4.29.02	Photo By: Jeremy Lyverse
		Peachtree Stable's Wild Horses, whose name comes from the final lines in the novel Treasure Island, not the Rolling Stones song, got a bath on the backside of Churchill Downs after breezing five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 on Apr. 29. "He was focused; he had his mind on his business," said Wild Horses' assistant trainer and exercise rider, Cindy Hutter, who was aboard the bay Kentucky-bred. "He wasn't tired at all after it. He wasn't blowing any more than he does coming out of one of his gallops."

It'sallinthechase, Wild Horses Work; Buddha Drills In New York
April 28, 2002
By Derby Notes Team

Kentucky Derby Headlines

• It'sallinthechase, Wild Horses work
  
• Buddha drills through New York rain
  
• Nine workers possible Monday
  

BUDDHA - The Wood Memorial (Grade I) winner Buddha had his final major Kentucky Derby tune-up Sunday morning in the rain at Belmont Park in New York.

Working on a 'sloppy' training track with 'dogs up' about 15 feet off the rail, the gray son of Unbridled's Song covered six furlongs in 1:13.42 in what the NYRA clockers termed 'breezing.'He went off at 5:30 with regular exercise rider Fiona Goodwin in the irons.

"It was a great work," said a pleased trainer H. James Bond later in the morning. "I tried to get splits on it, but it was tough. It was dark and wet. But he came out of it fine and we're right on schedule."

Bond said his horse will van from New York to Kentucky, leaving Monday evening at a time dictated by traffic and weather conditions. He expected him to arrive at Churchill Downs Tuesday morning for bedding down in Barn 48. The trainer will come to Louisville via airplane on Monday night.

Buddha is scheduled to be ridden in Derby 128 by Churchill Downs riding kingpin Pat Day.

CAME HOME - McCaffery and Toffan's Came Home, hero of the Santa Anita Derby (GI), galloped strongly again this morning, traveling a mile and one-half for trainer Paco Gonzalez.

The diminutive but powerful son of Gone West was on the track earlier than has been normal, Gonzalez hoping to avoid some of the traffic which has caused his colt to become competitive and a bit more difficult to handle in his gallops. Fernando Mera, an employee of trainer Neil Howard, in whose barn Came Home resides, replaced Sal Gonzalez, Sr. aboard Came Home Saturday and was up again today.

"I wanted to get him on the track before it became too chewed up," said Gonzalez. "So we were out around 6:15. He was pulling hard again, but he's just feeling so good."

Came Home, a winner of six of seven career races, his only defeat coming in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile when he was seventh to Johannesburg, will complete his major preparations for the Kentucky Derby Monday when he breezes five furlongs under jockey Chris McCarron after the renovation break.

"I'd like him to breeze in a minute and change or 1:01," said Gonzalez. Last Tuesday, April 23, the colt worked six furlongs in 1:12 3/5 under McCarron, a move Gonzalez said was slightly faster than he wanted.

According to the conditioner, Came Home's schedule for the rest of the week will include walking under the shed Tuesday, then returning to the track Wednesday for gallops up to the Derby. Gonzalez plans to school his horse in the Churchill Downs paddock both Wednesday and Thursday.

EASY GRADES - Trainer Ted H. West called an audible this morning for his Santa Anita Derby runner-up Easy Grades and sent the tall gelding for a gallop instead of the probable six-panel drill he had planned.

"He'll go tomorrow," West stated at Barn 42. "The track figures to be better then. There was a lot of rain here last night."

West has Jorge Chavez named to ride the son of Honor Grades and will have him up for the drill after the renovation break Monday morning Easy Grades' Sunday exercise consisted of a tour and a half of the one-mile oval following the break with regular exercise rider Cindy Lerille aboard. "He went great and he's feeling great," Lerille noted.

ESSENCE OF DUBAI - Godolphin Racing's Essence Of Dubai was on the track before 7 a.m. Sunday with exercise rider Lee Roebuck up to gallop his normal mile and a quarter after visiting the paddock and starting gate. The track was classified as muddy at the time of his activity.

"He got a little impatient walking around waiting for the gate to open," said Tom Albertrani, assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor. "He went to make a turn and broke away just a little from the pony, but after that he was fine. I would expect him to do better tomorrow."

Essence Of Dubai has never raced on an off track, but Albertrani doesn't think it would be a factor if it comes up wet Derby Day.

"There was one day here last week where it was a bit off, and he handled it well," Albertrani said. "I think he will run on anything. He just skipped over this track."

The Pulpit colt is scheduled to work five furlongs Tuesday morning. David Flores has the Derby mount.

HARLAN'S HOLIDAY - Starlight Stable's Harlan's Holiday galloped nearly a mile and a half Sunday morning under exercise rider Helen Pitts shortly before 7 o'clock when the track was listed as muddy.

Trainer Ken McPeek said it was the regularly scheduled activity that was not affected by track condition. Harlan's Holiday is scheduled to work a half-mile Tuesday with Derby rider Edgar Prado in for the breeze.

IT'SALLINTHECHASE - Trainer Wilson Brown took a look at the racetrack early Sunday morning and decided to move up the work he had scheduled for his Kentucky Derby contender It'sallinthechase.

"It rained so hard last night it packed this track down," the affable conditioner noted, "so I thought it would be good to get out there early and get after it. It worked out real good."

Brown gave rider Eddie Martin, Jr. a leg up on his bay colt at about 7:15 and they accomplished a five-furlong drill in 1:01.60. The Churchill Downs clockers caught the Kentucky-bred son of Take Me Out in splits of :12.60, :24.80, :37, :49 and out six furlongs in 1:14.

"It was a real good work," noted Martin, the leading rider at the Fair Grounds meet this winter. "The track was nice and tight and he handled it well. I know this colt has stamina, I know he's feeling good and I know he likes this track. It's a wide-open race and I think we've got a shot."

Brown and Martin were introduced to each other for the first time prior to the work. Brown is starting his first horse at Churchill Downs; Martin has ridden and won races here before.

"I was pleased with the work," the conditioner stated. "He's a long-striding colt and he seemed to handle the track real well. You know, it might rain Kentucky Derby Day and now I know my horse will be just fine if that happens. Heck, I wish they'd have run the race today."

n The track was termed "muddy" when It'sallinthechase put in his exercise. Later in the morning it was changed to "good."

Brown said he'd "walk him for a few days now and then gallop him up to the race."

It'sallinthechase will be making his 15th start in the 128th Derby, the most of any horse in the likely field. He was third, beaten less than three lengths, by Repent in the Louisiana Derby (Grade II) in probably his best effort this year.

Lusty Latin - Joey and Wendy Platts' Lusty Latin was out after the renovation break when the track was labeled good to jog a mile and three-quarters under exercise rider Amy Mullins.

Trainer Jeff Mullins is due in Louisville Sunday night and a half-mile work is scheduled for Monday after the break with Derby rider Glenn Corbett expected to be here from Prairie Meadows, where he is currently riding

MAYAKOVSKY - Michael B. Tabor's Mayakovsky, scratched out of Saturday's Derby Trial (GIII) because of the rainy conditions, galloped Sunday morning after the break with exercise rider Cyril Desplanques up. Trainer Patrick Biancone still has not totally ruled out a Kentucky Derby bid, still calling it "very doubtful. I have to talk to the owners, but they have two (Johannesburg and Castle Gandolfo, owned by Mrs. John Magnier), why need three?"

MEDAGLIA D'ORO - Trainer Robert Frankel was at his usual spot just off the six-furlong gap to the big Churchill oval this morning following the renovation break to watch his Kentucky Derby hopeful Medaglia d'Oro stretch his legs. The handsome, near-black son of El Prado took a mile and one-half tour of the "good" racing strip under regular exercise rider Jose Cuevas, accomplishing his gallop in a fashion that made everyone happy.

"Everything's good," Frankel said. "I'll work him tomorrow right after the break. I want him to have a moderate work; not too fast, not too slow. Maybe three-quarters (of a mile) in :13 (1:13)."

The Hall of Fame conditioner noted that he feels his horse is not a "speed" horse, but more of a "tracker."

"The race in the Wood (Grade I Wood Memorial), he was on the lead with Buddha because there wasn't any other speed in the race. But he's going to be a 'tracker' in the Derby. He'll be comfortable there. I'd like to get a good post for him. If I had my choice - if I got first pull on the pills - I'd take the 6 hole for him."

Laffit Pincay, Jr. will be coming from California to ride Medaglia d'Oro in the Derby. He'll be handled in his final work Monday by Marco Ramirez.

Ocean Sound - Ocean Sound, third to Harlan's Holiday in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI), galloped a mile and one-half after the renovation break this morning and also visited the Churchill Downs paddock for a schooling session. Adam Kitchingman was up.

Trainer Jim Cassidy is due to arrive in Louisville Sunday evening from California. Alex Solis has the call on Ocean Sound, who will breeze Wednesday.

PERFECT DRIFT - Stonecrest Farm's Perfect Drift walked the shedrow at Murray Johnson's barn at the Trackside Training Center.

"We always walk our horses on Sunday," Johnson said. "He will go back to the track Monday."

Perfect Drift had his paddock schooling session Saturday afternoon and acquitted himself well according to Johnson.

"I was very happy with how it went," said Johnson, who will van Perfect Drift back to Churchill Downs on Derby Day.

The Spiral Stakes winner is scheduled for his final work Tuesday at Trackside.

PRIVATE EMBLEM/WINDWARD PASSAGE - Trainer Steve Asmussen's Kentucky Derby duo of Private Emblem and Windward Passage each galloped two miles this morning. As usual, Lisa Orn was aboard Private Emblem while Scott Blasi handled Windward Passage.

Both horses are scheduled to breeze Monday morning, both going a half or five furlongs under jockey Donnie Meche. Asmussen said, depending on the track, Private Emblem will go out with his first set, at 6:30 a.m., with Windward Passage following with the second set, at 7:00 a.m..

Meche has the call on Private Emblem, impressive winner of the Arkansas Derby, and it was learned this morning that Richard Migliore will be aboard Windward Passage. However, it is not certain as yet that Windward Passage will draw into the top 20 horses.

The possibility remains that Mayakovsky, withdrawn from the Derby Trial Saturday because of muddy track conditions, may run Saturday. Trainer Patrick Biancone has not ruled out the possibility.

Windward Passage is tied for 20th with Wild Horses on the list of graded earnings, each with $100,000. In the event of a tie, non-restricted earnings are utilized to break the deadlock. Thus, Wild Horses with $20,000 in non-restricted earnings would receive preference over Windward Passage whose non-restricted earnings total $7,500.

Entries for the Kentucky Derby are due Wednesday morning.

Proud Citizen - Bob Baker, David Cornstein and Bill Mack's Proud Citizen was on the track at 5:45 to gallop under exercise rider Dimitri Dimitropoulos on Sunday.

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said he was looking to work Proud Citizen either Monday or Tuesday.

Proud Citizen comes into the Derby off a win in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes, the same race Lukas used as the final Derby prep for Charismatic in 1999. That year, Charismatic worked on Monday of Derby week.

Proud Citizen has run twice on off tracks, but Lukas doesn't think that will be a factor Derby Day.

"That's not even a consideration. You need to find a new story line," Lukas said. "There is no such thing as a bad track at Churchill Downs. After all the rain from last night, once they run a harrow over it, it will be as good as a track can be."

At the entrance to the Lukas barn, the Hall of Fame trainer has prominently displayed an enlarged, framed picture of the Pulitzer Prize winning photo of the American flag being raised at the World Trade Center after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack shot by Thomas Franklin of The Record of Bergen Co., N.J.

"The dam of this colt is Drums Of Freedom," Lukas said. "Think that might be an omen?"

REQUEST FOR PAROLE - Battaglia Memorial winner Request For Parole jogged a mile and then galloped a mile and three-eighths under exercise rider Loren Diego before the renovation break.

Trainer Steve Margolis said an off track would not present any problems to his colt Derby Day.

"He ran good here in the Kentucky Jockey Club last fall against Repent, and at Ellis Park the track was wet-fast when he won the Juvenile," Margolis said, "so we know he handles the slop or mud. He got over it well this morning."

Margolis was asked if any other Kentucky Derby hopefuls had caught his eye.

"I haven't really seen them all, but Essence Of Dubai looks good, Harlan's Holiday, and the gray horse, Lusty Latin, has a nice way about him," Margolis said. "And Private Emblem, I like the way he looks."

SAARLAND - Cynthia Phipps' Saarland was on the track again this morning to gallop a mile and one-half under exercise pilot Adolph Krajewski.

Robert Medina, assistant to trainer Shug McGaughey, said the Unbridled colt is doing well at Churchill Downs since his arrival Thursday. McGaughey is due in tonight and Saarland is scheduled to breeze a half-mile or five furlongs Monday. Depending on conditions, Medina said, the colt will breeze either early or after the renovation break, with Krajewski up. "He's a good work horse, but he's not going to break any records."

John Velazquez, who has ridden Saarland in all but the first of the colt's seven career starts, has the call in the 128th Kentucky Derby. Most recently,Saarland was fourth in the Wood Memorial.

STRAIGHT GIN - Trainer Nick Zito said that Marylou Whitney's Straight Gin came out of his :59.60 work of Saturday in good fashion, but conceded his chances of getting in the Derby are virtually gone.

Straight Gin would need several defections from the prospective field to make it in the starting gate that is limited to the top 20 earners of graded money.

SUNDAY BREAK (Jpn) - Although it is becoming increasingly remote that Sunday Break (Jpn) will draw into the top 20 prospects for Saturday's Kentucky Derby, trainer Neil Drysdale continues to train the colt with the race in mind.

Sunday Break (Jpn), a close-up third behind Buddha and Medaglia d'Oro in the Wood Memorial, galloped approximately a mile and one-quarter under Marcelino Olguin and may breeze Monday, Drysdale said.

Asked if he would have done anything differently to this point if he knew Sunday Break (Jpn) definitely was going to run Saturday in the Derby, Drysdale said, "No. I would have worked him this morning if conditions had been better."

Drysdale won the 2000 Kentucky Derby with Fusaichi Pegasus.

WAR EMBLEM - The Thoroughbred Corp.'s War Emblem, a romping winner of the Illinois Derby over then Kentucky Derby favorite Repent, galloped again this morning for trainer Bob Baffert, negotiating a mile and one-half under Mick Jenner.

The fast son of Our Emblem, reportedly purchased for approximately $1 million after his triumph at Sportsman's Park, is scheduled to breeze a half-mile or five furlongs Tuesday after the renovation break.

Because of the rain which moved into the area Saturday afternoon, War Emblem's schooling session in the Churchill Downs paddock was postponed until today, with horses entered in the third race, Baffert said.

WILD HORSES - Peachtree Stable's Wild Horses drilled five furlongs in 1:01.20 Sunday morning as he positioned himself for a starting spot in the 128th Run for the Roses next Saturday. Clockers didn't catch splits on the Saint Ballado colt, but they did note that his final half mile was accomplished in :48 flat>

"He was focused; he had his mind on his business," said assistant trainer and exercise rider Cindy Hutter, who was aboard the bay Kentucky bred. "He wasn't tired at all after it. He wasn't blowing any more than he does coming out of one of his gallops."

Hutter took Wild Horses out through the half-mile gap immediately following the 8 o'clock renovation break and backtracked the colt to the frontside on the "good" Churchill strip. They broke off from the five-furlong pole and settled nicely on the rail for their exercise.

"It was an excellent work," said trainer Todd Pletcher, who watched the move from the stands with Peachtree owner John Fort. "I think the track was probably a bit faster prior to the break this morning. They ran the harrows over it and deepened it a bit. But he handled it fine and we're very pleased with how he's coming up to the race."

Wild Horses, who could be the 20th and final horse to get into the Derby based on the graded stakes earnings criteria, still doesn't have a rider named.

Owner Fort offered some insight into the naming of his runner at Barn 42 following the work.

"A lot of people think I named him for the Rolling Stones song of the same name, but that isn't true," he said. "I'm afraid I wasn't much of a rocker. I recently bought the CD and really enjoyed the song. It's not your usual Rolling Stones number; more slow and soulful. Actually, the name comes from the final lines in the novel Treasure Island, which my dad used to read to me at bedtime when I was seven or eight years old. One of the characters in the book states that 'wild horses couldn't get him to go back to Treasure Island' as they are sailing away, and the phrase always stuck with me."

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