Asmussen: No Derby victory, but still great weekend

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Although he just missed winning the Kentucky Derby with Epicenter, marking the third time he’s finished second in the Derby, trainer Steve Asmussen still had himself a terrific two days at Churchill Downs. He recorded two Grade 1 victories, with Pauline’s Pearl in the La Troienne on Friday and with male sprint champ Jackie’s Warrior in the Churchill Downs on Saturday.

As with Epicenter, both Jackie’s Warrior and Pauline’s Pearl were ridden by Joel Rosario.

Jackie’s Warrior was a four-length winner of the seven-furlong Churchill Downs, giving him two wins in two starts this year. He had won the Grade 3 Count Fleet at Oaklawn on April 16.

“He came out of it great,” Asmussen said Sunday morning. “What I like is he did that coming back in only three weeks.”

Jackie’s Warrior got a Beyer Speed Figure of 105.

Asmussen said he had no desire to try and stretch Jackie’s Warrior out to a one-turn mile for something like the Metropolitan Handicap on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 11, but said he’d consider the Grade 2, $300,000 True North going 6 1/2 furlongs at Belmont on June 10. Regardless, Asmussen said his primary focus for the year is getting back to the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, in which Jackie’s Warrior finished sixth last year, and from which he emerged with a knee chip.

“The focus will be on the Breeders’ Cup for him,” Asmussen said.

Pauline’s Pearl got a Beyer figure of 94 when running down Shedaresthedevil to record the first Grade 1 victory of her career.

“Wow, she stepped up,” Asmussen said. “And that was a ride.”

Pauline’s Pearl is a homebred of the Stonestreet Stable of Barbara Banke, who also campaigns another outstanding 4-year-old filly, Clairiere, also a homebred and runner-up most recently in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at Oaklawn to the champion mare Letruska.

Asmussen said “distances and surfaces” will determine where Pauline’s Pearl and Clairiere go next. He mentioned the Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park going 1 1/16 miles around one turn on June 11, and the Grade 2, $350,000 Fleur de Lis at Churchill Downs going 1 1/8 miles around two turns on July 2, as the next races in the older dirt female division that appeal.

“I want to keep them separated,” Asmussen said. “They will meet once this year, at Keeneland in November.”

The Breeders’ Cup Distaff is at Keeneland on Nov. 5.