Barbaro Updates: 848
updates are now here.
Update 4919: Thoroughbred Times, on twitter, reports Jess Jackson has purchased Rachel Alexandra.
Update 4918: My latest entry for The Rail: Mine That Bird Gallops; Preakness Field at 9.
Update 4917: Mike Gathagan's Preakness notes:
MUSKET MAN, GENERAL QUARTERS AND TERRAIN ADDED TO PREAKNESS FIELD AS BIG DRAMA FIRST TO ARRIVE AT PIMLICO STAKES BARN
BALTIMORE, 05-06-09---The prospective field for next Saturday's 134th Preakness Stakes grew by three confirmed starters when the connections of Musket Man, General Quarters and Terrain committed to the middle jewel of racing's Triple Crown. The $1 million race now has nine definite starters with Big Drama the first to arrive at historic Pimlico Race Course.
Trainer Derek Ryan told Maryland Jockey Club officials that Musket Man, who finished third in Saturday's Kentucky Derby would be Preakness bound. The Illinois Derby (Grade II) and Tampa Bay Derby (Grade III) winner has never finished off the board in seven lifetime starts.
"We've decided on the Preakness," Ryan said from Monmouth Park. "We plan to work him between now and then, maybe 3/8ths next Tuesday. We will not be coming to Pimlico early. We want to stay here as long as possible."
Eibar Coa will have the mount.
Just after noon, owner/trainer Tom McCarthy contacted Maryland Jockey Club stakes coordinator Coley Blind from Kentucky with the news that General Quarters will be making his way to the Preakness. The son of Sky Mesa galloped a mile and a quarter under exercise rider Julie Sheets Wednesday morning.
"I knew I couldn't walk him another day and Julie couldn't stop him," McCarthy said. "He came out of this race better than any race yet."
General Quarters, winner of the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) before finishing 10th in Kentucky Derby 135, returned to the track Wednesday for the first time since the Run for the Roses.
"You never know until they gallop if there is anything wrong. You can see it right away," McCarthy said. "But he did so well this morning."
General Quarters will leave Louisville Tuesday morning via van.
"That would give us Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to gallop over there," McCarthy said.
Julien Leparoux has the riding assignment.
Terrain galloped a mile and half at Churchill Downs under exercise rider Jimmy Valdez rather than boarding a plane to Texas for Saturday's Lone Star Derby (Grade III).
"We are not exactly sure what we saw last Saturday," trainer Al Stall Jr. said of Mine That Bird's upset victory in the Derby and the decision to go on to Baltimore.
Fourth in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (Grade I) in his most recent start on April 11, Terrain vanned to Churchill Downs on Tuesday afternoon from Keeneland where he's had two works since the Blue Grass after a little break.
"He is right where he needs to be," said Stall, who plans to work Terrain Saturday or Sunday and ship to Baltimore next Wednesday.
No rider has been confirmed for Terrain.
Delta Jackpot winner Big Drama arrived at Pimlico at 6 a.m. after a 19-hour van ride from Calder Race Course. The son of Montbrook has won five-of-seven lifetime starts, including a rare sweep of the three races that comprise the Florida Stallion Stakes as a two-year-old. In his last start he broke the seven-furlong track record at Gulfstream Park in the Grade II Swale but was disqualified and placed second.
Trainer David Fawkes said John Velazquez will have the Preakness mount.
"So far he's proven that he can do anything you've asked him to do and handled everything very well," said Celia Fawkes, exercise rider and assistant to her husband. "There's no reason why he can't compete against these horses."
Celia Fawkes indicated Big Drama would jog around the Pimlico oval at 6:30 Thursday morning. David Fawkes said his star will breeze Monday.
Papa Clem will be the second Preakness starter to arrive at Pimlico. Trainer Gary Stute said Wednesday morning that the fourth place finisher in the Derby will leaving Churchill Downs for Pimlico on Friday or Saturday.
"My alternate plan was to breeze him five-eighths at Churchill Downs on Friday, then check his legs on Saturday and wait to ship," Stute said. "But I am thinking now that I will go on to Baltimore and meet the horse there, gallop him a few days then breeze five-eighths either Monday or Tuesday."
Longshot Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird galloped twice around Churchill Downs through a light drizzle Wednesday morning with exercise rider Charlie Figueroa up. Mine That Bird is scheduled to ship to Pimlico next Tuesday.
"He looked super and switched leads perfectly," trainer Bennie "Chip" Woolley Jr. said. "I was happy with him yesterday (when Mine That Bird galloped a mile). He tried to run off a little bit and that surprised me. I will let him do a little bit more tomorrow."
Woolley said he does not feel any extra pressure going into the second leg of the Triple Crown to quiet naysayers who viewed the 50-1 Derby victory as a fluke.
"He had a great run and came out on top," Woolley said. "We are going to train him the way we trained here and hope things go well again. I don't expect us to be the favorite. Pioneerof the Nile, if he runs, rightfully so. He may have stumbled a little bit in the Kentucky Derby, The Preakness is a sixteenth of a mile shorter and that is in his favor."
The aforementioned Pioneerof the Nile, who is not a confirmed Preakness starter, was one of the first horses on the track Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs, jogging once around accompanied by a pony.
"Everything is looking good this morning," said Jim Barnes, assistant to trainer Bob Baffert of Pioneerof the Nile's first day back at the track since his runner-up finish in Kentucky Derby 135.
The son of Empire Maker is expected to breeze Monday and if all goes well ship to Baltimore on May 13. Garrett Gomez will have the mount. Baffert lifted the Woodlawn Vase four times from 1997 to 2002.
Undefeated Hull galloped after the renovation break Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs. Now three-for-three after winning the Grade III Derby Trial on April 25, Hull is scheduled to have his first work since that victory on Saturday before heading to Pimlico on May 13. Trainer Dale Romans, who never has had a Preakness starter, was asked what the deciding factor was in opting for the Preakness for the son of Holy Bull.
"It looks like a wide-open race," Romans said.
Miguel Mena, who rode Hull to his Derby Trial victory, has the Preakness mount.
Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas had Flying Private gallop Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs before the renovation break with exercise rider Taylor Carty up. The son of Fusaichi Pegasus returned to the track for the first time since running 19th in the Kentucky Derby on Tuesday to jog. Lukas said no rider has been confirmed for Flying Private, who is scheduled to ship to Pimlico on May 12.
Lukas also will be bringing Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) runner-up Stone Legacy to Pimlico for the May 15 Black-Eyed Susan (Grade II), plus Jazz Nation (Jim McKay Turf Sprint).
Lukas has saddled 32 starters in Maryland's signature race since 1980, the most of any conditioner. He tasted victory with Codex (1980), Tank's Prospect (1985), Tabasco Cat (1994), Timber Country (1995) and Charismatic (1999).
Former Lukas protege Todd Pletcher plans on running Take the Points in next's Saturday's $1 million race. The son of Even the Score is two-for-six lifetime and finished second in the Grade III Sham Stakes and fourth in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby in southern California. Pletcher will breeze Take the Points Saturday or Sunday at Belmont Park.
Update 4916: Pictures and an update, from a visit with La Ville Rouge and her latest foal: A Visit with La Ville Rouge and Her Colt.
Update 4915: Bill Talon (Daily Racing Form) on David Cotey and Chantal Sutherland and their reaction to Mine That Bird's Derby win: No longer involved, but still thrilled.
Update 4914: Six sets this morning for Steve at Woodbine. And all mine galloped nicely for a very straightforward morning's work. The weather was very pleasant too.
I left work early to head out to Dundalk to visit the slaughter house there. About five miles north of Dundalk on Route 10. This was my third time I have visited and I have not see any horse slaughter. It is a long drive, but very pretty drive.
Update 4913: It appears the injury to I Want Revenge, discovered on the morning of the Derby, is worse than at first feared: I Want Revenge has career-threatening injury.
Here is my latest entry for The Rail: How Trainers Manage a Two-Week Gap.
And my report from OLEX yesterday: OLEX May 5th 2009.
And please keep calling.
La ville Rouge and her Colt
Posted by: Debbie L.A. at May 6, 2009 12:44 PM