Track: Sloppy
Weather: Raining
Temp: 60
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Keeping dry was the order of the day at Churchill Downs on Friday where heavy rain had everyone ducking for cover before the mid-morning renovation break.
The majority of the other Kentucky Derby contenders stabled on the grounds managed to beat the worst of the rain, getting their morning gallops in early. Only BORREGO and ROCK HARD TEN went out after the break and both splashed along eagerly over the wet track.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Action This Day has disappointed in his three starts since capturing the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last fall. His trainer, Richard Mandella, has sought the reason for Action This Day's subpar performances, and now says he believes he has found it. And after a sharp drill on Thursday morning at Churchill Downs, Mandella says he hopes Action This Day can reverse his fortunes when it will count most, May 1, the day of the 130th Kentucky Derby.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - It was a match that racing fans only dream about. The reigning Juvenile Eclipse Award winner and reigning Juvenile Filly champion going head to head through the stretch, battling on even terms right down to the wire.
Such a match finally took place at Churchill Downs on Thursday. Unfortunately the only ones able to witness the unique encounter were those in attendance during training hours at Churchill Downs when champion stablemates Action This Day and Halfbridled worked six furlongs in company shortly after the renovation break.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Preachinatthebar, who won the San Felipe Stakes but beat just one horse in the Blue Grass Stakes, was taken out of consideration for the May 1 Kentucky Derby following a workout Thursday morning that was not to the satisfaction of trainer Bob Baffert.
"It was OK, but it wasn't what I was looking for," Baffert said at his barn after Preachinatthebar worked five furlongs under exercise rider Dana Barnes. "I don't want to run unless he's got a shot to win it.
NORTH EAST, Md. - Some trainers watch their horses work out from the grandstand. Others prefer to view a breeze from the back of a stable pony. There's only one who would do it from the backseat of a sports utility vehicle, traveling in tandem with the horse at roughly 30 miles per hour.
Michael Dickinson's unorthodox methods were on display once again Wednesday at his 200-acre Tapeta Farm on the north end of Maryland's Chesapeake Bay, where Tapit put in his next-to-last workout for next week's Kentucky Derby.
BENSALEM, Pa. - The veteran sat at a card table in the corner of the jocks' room and talked about riding the Kentucky Derby favorite.
"I get spoiled," he said. "This is my best horse. I can't imagine guys who never had that experience. It's a big difference. Night and day."
Jerry Bailey? Pat Day? Gary Stevens?
WHO'S HOT
Quintons Gold Rush, who won last Saturday's Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, plummeted from last week's 50-1 to 25-1 on the Kentucky Derby future line set by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form's national handicapper. Quintons Gold Rush is attempting to emulate Charismatic, who won the Derby in 1999 after a victory in the Lexington. Sinister G was put back on the top 25 when his connections reconsidered his Derby status. He had been taken out of the Derby following his dull effort in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. Watchmaker has him at 60-1.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Being a little overlooked never hurt anybody. In fact, being a slight underdog is so appealing to Bobby Frankel that the trainer is unable to suppress a sly grin when he considers Master David's chances in the 130th Kentucky Derby.
"I like being in that position, to be honest with you," said Frankel. "You'd always like to have the best horse in the race, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way."
The victory by Quintons Gold Rush in Saturday's Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland, and the subsequent decision by jockey Jerry Bailey to jettison both he and Read the Footnotes in favor of Wimbledon, caused a domino effect in terms of both the expected field and the probable riders for the 130th Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs.
