Iowa Derby, Indiana Derby among options for By My Standards
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – By My Standards, the Louisiana Derby winner who most recently was placed 11th in the Kentucky Derby, has resumed a new work pattern and could make his next start in the July 5 Iowa Derby or July 13 Indiana Derby, said trainer Bret Calhoun.
By My Standards was scheduled to breeze again this weekend at Churchill, marking his third work since getting a brief freshening. His next race will depend largely on what Calhoun decides is next for Mr. Money, who is the morning-line favorite for the Matt Winn Stakes here on Saturday Night.
“I’d prefer to keep them apart for now,” said Calhoun.
Concrete Rose eyes Belmont Oaks
Concrete Rose is scheduled to breeze Sunday on the Keeneland turf, marking the filly’s fourth work since she won the May 3 Edgewood Stakes over Newspaperofrecord by 3 3/4 lengths. Trainer Rusty Arnold is pointing Concrete Rose to the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks on July 6.
Concrete Rose, by Twirling Candy, has won four of five career starts.
Father’s Day allowance features
A pair of turf allowances serve as co-features on a 10-race Father’s Day card that concludes another four-day race week at Churchill. First post Sunday is 12:45 p.m. Eastern.
Race 4 is a $101,000 sprint with open conditions for 3-year-old fillies. Change of Control, a 35-1 winner of the Mamzelle earlier in the meet for Michelle Lovell, is among a well-matched field that also includes Boxwood, Shang Shang Shang, and Winning Envelope as major players.
Race 8 is a $97,000 first-level route that drew an oversubscribed lineup of 3-year-olds and upward. Kid Lemuel, a last-out maiden winner, is one of a handful of contenders in a race lacking a clear-cut favorite. The gray colt is trained by Eddie Kenneally, who entered Friday action with 13 wins at the spring meet, second only to Steve Asmussen (20).
◗ Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress returned to light training Thursday at Churchill after finishing second to Guarana last weekend in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont Park. Trainer Tom Amoss said the filly could race next at Saratoga, adding he is inclined to avoid Guarana for the time being.
“Our filly ran great and got beat by a really good horse,” said Amoss.
◗ The Churchill stakes schedule tapers off somewhat for the final two weeks of the spring meet. The lone stakes next weekend is the $120,000 Roxelana on Saturday, with Mia Mischief expected to be a heavy favorite. Closing day (June 29) features three stakes – the Bashford Manor, Debutante, and Kelly’s Landing.
◗ Who said the Churchill stewards have trigger fingers? Jockey objections were lodged in three straight races (2 through 4) here on Thursday’s card, and none was upheld by Barbara Borden, Butch Becraft, and Tyler Picklesimer, the trio whose names became known to a wider audience with their disqualification of Maximum Security as the winner of the Kentucky Derby.
◗ Wednesday is Media Day at Ellis Park, where management is preparing for a summer meet that starts June 30 and runs through Labor Day. Purses are projected to average about $330,000 per card, a track record.
