Calvin Borel: the face of horse racing
Unfiltered and unabashed, jockey Calvin Borel has broken into a higher plane of celebrity as the best-known figure in racing outside of the sport.
Marcus HershApr 14, 2011
Unfiltered and unabashed, jockey Calvin Borel has broken into a higher plane of celebrity as the best-known figure in racing outside of the sport.
Uncle Mo was found to have a gastrointestinal infection that was thought to have compromised him in the Wood Memorial, and his connections say he will be able to press on toward the Kentucky Derby. "He will ship to Churchill Downs on April 18th and will have two works before May 7th," trainer Todd Pletcher said, but Uncle Mo will have to be "100 percent" for him to start in the Derby.
Midnight Interlude and Comma to the Top, the first two finishers of the Santa Anita Derby last Saturday and the only horses from that race expected to start in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 7, resumed racetrack training Wednesday.
Beaten Wood Memorial favorite Uncle Mo returned to the racetrack Wednesday, jogging once around a wet Belmont Park training track. Trainer Todd Pletcher said the training session was routine for a first day back following a race.
It was minutes after Wilkinson finished a fast-closing second last October in his career debut in a maiden race at Keeneland, and trainer Neil Howard was upbeat despite the colt getting beat in a close photo/
The Factor will break from post 3 in a field of 13 on Saturday in Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. Entries The Factor was made the 7-5 morning line favorite.
Arthur’s Tale, runner-up to Toby’s Corner in last Saturday’s $1 million Wood Memorial, came out of the race with a popped splint bone in his left foreleg and will not make the May 7 Kentucky Derby, trainer Tom Albertrani said.
Santiva was listed as the 3-1 favorite after being assigned post 3 in a field of 12 3-year-olds entered to run Saturday in one of the last remaining Kentucky Derby prep races, the 87th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
In the wake of his stunning defeat as the 1-9 favorite in Saturday’s Wood Memorial, Uncle Mo underwent a battery of tests at Belmont Park on Tuesday. The results of the tests likely won’t be available until Thursday, but trainer Toidd Pletcher said Uncle Mo was "completely sound."
Dialed In breezed an easy half-mile in 49.90 seconds early Tuesday morning at Palm Meadows under regular exercise rider Maxine Correa in what was essentially a leg-stretcher for the winner of the Grade 1 Florida Derby and arguably the current favorite for this year’s Kentucky Derby.