Bialy aims to build on maiden win

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Center stage, such as it is, for a nine-race Thursday card at Churchill Downs would belong to Todd Pletcher and Bob Baffert -- if only they were here to share it.

The iconic trainers, who have accounted for the first two legs of the 2010 Triple Crown, have delegated the care of what remains of their Kentucky stables, meaning Michael McCarthy will be saddling Bialy for the featured eighth race in Pletcher's stead, while Peter Hutton will do the same with Spun Silver for Baffert.

Bialy portended a good Kentucky Derby Day for Pletcher when she sent her backers home a winner on Kentucky Oaks night, knocking out her maiden condition by drawing clear in the 12th and last race. Pletcher won the May 1 Derby the following afternoon with Super Saver.

Spun Silver is a more recent arrival to Churchill, having been flown from California a few days before Baffert won the May 15 Preakness with Lookin At Lucky. The Grand Slam filly also was a maiden winner last out, having prevailed in her lone start of the year on April 8 at Santa Anita.

Neither filly would rate a surprise by repeating Thursday in the $50,000 feature, a first-level allowance that goes at 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track. Bialy, said McCarthy, "seems to be moving forward and has since put together a nice pair of works" since her Oaks Day triumph.

Calvin Borel, who missed the last four-day week (May 20-23) here when nursing an infected cut in the area of his eye, will ride Bialy, while Shaun Bridgmohan gets the call on Spun Silver.

Bialy and Spun Silver aren't the only ones in the Thursday feature hailing from a national powerhouse: Stormin Maggy, trained by Steve Asmussen, also rates consideration when she makes her first start in nearly seven months. Five other fillies are entered in the lone allowance of the day.

* Thursday leads off five straight live dates at Churchill, with racing being held here Memorial Day. To make up for what usually is a dark Monday, the track will go dark the following Thursday, June 3.

* After neither was hit Sunday, the $2 pick six (races 4-9) and $1 super high five (race 9) both offer four-figure carryovers Thursday.