Churchill notes: Borel recovering from sprain

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Hall of Fame jockey Calvin Borel was hoping to fulfill his mounts this week after taking off Sunday with a badly sprained ankle that resulted from a training accident earlier that morning.

Borel was thrown from a filly he was breezing for trainer Buff Bradley when narrowly averting a collision. After initially saying he was okay, Borel eventually went to a nearby hospital for an MRI, which confirmed the sprain.

Borel is named to ride one race Thursday and two Friday.

Mr. Z to bypass Matt Winn

Mr. Z will not run in the Matt Winn, trainer D. Wayne Lukas said Tuesday, although the colt has not been taken out of training, as Lukas initially said was his intent shortly after Mr. Z finished fifth in the Preakness.

Mr. Z breezed a half-mile in 49 seconds here Saturday.

“I haven’t consulted my 900 numbers to see what public opinion is about it,” Lukas joked, “but this horse makes it tough to leave him alone.”

Lukas said he intends to run Henry Jones in the 1 1/16-mile Matt Winn.

Father and son jockeys square off

Something of a racing rarity will occur in the first race Thursday at Churchill when father and son oppose each other. Jon Court has the mount on Southern Bling, and Aaron Court rides How’s Bayou.

“I guess we’ve been in the same race a handful of times,” said Jon Court. “He doesn’t get any special treatment from me, but then, I’m a cautious rider anyway. I try to look out for everybody out there.”

Aaron Court, 27, has ridden just five career winners, or 3,880 fewer than his 54-year-old dad, who recently was honored with the Mike Venezia Memorial Award.

◗ Commanding Curve, second to California Chrome in the 2014 Kentucky Derby, earned an 81 Beyer Speed Figure in winning a first-level allowance here Saturday in his first start in more than nine months. West Point Thoroughbreds representative Jeff Lifson said the Grade 1 Whitney on Aug. 8 at Saratoga is the main summer goal, although the 4-year-old colt could have one race in the interim.

◗ Trainer Mike Maker pulled off quite a feat Sunday by winning races at three major tracks within an 18-minute span. Maker, who was at Churchill, won the seventh at Gulfstream with Pursuing Fate ($6.20), the eighth at Churchill with Hammers Terror ($15.20), and the seventh at Belmont with Private Tale ($13.40).

◗ Trainer Wayne Catalano said he will consider Marine Landing for the June 20 Ohio Derby at ThistleDown after the 3-year-old Smart Strike colt won his career debut here Sunday by 2 1/4 lengths, earning an 86 Beyer.

“We thought enough of him to nominate even before he made his first start,” said Catalano.

◗ Catalano could have two of the favorites when the highlight of the coming weekend at Churchill, the Grade 3 Mint Julep Handicap, is run Saturday. Catalano said he definitely will run I’m Already Sexy and was considering Aurelia’s Belle for the $100,000 Mint Julep, for which entries were to be drawn Wednesday. The 1 1/16-mile turf race is for fillies and mares.

◗ Bradley said Divisidero emerged from his Saturday victory in the Pennine Ridge at Belmont Park in good shape and that he is looking forward to returning to New York with the standout turf runner for the $1.25 million Belmont Derby on July 4.