LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 20, 2005) - Veteran trainer Robert Holthus has won many marvelous races during his 50 years as a trainer, but there is no Kentucky Derby (Grade I) victory on his resume.

He still believes that he has a chance to earn that elusive win with Lewis Lakin's Greater Good, who finished a disappointing fifth to Afleet Alex in last Saturday's $1 million Arkansas Derby (GI) at Oaklawn Park.

The winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) at Churchill Downs and Oaklawn's Rebel (GIII) returned to Churchill Downs on the day after his setback at Oaklawn. Holthus said he has done well since then and he is looking forward to better things for the son of Intidab.

"He came out of the race in good order," said Holthus. "We'll take him back to the track tomorrow and probably have a little breeze in seven or eight days."

Greater Good had been remarkably consistent through his career and Holthus believes that external factors contributed to his setback in Arkansas. He said the Arkansas Derby crowd, which exceeded 71,000, and saddling area for that race prompted his colt to become unglued before he entered the starting gate.

"He just washed out terribly," said Holthus. "There were more than 70,000 people there and they made us go into the center field to saddled and people were screaming and hollering. It really got him shook up. It just wasn't his day."

Although Greater Good faces the prospect of dealing with nearly 150,000 fans on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs, Holthus is confident that his spirited colt will handle that situation better than the scene at Oaklawn Park.

"The good thing here is you go from here (in the barn) into the paddock," he said. "There you've got to go into the center field and those lights are blinking. It's the worst experience in the world for a horse."

Holthus said that his 3-year-old filly star Kota would likely race next in the $150,000-added La Troienne (GIII) at 7 ½-furlongs on May 5 at Churchill Downs. She returned from a month-long layoff to run a solid third behind Diboll Dilly in Saturday's $100,000 Instant Racing Breeders' Cup, but Holthus does not feel that his filly is up to a run against Ashland (GI) winner Sis City and other stars in the Kentucky Oaks (GI).

"She got off behind and we had a chiropractor work on her," said Holthus. "She missed 30 days of training. She only had one really decent work before we ran her the other day, so I was pleased with her effort."

« Back To Derby News