Strike One big horse in Walsh's small barn

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Strike One has won three races for Brendan Walsh, meaning, of course, the chestnut horse is the all-time leading winner for the trainer.

This modest nugget is no poor reflection on Walsh, who has a wealth of experience with Thoroughbreds but has been operating a public stable for less than three years, with 20 career wins as a trainer. After all, everybody has to start somewhere.

Strike One, a 5-year-old bred and owned by New York businessman Robert Chasanoff, has been and will continue to be the “big horse” in the Walsh stable, especially if he can come through again Sunday in the nominal feature of a nine-race program at Churchill Downs, a $56,000, third-level allowance at seven furlongs.

Strike One was cross-entered in Saturday’s $65,000 Opening Verse but will scratch in favor of this lighter spot, said Walsh, a 41-year-old Irish native who oversees a 20-horse stable at the nearby Trackside training center.

Strike One gave Walsh arguably his greatest victory thus far by capturing a maiden race at 22-1 on the 2013 Kentucky Derby undercard. The horse has continued to perform well, particularly over the Churchill main track, having knocked out his first two allowance conditions here.

The last three races for Strike One all have been on turf, but “the main reason for that is how speed-favoring the dirt was at Gulfstream this winter,” said Walsh, who had stints as an exercise rider and assistant trainer in Dubai and England before working four years under Eddie Kenneally in the United States.

Strike One will have regular rider Corey Lanerie aboard when breaking from the outside post in a field of just five older horses in the featured fifth race.

“I’m a little concerned about him backing up from two-turn grass races and how he sometimes is a tick slow away from the gate,” said Walsh. “But with the outside draw hopefully he’ll get away from there just fine.”

The prime opposition appears to be Doc Almon (post 1, Rosie Napravnik), recently claimed by Ken and Sarah Ramsey for $50,000 off a victory, and Power World (post 2, Julien Leparoux), fourth as the pacesetter behind the highly accomplished Departing in his latest start.

Rounding out the lineup are the standout Oklahoma-bred Z Rockstar (post 3, Shaun Bridgmohan) and the likely longest shot in the field, Browneyed Bachelor (post 4, Stewart Elliott).

One other allowance is carded for Sunday, with seven 3-year-olds and upward clashing in race 8, a $52,000, first-level race at 1 1/16 miles.

First post is 12:45 p.m. Eastern, with the fifth going at 2:45 and the last race set for 4:48.

After Sunday, Churchill goes dark for the usual three days before live action resumes Thursday