Afleet Alex Jogs Two Trips, Then Gallops
AFLEET ALEX - Arkansas Derby (GII) winner Afleet Alex made two trips to
the main track on a chilly Saturday morning at Churchill Downs with
regular exercise rider Salomon Diego up.
The Northern Afleet colt jogged twice around after he went out
at 6:15 and then returned to gallop a mile at 8:45.
Trainer Tim Ritchey is scheduled to return to Louisville from
his Delaware Park base on Monday.
Jeremy Rose, who will be making his riding debut in the Kentucky
Derby, has the call on Afleet Alex.
BANDINI/FLOWER ALLEY - Trainer Todd Pletcher sent his two Kentucky Derby
hopefuls to the track for 1 ½-mile gallops.
Exercise rider Frederic Buscail was up on Toyota Blue Grass (GI)
winner Bandini and Michelle Nihei was on Flower Alley, winner of the
Lane's End (GII) and runner-up in the Arkansas Derby (GII).
"They went super over the sloppy going this morning," said
Pletcher, whose Derby duo was part of an 11-horse contingent that
shipped to Louisville Friday afternoon from Keeneland. "It looks like
they settled in well."
Pletcher said Bandini and Flower Alley would each work once
before the Derby, "probably next Saturday or Sunday, depending on how
far I want to go."
John Velazquez has the call on Bandini, and Jorge Chavez, who
rode Monarchos to victory in the 2001 Derby, will ride Flower Alley.
Included in Pletcher's arsenal residing in Barn 42 is champion
filly Ashado, who parlayed a victory in the Kentucky Oaks (GI) and
Breeders' Cup Distaff (GI) into an Eclipse Award as the nation's top
3-year-old filly of 2004. She is housed in Stall 1, the same spot she
occupied last spring when she won the Oaks.
Pletcher is pointing Ashado to the $300,000-added Louisville
Breeders' Cup (GII) to be run at a mile and a sixteenth on May 6.
BELLAMY ROAD/HIGH FLY/NOBLE CAUSEWAY/SUN KING - Two-time Kentucky
Derby-winning trainer Nick Zito's four Derby 131 contenders at Churchill
Downs spent Saturday morning under the shedrow as rain pelted the barn
roof.
Live Oak Plantation's High Fly and My Meadowview Farm's Noble
Causeway, the 1-2 finishers in the Florida Derby (GI), walked on the
morning after Thursday works by both horses.
Kinsman Stable's Bellamy Road, winner of the Wood Memorial (GI),
and Tracy Farmer's Sun King, winner of the Tampa Bay Derby (GIII),
jogged under the shedrow.
Zito plans to breeze Sun King, fourth in the recent Toyota Blue
Grass (GI), on Thursday.
CONSOLIDATOR - Bob and Beverly Lewis' Consolidator galloped early
Saturday morning with exercise rider Stacy Maker up.
Four-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer D. Wayne Lukas has not
named a rider for Consolidator, who began his racing career here last
year during Derby Week.
The Lewises other Derby hopeful, Going Wild, is entered in Saturday's
Coolmore Lexington Stakes (GII) at Keeneland.
GREATER GOOD - Lewis Lakin's Greater Good galloped a mile under exercise
rider Betsy Couch after the renovation break.
Trainer Bob Holthus said Greater Good would "probably work
Friday" for his final major tuneup for the 131st Run for the Roses.
Greater Good, fifth to Afleet Alex in the Arkansas Derby (GII)
in his most recent start, arrived at Churchill Downs Sunday night and
returned to the track Wednesday.
John McKee, who has ridden Greater Good in all eight of his
starts, including a victory in last fall's Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes
(GII), has the call for the Derby.
GREELEY'S GALAXY - B. Wayne Hughes' Greeley's Galaxy walked the shedrow
a day after working six furlongs in 1:16 4/5.
Trainer Al Stall, Jr., in whose Barn 47 Greeley's Galaxy is
stabled, said the colt was fine Saturday morning and that trainer Warren
Stute was scheduled to fly in Wednesday to supervise a Thursday work by
the Illinois Derby (GII) winner.
Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning rider Kent Desormeaux has the
call.
HIGH LIMIT - Mary and Gary West's Louisiana Derby (GII) winner and
Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) runner-up High Limit walked under the
shedrow on the rainy and raw Saturday morning at Churchill Downs.
Trainer Bobby Frankel said the son of Maria's Mon would work one
time before the May 7 Kentucky Derby and that move would most likely
come next Saturday or Sunday. He said the colt would likely have a
stronger "open gallop" sometime during the week.
DERBY 131 NOTES: Kentucky Derby hopefuls General John B and Closing
Argument will ship into Churchill Downs late next week for final
preparations for the 131st "Run For The Roses." John Prete's General
John B will arrive on a flight from California next Saturday. The son of
Sweetsouthernsaint, trained by Roger Stein, is scheduled to breeze five
furlongs on Monday at Santa Anita and is set for a final Pre-Derby work
at Churchill Downs on May 4. Jon Court has the mount on the Santa Anita
Derby (GI) runner-up and will be in the saddle for both works...Philip
and Marcia Cohen's Closing Argument will travel to Churchill Downs by
van from Keeneland on April 29. The son of Successful Appeal is
scheduled to work four furlongs at Keeneland on Monday, according to
trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. His final breeze before the Derby will be
five furlongs at Churchill Downs next Sunday. Cornelio Velasquez will
ride the third place finisher in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI).
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