Blinkers Off Archive

Blinkers Off – Tuesday

Special Railbird correspondent Blinkers Off checks in from the backstretch. Today at Churchill …
Rick Dutrow and Big Brown are unquestionably the stars of this Kentucky Derby. Not only did Dutrow have the lone formal press conference scheduled Tuesday, the location was changed as well, leaving several veteran Derby reporters scrambling. “How are we supposed to know these things?” asked one, who happened to fortunately be standing in the media center where it had been moved to. “Word of mouth,” she was told …
Dutrow, wearing a “Palm Meadows” cap and a down vest over a hoodie (temperatures were in the low 40s), might become the new D. Wayne Lukas of Triple Crown racing if he continues talking about women instead of horses. “It’s like trying to be with a pretty girl and you can’t,” he said in response to one question, eliciting laughter, some of it nervous. The trainer was on better footing when asked about Kent Desormeax, a two-time Derby winner, calling Big Brown the best horse he had ever been on. “Desormeaux got paid a lot of money to say that,” Dutrow responded …
Nick Zito was in fine New York form outside his barn. Talking about Anak Nakal and Cool Coal Man, not exactly Affirmed and Alydar, Zito said, “I wish Bill Parcells was here. I’d tell him we have Jeff Hostetler.” Zito held court at length about his distaste for Polytrack. “I like dirt and grass. I don’t want something from the attic.” …
David Carroll, whose Denis of Cork moved into the Derby field after Todd Pletcher and Satish Sanan decided to hold out Lexington Stakes winner Behindatthebar for the Preakness, vowed to never let Ragozin Sheets or any other speed figures determine how he trains his horses. “Shove those numbers up their asses,” Carroll said.

More Blinkers Off

Wednesday, 4/30: Motion on Adriano, Dutrow on cheating, Harty on Colonel John.
Thursday, 5/1: Bad deal for track employees, being glad you weren’t in the Beatles, Casner hopes for synthetic Churchill.
Friday, 5/2: Gayego’s feet fine, tight security, whispers about Pyro.
Saturday, 5/3: Manny the Magician, $1 exacta box.

Posted in Blinkers Off, Racing on April 29, 2008 / Tagged Kentucky Derby