Hold Me Back Among Horses Set to Leave for Churchill Downs
WinStar Farm LLC’s Hold Me Back, second in the Toyota Blue Grass (G1) on April 11, is scheduled to leave Keeneland on Wednesday for Churchill Downs and prepare for his next start in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1). In the morning, the Giant’s Causeway colt galloped over Keeneland’s main track with trainer Bill Mott’s assistant Leana Willaford aboard.
Elliott Walden, WinStar’s vice president and racing manager, said Hold Me Back would work at Churchill either on Sunday or Monday. That is the same schedule for WinStar’s Coolmore Lexington (G2) winner, Advice, a son of Chapel Royal who is trained by Todd Pletcher. Advice also is set to leave Keeneland for Churchill on Tuesday for a possible run in the Derby.
WinStar has a third Derby hopeful in California-based Mr. Hot Stuff, a colt by Tiznow who ran third in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). Trained by Eoin Harty, Mr. Hot Stuff is scheduled to work at Santa Anita on Sunday, April 26, and fly to Louisville the following day.
“We’ll make a decision on Advice (running in the Derby), but the other two are definite,” Walden said.
When asked about whether he expected to have three possible contenders for the Derby as 2009 began, Walden said, “(I) didn’t at the first of the year. I think we’ve still got some work to do. There’s a lot of good horses that are going to show up there next Saturday (May 2), but I like our chances.”
Meanwhile, Pletcher’s assistant Tristan Barry reported that the Pletcher runners who are joining Advice on the Wednesday trip to Louisville are Join in the Dance, fifth in the Toyota Blue Grass; Mission Impazible, an impressive 2-year-old maiden winner at Keeneland on April 16; and Grade 3 winner Bittel Road. Join in the Dance is currently 21st on the list of Derby contenders by graded stakes winners; the Derby field is limited to 20 horses.
WinStar, which is owned by Kenny Troutt and Bill Casner and is located not far from Keeneland, currently has five wins at the track to rank as leading owner through Sunday, April 19. Owners with four wins are George Strawbridge Jr.’s Augustin Stable, Phipps Stable, and Ken and Sarah Ramsey.
Keeneland’s spring season ends on Friday.
2009 KEENELAND SPRING MEET LEADERS
(Stats Through Sunday, April 19)
Current Meet Leading Jockeys
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Julien Leparoux 83 24 16 10 $1,192,217
Kent Desormeaux 76 14 10 12 1,052,865
John Velazquez 47 10 5 5 619,813
Garrett Gomez 44 9 7 8 678,378
Rene Douglas 49 7 8 7 332,890
Jamie Theriot 46 7 3 5 278,135
Miguel Mena 70 6 6 13 382,125
Shaun Bridgmohan 45 6 1 3 231,895
Current Meet Leading Trainers
Name Sts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses
Shug McGaughey 20 6 4 6 $398,485
George Arnold II 22 6 1 3 206,775
Michael Maker 29 5 7 3 189,775
Bill Mott 35 5 6 6 646,385
Wesley Ward 15 4 4 1 154,880
Todd Pletcher 22 4 2 2 382,740
Steve Asmussen 17 4 2 2 156,045
Jonathan Sheppard 7 4 1 1 414,350
Barclay Tagg 13 3 2 3 145,820
Ian Wilkes 16 3 2 2 141,820
Ken McPeek 17 3 1 2 179,186
Michael Matz 20 3 1 1 131,105
Angel Penna Jr. 6 3 0 1 135,775
Current Meet Leading Owners
Name Wins
WinStar Farm LLC (Bill Casner, et al) 5
Augustin Stable (George Strawbridge Jr.) 4
Phipps Stable (Ogden Mills Phipps, et al) 4
Ken & Sarah Ramsey 4
Dixiana Stables Inc. (William Shively) 3
Heiligbrodt Racing Stable (Bill & Corrine Heiligbrodt) 3
Ashbrook Farm (Glenn S. Bromagen) 2
Castletop Stable (Morton Topfer) 2
Chiefswood Stables (Robert & Mark Krembil) 2
Darley Stable (Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum) 2
G. Watts Humphrey Jr. 2
David A. Ross 2