Arthur’s Tale, runner-up to Toby’s Corner in last Saturday’s $1 million Wood Memorial, came out of the race with a popped splint bone in his left foreleg and will not make the May 7 Kentucky Derby, trainer Tom Albertrani said.
With only $200,000 in graded stakes earnings, Arthur’s Tale was in a precarious position as far as making it into the 20-horse Derby field as it was, but this injury now cements his fate.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Santiva was listed as the 3-1 favorite after being assigned post 3 in a field of 12 3-year-olds entered to run Saturday in one of the last remaining Kentucky Derby prep races, the 87th running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
In the wake of his stunning defeat as the 1-9 favorite in Saturday’s $1 million Wood Memorial, Uncle Mo underwent a battery of tests at Belmont Park on Tuesday, his connections said in a press release Tuesday night. The results of the tests likely won’t be available until Thursday, but the release said Uncle Mo was "completely sound."
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
That’s essentially trainer Nick Zito’s theory when it comes to putting the final touches on Dialed In’s quest to win the 2011 Kentucky Derby on May 7.
Dialed In breezed an easy half-mile in 49.90 seconds early Tuesday morning at Palm Meadows under regular exercise rider Maxine Correa in what was essentially a leg-stretcher for the winner of the Grade 1 Florida Derby and arguably the current favorite for this year’s Kentucky Derby.
Mike Battaglia, the morning-line maker for Churchill Downs, would make The Factor the 7-2 favorite for the Kentucky Derby if the May 7 race were run today, according to a release from Churchill. Dialed In and Uncle Mo are co-second choices on Battaglia's early line at 4-1.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 137th Kentucky Derby already has one feel-good story in Mucho Macho Man, whose trainer, Kathy Ritvo, has overcome major illness to become a natural root-for. And now the Derby could get a similar heart-tugger if King Congie runs well enough Saturday in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
King Congie (pronounced CON-jee), owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, is named for the late Congie DeVito, who died in February at age 35 after suffering throughout his life with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, more commonly known as brittle bone disease.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Until 5:15 p.m. last Saturday, jockey Victor Espinoza was without a confirmed mount for the Kentucky Derby.
“I didn’t have one,” he said. “I was just hoping.”
Midnight Interlude changed that with his upset win in the $1 million Santa Anita Derby. Making his stakes debut, Midnight Interlude earned a place in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 7 with a head victory over Comma to the Top.
“I was lucky for sure,” Espinoza said.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Arkansas Derby favorite The Factor was one of seven horses from Southern California who arrived in Hot Springs, Ark., on a Tex Sutton charter flight around 9:45 a.m. Tuesday morning, most expected for stakes engagements this weekend at Oaklawn Park.
The Arkansas Derby closes out the meet on Saturday. The Factor is returning to Oaklawn after winning last month’s Grade 2, $300,000 Rebel Stakes by more than six lengths. Martin Garcia has the mount for trainer Bob Baffert.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Alternation on Monday was committed to the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby – making for a prospective field of 13 – while a little later the same morning probables Brethren, Dance City and Truman’s Commander arrived in town from Florida.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Todd Pletcher won the Blue Grass Stakes in 2005 with Bandini and in 2008 with Momba, but it’s only coincidence that he will try to sustain that every-three-years pattern and shoot for his third Blue Grass victory by running three horses Saturday in the Keeneland showcase.
