There are three allowances on a 10-race Sunday card at Fair Grounds, but as far as Kentucky Derby watchers are concerned, only one that matters.
A chestnut colt named Machen will make the second start of his career in the fifth race, and after earning an eye-popping 95 Beyer Speed Figure in a romping victory in his Jan. 2 debut at the New Orleans track, a similar performance on the stretchout Sunday surely would bump him up a few rungs on everyone’s list of 2011 Derby prospects.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Todd Pletcher survived a major scare when a quarantine imposed Thursday morning on all three of his barns at Palm Meadows – where juvenile champion Uncle Mo is stabled – and the one he occupies at Gulfstream Park was lifted later that afternoon. Pletcher shares Barn 2 at Gulfstream with trainer Jonathan Sheppard, who had one of his horses display symptoms of a neurological disorder on Wednesday. Fortunately, tests on the sick horse returned negative for the equine herpesvirus.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Rick Dutrow said that missing Sunday’s Grade 3 Holy Bull with likely favorite Boys At Tosconova was definitely a disappointment, but nothing that has him too concerned.
“I want to run him when he’s on top of his game,” said Dutrow. “He could be, but I don’t think he is at the moment.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – For the most part, the Grade 3 Holy Bull has simply been regarded as the first step on the road to both the Florida Derby and ultimately Kentucky Derby for 3-year-olds stabled in south Florida each year. And while the one-mile Holy Bull remains the first of the local Derby preps, its status has dramatically changed due to a purse increase, up from $150,000 to $400,000 this winter, which basically turns the race into a win and you’re in event for the Kentucky Derby.
ARCADIA, Calif. – The Factor, who set a six-furlong track record on Dec. 26, is being pointed for the $150,000 San Vicente Stakes over seven furlongs on Feb. 20, trainer Bob Baffert said on Thursday.
Owned by George Bolton and Fog City Stable, The Factor ran six furlongs in 1:06.98 on the opening day of the winter-spring meeting, drawing off to win by 8 1/4 lengths.
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. − So big is the Todd Pletcher empire here at the Palm Meadows training center that it takes not one, not two, but three barns to house all of his horses. Barn 11 is where Pletcher’s office is, Barn 12 is just across a horse path to the north, and a little farther north is Barn 0, reflecting a healthy respect for triskaidekaphobia.
The Jockey Club announced Thursday morning that Uncle Mo has been assigned 128 pounds atop the Experimental Free Handicap for colts and geldings of 2010, marking the highest impost in 13 years, while Awesome Feather has been named the 123-pound highweight in the filly division.
The 128 pounds for Uncle Mo, the divisional Eclipse Award winner and the early favorite for the 137th Kentucky Derby on May 7, is the same as what was assigned to Favorite Trick in 1997, when he was named Horse of the Year.
Another highly regarded 3-year-old nominated to but skipping the Holy Bull is Santiva, winner of the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Cup at Churchill Downs in his juvenile finale. Santiva is stabled at Palm Meadows this winter, where he’s just beginning to gear up for his 3-year-old season.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Rick Violette, who has an abundance of 3-year-old talent in his barn here this winter, had been considering both Leave of Absence and Rescind the Trade for Sunday’s Grade 3 Holy Bull. The decision became a moot point on Wednesday morning after Violette put Rescind the Trade on a van bound for snowy New York.
