Wild Fit out of Kentucky Oaks HEADLINE p.2 NEWS For information about TDN, DELIVERED EACH NIGHT BY FAX AND FREE BY E-MAIL TO SUBSCRIBERS OF call 732-747-8060. www.thoroughbreddailynews.com WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2006 ESCAPADE AT KEENELAND BORREGO RETIRED TO WINTERGREEN Today’s GII Vinery Madison S. gets the ball rolling in Borrego (El Prado {Ire}--Sweet as Honey, by Strike what should be a stellar week of racing at Keeneland the Gold), winner of last year’s GI Pacific Classic and GI Race Course. Headlining the seven-furlong affair is Jockey Club Gold Cup, has been retired from racing and Darley’s Dubai Escapade (Awesome Again), a $2-million will take up stud duty at Winter- Barretts March graduate. The green Stallion Station in Midway, filly, who started off her career Kentucky. A stud fee will be an- in England before a brief stint nounced at a later date. Owned in Dubai, sported a strong 104 in partnership by Ralls, Foster, Beyer in her U.S. debut, a Brad Scott and Beau Greely, the Gulfstream allowance test Jan. five-year-old underwent surgery 25, while galloping to an im- earlier this month to remove a pressive 7 3/4-length victory. bone chip, but was scheduled to Back on the engine for a one- Borrego Horsephotos return to racing. “Preliminary mile $50,000 optional claimer Dubai Escapade Equi-photo reports said that Borrego would over that track Mar. 3, she had be back in training 30 days post surgery, but we were to work a little harder to post a 3/4-length win under told after the surgery that the recovery time would be John Velazquez. The half sister to last year’s Madison lengthier than originally expected,” said trainer Beau heroine Madcap Escapade, who gets the services of Greely. “Our goal was to start in the Pacific Classic Edgar Prado here, appears to have a strong chance of [Aug. 20] and retire after the Breeders’ Cup Classic gaining her first stakes victory over this speed-loving [Nov. 4],” explained Greely. “But with the extended oval. Also looking to graduate at stakes level is Atlas recovery period, we would miss several races leading Valley (Capote) proved two-lengths best in her 2006 up to the Breeders’ Cup which would get us there less bow, going a furlong shorter at Gulfstream Jan. 26, than 100-percent fit. In light of this and Borrego’s value before having to settle for second behind the talented as a stallion, we have decided to retire him.” Smokey Glacken in the GIII Hurricane Bertie H. Feb. 18. She will need to improve to win here, but if a speed duel up front, the four-year-old may get the job done. HURRICANE COMING TO THE CURRAGH Trainer Andre Fabre has detailed the plan for last Wednesday, Keeneland, post time: 4:45 p.m. EDT year’s G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Hurricane Run VINERY MADISON S.-GII, $200,000, 4yo/up, 7f (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), with a trip to The Curragh in the PP HORSE SIRE TRAINER ODDS offing for the May 28 G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup. Unraced 1 Givememore (Brz) Special Nash (Ire) Mogge 30-1 since that emphatic success in the Longchamp feature, 2 Island Escape Petionville Canani 12-1 the Michael Tabor colorbearer will be asked to tackle 3 Silver Crown Distorted Humor Springer 12-1 the 1 5/16-mile contest before a tilt at Ascot’s G1 King 4 Josh’s Madelyn Quiet American Jones 6-1 George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond S. July 29. 5 Bending Strings American Chance Dollase 5-1 “Hurricane Run will start in Ireland in the Tattersalls 6 Beautiful Bets Alphabet Soup Wismer 8-1 Gold Cup on Irish 1000 Guineas day,” Fabre told Racing 7 Atlas Valley Capote Wilkes 9-2 Post. “He will then probably go to England for the King 8 Ever Elusive Forestry Pletcher 6-1 George at Ascot in July.” Fabre also revealed that 9 Flying Glitter Glitterman Werner 8-1 Baron Georg von Ullmann’s GI Breeders' Cup Turf win- 10 Dubai Escapade Awesome Again Harty 7-2 ner Shirocco (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) is being pointed at 11 Malibu Mint Malibu Moon Chapman 20-1 the May 7 G2 Jockey Club S. at Newmarket before taking in the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom June 2. TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 4/12/06 • PAGE 2 of 8 Steppenwolfer Needs to Step Up... With just $30,000 in graded earnings to his credit Triple right now, Oaklawn-based Steppenwolfer (Aptitude) needs a big effort in Saturday’s GII Arkansas Derby to ensure a spot in the GI Kentucky Derby May 6, a fact Threats trainer Danny Peitz is keenly aware of. “The way I’ve fig- Wild Fit Out of Oaks... ure it, we’re gonna have to A lung infection has forced GISW Wild Fit (Wild Won- be first or second to have der) out of consideration for the GI Kentucky Oaks at enough earnings to get in,” Churchill Downs May 5. The three-year-old, purchased said Peitz about the $1-mil- by a partnership of Susan Magnier, lion nine-furlong race. “Our Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith for fear is that a third-place finish $3 million at last year’s Fastig- would only give us $130,000 Tipton November Sale, came out of Steppenwolfer in graded earnings, and that an Apr. 5 work, a mile breeze in Coady Photography 1:42.8 at Turfway, with a high might put us on the outside white blood cell count. Trainer Pat- looking in this year. There are quite a few people who rick Biancone told Blood-Horse Tues- think they have Derby horses right now. We’re going to day, “She’ll get some time off and need a big effort.” Steppenwolfer, third to Lawyer Ron Wild Fit Benoit photo we will point to the summer races in in his most recent in the GIII Rebel S. Mar. 18, is cur- new York. It’s sad that she’ll miss rently 28th on the list of graded earnings, well off a spot the spring races, but we will have her back.” The grey, in the Run for the Roses even with several defections. who won last season’s GI Del Mar Debutante S. before The good thing, according to his connections, is that finishing second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, he’s been revving up for a big effort in the Arkansas will spend four weeks at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud near Derby all spring. “That’s where our focus has been, and Versailles, Kentucky, before returning to training. Sec- we’ve been trying not to look past it,” said Peitz. “I’ve ond to Balance in the GI Las Virgenes S. Feb. 11, the had the feeling all spring, because there’s been ques- filly came back to finish third behind that foe in her tions about this, that the [graded earnings] would take latest start in the GI Santa Anita Oaks Mar. 12. Wild Fit care of itself. If I was good enough, I would make was the 8-1 second choice at the end of the third round enough money in the Rebel and the Arkansas Derby to of the Kentucky Oaks Future Wager. get me to Kentucky, and if I didn’t, then we probably didn’t belong.” Last Romance Possible for Oaks... Last Romance (Wild Rush), winner of the Wayward Lass S. at Aqueduct Mar. 24, may make her next start TDN TODAY in the Kentucky Oaks May 4, according to trainer Rich- Headline News .................... 8 pages ard Dutrow Jr. The filly, who is not currently nominated to the race, would have to be supplemented with a payment of $25,000. Also likely to be supplemented to The brisnet.com ‘Race of the Day’ is the the Oaks is Top Notch Lady (Sultry Song), winner of GII Vinery Madison S. at Keeneland. the GIII Bourbonette Breeders’ Cup. She is currently For pps and a complete race analysis, click here. training for Mark Casse at Churchill Downs. 859.455.9388 vinery.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 4/12/06 • PAGE 3 of 8 Brothers Returns to Blue Grass with ‘Samurai’... ‘Samurai’ cont. Nine years ago, Frank Brothers came to the GI Blue One knock against First Samurai is that he’s never Grass S. with a high-strung, handsome son of A.P. Indy finished first beyond a mile, and that win--in the GI who had a victory in the GII Fountain of Youth S. to his Champagne S. last year--came around one turn. The credit. Pulpit went off the 4- Fountain of Youth was his first start at nine furlongs, 5 favorite in the 1997 edition and though that win came with an asterisk, he showed and came through for the Brothers enough that the trainer remains cautiously public, winning by 3 1/2 optimistic. “I don’t think you can knock that race in his lengths before suffering a first start at a mile and an eighth, by any means,” he said. career-ending injury when “And if he improves off that, which I think he has a fourth in the GI Kentucky chance to, then he probably buys his ticket to the Derby. Derby. Brothers returns Sat- But he’s got to do it; the talking doesn’t really cut it.” urday to the Blue Grass with First Samurai another Fountain of Youth Horsephotos winner, but the similarities between Pulpit and this year’s likely favorite, First Sam- urai (Giant’s Causeway), effectively end there.