Claim box packed full

LEXINGTON, Ky. - With huge increases in the purse structure at the Churchill Downs meet right around the corner, there has been an extraordinary amount of interest among Keeneland horsemen seeking to acquire new stock.

Among the high volume of claims that were submitted in races this week were 22 for Nottoway, with trainer Lacey Gaudet winning the post-race shake; 16 for Mandel, who suffered a catastrophic injury and had to be euthanized, with Jim Cullen “winning” the shake for the deceased horse; 13 for Dreaming Diamonds, with Wayne Catalano getting her; and 12 for Our Girl Abby.

◗ Talk Veuve to Me made easy work of her five opponents in the Thursday feature, a six-furlong allowance, and could make her next start in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff on Derby Day.

◗ A pair of Derby hopefuls were out for half-mile breezes in Kentucky this week, with By My Standards going in 48.80 seconds Thursday at Churchill and Code of Honor going in 49 seconds Friday at Keeneland.