John Velazquez will ride undefeated Wood Memorial winner Verrazano in the Kentucky Derby, selecting him over Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby winner Orb, who will be reunited with Joel Rosario in the Run for the Roses.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The number 13 is supposed to be such bad luck around the racetrack that most stable areas don’t even have a Barn 13. But for trainer Gary Contessa – who clearly is not afflicted with triskaidekaphobia, or the fear of 13 – what happened Wednesday morning at the post-position draw for the 89th Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland can’t be seen as anything but good luck.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Falling Sky had the misfortune of hooking Verrazano last out in the Tampa Bay Derby, finishing third to the horse pegged as the current Kentucky Derby favorite after remaining undefeated last Saturday with his win in the Wood Memorial.
I watched Goldencents run the race of his life in the Santa Anita Derby on my laptop at halftime of the Louisville-Wichita State Final Four game last Saturday. I’m not sure what was going on around me in the Georgia Dome at that moment, but I was wondering if the colt’s part owner could continue his roll.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Uncaptured has been listed as a 7-2 morning-line favorite after being assigned post 7 among a full gate of 14 3-year-olds for the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes, the annual Keeneland showcase that will be run Saturday for the 89th time.
Uncaptured, with Miguel Mena to ride, is the slight program choice in the 1 1/8-mile Polytrack race over Java’s War (post 4, Julien Leparoux, 4-1) and Rydilluc (post 13, Edgar Prado, 4-1). In all, 15 were entered, with Divine Ambition a lone also-eligible.
Will Take Charge, who won the Grade 2, $600,000 Rebel at Oaklawn Park in his last start March 16, will train up to the Kentucky Derby, his trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, said on Tuesday. Lukas had been debating training up to the May 4 race or running in the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass at Keeneland on Saturday.
Jockey John Velazquez, who suffered a fractured rib in a spill Sunday at Aqueduct, will not ride for the next three weeks, but he plans to return in time to ride the Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs.
In a text sent early Monday evening, Leona Velazquez, John’s wife, wrote that the “fracture is non-displaced so it will heal by itself in three weeks. He will start riding Derby week.”
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The field for the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby was starting to grow Monday, with Falling Sky and Frac Daddy committing to the 1 1/8-mile race and Demonic’s connections debating a start in the Saturday stakes, which closes out the Oaklawn meet.
