Blue Burner Breezes; Saarland, Sunday Break Doing Well
April 9, 2002
By, Jenny Kellner

ELMONT, N.Y. (April 9, 2002) - Blue Burner, one of eight Kentucky Derby hopefuls pointing toward the $750,000 Wood Memorial (GI) on April 13, breezed five furlongs over Belmont Park's main track in 1:01 flat on April 9, his first work since arriving in New York from Florida.

A winner of his first three starts, Blue Burner finished third in the Fountain of Youth (GI) and was then second in the Florida Derby (GI) after blinkers were added by trainer Bill Mott.

“That was Bill’s move,” said jockey Jerry Bailey. “He wanted to do it the previous race but couldn’t [change equipment] off a winning race in Florida. He was a little more aggressive and quicker to respond when I asked him during the race. The last sixteenth of a mile he didn’t cut into his [Harlan’s Holiday] margin .. he’ll have to finish all the way through to the wire in the Wood.”

Among the 3-year-olds expected to face Blue Burner in the 1 1/8th-mile Wood Memorial are Sunday Break (Jpn), winner of an allowance at Aqueduct on March 27; San Felipe (GII) winner Medaglia d’Oro; Gotham (GIII) runner-up Saarland; Nokoma, who was beaten more than 28 lengths in the Florida Derby; lightly-raced Buddha; the Nick Zito-trained Iwin; and European import Laissezaller.

Heir D’Twine, fourth in the Gotham, probably will not run, according to trainer Stephen L. DiMauro.

Sunday Break, one of three horses who prepped for the Wood on April 8, came out of his 1:15 2/5 work in good order, according to trainer Neil Drysdale.

“He just walked today,” said Drysdale, who won the 2000 Wood and Kentucky Derby (GI) with Fusaichi Pegasus. “I was real happy with his work. He drew away from his workmate and galloped out very well.”

Also working April 8 were Saarland, who went a half-mile in :48 flat, and Nokoma, who breezed a half-mile in :48 1/5.

“I was real happy he showed more early speed (in the Gotham)," said Saarland’s trainer, Shug McGaughey, a two-time winner of the Wood Memorial. "I'm hoping he can make a forward move off of it. It looked like the type of race he will be able to. Two turns looks like it's his game."

Todd Pletcher, trainer of Nokoma, was also looking for improvement from his horse.

"I've got no explanation for the Florida Derby," Pletcher said. "He's a better horse than what he showed. He's shipped in here well and I was happy with what I saw (in his work)."

Buddha, winner of two of his three career starts, arrived in New York April 9 for his engagement in the Wood, in which he will be ridden by Pat Day.

“One of Buddha’s biggest edges in the Derby could be the experience of Day,” said trainer H. James Bond, who sought out Day because Edgar Prado is riding Harlan’s Holiday in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GII) at Keeneland Race Course the same day. “Should anything happen in the race, Pat’s the right man to correct it," Bond continued. "Pat was very impressed with Buddha’s races in Florida and happy to take the mount.”

Laissezaller, whose last two starts were over the all-weather dirt course at Lingfield Park, is scheduled to arrive from England on April 10 for the Wood.

Jenny Kellner is one of the most respected, multi-faceted journalists in New York. She served as the New York Islanders beat writer for the New York Times and has covered Thoroughbred horse racing and professional football for several major publications in the Big Apple and beyond. She is a frequent contributor to a myriad of Thoroughbred racing trade publications and has covered numerous Kentucky Derbys and Breeders' Cups.

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