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11.4.2001
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Photo By: Four-Footed Fotos
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Starlight Stable's Harlan's Holiday, shown above winning last year's Iroquois Stakes (GIII) at Churchill Downs under jockey Tony D'amico, will try to turn the tables on John C. Oxley's Booklet, who bested the son of Harlan by three-parts of a length in the Holy Bull Stakes (GIII), in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (GI) on Feb. 16 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. |
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Booklet, Harlan's Holiday Renew Rivalry In Fountain Of Youth
By John Asher
WELCOME -- The countdown is on for Kentucky Derby 128
and Churchill Downs is again presenting this twice weekly update on
happenings on the road to Churchill Downs and the 128th renewal of the
famed "Run for the Roses." Kentucky Derby Update provides a regional
look at Kentucky Derby preparations, with an eye toward contenders that
are in training abroad in Europe in the Persian Gulf. Kentucky Derby
Update will publish every Monday and Friday in the weeks leading up to
America's greatest race. For more information, contact John Asher, vice
president, Racing Communications, at (502) 636-4586 or
johna@kentuckyderby.com or Tony Terry, director of Publicity, at (502)
636-4460 or tony@kentuckyderby.com.
Kentucky Derby Headlines In Today's Update:
SOUTHEAST (Florida) -- A rematch between the top two finishers in the
Holy Bull Stakes (Grade III) -- Booklet and Harlan's Holiday --
headlines Saturday's $200,000-added Fountain of Youth (GI) at Gulfstream
Park. There will be plenty of attention focused on the rematch, but the
field includes several developing young horses that could emerge as
major Kentucky Derby contenders with strong performances in Gulfstream's
major prep for the Florida Derby (GI).
Harlan's Holiday, beaten three-quarters of a length in the Jan.
19 Holy Bull, is a slight 5-2 favorite over Booklet (3-1) in the 1
1/16-mile Fountain of Youth, which has attracted a field of eight.
The Holy Bull could launch a big weekend for trainer Ken McPeek,
who will also saddled the favored Repent in the Risen Star Stakes (GIII)
on Sunday at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Harlan's Holiday, who
will be ridden by regular jockey Tony D'Amico, won the Iroquois (GIII)
last fall at Churchill Downs and has finished first or second in all six
of his career starts.
Booklet is trained by John Ward, Jr., who saddled Monarchos to
win last year's Kentucky Derby. The Florida-bred son of Notebook has
won 5-of-6 career races, but the Holy Bull marked the first time the
colt had been saddled by Ward. Booklet was purchased privately by John
C. Oxley before the Holy Bull and will be ridden by Jorge Chavez, who
teamed with Ward and Oxley to earn his first Kentucky Derby win last
year.
Others that may step forward with big efforts in the Fountain of
Youth include the Tony Reinstedler-trained Stephentown, a sharp winner
earlier in the Gulfstream meet and a winner of 2-of-3 races; Spectacular
Bid (GIII) winner Maybry's Boy, a
disappointing fourth in the Hutcheson Stakes (GIII) two weeks ago; and
Political Attack, a grass specialist who will try the dirt in Saturday's
race.
Blue Burner, Grey Beard, and Speed Hunter complete the field.
The Fountain of Youth undercard includes a pair of allowance races that
could produce contenders for the Florida Derby (GI). The mile-&-70 yard
ninth race is headed by the Nick Zito-trained High Star, third to Repent
in the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) last fall at Churchill Downs; Canadian
Grade I winner Changeintheweather, who makes his 2002 debut for trainer
David Bell; and Thiscannonsloaded, who was a distant third in the Holy
Bull. The 1 1/16-mile fourth race includes Monarchoftheglen, a son of
A.P. Indy who makes his U.S. debut for trainer Niall O'Callaghan after
racing last year in Ireland and England, and Legislator, an H. James
Bond-trained colt who won his only previous start. Both horses will be
competing on a dirt course for the first time.
On Thursday, Remsen (GII) winner Saarland (2) worked a half-mile at
Gulfstream Park in preparation for his 2002 debut. Trainer Shug
McGaughey said the son of Unbridled will probably run in an allowance
race in Florida before shipping to New York to try that route to the
Kentucky Derby.
MIDWEST (Kentucky, Illinois, Louisiana, Arkansas) -- Trainer Ken
McPeek's closest bid for Kentucky Derby glory came when Tejano Run
finished second to Thunder Gulch in the 1995 "Run for the Roses," but a
win by Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) victor and Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI)
runner-up Repent in Sunday's $150,000 Risen Star Stakes (GIII) at New
Orleans' Fair Grounds could complete a McPeek sweep of the weekend's
major Kentucky Derby preps.
McPeek also trains Fountain of Youth favorite Harlan's Holiday,
but Repent, at least for the moment, is the more highly regarded of the
two and makes his 3-year-old debut in the 1 1/16-mile Fair Grounds race.
Regular rider Tony D'Amico be in the irons aboard Repent, a son
of 1996 Preakness (GI) winner Louis Quatorze who has fashioned a record
of 3-1-1 in five starts and was a fast-closing runner-up to likely 2001
juvenile champion Johannesburg in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Belmont
Park.
Major opposition for Repent in the Holy Bull is expected from
Easyfromthegitgo, a Steve Asmussen-trained son of Dehere who won the
Lecomte Stakes at the Fair Grounds in his most recent race, and Sky
Terrace, a Vickie Foley trained Skywalker colt who finished a nose
behind the former in the Lecomte.
The field of nine also includes Bob's Image, French Assault, War
Emblem, Screen Idol, It'sallinthechase, and Willow Gate.
On Saturday, a six furlong allowance race at the Fair Grounds
has attracted a field of eight headed by the Steve Asmussen-trained
Wadsworth and the Neil Howard-trained World Trade.
McPeek's powerhouse stable of 3-year-olds will be represented on
Saturday at the Fair Grounds by a major contender for the Kentucky Oaks
(GI) as Walmac Alcibiades (GII) winner Take Charge Lady heads a field of
six fillies in the $150,000-added Silverbulletday. Jon Court will ride
the 2-1 favorite.
At Oaklawn Park, the James Baker-trained Binyamin is the morning
line favorite in a field of 10 3-year-olds in a six furlong allowance
race set for Saturday. The son of Gilded Time was the runner-up in the
Bashford Manor (GII) last spring at Churchill Downs.
EAST (New York, New Jersey, Maryland) -- The Daily Racing Form reported
that unbeaten Saratoga Blues, a sharp winner of last week's Whirlaway
Stakes at Aqueduct, will probably stay in New York as he continues his
Kentucky Derby campaign.
Trainer Tony Dutrow said the $200,000 Gotham Stakes (GIII) on
March 17 will mostly likely be the next race for Saratoga Blues,
although the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway Park on March 2 is also
a possibility.
The Gotham is run over a one-turn mile course, while the Turfway race is
set for 1 1/16 miles around two turns.
Opponents for Saratoga Blues in the Gotham could include Remsen
winner Saarland (2).
WEST (California) -- Northern California training king Jerry
Hollendorfer, who has never saddled a starter in the Kentucky Derby,
finds himself with a stable packed with potential contenders. All
Hollendorfer has to do now is figure out where to run them.
U S S Tinosa won the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita and Cappuchino
and Yougottawanna finished 1-2 in the Golden State Mile at Golden Gate
Fields for Hollendorfer last weekend. He also trains Metatron, who
returned from a serious illness recently to score a seven-length
allowance romp, also at Golden Gate Fields.
Cappuchino and Yougottawanna are being pointed toward the El
Camino Real Derby on March 9.
Hollendorfer brought Event Of The Year (1998) and Globalize
(2000) to Churchill Downs with the intent of running in the Kentucky
Derby, but both horses suffered injuries while training for the big
race.
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