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Paco Lopez 4000 wins Woodbine Turf Showcase Woodward Stakes Day Pennsylvania Derby Day Mohawk Million Night |
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 Several of the Derby and Oaks horses on the track Tuesday morning. Out front is trainer D.Wayne Lukas with Dublin and behind them to the right is Mission Impazible. |
Many of the Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses are already at Churchill Downs, and this year they started a new thing where only they are allowed on the track for the first 15 minutes after the rennovation break. Despite the rainy weather and muddy track, there was quite a crowd of them out on Tuesday morning and two did timed works while several schooled in the starting gate.
 Conveyance breezed 5 furlongs in 59 4/5 seconds under assistant trainer Dana Barnes. His fractions were 13 seconds, 25 1/5, 36 3/5, and 48 seconds, galloping out 3/4 in 1:13 3/5. Trainer Bob Baffert said, "He worked well. He went off easily like we wanted him to, and he finished up really well through the stretch. He looked like his old self. I saw what I was looking for. Conveyance has shown from day one he has that natural speed, and the second time he ever ran he really showed it. He's so much better on dirt." | |
 Awesome Act worked half a mile in 48 1/5 under jockey Julien Leparoux, starting 2 1/2 lengths behind stablemate Peace Town and finishing a neck in front. His fractions were 13 seconds, 24 4/5, 36 3/5, and then galloped out 5/8 in 1:00 4/5 and 3/4 in 1:15 2/5. Leparoux said, "It was a very nice work. He did it very easy," Leparoux said. "He went over the track very good. He loved (the muddy track), so I won't be scared about it." Tom Ludt, president of co-owner Vinery said, "Knock on wood, but this horse keeps getting better and better. The horse is doing everything right. This horse is hopefully going to rate back because that is what he does well. Julien rode him great in the Gotham. We had no speed in the Wood, but there will be plenty of speed here." | |
 Devil May Care the lone filly expected to go in the Derby, went out for a gallop under exercise rider Horacio De Paz on Tuesday. John Velazquez gets the call for trainer Todd Pletcher on Saturday. Pletcher said, "She's an exceptional filly and we've thought all along that she'd be especially well-suited by a distance of ground. The fact that she'll get that 5-pound sex allowance doesn't hurt either. And I think the thing that put it over the top was the availability of John Velazquez for her for the race (after Eskendereya scratched). That was probably the deciding factor." | |
 Ice Box galloped 1 1/2 miles under exercise rider Dennis Chavez for trainer Nick Zito and owner Robert LaPenta. He comes to the Derby off an upset win in the Florida Derby. Zito said, "He kind of trains like (Strike the Gold), acts like him. He's a late-developing horse; he ran in Florida; ran the right races. Of course, Strike the Gold finished second in the Florida Derby and this horse won the Florida Derby. I like his chances, I really do." Regular rider Jose Lezcano gets the call on Saturday. | |
 Super Saver was out over the muddy track again under exercise rider Kevin Willey for a 1 1/4 mile gallop. The Todd Pletcher trainee comes to the Derby off a second place finish in the Arkansas Derby. | |
 Homeboykris jogged a mile under exercise rider Joe Deegan on Tuesday morning. Trainer Rick Dutrow said, "We're not going to scratch him (if it's muddy or sloppy). It doesn't matter what we think; the horse has to show he can handle it. I think he'll handle it ... we're hoping." Homeboykris is coming off a 9 week layoff, from an allowance race. | |
 Paddy O'Prado galloped over the mud under exercise rider Faustino Aquilar. Trainer Dale Romans said, "He just galloped and everything is going good. He'll gallop up to the race, nothing special from here on out. He'll school (in the paddock) and go to the gate." He was second in the Blue Grass Stakes in his final prep race, after winning the Palm Beach on turf. | |
 Discreetly Mine who has two seconds and three thirds in eight starts, including a tally in the Risen Star Stakes, came out to gallop over the mud Tuesday after walking the shedrow on Monday for trainer Todd Pletcher. He finished fourth in the Louisiana Derby in his last start. | |
 Setsuko galloped 1 1/4 miles under exercise rider Nestor Capitaine. With the defections of both Eskendereya and Rule, he moves up to 24th in the graded earnings list and will need more help to make the field. If he draws in, French jockey Olivier Peslier, who rides most of the horses for owners Wertheimer et Frere, will get the call, otherwise he will go in the American Turf on Friday with regular rider Rafael Bejarano. | |
 Blind Luck is the 6-5 morning line favorite in the Kentucky Oaks when expected favorite Devil May Care defected to go in the Derby instead. She won the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park after finishing third in the Santa Anita Oaks. Rafael Bejarano will be aboard for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, out of post 5. She galloped 1 1/2 miles with regular exercise rider Archie Cross. Assistant trainer Galen May said, "She looked very good and I was very impressed with her today. This filly, she's just a pro." | |
 Amen Hallelujah drew post 13 for the Kentucky Oaks as a co-third choice at 8-1. Regular rider Julien Leparoux gets the call aboard the Rick Dutrow-trained Davona Dale Stakes winner. She jogged a mile over the muddy Churchill Downs track under exercise rider Joe Deegan. Dutrow said, "Our filly ran big (in the Bonnie Miss, finishing second). The only excuse we had was the Devil May Care was in the race." | |
 Seeking The Title, shown here stumbling on the slippery track, was entered in the Oaks but did not draw into the field, as she was 15th in graded earnings. | |
 Jody Slew drew post 2 and is a 30-1 outsider in the Oaks. Jockey Miguel Mena gets the call for trainer Bret Calhoun. Assistant trainer Dennis Geier said after a morning jog that Jody Slew is "doing good". Calhoun will be at Churchill Downs on Wednesday. | |
 Sassy Image was not entered in the Oaks as announced on Monday by trainer Dale Romans. He said, "We just ran out of time with her." Her stablemate Quiet Temper was entered and drew in. | |
 Quiet Temper drew post 3 and is 10-1 on the morning line with jockey Robby Albarado in the irons for trainer Dale Romans. The Fair Grounds Oaks winner was out for a morning gallop under exercise rider Javier Tapia. Romans said, "Quiet Temper is doing good and I'm happy with her." Albarado added, "I like her chances in the Oaks. She's gotten better every time I've been on her this year." | |
 Bella Diamante is a 30-1 Oaks outsider and drew post 9 for trainer Allan Milligan. She galloped over the track under Allan's brother and assistant Eddie Jr., who said, "She felt great, hit the ground good. Everything went really well. The track was a little sloppy but she handled it well jogging and everything was fine." She has never won at longer than 6 furlongs, and has yet to hit the board around 2 turns. Mike Smith gets the call on Friday. | |
 Ailalea will break from post 12 under jockey John Velazquez and is 15-1 on the Oaks morning line. Exercise rider Carlos Cano was aboard for a gallop over the main track on Tuesday for trainer Todd Pletcher and owners Starlight Partners. | |
 It's Tea Time and jockey Alan Garcia will break from the rail in the Kentucky Oaks. She is 15-1 on the morning line. She galloped 1 1/2 miles under exercise rider Ronan Quinn. Trainer Rusty Arnold said, "She trained on the dirt here last fall and this winter at Palm Meadows. I trained her second dam, Rootentootenwooten and she won the Demoiselle on dirt. It would be my guess that she would love the mud. My only concern is inexperience." | |
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