Zito Stars High Fly, Noble Causeway Arrive At Churchill
By: John Asher
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 7, 2005) - Two more of trainer Nick Zito's
powerful quintet of Kentucky Derby 131 (Grade I) hopefuls - Live Oak
Plantation's High Fly and My Meadowview Farm's Noble Causeway - arrived
at Churchill Downs on Wednesday, April 6 to continue their training for
the 131st "Run for the Roses" on Saturday, May 7.
High Fly won last Saturday's Florida Derby (GI) at Gulfstream
Park and Noble Causeway rallied to finish second. The Florida Derby
heroes arrived at Churchill Downs around mid-afternoon on Wednesday
following a short van ride from Lexington's Keeneland, where the horses
had been stabled since their arrival in Kentucky on Sunday.
Already on the grounds for Zito were Tracy Farmer's Sun King,
winner of the Tampa Bay Derby (GIII) and third in the Bessemer Trust
Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) and Kinsman Stable's Bellamy Road, winner of
the Miller Genuine Draft Cradle last fall at River Downs.
Bellamy Road and Robert and Beverly Lewis' Going Wild, who is stabled at
Churchill Downs for trainer D. Wayne Lukas, are scheduled to run in
Saturday's Wood Memorial (GI) at Aqueduct. Those horses were scheduled
to ship to Lexington Thursday afternoon to catch an evening flight to
New York for Saturday's race.
PLANS FOR GODOLPHIN'S BLUES AND ROYALS - Officials with Dubai-based
Godolphin have notified Churchill Downs that Blues and Royals, winner of
the $2 million UAE Derby, would arrive in Kentucky for Derby 131 on
April 25.
Blues and Royals will make his first Kentucky stop at Keeneland,
where he will go through quarantine procedures required for horses that
enter the United States from abroad. If the colt clears quarantine as
expected, he would likely arrive at Churchill Downs following a van ride
from the Lexington track on April 27.
The Saeed bin Suroor-trained son of Honour and Glory is
scheduled to be the first Godolphin contender to bid for the Kentucky
Derby's roses since 2002, when Essence of Dubai finished ninth.
Godolphin has participated in four Kentucky Derbys, with a sixth-place
finish by China Visit in 2000 being the stable's best finish to date.
WORK TAB (Track: MUDDY) - Silent Bid breezed three furlongs in :33.60,
which was the fastest of six works at the distance...River City Handicap
(GIII) winner G P Fleet breezed five furlongs in 1:00...Soul Search
breezed five furlongs in 1:00.60.
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