Derby Updates

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 12, 2006) - Robert Manfuso's Court Folly, third in the Swale (Grade II) at Gulfstream Park in his most recent start, tuned up for a run in Saturday's $750,000-added Toyota Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland with a half-mile work on Wednesday at Churchill Downs.

The Royal Academy gelding, who is trained by Ian Wilkes, breezed the four furlongs over a "fast" track in :49 under exercise rider Andrea Mancuso.

"It was just a nice little maintenance work," said Wilkes.

A big performance on Saturday could earn Court Folly a shot at the $2 million Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands on Saturday, May 6. If so, he would be the first Kentucky Derby starter for Wilkes, who assumed the training of most of the horses trained by Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Carl Nafzger earlier this year.

"He's ready," said Wilkes. "It's just whether he's good enough. That's a simple question, but that's going to be the tough one."

Wilkes said the stretch-running Court Folly would have to finish first or second in the Toyota Blue Grass to earn a trip to Kentucky Derby 132. Wilkes believes that the only realistic way in which Court Folly could have enough earnings in graded stakes races to qualify for the Derby would be to finish in the top two spots on Saturday. But a 1-2 finish by Court Folly over a Keeneland surface that is often speed-favoring would be most encouraging to Wilkes, who said that his gelding would not change his late-running style in the Toyota Blue Grass because of any track bias.

"I've got to go with his strength," said Wilkes. "The thing is that I don't know if he can get two turns, so I've got to see if he can. So I'm going to stick with that whether it's speed-biased or not. The thing is, if you're good enough - you'll still win."

Court Folly's only previous experience at a two-turn distance was a sixth-place finish to Toyota Blue Grass rival Little Cliff in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race in November at Churchill Downs. His most recent victory came in late January in a 6 ½-furlong allowance race at Gulfstream Park. The gelding's career record stands at 2-1-2 in seven races with earnings of $79,825.

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