Louisville native Whit Beckman is approaching his second Kentucky Derby this year. What did he learn from saddling that first Derby starter last year?
“Don’t stress out about it,” Beckman said.
Those are brave words less than two weeks out from America’s most famous race. But Beckman has exuded relaxation outside his shed row at Churchill Downs, which currently houses not only 2025 Kentucky Derby candidate Flying Mohawk, but also Kentucky Oaks candidates Drexel Hill and Simply Joking.
ARCADIA, Calif. - When Rodriguez won the Grade 2 Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct on April 5, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith found the colt eager to continue after the finish.
“I love that when I pulled him up the outrider had to get me,” Smith recalled on Sunday morning. “It was easy for him, the first time going a mile and an eighth.”
Something similar happened at Santa Anita on Sunday in an early morning workout. Rodriguez worked five furlongs in 1:00 and showed ample energy while galloping out around the first turn.
Baeza, the Santa Anita Derby runner-up who needs several defections to make it into the Kentucky Derby field, will ship to Churchill Downs and be entered, at the very least, as an also-eligible for the race, trainer John Shirreffs said Thursday.
The Thoroughbred Daily News reported the change in plans Wednesday night.
Manny Franco has picked up the mount on East Avenue in the Kentucky Derby, while Javier Castellano will ride Owen Almighty.
Luan Machado rode East Avenue to a second-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes, but he is committed to ride Jeff Ruby Steaks winner Final Gambit in the Derby.
East Avenue is owned by Godolphin and trained by Brendan Walsh. Franco filled in for the injured Junior Alvarado aboard the Godolphin-owned Sovereignty for the Grade 1 Florida Derby. Alvarado returned to action Wednesday and will ride Sovereignty in the Kentucky Derby.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Grande, the Wood Memorial runner-up, was scheduled to leave New York for Kentucky by van on Thursday afternoon. He will make a pit stop at Keeneland before shipping to Louisville for the May 3 Kentucky Derby.
At Belmont Park on Thursday, trainer Todd Pletcher said Grande will have one work before the Kentucky Derby. It will take place at Keeneland, not Churchill Downs.
Chunk of Gold
Preservationist – Play for Gold, by Cairo Prince
Bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones ($2,500 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling purchase by Chris Melton)
Louisiana Derby runner-up Chunk of Gold has never been worse than second and has already earned back more than 139 times his modest purchase price. The colt, a May foal, is from a steady, serviceable pedigree – a good description of Chunk of Gold himself.
WHO’S HOT
Except for the curious case of Owen Almighty, it was a relatively quiet week for Kentucky Derby aspirants. Some 24 horses remain under consideration according to Churchill Downs, including Journalism, the 3-1 early favorite on the Daily Racing Form Derby Watch Top 20 odds line by David Aragona.
