. EVEN THE SCORE /GLORIOUS HONOUR BEAR STABLES 16,000
102 07 C. INCLUDE /IM OUT FIRST BEAR STABLES 50,000
142 07 C. PRIZED /KARATE KAT BEAR STABLES 50,000
170 07 C. ROAR OF THE TIGER /LADY CRUELLA BEAR STABLES 27,000
235 07 G. FRIENDS LAKE /LUCY MAKES EIGHT BEAR STABLES 15,000
237 07 C. TAPIT /LUVTHAT’ JACKIE BEAR STABLES 190,000
373 07 C. DEVIL HIS DUE /NEVER YIELD BEAR STABLES 21,000
446 07 C. ROCK HARD TEN /PLAYFORME BEAR STABLES 85,000
Other Canadian buyers:
316 07 F. WILDCAT HEIR /MISS RACHEL MARIE RICHARD G. HOGAN 50,000
445 07 F. ROMAN RULER /PLATINUM PRINCESS RICHARD G. HOGAN 11,000
682 07 F. SUCCESSFUL APPEAL /SPECIALLY RICHARD HOGAN, AGT. 18,000
TRUE SOUTH LLC, AGENT II FOR BRIDLE PATH STABLE
342 07 F. GILDED TIME /MS ICINGONTHECAKE JOHN ROSS 6,000
34 07 C. ALYSWEEP /GOLDEN WITNESS DONALD E. FISHMAN, DVM 6,000
156 07 F. SPANISH STEPS /KITTY COMEDY DONALD E. FISHMAN, DVM 4,500
164 07 C. CLOSING ARGUMENT /KWESTIONABLE KISS DONALD E. FISHMAN, DVM 7,000
270 07 F. EDDINGTON /MAVOREEN DONALD E. FISHMAN, DVM, AGT. 8,500
271 07 F. ROMAN RULER /MAY DAY BLUFF MURRAY STROUD 47,000
AFTER 8 – WOODBINE SCOREBOARD – TRAINERS
• He may have had a slow winter with no winners from a couple of dozen starters but Reade Baker is off to a big start this spring.
How about DAVE COTEY and his Dominion Bloodstock team that includes co-owners Hugh Galbreath and Derek Ball? The group is a super 4 for 13 and the winners have been offering some nice payouts.
Trainer NICK GONZALEZ has excelled with his layoff types.
TOP LEADERS
Reade Baker 18 5 3 5 $217,123
David Cotey 13 4 2 1 $78,495
Nicholas Gonzalez 17 4 2 0 $145,141
Scott H. Fairlie 20 3 5 1 $188,916
Mark E. Casse 14 3 3 1 $151,136
Malcolm Pierce 9 3 1 0 $216,334
Donald C. MacRae 7 3 1 0 $78,186
WOODBINE SCOREBOARD – JOCKEYS
Patrick Husbands 43 13 7 3 $596,154
Eurico Rosa Da Silva 37 8 4 3 $359,550
Emile Ramsammy 39 8 3 3 $315,328
Tyler Pizarro 29 6 3 4 $196,179
Chantal Sutherland 46 5 7 13 $311,753
Justin Stein 43 4 8 4 $227,699
James McAleney 32 4 6 4 $265,515
David Clark 27 4 3 3 $152,095
NEW ROUTE FOR SPICE
• Harlequin Ranches’ top turfer SPICE ROUTE missed his latest run when a turf stake was moved to the slop at Gulfstream.
Now he’s ready to get going in Friday’s ELKHORN at Keeneland.
Roger Attfield trains the chestnut gelding.
Friday, Keeneland Race Course
FIFTH THIRD ELKHORN S.-GII, $200,000, 4yo/up,
1 1/2mT
PP HORSE (SIRE) JOCKEY
1 Quasicobra (Wild Rush) Leparoux
2 Transduction Gold (Formal Gold) Graham
3 Buddy’s Humor (Distorted Humor) Lezcano
4 Spice Route (GB) (King’s Best) Douglas
5 Better Talk Now (Talkin Man) Dominguez
6 Musketier (Ger) (Acatenango (Ger)) Prado
7 Always First (GB) (Barathea (Ire)) Gomez
8 Sir Whimsey (Jump Start) Saez
9 Embossed (Ire) (Mark of Esteem (Ire)) Theriot
10 Brass Hat (Prized) Borel
11 Champs Elysees (GB) (Danehill) Valdivia
12 Admiral=s Cruise (A.P. Indy) Velazquez
Also Eligible
13 Sudden War (Arg) (Sunray Spirit) Desormeaux
14 Sir Dave (Untuttable) Douglas
All carry 118 pounds, except Champs Elysees, 124.
INTEGRITY MATTERS…
COLUMN FROM LA TIMES
From the troubles of racetracks to trainer Jeff Mullins….
He doesn’t want to be a nag about racing but…
Bill Dwyre
April 21, 2009
In many ways, this year’s Kentucky Derby, just 11 days away, will be a horse of a different color.
The actual two minutes of racing should not be a departure from the past. There will be a large field. The start will be a cavalry charge. The best horse may or may not win, depending on jockey pilot success in finding a crack in the usual Great Wall of Churchill that the horses create as they turn for home.
Other similarities will remain. The mint juleps will taste like medicine and be overpriced. New boundaries, in design and common sense, will be pushed in women’s hats.
And, within 30 seconds of the winner’s crossing the finish line, the horse’s connections will be asked about winning a Triple Crown.
Indeed, the Derby is the happiest time of the year for racing. But then, this year’s especially needs to be, because much in the sport leading up to it hasn’t been a belly laugh.
Here’s a scorecard of current-day horse racing: www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dwyre21-2009apr21,1,5806118.column
SIMON HUSBANDS ONE-YEAR SUSPENSION OVERTURNED
www.ontarioracingcommission.ca/uploadedFiles/2009%20COM%20TB%20003%20HUSBANDS%20Simon.pdf
