Kentucky Derby: Golden Soul gets chance to prove he belongs

Dallas Stewart doesn’t much care about all the dominoes that had to fall for Golden Soul to finally make it into the Kentucky Derby field. All along, Stewart has trained the colt as if a Derby run was next on the agenda, and now that that’s happening, it’s up to Golden Soul to prove he belongs.

“He’s a nice, nice colt,” said Stewart, the former longtime assistant to D. Wayne Lukas who went on his own in 1997. “He finished up well against some good ones down at Fair Grounds. Plus I believe he’s improving and loves this racetrack.”

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Golden Soul competed in all three preps in New Orleans, running a distant second in the LeComte, sixth in the Risen Star, and fourth in the Louisiana Derby.

A late-striding chestnut, Golden Soul is the second homebred in the race owned by Charles Fipke, the diamond magnate from far western Canada who also bred and owns Java’s War.

Stewart said Tuesday he was unsure who would get to ride Golden Soul, although he has maintained for several days that Robby Albarado could get the mount.

“We’re still talking,” he said some 24 hours before entries were to be taken. “Even if it’s not Robby, he’s won more big races for me than anybody. We’ll send the horse out there with confidence regardless of who’s up.”