Barbaro Updates: 279
updates are now here.
Update 1888: Sunday's Pimlico Preakness update:
CHELOKEE - Centennial Farms' Chelokee will probably not compete in the Preakness but is headed to another race on the program, trainer Michael Matz said Sunday.
"Right now, I think that we're leaning toward going in the Barbaro Stakes," Matz said.
The Sir Barton was renamed the Barbaro by the Maryland Jockey Club during the winter to honor Matz' ill-fated 2006 Kentucky Derby winner, who was injured in the Preakness.
Chelokee has not raced since finishing third after a troubled trip in the Florida Derby on March 31 at Gulfstream. Matz said the Cherokee Run colt has recovered from a foot abscess and turned in a good workout Sunday morning at the Fair Hill Training Center.
"He went 5/8ths of a mile and did it very nicely," Matz said.
Chelokee covered the five furlongs under jockey Ramon Dominguez in 1:01 while working in company with Wood Be Willing, a 5-year-old stablemate.
Matz has until entries are due for the Preakness on Wednesday to change his plans, but he indicated it wasn't likely that he would run the colt in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
"I would say unless something happens where some of those top three horses scratch out, we'll probably go in the Barbaro," Matz said.
C P WEST -- Inclement weather in New York Sunday morning forced Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito to postpone a final workout for the son of Came Home until Monday.
"We galloped him today because the track was off," Zito said from Belmont Park. "It rained a lot last night, a lot of unexpected rain, so we rescheduled for tomorrow."
C P West has run second in both his starts this season, an allowance at Gulfstream Park in March and a second in the one-mile Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct on April 28. He was a troubled sixth behind Street Sense in last fall's Breeders' Cup Juvenile, beaten 22 lengths at Churchill Downs.
Edgar Prado has the mount aboard C P West.
CURLIN - During a national teleconference last week, Curlin's trainer Steve Asmussen talked about the challenge that the Preakness presents for horses that ran in the Kentucky Derby.
Curlin, who won the first three starts of this career, finished third in the Derby, eight lengths behind the winner, Street Sense.
"The uniqueness is (coming back in the Preakness) two weeks off the toughest race of your life," Asmussen said.
While the Preakness distance of 1-3/16 miles is a sixteenth of a mile shorter than the Derby distance, Asmussen said the short time between the races is a problem.
"The Derby, you get to run when you want -- your last prep being eight weeks or a week, your choice," Asmussen said. "Going into the Derby, you know graded earnings, and you know whether you're going to get in or not. The Derby to the Preakness: Here it is. You're making travel arrangements."
Curlin is scheduled to ship from Kentucky to Baltimore on Wednesday. Robby Albarado, who has ridden the colt in all four races in his career, has the mount.
FLYING FIRST CLASS -- Hall of Fame D. Wayne Lukas is scheduled to ship Flying First Class from Churchill Downs to Pimlico Wednesday.
Lukas confirmed Saturday that the Perfect Mandate colt will run in the Preakness. Flying First Class, owned by Ellwood W. Johnston, won the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs on April 28 in his most recent start.
The addition of Flying First Class may affect the pace scenario in the Preakness. Both of the colt's victories in his five-race career have been in races under a mile in distance in which he set or attended the pace. Flying First Class received a high speed figure while breaking his maiden by eight lengths in a six-furlong race at Oaklawn Park in 1:09 4/5 on Feb. 19. In the Derby Trial, he covered the first six furlongs in 1:08 3/5 and completed the 7 ½ furlongs in 1:29 1/5 while winning by 3 ¾ lengths.
Veteran jockey Mark Guidry rode the colt in the Derby Trial and will ride Flying First Class in the Preakness. Guidry, who announced his plan to retire later this year, recorded his 5,000th career victory during Derby week.
HARD SPUN – Kentucky Derby runner-up Hard Spun galloped 1-1/2 miles and jogged another 3/8ths of a mile at Delaware Park Sunday morning. Trainer Larry Jones was aboard for his colt's morning exercise, but he may let another exercise rider take the son of Danzig to the track Monday morning.
"I'm thinking of using an exercise rider (Monday), so I can watch him go -- to see if there's anything that needs to be worked on," Jones said. "Or I might just sit back and grin."
Jones reported that Hard Spun has come out of his strong Derby effort in great shape.
"He's very special horse. He handles everything so well, mentally. It's like he knows what he has to do. It's like he wants to succeed at everything he does," said Jones, who trains Hard Spun for Richard Porter's Fox Hill Farms.
Jones, who reported that Hard Spun felt invigorated on a cool Sunday morning at Delaware, does not expect to schedule a workout for his Preakness hopeful, just as he had indicated the morning after the Derby.
Jones marveled at the high cruising speed of Hard Spun, who set the pace in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby before being overtaken by Street Sense in the stretch.
"He's just a little faster than the other horses. If you want to run with him early, if you want to commit suicide, he'll make you run much faster than you want to," said Jones, whose stable star will be shipped to Pimlico on Wednesday. "I'm not saying he's the fastest horse in the world, but he's got a great cruising speed."
Maryland's all-time leading rider Mario Pino made his first Kentucky Derby appearance aboard Hard Spun and will ride the Jones-trained colt again in the Preakness.
KING OF THE ROXY -- Trainer Todd Pletcher left the door open Sunday morning for a possible second Preakness Stakes entrant after his Santa Anita Derby runner-up King of the Roxy jogged 1-1/2 miles at Belmont Park the morning after his final Preakness workout.
"That's my decision as of this moment," Pletcher answered when asked if King of the Roxy would be his lone starter in racing's Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown. When asked if that decision was subject to change, Pletcher responded, “Always.” Pletcher, who saddled five 3-year-olds in the Kentucky Derby, would not identify his possible second Preakness entrant, but he said that decision would be made on Wednesday. Post positions will be drawn that day. The former D. Wayne Lukas assistant said King of the Roxy looked "outstanding" on the track Sunday morning as he prepares for only his third start of the season. "We'll just basically gallop up to the race."
King of the Roxy won the Grade 2 Hutcheson at Gulfstream Park in his belated seasonal debut on March 3, before finishing only a half-length behind Kentucky Derby also-ran Tiago in the Santa Anita Derby.
MINT SLEWLEP – Trainer Robbie Bailes sent Mint Slewlep to the track for a leisurely jog the wrong way around the Pimlico oval Sunday morning. The 3-year-old son of Slew City Slew will have a more eventful Monday morning, when he is scheduled to work five furlongs under exercise rider Christy Knorr in preparation for a start in Saturday's Preakness Stakes.
Although Mint Slewlep was a surprise candidate for Preakness 132, Bailes has been targeting the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown for a while.
"We've had it on the back burner. We just wanted to wait to see how many horses in the Derby were going to come to this race," Bailes said.
Mint Slewlep will be making his first start at Pimlico in the Preakness, but the Kentucky-bred colt has won both of his starts in Maryland, a maiden-breaker last fall and an allowance score last month, both at Laurel Park.
New York-based Alan Garcia will ride Mint Slewlep Saturday.
"Alan has been riding horses for me for a while," said Bailes, whose colt finished fourth under Kent Desormeaux in the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct in his most recent start. "He's a good young rider. He's very underrated."
Garcia rode the Bailes-trained Scrappy T. for a victory in the 2005 Count Fleet Stakes at Aqueduct. Scrappy T went on to finish second behind Afleet Alex in the 2005 Preakness Stakes.
STREET SENSE – Trainer Carl Nafzger took the Kentucky Derby winner to the gate Sunday morning at Churchill Downs and then supervised a 1-1/4-mile gallop.
"We stood him in the gate and backed him out," said Nafzger, who plans to give the son of Street Cry a final breeze on Tuesday and ship to Pimlico on Wednesday. "He's doing great. He's damn near ahead of schedule. We're just trying to keep him happy. That's all you can really do between the Derby and the Preakness."
The Preakness will be the fourth start this season for Street Sense, the first winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile to add the Derby to his resume. He is 3-for-4 as a 3-year-old, losing the Blue Grass by a nose in his lone defeat.
Street Sense will be ridden by Calvin Borel, who attended a reception for Queen Elizabeth II at the White House following his first Kentucky Derby victory.
XCHANGER -- Circle Z Stables' Xchanger walked the shedrow at Fair Hill Training Center Sunday morning after breezing five furlongs in 59 2/5 seconds on Saturday.
"He's super. He didn't miss a beat, didn't miss an oat," trainer Mark Shuman said.
Shuman has been keeping the mount aboard Xchanger open for Ramon Dominguez, who has had a commitment to ride Chelokee if the Centennial Farms' colt was entered in the Preakness. After trainer Michael Matz's revealed his decision to point Chelokee to the Barbaro Stakes on the Preakness undercard instead of the main event, Shuman awaited word from Dominguez's agent, Steve Rushing, Sunday.
Note: Fair Hill also suffered a lot of rain last night, that did not effect Chelokee's work as the Tapeta track handles rain no problem.
Update 1887: Baltimore Sun notes the critical moments shortly after Barbaro's injury and how decisions were made: The Decision, the article concludes:
"We've had people tell us it's going to be a long time before the Barbaro story goes away," Roy Jackson said last week. "We hope the emphasis is on using that to try to solve some of the critical issues in our business. We would like to see that be Barbaro's legacy. The fact that he fought so hard, we just hope down the road it helps other horses."
Update 1886: I met up with Dick Jerardi for breakfast, Dick spent more time with Michael Matz this morning after Chelokee's work. It looks like a decision on where / when to run Chelokee may be made tomorrow. Mike Jensen spent time with Dr. Richardson last week, including attending his lecture on wednesday: Failing to save Barbaro is doctor's only regret, it concludes:
When he talks, Richardson always tries to make the point that the vast majority of Barbaro's days were good ones. He doesn't deny that he got extremely close to this patient. His best memories, he said, are of being alone with him as Barbaro grazed.
"It's like people. Some are nice, but kind of dull," Richardson said. "Others are just mean as snakes. . . . Barbaro, he was always interacting with his surroundings."
Barbaro's surgeon added, "He seemed a little larger than life, because he did some larger-than-life things."
Update 1885: A gorgeous sunday morning at Fair Hill. I had none to ride but thought I would go in and hope to time it to see Chelokee work. I got lucky, he was scheduled to work about 9 am. I went over to the clockers stand to watch. A couple of other trainers were there watching, as was Dick Jerardi (Daily News). Chelokee was under Ramon Dominguez and breezed 5/8ths in company with Wood be Willing under Peter Brette, they were on the Tapeta track. Chelokee started off a little behind (length and a half) and they worked together from about midway through the turn. It looked like a nice work for both horses, neither of which were under any pressure. I went back to Michael's barn afterwards with Dick and we hung around and chatted a little with Michael while Chelokee cooled out. Eduardo, who is Chelokee's groom, was there so we chatted about the Barbaro celebration day at Delaware Park. Michael was in good form showing us some of his new 2yos, lets now see what decisions are made for Chelokee's next start.
Update 1884: There was a third update from Pimlico yesterday, Michael Matz won the stake and Ramon Dominguez is due to work Chelokee this morning:
Hidden Creek Farm's Street Sounds left the starting gate as the 1-5 favorite, quickly spurted to the lead from her outside post and raced on cruise the rest of the way to score an easy victory in the $80,000 Hilltop Stakes for 3-year-old fillies contested over the firm turf this afternoon at Pimlico.
Michael Matz trains the bay daughter of Street Cry, who was winning her third straight added money race. She captured the Selima Stakes on the turf at Laurel Park and the Grade II Beaumont at Keeneland in her previous two outings.
Ramon Dominguez, who has won three of four starts aboard Street Sounds, was at the controls as she sped under the finish line in 1:36.66 over the firm turf. Ethan's Car chased the leader throughout and finished a clear second, 5 1/4 lengths behind the winner. Cabbage Key ran third.
"That was very easy," said Dominguez, who earned his 3,000th career victory earlier this week. "I was very pleased with the way she did it. She took me to the lead and I felt like she was going pretty quick early on but at the same time she was very relaxed. I was very happy with her."
Street Sounds paid $2.40. The exacta returned $9.80 and the triple came back $19.60.
Martin Paramo, assistant trainer for Matz said, "She is a very nice, classy filly. She trains so good. Our last race was terrific on the Polytrack at Keeneland. It was really nice because she had four months off and she returned to be the same filly."
Earlier in the day Dominguez learned he would ride in his sixth Preakness Stakes a week from today but the 30-year-old does not know what three-year-old he will be aboard in the $1 million classic just yet. Agent Steve Rushing secured the mount on Chelokee if Matz decides to run his colt in the Preakness. If not, then Dominguez will ride Xchanger. The pair teamed up to win the Tesio Stakes at Pimlico three weeks ago.
Dominguez will work Chelokee Sunday morning at the Fair Hill Training Center. Matz has indicated he'll decide whether to run the son of Cherokee Run in the Preakness, Barbaro Stakes or wait for the Ohio Derby after the breeze. Dominguez would also have the mount if Matz opts for the Barbaro.
"You hate to wait until the last minute to let either party know," added Dominguez. "But I feel very fortunate to be in the position where I will have a chance to ride in such a big event."
Update 1883: A second update today from Pimlico:
Trainer and co-owner Jamie Sanders announced Saturday afternoon that Teuflesberg will not run in next Saturday's $1 million Preakness Stakes (Grade I). The son of Johannesburg, who finished 17th in last weekend's Kentucky Derby (Grade I) was originally scheduled to leave Kentucky tomorrow for Pimlico.
"We need to do what is right for the horse," said Sanders. "He has given us everything leading up to this spot, including the Derby. It was a tough decision but it is a long campaign and we have a lot of races in store for him."
Teuflesberg has raced 16 times in his career with four victories, including the $250,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park in February.
The defection leaves the Preakness with seven confirmed starters. The connections of two other horses are still considering the middle jewel of racing's Triple Crown.
Update 1882: Pimlico's Preakness update for saturday:
Hall of Fame conditioner D. Wayne Lukas confirmed this morning to Pimlico officials that he will be sending Flying First Class to the $1 million Preakness Stakes, which will be contested one week from today at historic Pimlico Race Course.
Flying First Class was an impressive winner of the Derby Trial at Churchill Downs on April 28 after a pair of off the board finishes in the Arkansas Derby (Grade II) and Rebel Stakes (Grade III) at Oaklawn Park earlier in the year. Mark Guidry, who was aboard for the Churchill score, retains the mount.
"We think he is coming up to the race in good order and he's been doing what we've asked of him," said Lukas, who has started a record 31 horses in the middle jewel to date and has lifted the Woodlawn Vase five times. "I think he merits the chance. He's earned it."
Starbase has been removed from consideration for the Preakness, but could start in the Barbaro Stakes on the Preakness undercard. On December 20, 2006, the Maryland Jockey Club announced that the former Sir Barton Stakes had been renamed The Barbaro Stakes to honor last year's Kentucky Derby winner who was injured in the 2006 Preakness.
Ramon Dominguez will ride in his sixth Preakness a week from today but the former Maryland star does not know what three-year-old he will be aboard just yet. Agent Steve Rushing informed the Pimlico media relations staff that his rider has secured the mount on Chelokee if trainer Michael Matz decides to run his colt in the Preakness. If not the 30-year-old Dominguez, who won his 3,000th race earlier this week, will ride Xchanger. The pair teamed up to win the Tesio Stakes at Pimlico three weeks ago. Dominguez will work Chelokee Sunday morning at the Fair Hill Training Center. Matz has indicated he'll decide whether to run the son of Cherokee Run in the Preakness, Barbaro Stakes or wait for the Ohio Derby after the breeze. Dominguez would also have the mount if Matz opts for the Barbaro.
Xchanger worked five-furlongs in 59 and 2/5th seconds with exercise Anissa Butler over the Fair Hill Training Center's all weather surface. Trainer Mark Shuman remains confident the Tesio winner is sitting on a big race.
"He did it as easy as a horse could do it," said Shuman. "He cooled out great, scoped good. We are 100 percent ready for next week. We are just waiting for a confirmation on Dominguez which I am expecting tomorrow. Then we are good to go."
Todd Pletcher moved up King of the Roxy's final work one day and the Santa Anita Derby runner-up breezed six-furlongs in 1:14.92 at Belmont Park Saturday morning. King of the Roxy will ship into Pimlico Thursday.
Matz's decision to ride Dominguez opened the door for Nick Zito to name Edgar Prado as the rider on C P West. A final decision on whether or not the son of Came Home will start will be made Monday morning after the Withers runner-up breezes but Zito is expecting to have a Preakness starter for the 14th time in the last 17 years.
"It is good karma to secure a jock in advance," Zito said. "And Edgar certainly knows his way around Pimlico." Prado won 14 riding titles at Old Hilltop in the 1990's.
The Preakness will include the top three finishers from last week's Kentucky Derby and is shaping up to be the deepest field since 2004. Many Pimlico historians are comparing Street Sense, Hard Spun and Curlin to Silver Charm, Free House and Captain Bodgit who in 1997 duplicated the trifecta in Louisville two weeks later in Baltimore. This year's 1-2-3 finishers will arrive at Pimlico Wednesday.
This morning at Churchill Downs, Street Sense galloped a mile and a quarter under the watchful eye of trainer Carl Nafzger who said, "He went great."
Meanwhile at Delaware Park, trainer Larry Jones reported Hard Spun galloped a mile and a half.
"He went pretty strong," Jones said. "Everything is good in our camp. We could not be happier."
"The horse (Street Sense) is a very deserving horse," said Steve Asmussen, who trains Curlin. "At the same time, we're going to the Preakness. Planning on winning it."
The first two Preakness starters will arrive at the Pimlico stakes barn tomorrow. Mint Slewlep will be vanned from the Bowie Training Center and be on the track at 6:30 a.m., while Teuflesberg will leave Louisville after training hours and arrive in Baltimore after dark.
SportsCenter at Preakness Draw will take place live on Wednesday at the ESPN Zone in Baltimore's Inner Harbor and will be broadcast on ESPN 2 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., 30 minutes earlier than usual.
Update 1881: A lovely morning this morning at Fair Hill. Less humidity and a nice breeze. We also had ESPN here (Brooke, Kevin and Kevin), they took some video of me on Gator Nation, it might be part of their Preakness telecast about Fans of Barbaro! Three to ride today. Gator Nation was first out. He galloped a mile and a quarter on the Tapeta track. He went nicely (I hope he looked good!) Tim was with me on Who's Happy. She looked to gallop well also. Second set I was on Farouche, she jogged two miles. Tim was on Nautical Agent and she open galloped a turn on the Tapeta track. All looked well. Xchanger was out that set and he worked, I think 5/8ths. He started a few lengths behind his work companion, seemed to pull upsides with ease around the turn and pull away by 4 - 5 lengths by the end of the work. It looked good to me to set him up for the Preakness next saturday.
My last set was Pistol ... for Lynda. He galloped a mile and a half, breezing the last quarter. He also went nicely. All in all a nice pleasant morning to be outside! I also ran into Mr. and Mrs. Jackson after I was finished, they were visiting their horses and seemed in good form.
Update 1880: Jay Privman writes on Michael Matz: One year later, Matz has moved on. I admire Michael's ability to look forward and not let the past define who he is. I had actually thought he would make a great speaker for a leadership program (I used to work at Wharton) for this very same reason.
Breeders' Cup winning Sprinter Thors' Echo is returning to O'Neill's barn: Thor's Echo returning. Since his late season successes in the US he has had two unsuccessful starts in Dubai.
Monmouth racing opens today and this is their big year with the Breeders' Cup closing out their season: Refurbished Monmouth Begins Biggest Season.
Good morning all
###Marg Good to be able to put a face to a name.
Hope everyone has a good weekend and safe racing for all the horses and jockeys.
Posted by: Liz (UK) at May 12, 2007 11:15 AM