JC / Railbird

Triple Crown Archive

Preakness Field Grows to 9

– The list of Preakness probables has grown to nine, now that trainer Steve Klesaris has decided to enter allowance winner Diabolical, and two other longshots — Greeley’s Legacy and Platinum Couple — are also expected to enter. “I think he has the ability to compete,” said trainer George Weaver of Greeley’s Legacy, who finished fourth in the Gotham. “If I can get back to his Gotham race, I think we can be right in the thick of things. That’s what it boils down to. I think he fits, the timing is right and the horse is right.”
– One horse that won’t start is Ah Day. Trainer King Leatherbury decided the $100,000 it would take to supplement the Federico Tesio winner into the race was too much. “I wasn’t going to put it up,” said Leatherbury. “I was working on a deal with someone else whereby they would put up the $100,000 and we would split any purse money the horse earned. We couldn’t make it work out.”
– Bernardini turned in his final workout for the Preakness this morning at Belmont, going five furlongs in 1:01.3 over the muddy main track.
– Post positions will be drawn for the Preakness today, and ESPN will televise the event starting at 5 p.m. Andrew Beyer asks trainers to consider inside posts at today’s draw, while Mike Watchmaker dispels a couple of myths about the Pimlico track: “The turns at Pimlico are almost identical to the ones at Churchill Downs … As for the Preakness favoring speed horses, that’s baloney, too.”

Posted in Triple Crown on May 17, 2006

Noted: May 15

– Weekend results: “With no impetus other than his own desire, Wanna Runner took possession of Saturday’s $300,000 Lone Star Derby.” At Hollywood Park, Grey Swallow won the Jim Murray by five lengths, and Surf Cat made an amazing move from last to first to win the Mervyn LeRoy. “I saw a lightning flash,” said trainer Bruce Headley. “That was some kind of move.” Jockey Alex Solis had a big day at the track, sweeping all three graded stakes at Hollywood on Saturday.
– Trainer Bob Baffert said neither Point Determined nor Bob and John would run in the Preakness. “I’ll take them back to California on Monday,” said Baffert. “I’ll let [those entered] soften Barbaro up in the Preakness so we can get him in the Belmont.” The defection of Baffert’s duo leaves just six probables (making the likely Preakness field the smallest since 1979), but two others are still being considered for the race: Trainer King Leatherbury may supplement Federico Tesio winner Ah Day to the race, and trainer Steve Klesaris may enter allowance winner Diabolical.
– Hemingway’s Key worked five furlongs in 1:00.2 at the Oklahoma training track on Sunday in preparation for the Preakness. Jeremy Rose has been named to ride the colt, but the jockey may pass: “It’s not 100 percent whether or not we’re going to ride in the Preakness,” said Rose’s agent, Kid Breeden. “Right now it’s at best a 50/50 possibility.”
– The Green Monkey, aka the $16 million colt, worked for the first time on Sunday, breezing three furlongs in :39.4 at Belmont.
– Lost in the Fog could make his next start at Lone Star. Trainer Greg Gilchrist has nominated last year’s champion sprinter for the May 29 Beck Auto Group Turf Sprint. “We’ve always wanted to find a grass race for this horse,” said Gilchrist, “and this race at Lone Star would fit nicely in his schedule.”
– Julien Leparoux may be an apprentice, but he’s also the country’s leading jockey.
– Mid-Atlantic tracks like Delaware Park are growing crowded with Triple Crown race-winning trainers and jockeys. “They have slots, the trainers are getting better, the horses are getting better,” explained jockey Jeremy Rose.

Posted in Races/Results, Triple Crown on May 15, 2006

Preakness Field in Flux

– With nine days to go, the Preakness has only six definite starters: Barbaro, Brother Derek, Sweetnorthernsaint, Like Now, Bernardini, and trainer Nick Zito’s morning glory, Hemingway’s Key. “I had this in mind from day one because I thought he was Belmont material,” said Zito of the colt, who finished eighth in his last start, the Lexington. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, put off by Barbaro’s dominating win in the Derby, has decided not to enter Simon Pure, who finished fourth in the Arkansas Derby. “I think [Barbaro] should scare a few horses away — me included,” said Lukas. Lawyer Ron is also out — the colt is having surgery Friday to remove chips in his right hind ankle.
– Lawyer Ron wasn’t the only horse to exit the Derby with an injury. Sharp Humor has a knee fracture, for which he’ll have surgery today. “It was very unfortunate and now we know why he ran the way that he did,” said trainer Dale Romans. “He just didn’t run his race at all.” Sharp Humor finished 19th in the Derby.

Posted in Triple Crown on May 11, 2006