Kentucky Derby Update Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ MAX PLAYER WORKS FOR DERBY, MR. High expectations literally run in the family where BIG NEWS ADDED TO FIELD; NINE Enforceable is concerned as he is a full brother to graded stakes winner Mohaymen -- the fourth-place finisher in the ENTERED IN $1.25 MILLION LONGINES 2016 Kentucky Derby -- and a half sibling to New Year’s KENTUCKY OAKS Day, sire of champion Maximum Security, who crossed the wire in front in the 2019 Kentucky Derby before being LOUISVILLE, KY (Monday, Aug. 31, 2020) – George disqualified because of interference. Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbred’s Max Player completed After finishing fifth in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby his major preparations for Saturday’s $3 million Kentucky (GII) on March 21, however, Enforceable was a horse who Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) by working a needed all the extra time he could get if he were to make his half-mile in :49.80 over a fast track. own presence felt in the Run for the Roses. Late Monday morning, a total of nine fillies, headed by “Oh if it (the Kentucky Derby) had been in May, he Gamine and Swiss Skydiver were entered for Friday’s 146th wouldn’t have ran,” trainer Mark Casse said of Enforceable. running of the $1.25 Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI). “He came out of the Louisiana Derby tired and beat up and Also announced Monday morning, Allied Racing Stables’ there is no way that I would have ran him in the Derby. It took Mr. Big News will target Saturday’s Kentucky Derby instead him a long time. We brought him home (to Ocala, Florida) and of the $500,000 American Turf (GII). it took us about two months to get back to where I was happy training him.” ART COLLECTOR – They made not be visible beneath Enforceable returned to run fourth in the July 11 Blue their masks, but Bruce Lunsford’s homebred Art Collector Grass Stakes (GII), a finish his Hall of Fame trainer feels is continues to inspire a round of smiles around Churchill better than it looks given that the colt was basically on the Downs’ Barn 3. farm for two months. The son Bernardini had another solid, routine morning in “I kind of feel like each day, he’s gotten bigger and better. advance of the Kentucky Derby as he jogged a mile, then And his race in the Blue Grass, I thought it was a good race,” galloped 1 1/8 miles during the special training period reserved Casse said. “Obviously speed is dangerous at Keeneland and for Derby and Oaks horses at 7:30. there was no way that he could have been 100 percent ready “Today was his first day back galloping since his breeze for that given that he had two months off. I thought it was a (five furlongs on Aug. 28) and I thought he looked fantastic,” good comeback race. He was probably 80-85 percent and I feel trainer Tommy Drury said. “Everything seems to be in good he’s 100 percent now. That’s why we’re trying it.” order. From here on out, we’re back in a normal gallop routine and just try to stay out of his way for a few more days.” FINNICK THE FIERCE – Arnaldo Monge and trainer Drury added he would likely do some paddock and gate Rey Hernandez’s Finnick the Fierce galloped at The schooling with Art Collector “Wednesday or Thursday.” Thoroughbred Center in Lexington on Monday morning and . then vanned to Churchill Downs. ATTACHMENT RATE – Jim Bakke and Gerald “Everything is good,” Hernandez said. Isbister’s Attachment Rate walked trainer Dale Romans’ Martin Garcia has the Derby mount. shedrow Monday morning. The Ellis Park Derby runner-up is expected to go back to HONOR A. P. – C R K Stable’s Santa Anita Derby (G1) the track Tuesday. winner was en route from California Monday morning along with a large contingent of West Coast horses. AUTHENTIC – Grade 1 winner Authentic was slated to arrive in Louisville along with his Bob Baffert-trained KING GUILLERMO – Victoria’s Ranch’s King stablemates around 3 p.m. (all times Eastern). The son of Into Guillermo galloped 1 ½ miles Monday under exercise rider Mischief turned in his final major breeze in preparation for Edgar Garcia. the Kentucky Derby on Sunday, covering six furlongs at Del The colt trained Monday under the watchful eye of trainer Mar in 1:12.40. Juan Avila, owner Victor Martinez and jockey Samy Camacho, who arrived Sunday from Florida. ENFORCEABLE – John Oxley’s Enforceable galloped about a mile and a half under assistant trainer David Carroll on Monday, two days after breezing a half-mile in his final serious move in preparation for the Kentucky Derby. “He’s in great shape, this is the best he’s trained,” Carroll said. -more- Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks Daily Update NECKER ISLAND – Raymond Daniels, Wayne Scherr Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 and Will Harbut Racing Stables’ Necker Island jogged Page 2 of 6 once around under Hillary Hartman and then stood in the starting gate in the mile chute. MAJOR FED – Lloyd Madison Farm’s Major Fed jogged Necker Island was claimed by trainer Chris Hartman in about 1 5/8 miles and schooled in the new Kentucky Derby June out of an optional claiming race for $100,000 in which he 20-horse starting gate. finished fourth behind Art Collector, who figures to be one of Major Fed was accompanied to the track by 50-year-old the top choices for Saturday’s Run for the Roses. exercise rider Margarito Fierro. The Mexico City-native “The initial goal was we hoped to hold his previous form Fierro has worked for Foley for more than 15 years and Major and not ugly it up,” Hartman said. “We knew we were getting a Fed is the first Derby contender he has ridden. nice horse who was already proven and obviously we were “Horses are my life,” Fierro said. “I grew up in Mexico and hoping he would be a Derby horse.” lived and breathed horses from a young age. I credit them with In two starts for Hartman, Necker Island has earned back everything I’ve done in my life. A couple of years ago I was $50,455 of his claiming price with third-place finishes in the battling cancer and the horses were my therapy. When I’m Indiana Derby (GIII) and the Ellis Park Derby. around them, all the stress of life goes away.” Major Fed is scheduled to return to the track at his normal NY TRAFFIC – Haskell Invitational (GI) runner-up Ny training time of 5:15 a.m. on Tuesday. Traffic continued his Kentucky Derby preparations with a 1 ½-mile gallop at Saratoga Monday and will arrive in Kentucky MAX PLAYER – George Hall and SportBLX Tuesday, nearly 24 later than expected. Thoroughbred Corp.’s Max Player was the last Derby horse Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said via text that the horse “was to complete his final work Monday morning, breezing an easy doing well” and that he had “no concerns” about the travel half-mile in :49.80 at 5:50 a.m. with regular exercise rider Juan delay. Vargas aboard. The Honor Code colt put up splits of :12.40 and :24.40 SOLE VOLANTE – Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and before completing his work and galloping out in 1:02.80. Andie Biancone’s Sole Volante got his first feel of the “He’s continuing to do well,” Hall of Fame trainer Steve Churchill track Monday, one day after vanning from his base at Asmussen said. “I’m extremely excited about how he’s going Palm Meadows in South Florida. With his co-owner aboard, to run in the Kentucky Derby. I love how he looks going over the Karakontie (JPN) gelding jogged one mile around the the racetrack. His attitude is really good. He came in with a track. really good attitude and was moving really well. That has Andie Biancone, also the daughter of trainer Patrick stayed the same.” Biancone, said she’s seeing signs that her horse is ready for a Asmussen assumed the training of Max Player from Linda top effort in the Kentucky Derby. Rice shortly after the horse finished third to likely Kentucky “Normally, he’s the quietest horse in the barn, so yesterday Derby favorite Tiz the Law in the Travers Stakes (G1) Aug. 8. (Sunday) when I took him off the van, I didn’t even use a lip “The reason he is here is to give him time to acclimate to chain and he dragged me off the van. This morning (Monday), the track and the surroundings to hopefully make up the he felt better than he ever has.” difference. He’s been third to Tiz the Law in his last two races. Biancone said Sole Volante would gallop Tuesday and That horse is the deserving favorite and a tall task. You only likely school in the paddock with herself or jockey Luca have one chance to run in the Derby and we just wanted to do Panici on board. everything we could to give him his best chance.” STORM THE COURT – David Bernsen, Exline-Border MONEY MOVES – Robert LaPenta and Bortolazzo Racing, Dan Hudock and Susanna Wilson’s Storm the Stable’s Money Moves galloped a mile and three-eighths Court is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs Monday Monday morning at Saratoga and is scheduled to ship to afternoon from his Southern California base.