Arkansas Derby, Blue Grass among next-race options for Confidence Game

Confidence Game, one-length winner of the Rebel Stakes on Feb. 25 at Oaklawn Park, is unlikely to run back March 25 in the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds, where he is training. Trainer Keith Desormeaux is keeping options open for Confidence Game, who could run on April 1 in the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn, on April 8 in the Blue Grass at Keeneland, or train right into the Kentucky Derby.

“That’s in the equation, too,” Desormeaux said Wednesday. “It took him a little longer than usual to recover from that race, and I want to make sure he’s physically and mentally able for the Kentucky Derby. The main question is, how do I get him to that race in prime condition?”

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Desormeaux speculated that the warm weather in New Orleans upon Confidence Game’s return to Fair Grounds from Oaklawn accentuated the toll the Rebel took on Confidence Game. He said it was cool when the colt left New Orleans for Oaklawn and cool at Oaklawn, but that Confidence Game shipped back into several days of 80-degree weather at Fair Grounds.

“He’s in steady light training at this point,” Desormeaux said. “The horse looks great. We’ll see how he does the next two weeks. Typically, I give them a light breeze two weeks after they race, but I’m 90 percent sure I’m going to skip that work with him.”

Desormeaux does plan to run Single Ruler in the $1 million Louisiana Derby, a 1 3/16-mile race. Single Ruler won a maiden route race on Jan. 21 at Fair Grounds, and despite having a very difficult trip, he closed to finish fifth making his stakes debut in the 1 1/8-mile Risen Star there.

“I love the way the horse is training,” Desormeaux said. “The extra distance should help him.”

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