Vino Rosso, Enticed await rematch in Kentucky Derby

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Despite their bumper-car battle in the stretch, Vino Rosso and Enticed emerged from Saturday’s $1 million Wood Memorial in good order and will proceed to Churchill Downs for the May 5 Kentucky Derby. However, both are expected to make a return trip to South Florida to prepare for the Run for the Roses.

Todd Pletcher, the trainer of Wood winner Vino Rosso, and Kiaran McLaughlin, the conditioner of runner-up Enticed, both indicated that neither horse was worse for the wear from a bumping incident that somewhat clouded the race.

McLaughlin felt there was enough contact initiated by Vino Rosso for the stewards to have reversed the order of finish, while Pletcher naturally felt the incident didn’t affect the outcome of the race, which Vino Rosso won by three lengths.

The stewards, who lit the inquiry sign and heard an objection from Junior Alvarado, the rider of Enticed, agreed with Pletcher, though on Sunday they fined John Velazquez, the rider of Vino Rosso, $1,500 for careless riding.

“He hit us three times,” McLaughlin said Sunday morning. “Hard to say if we were going to win or not. He’s a great big colt. To knock him off stride, it definitely was a foul. The stewards thought it did not change the outcome of the race. We’re happy our horse is okay and ran well, and we’ll move on.”

:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays, and analysis

Pletcher, on Saturday, while acknowledging the contact, felt Vino Rosso was well on his way to winning the Wood and that Enticed would have been second regardless.

For Vino Rosso, the Wood was his best race, a rebound from two disappointing efforts in stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. However, both Velazquez and Pletcher believe there’s room for improvement. Vino Rosso, who gave Pletcher his fifth Wood Memorial victory, was assigned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for Saturday’s race.

“I think he’s still learning how to finish things off,” Pletcher said Sunday. “Seeing him coming to the wire with his ears pricked, still playing around when he made the lead, I think there’s more to come. I also think he’s going to appreciate more distance. A mile and an eighth helped him yesterday, and a mile and a quarter is going to help even more.”

On Monday, it was confirmed that Velazquez would retain the mount on Vino Rosso for the Kentucky Derby. It was also confirmed that Javier Castellano would ride Florida Derby winner Audible in the Kentucky Derby.

Pletcher still needs a rider for Noble Indy, the Louisiana Derby winner. Pletcher said Sunday that he has reached out to Steve Rushing, the agent for Irad Ortiz Jr., to see if his rider is available to ride Noble Indy. Ortiz rode Free Drop Billy in the Blue Grass.

The one thing that Pletcher and McLaughlin seem to agree on is that South Florida is the best place to continue their colts’ preparation for the Derby. On Tuesday, Enticed was scheduled to fly back to Florida. Vino Rosso will also ship to Florida this week.

Pletcher has his other Kentucky Derby-bound horses – Audible and Noble Indy – at the Palm Beach Downs training center. Pletcher said having Vino Rosso and those two in one place to train, especially a place where they excelled all winter, makes sense.

“I think it’s a more reliable training schedule, what should be more reliable weather,” Pletcher said. “For me personally, having Noble Indy, Audible, and him there and be able to watch them train instead of flying back and forth [is convenient].”

Magnum Moon, Pletcher’s fourth Derby starter, shipped Monday to Oaklawn for the Arkansas Derby.

Enticed will return to the Palm Meadows training center in South Florida to do the bulk of his preparation for the Kentucky Derby. McLaughlin noted that Enticed did well training there all winter, the weather is typically good, and “it’s quiet down there,” he said.

Further, Enticed won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes over the Churchill Downs strip last November.

“It’s hard to say he needs a work or two over it,” McLaughlin said. “We haven’t done things right yet – we’ve never won the Derby. We’ll have to do something different.”

McLaughlin said Alvarado would retain the mount for the Derby.

The Wood, which has not produced a Kentucky Derby winner since 2003, could produce another Kentucky Derby starter. Firenze Fire, fourth in the Wood, has 39 qualifying points and is 18th on the points list. With one Derby slot reserved for the England-based Gronkowski, the top 19 points earners from the traditional round of points races qualify for the Kentucky Derby.

Firenze Fire’s status will likely be determined by what happens in next Saturday’s Arkansas Derby and Lexington Stakes, which will alter the points standings.

Ron Lombardi, the owner of Firenze Fire, said after the race Saturday that he wants to run in the Derby.

“You don’t get this opportunity too many times. You got to take advantage when you can,” Lombardi said.