2012 Kentucky Derby: Trinniberg in, Reveron injured and out

Bob Coglianese

Trinniberg has been sprinting, but will attempt to stretch out from the seven furlongs of his most recent win in the Bay Shore to the 1 1/4 miles of the Kentucky Derby.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The most noteworthy Kentucky Derby news on Saturday came out of the unlikeliest of locations. Down at Calder Race Course in south Florida, the connections of Trinniberg confirmed their intentions to run in the Derby, and potential starter Reveron dropped out of the race due to an injury sustained during a routine morning workout.   

Shivananda Parbhoo, the owner of Trinniberg, said he only placed a 15 percent chance on going to the Derby immediately following his speedster’s victory in the Bay Shore two weeks ago. But on Saturday, Parbhoo said that, barring any late developments, he now fully intends to run Trinniberg in the Derby.

“We’re going to take a shot at the Derby,” said Parbhoo. “I love how he’s training. I like the fact that one of the other speed horses in the field, Secret Circle, has dropped out and it’s a one-time dream.”

Trinniberg, runner-up in the Grade 1 Hopeful at 2, has opened his 3-year-old campaign with convincing victories in the Grade 2 Swale at Gulfstream Park and Grade 3 Bay Shore at Aqueduct, both of which were run at seven furlongs.

“Obviously we don’t know what to expect regarding the distance,” said Parbhoo. “I also know there is a lot of speed still in the race. But I know we can rate him the way he’s been training and I don’t think he’ll even be on the lead in the Derby.”

Parbhoo, who cancelled a scheduled work for Trinniberg at Calder on Friday, said, if there is no more rain this weekend, he would work his horse on Monday and likely ship to Churchill Downs later in the week.

Reveron was just one spot away from making the Derby field when he worked a mile in 1:46 and change over a very sloppy track at Calder on Saturday. But shortly thereafter, trainer Agustin Bezara discovered his star had sustained a hairline fracture of the left front ankle, all but ending his 3-year-old campaign.

“He’ll be out four to six months,” said Bezara. “It’s not a career-ending injury, but it couldn’t have come at a worse time. I’ve been training horses for a long time and have been through this kind of thing before. But this was the Derby and I was really looking forward to the opportunity to starting my first Derby runner.”

With Reveron out, Isn’t He Clever becomes the next horse to get into the Derby field if there is a defection amongst the top 20 graded stakes earners eligible for the race.

[KENTUCKY DERBY WORKOUTS: Latest updates, Mike Welsch’s video reports]

There were three Derby workouts on Saturday, none of which came at Churchill Downs. At Keeneland, Went the Day Well went six furlongs in 1:14.45 and galloped out seven-eighths in 1:28.04 under jockey  John Velazquez.

“He’s not a flashy work horse, that’s him,” said Graham Motion, who trains Went the Day Well. “That’s why I had Johnny work him, to make sure he got enough out of the work.”

At Laurel, Illinois Derby winner Done Talking breezed a half- mile in 49.64 seconds before galloping out five furlongs in 1:02.60 with his regular rider Sheldon Russell aboard. Trainer Hamilton Smith was pleased with Done Talking.

“He did it easy and came back to the barn bouncing,” Smith said. “It was exactly what I was looking for. I am not worried too much about the time. We are going to do more with him next week.”  

At Hollywood Park, Rousing Sermon drilled seven furlongs in 1:27.20.