HEADLINE NEWS • 5/1/04 • PAGE 2 of 12
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WIMBLEDON, ST AVERIL OUT OF HEADLINE DERBY ...p2 NEWS For information about TDN, DELIVERED EACH NIGHT call 732-747-8060. BY FAX AND INTERNET www.thoroughbreddailynews.com SATURDAY, MAY 1, 2004 HISTORY IN THE MAKING A FOR EFFORT It has been 48 years since a horse has won the Ken- Ashado (Saint Ballado) couldn’t catch Madcap Esca- tucky Derby without a race in April. It has been 27 pade (Hennessy) in the Apr. 3 GI Ashland S., finishing years since an undefeated colt wore the blanket of second by a half length, but she made the most of the roses. It has been 25 years since the extra sixteenth of a mile in the GI Kentucky Oaks at reigning two-year-old champion stood Churchill Downs yesterday. Sent off the 2-1 favorite, in the winner’s circle at Churchill the dark bay filly tracked the free- Downs on the first Saturday in May. running Madcap Escapade as she But losing streaks can’t last forever, clicked off six furlongs in 1:09.99 as Funny Cide proved last year when over the muddy track. She closed he became the first New York-bred the gap as they came out of the ever, and the first gelding since Clyde turn, drove to the lead at the Van Dusen in 1929, to capture the eighth pole and turned back the Read the Footnotes Kentucky Derby. Will today’s 130th late bid of Island Sand (Tabasco Adam Coglianese photo Ashado Horsephotos running of the Classic change the Cat) to take it by 1 1/4 lengths. history of the race? Don’t be surprised. On paper, Read The race lost some of its luster when reigning champion the Footnotes (Smoke Glacken) will be the fastest horse juvenile filly Halfbridled (Unbridled) was scratched after in the starting gate this afternoon. The New York-bred tying up following a routine gallop. It was the second bay has not started since running fourth as the favorite such incident this month for the Wertheimer homebred, in the Mar. 13 GI Florida Derby, but ran the race of his who was taken out of the Ashland for the same reason. life off a layoff, earning a 113 Beyer with his neck win “It just hasn’t gone right for her this year,” a frustrated in the Feb. 14 GII Fountain of Youth S. Trainer Rick trainer Richard Mandella said. “I thought I’d turned the Violette Jr. could not be happier with the way his colt corner with her. She was acting good and had trained is coming into the Derby. He’s not even worried about well and I was hopeful.” Oaks Coverage cont. p5 the impending wet weather. “The mud might help us,” Violette said yesterday. “We’re going to be up near the A COOL THREE MILLION lead, which is an advantage on a muddy track. The It cost Susan Magnier and Michael Tabor $3.1 million closers are going to be faced with a tidal wave of mud, to buy One Cool Cat (Storm Cat), but a victory in the and a horse has to be very brave to run through that.” G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket this afternoon would mean a solid return on that investment. Whatever his His Day to Shine? price tag, this good-looking Cat is In addition to the possibility of a wet track, the late- not just about pedigree and aes- running Action This Day (Kris S.) will have to overcome thetics. There was substance in his the juvenile champion’s jinx and must rebound from racetrack performances in 2003, two sub-par efforts. The Eclipse from his York maiden score in June winner was sixth in the GI Toyota to his easy disposal of his rivals in Blue Grass S. last time out. But the G1 National S. at The Curragh One Cool Cat Getty Images this year’s undefeated starter in September. Versatile over six Smarty Jones (Elusive Quality) ran and seven furlongs at two, he holds strong claims of his record to six-for-six with his providing Aidan O’Brien with his third English Guineas Action This Day Horsephotos win in the Apr. 10 GII Arkansas renewal since King of Kings (Ire) opened the scoring in Derby. The Penn-bred schooled in 1998. As with that horse and 2002 hero Rock of Gi- the starting gate yesterday morning. “He was abso- braltar (Ire), he is attempting to score on his seasonal lutely great,” trainer John Servis said. “We’re ready to debut, a ploy successful in seven of the last 10 dance.” Derby Coverage cont. p2-3, Early Odds, p12 runnings. 2000 Guineas cont. p4 www.coolmore.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 5/1/04 • PAGE 2 of 12 Kentucky Derby Coverage cont. Derby Field Reduced to 18 A Memorable Prep There were two late scratches from the Derby yester- Three of the last four Kentucky Derby winners have day morning. Trainer Bob Baffert, who has had a Derby come out of the GI Wood Memorial S. Fusaichi Pegasus starter every year since 1996, had to take out Wimble- won the 2000 renewal en route to his “Run for the don (Wild Rush) after discovering a knot on the gray Roses,” but both Monarchos (2001) and Funny Cide colt’s left front tendon Friday morning. “He must have (2003) rebounded from runner- rapped himself,” Baffert said. “The injury doesn’t ap- up finishes to win on the first pear career threatening, but you have to be extremely Saturday in May. This year’s careful with soft tissue damage. We won’t know the Wood winner Tapit (Pulpit) has extent of the injury unitl we get an ultrasound.” The attracted a lot of pre-race defection of Wimbledon leaves jockey Jerry Bailey press. The eye-catching gray without a Derby mount for the first time since 1991. was sixth in the GI Florida Also scratched yesterday was St Averil (Saint Ballado), Derby in his seasonal bow, but who had been on the fence until Monday because of came out of the race with a Tapit Steve Sherack photo his sore feet. “His feet have been tender,” trainer Rafael lung infection. He bounced Becerra said. “We reshod him this morning, taking off back to post a rallying score at Aqueduct Apr. 10. “It the bar shoes he has been training in, but I still wasn’t takes 28 days to get over a lung infection, and that satisfied with the way he was traveling. He’s too nice a was the 28th day,” trainer Michael Dickinson said. “He colt to take a chance with and he has a great future was not completely healed. He won that race on talent ahead of him.” St Averil will head to Greenfield Farm in and courage alone, because he wasn’t totally healthy.” Lexington for R and R. He added, “I want him to peak on Derby Day.” Trainer Bobby Frankel is also hoping that Wood runner-up Mas- ter David (Grand Slam) improves off that effort. “You A Hard and Fast Rule? hope he goes in the right direction,” Frankel said. “He Will there ever be also-eligibles for the Derby? With has to improve to win this race, but he’s a nice tough early-bird betting, it would complicate matters, but horse and he tries real hard. He has that going for him.” history says it would make sense to work out the tech- nical kinks. The last time 20 three-year-olds actually In the Catbird Seat? made it to the gate for the Derby was in 1984. In the Nick Zito is the only trainer in Derby 130 who knows 20 years since, the race has drawn a field of 20 just what it’s like to win the big one. Zito, who earned three times--but there were scratches on the day before Derby trophies with Go for Gin in 1991 and Strike the the race on all three occasions. Trainer Jason Orman Gold in 1994, saddles potential favorite The Cliff’s Edge shipped Rock Hard Ten (Kris S.) cross-country on the (Gulch), winner of the GI Toyota Blue Grass S., and chance that the colt, who ended up 22nd in graded- Birdstone (Grindstone). Birdstone has not been out stakes earnings on the list of Derby candidates, would since running fifth in the Mar. 20 GII Lane’s End S. “He make the cut. “Obviously, with the position we were in, is the forgotten horse,” Zito said. “He got sidetracked, we would have loved it if they had also-eligibles for the but he was brilliant as a two-year-old...I couldn’t ask race,” Orman said yesterday. “But maybe they have a for anything better from either horse.” really good reason why they don’t--I just don’t know what it is.” Rock Hard Ten has been training well since The brisnet.com ‘Race of the Day’ is the scratching from the Apr. 24 GIII Derby Trial S. “He’s Kentucky Derby-GI at Churchill Downs. doing really good,” Orman said. “If he keeps training For pps and a complete race analysis, click here. this well, we’ll go on to the [May 15] Preakness.” TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 5/1/04 • PAGE 3 of 12 Saturday, Churchill Downs, post time: 6:04 p.m. EDT 130th RUNNING OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY-GI, $1,000,000a, 3yo, 1 1/4m PP HORSE OWNER BREEDER TRAINER ODDS 1 LIMEHOUSE Dogwood Stable Cheryl A Curtin (FL) Pletcher 30-1 (c, Grand Slam--Dixieland Blues, by Dixieland Band) 2 SONG OF THE SWORD Paraneck Stable J Carroll & E Paragallo (FL) Pedersen 30-1 (c, Unbridled’s Song--Appealing Ms Sword, by Crusader Sword) 3 LION HEART D Smith & M Tabor Sabine Stable (KY) Biancone 10-1 (c, Tale of the Cat--Satin Sunrise, by Mr.