Saturday, April 18, 2009
DERBY “SCRIMMAGE” ON TAP FOR FRIESAN FIRE
Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm’s Friesan Fire is scheduled to work a mile at Keeneland on Sunday with jockey Gabriel Saez aboard.
“This will kind of be like his scrimmage for the Derby,” trainer Larry Jones said of the work that is scheduled for 7 a.m.
So, will Friesan Fire be “scrimmaging” on his own?
“I don’t know,” Jones said with a smile. “I will be out there on something and if it looks like he is not working the way I like, I could jump in.”
Friesan Fire has won his past three races, highlighted by a 7 ¼-length victory in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. Jones reunited with the colt on Tuesday upon the trainer’s arrival from Oaklawn Park and likes what he has seen from Friesan Fire this week.
Jones, who saddled 2008 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Proud Spell, said he will not be going for another score in that race this year.
“I am taking two fillies over there with Friesan Fire, but not for the Oaks,” Jones said. “I am going to try to win the Eight Belles (on May 2) with Just Jenda and Warrior Maid.”
Jones’ wife, Cindy, owns Just Jenda. Warrior Maid is owned by Russell Welch.
HOOH WHY HEADING TO CHURCHILL DOWNS ON SUNDAY
It has been two weeks since Hooh Why won the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes and co-owner Mark Hoffman has been weighing the options for his 3-year-old filly: Stick with his original plan and point for the American 1,000 Guineas on turf at Arlington Park on May 23 or go to Churchill Downs and try the Kentucky Oaks (G1).
“I should just head on to Arlington Park and not be tempted to do anything else,” Hoffman said Saturday morning. “That gets her another five weeks off, which would make seven weeks for what would be the longest break of her life.
“It’s kind of like Eve in the Garden of Eden with the apple … I’d kinda like to go see Rachel Alexandra over there. I don’t think anything that was running in California can beat her.”
About an hour later, after Hooh Why had galloped with Lauren Robson up, Hoffman was still vacillating.
“Ten minutes, girl, ten minutes and your fate will be decided,” Hoffman said as he walked Hooh Why. “The blacksmith is coming in 10 minutes and if I put toe grabs on her, she goes to Churchill (where toe grabs are permitted). If not, she may stay here awhile.”
Although no apples fell from any nearby trees, Hoffman opted for the toe grabs.
“The Oaks is a once in a lifetime chance and a Grade 1 placing
wouldn’t look too bad on her record,” Hoffman said. “We’ll go over in the morning and work. We’ll see how she trains over the track and if she doesn’t like it, we can always go on up to Arlington.”
NEXT STOP CHICAGO FOR INDESCRIBABLE
Winner of Friday’s Doubledogdare (G3), Indescribable could be headed to Chicago for her next race, trainer Bill Mott said on Saturday morning. A homebred racing for Donald Adam’s Courtlandt Farms, the 5-year-old daughter of Pleasant Tap won the Doubledogdare in her 2009 debut and gave Mott his third stakes victory of the Keeneland spring meeting.
That schedule resembles Indescribable’s travel plans last year. After running third in the Doubledogdare, she won the Arlington Matron (G3) on Polytrack at Arlington Park in Chicago. She concluded her 2008 season with a victory in the Cardinal (G3) on turf at Churchill Downs.
On opening day, Mott sent out Darley Stable’s Stormalory to win the Central Bank Transylvania (G3). His other stakes win came a week later with Circle E Racing’s Mr. Sidney in the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1). The next day, Mott sent out WinStar Farm LLC’s Hold Me Back to run second in the Toyota Blue Grass (G1). The colt is scheduled to make his next start in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).
Mott, the season’s second-ranked trainer by wins behind George “Rusty” Arnold II, is the meeting’s leading trainer by earnings with $618,335 through April 17.
BETTER TALK NOW BACK WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
In October 2001, a 2-year-old named Better Talk Now made the first start of his career at Keeneland, finishing 10th in a maiden special weight race at about seven furlongs on dirt. He was back the following April for his 3-year-old debut, but the outcome was only slightly improved as he finished sixth while racing at the same conditions. He returned to Keeneland in 2003 and finished ninth in Keeneland’s Sycamore Breeders’ Cup (G3) on turf.
Now 10, Better Talk Now is back at Keeneland to continue a remarkable career that has taken him from coast to coast and to Canada, Japan and the United Arab Emirates. He won the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) and has run in the race every year since then. In his career, the gelding has won 14 races in 48 starts at 19 tracks and has earned $4,216,664. Better Talk Now is scheduled to make his 2009 debut on April 24, closing day of the spring meeting, in the $200,000 Fifth Third Elkhorn (G2).
“Graham is really pleased with him,” said Heather Craig, assistant to trainer Graham Motion, while she waited to climb aboard Better Talk Now and take him to the track to jog on Saturday morning accompanied by assistant Alice Clapham on a pony. After spending the winter in Florida, Better Talk Now worked over the Keeneland turf course on Thursday and received the day off on Friday.
As one might imagine, Better Talk Now draws a great deal of attention – and respect – from people and horses everywhere he goes.
“He enjoys telling all those young upstarts that the old boy’s in town,” Clapham said.
GALLOPING OUT
Trainer Bobby Frankel was all smiles Saturday morning after the successful return to the races by Stronach Stable’s Ariege on Friday.
Ridden by Julien Leparoux, Ariege scored a front-running three-quarter length victory in a 1 1/16-mile turf allowance event. It was the 4-year-old daughter of Donaraile Court’s first start since running fifth in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland last October.
“I am going to look around for some grass stakes for her, probably at Monmouth,” Frankel said. “I’ve got a lot of good grass fillies and I have to keep them separated.”
West Point Thoroughbreds’ Justwhistledixie and Fitz Just Right came out of their five-furlong works in good order, according to Neal McLaughlin, assistant to his brother Kiaran McLaughlin.
“They are both fine this morning,” McLaughlin said after the 1:00 works. “They will ship to Churchill Downs on Wednesday after training here.”
KEENELAND TO HOST MILITARY DAY AT THE RACES, PRESENTED BY WINDSTREAM, ON SUNDAY
On Sunday, Keeneland will welcome 1,000 basic training troops from Fort Knox for an afternoon at the track on Sunday. Meanwhile, all active and veteran members of the military and their families will receive free general admission with a military ID.
Windstream will provide a phone bank on the third-floor grandstand (paddock side) for soldiers to make calls to loved ones. Soldiers also will receive a disposable camera, courtesy of Wal-Mart.
GRADE ONE GAMBLE HANDICAPPING CONTEST SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY
On Sunday, Keeneland will host the “Grade One Gamble,” a live-money handicapping contest in which players compete for the winner’s share of $15,000 and one of three berths in the 2010 DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas.
Second-place will receive $8,000, with $4,000 to third, $2,000 to fourth, $1,500 to fifth and $1,000 to sixth. Players will retain the balance of their live bankroll.
The Grade One Gamble is limited to 30 players who paid an entry fee of $3,000, of which $1,800 must be wagered on Keeneland’s nine-race program. Contest registration was conducted on a first-come, first- served basis on March 2. Entries filled within a few hours of the registration’s opening.
2009 KEENELAND SPRING MEET LEADERS
(Stats Through Friday, April 17)
Current Meet Leading Jockeys
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Julien Leparoux 67 19 14 10 $1,027,112
Kent Desormeaux 62 13 8 9 870,635
John Velazquez 36 8 4 5 542,058
Garrett Gomez 33 7 6 5 420,703
Miguel Mena 57 6 4 9 322,580
Shaun Bridgmohan 35 6 0 3 200,390
Rene Douglas 37 5 5 6 219,745
Corey Lanerie 35 5 5 1 416,100
Jamie Theriot 40 5 3 5 233,655
Robby Albarado 69 3 14 6 270,256
Edgar Prado 37 3 7 7 323,526
Alan Garcia 43 3 6 7 239,935
Current Meet Leading Trainers
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
George Arnold II 17 6 1 1 $196,375
Bill Mott 27 5 4 5 618,335
Michael Maker 23 4 5 3 152,975
Wesley Ward 13 4 4 1 153,455
Shug McGaughey 12 4 2 4 188,510
Steve Asmussen 14 4 2 2 148,345
Ian Wilkes 15 3 2 2 141,820
Barclay Tagg 8 3 2 1 128,370
Ken McPeek 17 3 1 2 179,186
Jonathan Sheppard 6 3 1 1 387,070