Skinner, third in the Santa Anita Derby on April 8, gained a berth in the Kentucky Derby on May 6 after Wild On Ice sustained a fatal injury during training early Thursday at Churchill Downs.
Skinner will have a new rider in Juan Hernandez, who replaces Victor Espinoza.
"We thought a change would maybe shake things up a little bit," trainer John Shirreffs said Thursday. "Maybe Skinner was used to the way Victor was riding him. It might help to have a different rider."
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Kentucky Derby hopeful Wild On Ice was euthanized Thursday morning after suffering a catastrophic injury to his left hind leg at Churchill Downs in a pre-dawn workout intended to prepare him for the Derby on May 6.
Churchill Downs
Wednesday, April 26
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 46
Track: Fast
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A serious drill by the two Japanese contenders in this year’s Kentucky Derby, Derma Sotogake and Continuar, and a test run with the addition of blinkers for Sun Thunder highlighted Wednesday’s Derby-Oaks training session at Churchill Downs.
He has won four of the last five Eclipse Awards as North America’s outstanding jockey and has averaged 320 wins annually the last eight years. At age 30, Irad Ortiz Jr. has risen to the top of his profession.
Ortiz also has developed a reputation as an aggressive rider, who in his quest to win walks the tightrope of daring and dangerous.
“I’m very competitive, but I would never try to put somebody in danger,” Ortiz said. “Everybody who knows me, knows how I am. I am very competitive but I’m not going to try and drop somebody, that’s for sure.”
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The skeptics who believed bubble horses only add clutter to the Kentucky Derby had their bubble busted last year when Rich Strike pulled his 80-1 stunner as a last-minute runner.
Will lightning strike in the same spot twice? The connections of a handful of horses eager to run next Saturday in the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs sure hope so.
WHO’S HOT
Jace’s Road might seem curious as a “Who’s Hot.” After all, he is a 50-1 outsider by Derby Watch linemaker David Aragona and finished a fading third in the Louisiana Derby despite easy fractions. The reason Jace’s Road is hot is the Kentucky Derby defection of Blazing Sevens, which allows Jace’s Road into the field. He has 45 qualifying points, the same as Skinner and Cyclone Mischief. Jace’s Road wins the tiebreaker, which is non-restricted stakes earnings.
Churchill Downs
Tuesday, April 25
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 39 degrees
Track: Fast
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The closest thing to a timed workout relevant to the Kentucky Derby on Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs came immediately after the track opened for training at 5:15 a.m., when the reigning Derby champion, Rich Strike, breezed an easy half-mile in preparation for his next start in the Alysheba Stakes to be decided on this year’s Derby undercard.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The connections of Florida Derby runner-up Mage have tabbed Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano to ride their horse in this year’s Kentucky Derby, a turn of events that now leaves Raise Cain without a rider just 11 days out from the race.
Castellano had originally given trainer Ben Colebrook a call to ride Raise Cain, runaway winner of the Grade 3 Gotham but a non-threatening fifth in the Grade 1 Blue Grass.
