Albarado continues to mend on schedule

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Veteran jockey Robby Albarado said this week that he continues to heal on schedule from the fractured left tibia he sustained in an April 23 spill at Keeneland. Albarado was the regular rider for J Boys Echo but was replaced by Luis Saez for the Kentucky Derby.

“The doctors said I’d be off four weeks, and that seems about right,” said Albarado, a winner of 5,046 races. “I’m putting weight on the leg more and more every day. I’ve been going to physical therapy down at the University of Louisville, and everything is coming along real well. Historically, I heal pretty quick.”

Albarado, 43, said he knew his leg was badly injured when the spill occurred.

“I immediately thought, ‘Of all the times in the year, it had to happen right before the Derby,’ ” he said. “I mean, you never want to get hurt, but come on.”

Sailor’s Valentine to Acorn?

Trainer Eddie Kenneally said Sailor’s Valentine came out of her sixth-place finish in the May 5 Kentucky Oaks in good order and is under consideration for the Grade 1 Acorn on the June 10 Belmont Stakes undercard.

“She came out of it great,” Kenneally said. “No issues. We don’t have any definite plans, but the Acorn is possible.”

Sailor’s Valentine, owned by Semaphore Racing and Homewrecker Racing, won the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland to earn her way into the Oaks, which was won in last-to-first fashion by Abel Tasman.

Trainer: Farrell ‘seems fine’

A thorough physical examination of Farrell, the last-place Oaks finisher, was conducted this week in Lexington by Dr. Larry Bramlage. The good news is that the standout filly “seems fine,” trainer Wayne Catalano said Friday.

“I haven’t gotten all the details yet, but the scans were good,” Catalano said.

Farrell, the second wagering choice at 9-2, faltered badly on the final turn, and jockey Channing Hill did not persist further.

“I wanted her to hate the day, not her career,” Hill said.

New jockeys arrive

Rogelio Miranda is among the new arrivals to the Churchill jockey colony for the 38-day spring meet. Miranda, 16, won 49 races in his native Panama, according to his agent, Julio Espinoza.

“In a couple of weeks, I’m also planning to have a bright young man named Angel Rodriguez here from Panama,” Espinoza said.

Espinoza, who won 642 races at Churchill in a riding career that ended in 1998, was a father figure and agent for another Panamanian, Juan Saez, who died tragically at age 17 in an October 2014 spill at Indiana Grand. Saez, the younger brother of jockeys Luis and Sebastian Saez, was the leading jockey at Ellis Park that summer.

◗ Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. has maintained terrific form since leaving Oaklawn Park, where he was the leading rider for the fifth straight year. Santana ended the first eight-race Twilight Thursday card of the meet by sweeping the last three races with Ship Disturber ($10.80), Wagon Boss ($16.40), and Big Commission ($7.80). The $1 pick three paid $306.50.

◗ “Happy birthday” can be a bit trifling, but for Didiel Osorio, it carried literal meaning. Osorio celebrated his 23rd birthday by winning the third race Thursday aboard Cheyenne Blues. It was just the second winner for Osorio since he returned from a seven-week layoff caused by a back injury sustained March 2 in a spill at Oaklawn Park.