LEXINGTON, Ky. − Bena Halecky, an executive with Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, got the call from Phil Needham on the afternoon of January 8, 2008. Needham was Halecky’s bicycling partner, but he also was her partner in a handful of Thoroughbred broodmares. Now he was calling from the Keeneland January sale, and he hoped Halecky would be interested in a Smart Strike mare he had bought − or, really, bought back from other partners − the previous afternoon.

To much of the racing world, trainer Michael Matz first gained prominence during the spring of 2006, when he brought the unbeaten colt Barbaro to the Kentucky Derby and made off with the sport’s most coveted prize.

In the weeks leading up to the race, much was made over the fact Barbaro would be attempting to win the Derby without having raced for five weeks, something that had not been accomplished in 50 years. Although Matz had been training Thoroughbred racehorses for less than a decade, he was relying on three decades of experience around elite equine athletes.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Secret Circle, a four-time stakes winner who was a well-beaten second to Bodemeister in the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park last weekend, will be given a rest in coming weeks and will not start in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5, trainer Bob Baffert said on Thursday.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Todd Pletcher has scheduled Gemologist’s first work since his victory in the Grade 1 Wood for Sunday morning at Palm Meadows but could be forced to call an audible and move the drill up at least one day with rain in the forecast for all of south Florida this weekend.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – For a horse who won the Grade 1 Florida Derby and defeated then division leader Union Rags less than three weeks ago, Take Charge Indy is receiving virtually no respect and hardly a mention in any discussions focusing on the leading contenders for this year’s Kentucky Derby. All of that suits Take Charge Indy’s trainer, Pat Byrne, just fine.

“I like to be flying under the radar,” Byrne said shortly after Take Charge Indy worked five furlongs in 1:01.47 at a very quiet Palm Meadows training center shortly after dawn on Thursday morning.

WHO’S HOT
Bodemeister rocketed to the top of the charts following his overpowering victory in the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. He was so impressive that Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form’s national handicapper, has made him the 9-2 favorite on his future line for the May 5 Kentucky Derby. Dullahan, who rallied strongly to win the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, is down to 10-1 this week after being 30-1 a week ago.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Michael Matz was a medal-winning Olympic equestrian, saved four children from a burning airplane, and trained a legendary horse named Barbaro to win the Kentucky Derby. But the poor guy still has no control over the weather.

A decision on whether Rousing Sermon will be pointed for the Kentucky Derby may be made this week, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said on Tuesday.

Hollendorfer said he intends to have a conversation with owner Larry Williams and Dan Kiser, who manages Williams’s farm, to determine a plan. One option other than the Kentucky Derby is the $300,000 Snow Chief Stakes for California-breds at Hollywood Park on April 28.

“We have not ruled out the running in the Kentucky Derby,”

Creative Cause moved closer to a start in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs with a five-furlong workout at Hollywood Park on Tuesday.

Creative Cause, who won the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes in March and was second to I’ll Have Another in the Santa Anita Derby on April 7, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20.

“The track might be a little bit slow today,” trainer Mike Harrington said. “He didn’t need to do any more than he did.”

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Coolmore Lexington Stakes might produce a starter for the Kentucky Derby after all. Bob Baffert has decided to run Castaway in the Grade 3, $200,000 Lexington on Saturday at Keeneland, and a victory would give the colt enough graded earnings to run back in the Derby if his connections so wished.