LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The waiting is the hardest part.
The connections of Baeza will be waiting to hear if there is a defection from the Kentucky Derby between now and scratch time – 9 a.m. Friday – to learn if their horse gets to run in the $5 million classic at Churchill Downs.
Into Mischief has already firmly written himself into the history of the American stallion ranks, with his six consecutive sire titles the most in more than a half-century. Now, he is looking to write another chapter as the first stallion since the 1950s to sire three Kentucky Derby winners, which would tie him for the all-time record.
History says that a horse with a turf background or pedigree can run well on the Churchill Downs dirt, including in the Kentucky Derby. Animal Kingdom made his first start on dirt winning the 2011 Derby, and 2006 hero Barbaro had been a stakes winner on turf as a juvenile before moving to dirt. Big Brown (2008), Mine That Bird (2009), and Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (2015) also were early-career winners on turf or synthetic surfaces before moving to dirt.
Tiz the Law was a Grade 1 winner at age 2 who won a classic at 3. Those closest to him in his current career as a stallion say his progeny show similar progression, and that means exciting things could be in store for Tiztastic, who represents his sire’s first crop in the Kentucky Derby.
CHURCHILL DOWNS
Sunday, April 27
Weather: Sunny
Temperature: 47
Track: Fast
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Anybody looking for one last opportunity to knock the Derby favorite likely came away disappointed after Santa Anita Derby winner Journalism turned in his final major prep shortly after the renovation break Sunday at Churchill Downs.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It was a whirlwind 36 hours for jockey Umberto Rispoli, who, in his attempted travels between California and Kentucky, wound up experiencing more about the Atlanta airport than he would have liked.
“I walked all around the Atlanta airport for 5 1/2 hours,” Rispoli said. “I know all about terminal B and C. I couldn’t get lost in Atlanta.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Things have gone so well all spring for Journalism that the sometimes nerve-wracking event that is the Kentucky Derby post-position draw didn’t weigh heavily on his trainer, Michael McCarthy.
But Journalism did fare extremely well, drawing post 8 in a field of 21 entered Saturday for the $5 million Kentucky Derby to be run May 3 at Churchill Downs. A stalking-type runner, Journalism did draw outside most of the expected speed in the race with the exception of East Avenue, who drew post 12.
CHURCHILL DOWNS
Saturday, April 26
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 56
Track: Sloppy/Good/Fast
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A drying-out surface had several trainers with Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders handicapping the condition of the racetrack as the morning progressed before deciding if and when to send their respective horses out to work Saturday at Churchill Downs.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Having worked around Kentucky Derby winners Unbridled and Street Sense as well as race participants Vicar and McCraken, trainer Ian Wilkes knows there’s little margin for error to get to the world’s most famous horse race.
“You can’t have things go wrong, you have to keep the timing right,” Wilkes said.
With a week to go before Kentucky Derby 151, Wilkes believes the timing is right for Burnham Square to run his best race.
“He’s right where I want him,” Wilkes said.
