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Withers, Toboggan, Ruthless Pegasus World Cup works Eclipse Awards Year in Review Santa Anita opening day |
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![]() It was busy this morning. Here are Master Fencer (blinkers), By My Standards (2nd from right), and Out For a Spin (far right) in the first turn. |
Wednesday morning was warm and, while mostly overcast, did have a bit of sun peek through. The track was fast during training at Churchill Downs after the renovation break, but rain is expected after today. All of the Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses are on the grounds now and all of them came out at some time during in the day. There was one timed work by Master Fencer who went 5 furlongs in 1:05.20 with jockey Julien Leparoux aboard.
Update as of 6:30pm - Kentucky Derby favorite Omaha Beach will be scratched due to an entrapped epiglottis, according to Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. "After training this morning we noticed him cough a few times," Mandella said. "It caused us to scope him and we found an entrapped epiglottis. We can't fix it this week so we'll have to have a procedure done in a few days and probably be out of training for three weeks. We'll have to figure out a whole new game plan."
The epiglottis is a triangular-shaped cartilage that lies at the base of the airway just in front of the arytenoid cartilages which cover the airway during swallowing. When an abnormality occurs in this area it can hinder the performance of horses.
With the scratch of Omaha Beach, Bodexpress will draw into the field and break from post position 20. All horses outside of Omaha Beach (post positions 13-20) will move over one position in the starting gate.
Below are photos for 21 Derby horses and 15 Oaks fillies from this morning on the track with comments for each. You can watch video of today's training session here.
Kentucky Derby![]() ![]()
"Things are sort of out of our hands right now," Allied Racing Stables' Chester Thomas said. "We're feeling good, we're happy, we're nervous, we're all of the emotions. Above all, I'm just thrilled to be here. (Trainer) Bret (Calhoun) and his team deserve a shot to be in the Derby and I'm glad I get to be here with him."
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He and stablemate Tacitus went out during the special Derby session and they had their usual gallop. They both walked through the paddock and then galloped a mile and a half," Mott said. "They both seem happy and all is well."
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![]() ![]() He and stablemate Spinoff made their first appearance at Churchill Downs Wednesday morning and galloped during the special Oaks-Derby training period starting at 7:30. Trainer Todd Pletcher said, "They both went 10 furlongs. They're in good shape. They've settled in well and they went over the ground smoothly this morning. Knock on wood, our first morning went well."
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As was the case on Tuesday, reigning juvenile male champion Game Winner emerged at 9 a.m. with Gomez in the irons for his gallop. "(This year) reminds me a little bit of the Silver Charm derby (in 1997)," Baffert said. "You had a lot of good 3-year-olds in there and whoever gets the trip is going to win it."
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He got his first feel for the local surface when galloping with a pony Wednesday during the special 7:30-7:45 Kentucky Derby/Oaks session. Assistant trainer Ashlie Campbell said, He felt good. He was a little warm, but it was nothing to worry about with him. We just wanted to introduce him to the crowds. He galloped about a mile and a quarter."
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He got his second feel for Churchill Downs Wednesday during the special Kentucky Derby/Oaks 7:30-7:45 a.m. training session. Leaving Barn 41, the son of Daaher jogged with a pony and then broke off into a gallop. "He galloped a mile and a quarter today," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. "We just want to keep him happy, sound and healthy right now."
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"I think it's nice to not come in here as the heavy favorite, you can just enjoy the week more," Baffert said. "Last year we came in here with Justify and we knew it was my race to lose. So I felt a little extra pressure. There are a lot of good horses in here. I think they're a pretty evenly matched group of horses. You don't see anybody like really puffing off the screen here. When (2015 Triple Crown winner) American Pharoah came in here, we knew he was from on another planet."
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He returned to the track for the first time since completing his final Derby work Monday and galloped one mile under regular exercise rider Brooke Stillion.
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![]() ![]() He got his second feel for the Churchill Downs dirt Wednesday during the special Kentucky Derby/Oaks 7:30-7:45 a.m. training session, working an easy five furlongs in 1:05.20 with jockey Julien Leparoux in the saddle. The pair will join again Saturday when they break from post 15 in the 20-horse field.
Trainer Koichi Tsunoda said through a translator, "He went really well today. We are pleased with today's work. He didn't work too hard, since he had a (strong gallop) at Keeneland on Sunday before shipping to Churchill Downs. He seems to be handling the dirt just fine. Even with a gate boy, he'll probably start slow, as usual. He has great closing speed, so I expect to see that turn of foot on Saturday."
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He got acquainted with the Churchill Downs track Wednesday morning while galloping a mile on his first day since arriving from his winter base at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach, Florida. "He looked good; he's acting good; he's cooling out good," trainer Jason Servis said.
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![]() ![]() The Derby favorite had regular exercise rider Taylor Cambra aboard, who took his charge from the five-furlong gap on the backside to the paddock gap on the frontside to stand for a bit, then proceeded to gallop the big colt strongly around the big oval. "He went a mile and three-quarters," said the tall reinsman as he flashed a big smile. Was it his best gallop yet, someone asked? "Absolutely," came the resolute reply.
Update at 6:30pm: Kentucky Derby favorite Omaha Beach will be scratched due to an entrapped epiglottis, according to Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. "After training this morning we noticed him cough a few times," Mandella said. "It caused us to scope him and we found an entrapped epiglottis. We can't fix it this week so we'll have to have a procedure done in a few days and probably be out of training for three weeks. We'll have to figure out a whole new game plan."
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He put in another strong gallop under Tom Molloy, assistant trainer, with head conditioner Brendan Walsh watching on horseback. "He went about a mile and a half," Walsh said. "He's a talented horse and he is going to get better. The distance won't be an issue with him and he proved that when (winning over 1 3/16 miles) in Dubai. The nine-hole is perfect for him. Hopefully the speed goes inside of us and he can save some ground like he did in the UAE Derby. He has to answer a question this week of whether or not he's come back (to form) from Dubai," he continued. "He's giving me every indication that he has, but as we've seen in previous years, it's one thing to do it in the morning and it's another to go out there and do it in a race."
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Roadster came out at 7:30am and galloped about a mile and a half under Humberto "Beto" Gomez.
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![]() ![]() He and stablemate Spinoff made their first appearance at Churchill Downs Wednesday morning and galloped during the special Oaks-Derby training period starting at 7:30. Trainer Todd Pletcher said, "They both went 10 furlongs. They're in good shape. They've settled in well and they went over the ground smoothly this morning. Knock on wood, our first morning went well."
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He and stablemate Country House went out during the special Derby session and they had their usual gallop. They both walked through the paddock and then galloped a mile and a half," Mott said. "They both seem happy and all is well."
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He galloped a mile and a quarter at Churchill Downs Wednesday morning. "He's getting over the track really well. He's doing good. He's nice and relaxed, so we're happy with him," trainer Danny Gargan said.
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He galloped a mile and a quarter and visited the starting gate under Cindy Hutter on the colt's first day on the track at Churchill Downs. "He galloped well and looked around a lot like you would fexpect with a new place," trainer George Weaver said, adding that Vekoma would school in the paddock this afternoon with horses in the third race.
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War of Will galloped under exercise rider Jose Vasquez Wednesday morning.
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jogged a mile, visited the starting gate and then galloped a mile under exercise rider Melanie Williams. Win Win Win is scheduled to school in the paddock with horses in Thursday's second race.
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![]() "We're hoping he gets in," said Gustavo Delgado Jr., assistant and son of trainer Gustavo Delgado. "He just jogged today. He'll gallop tomorrow."
Update at 6:30pm - With the scratch of Omaha Beach, Bodexpress will draw into the field and break from post position 20. All horses outside of Omaha Beach (post positions 13-20) will move over one position in the starting gate.
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Kentucky Oaks![]()
She took to the track during the special Oaks-Derby training period between 7:30 and 7:45 a.m. Wednesday and went through a full gallop of a mile and one-half under exercise rider Georgio Moreno. Assistant trainer Carlos Santamaria oversaw the move and liked what unfolded. "She handled the track well again," said Santamaria, sporting his usual dandy of a cowboy hat. "She's doing good."
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She galloped a mile Wednesday morning under exercise rider Kara Lee for trainer Ian Wilkes.
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She came out at 9:10a.m. and proceeded to gallop under exercise rider Kim Carroll.
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She came out at 9 a.m. along with stablemate Game Winner and galloped under Jose Conteras.
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She jogged six furlongs and galloped a mile Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs. "She's doing great. She's happy. I'm happy. She's where she needs to be," trainer John Servis said.
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She galloped a mile at Churchill Downs Wednesday on the morning after being given an open gallop in preparation for a start in Friday's Kentucky Oaks.
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She went to the track at 7:30 a.m. and galloped one mile under Juan Vargas.
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We're just kind of having a good time," said Annette Bacola of owner Coffee Pot Stables. "With Farrell, Farrell had a lot of speed and a lot of talent and we went in as one of the favorites so we were really kind of nervous about it and tense. And then she got injured during the race. But Liora, she may surprise a few people. She's tough and she'll run no matter what. She doesn't care what color the flowers are in the infield, she doesn't care about track conditions. She just likes to run. And she's tough and she's strong and according to (trainer) Wayne (Catalano), she's never been in better shape. So we'll see, we're just here to have a good time actually."
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She went too the track at 7:30 a.m. for a two-mile gallop under Raul Vizcarrondo Wednesday, in anticipation of possibly having a wet track Thursday that could limit morning training. "We wanted to put some air in her today," Van Berg said. "This is probably our last bit of serious training, especially if it rains tomorrow."
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She galloped 1 1/2 miles Wednesday morning for trainer Dallas Stewart. The filly drew the rail for Friday's Kentucky Oaks. "It's sort of out of our control with the post," Stewart said. "Someone has to draw the rail. It's not that bad, though."
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Brisset rode her this morning for a mile-and-a-half gallop, which is typically part of her routine. "She's doing extremely good, we're very happy with her," Brisset said. "I think she looked great galloping; we got a lot of comments about how good she looked out there. We also stopped to go to the gate in the middle of the gallop. It's kind of a routine thing for us. She'll train a little bit tomorrow and we will train the morning of the race."
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She galloped under regular exercise rider Danny Ramsey.
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She was on the track for a 1 1/2-mile gallop again Wednesday morning. JoseOrtiz is down to ride her in the Oaks. "She had her regular gallop today," Amoss said of his filly. "We did take her to the gate, for schooling, and she did well. It was the second time this week that we did that."
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She came on the track to train at 7:30 a.m. and several onlookers commented how much energy the filly has had all week as she bounced along until breaking into a 1 1/2-mile gallop under exercise rider Jorge Nava. When asked about the high energy his filly is displaying, trainer Larry Jones said, "That's just her. We never have to ask her to go. That's the problem we had with her early. We had trouble getting her to relax and I thought she'd only be a sprinter. But, now that she's running longer, she's learning to relax. I wish she wasn't that way all the time, but I'm not going to change anything now."
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