Minor Injury Knocks Art Collector Out of Derby 146; Tiz the Law Arrives
Sep 01, 2020
LOUISVILLE, KY (Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020) – Bruce Lunsford’s Art Collector, who figured to be one of the leading players in Saturday’s 146th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI), sustained a minor injury to his left front and his name was not in the entry box Tuesday morning.
“He grabbed himself yesterday morning training,” trainer Tommy Drury said. “It was still very sensitive this morning. When I took my thumbs to palpate the bulbs of his heels, you could still tell it was pinching him. I had to make a choice. Your horse has to always come first. To run in a race of this caliber and trying to compete against the best 3-year-olds in this country, you’ve got to be 110 percent.”
With the defection of Art Collector, 18 horses were entered for the Run for the Roses headlined by Sackatoga Stable’s Tiz the Law.
Trained by Barclay Tagg, Tiz the Law landed in Louisville shortly after 9 o’clock Tuesday morning and arrived at Churchill Downs after training hours at 10:30.
Also arriving from New York on the same flight were John Fanelli, Cash is King and Paul Braverman’s Ny Traffic and Robert LaPenta and Bortolazzo Stable’s Money Moves.
ART COLLECTOR – Bruce Lunsford’s homebred colt Art Collector, winner of the Blue Grass Stakes (GII) on July 11, was declared out of the 146th Kentucky Derby Tuesday morning because of a minor injury to his left front.
The son of Bernardini nicked the bulb of his left front heel with a hind hoof while galloping Monday at Churchill Downs. Because of horse racing strict medication rules, the horse could not be treated with an anti-inflammatory this close to the race.
“He grabbed himself yesterday morning training,” trainer Tommy Drury said. “It was still very sensitive this morning. When I took my thumbs to palpate the bulbs of his heels, you could still tell it was pinching him. I had to make a choice. Your horse has to always come first. To run in a race of this caliber and trying to compete against the best 3-year-olds in this country, you’ve got to be 110 percent.”
Art Collector was widely considered the biggest threat to Belmont (GI) and Travers Stakes (GI) winner Tiz the Law heading into Saturday’s 1 ¼-miles classic, coming into the race off a 3 ¼-length victory in the Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 9.
“We didn’t want to take any chances with a horse potentially this good,” Lunsford said. “The Derby means an awful lot to me so it’s been kind of a tough day and night. But the horse is always the most important thing in all these things. We’ll get another chance to have another day. We’ll try and make it to the Preakness and maybe from there, the Breeders’ Cup.”
Art Collector has been unbeaten in four starts this year since joining Drury’s barn, including two victories at Churchill Downs.
ATTACHMENT RATE – Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister’s Attachment Rate continued his regular training at 9 a.m. for trainer Dale Romans. The colt drew post No. 13 in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.
“I always like to have horses on either side of us and we’ve got that,” Romans said. “It’s always special to run in the Kentucky Derby – it’s the race everyone wants to win. As John Asher always told me, ‘There’s a trophy with your name on it.’”
AUTHENTIC – Grade 1 winner Authentic joined his Bob Baffert-trained stablemates in getting a feel for the Churchill Downs track for the first time Tuesday morning when he jogged beneath the Twin Spires during the special 7:30 a.m. training period for Oaks and Derby horses.
Authentic was on the flight that arrived to Louisville from California Monday afternoon and settled in without issue his first evening in the Bluegrass. The son of Into Mischief worked six furlongs in 1:12.40 at Del Mar on Sunday.
ENFORCEABLE – John Oxley’s Enforceable may have already put in his final major breeze in advance of the Kentucky Derby this past weekend but assistant trainer David Carroll joked that the colt continues to give him a workout during their time on the track each morning.
The son of Tapit put in another strong gallop Tuesday morning, testing the strength in Carroll’s arms as they headed out during the special 7:30 a.m. training period for Oaks and Derby contenders.
“It was a good workout, put it that way,” Carroll said with a laugh. “But he’s doing great. He just wants to do more than what I let him do. Hopefully he saves that energy for Saturday.”
FINNICK THE FIERCE – With trainer and co-owner Rey Hernandez in the irons himself, Finnick the Fierce put in a spirited gallop in his first morning at Churchill Downs after vanning over from The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington.
“He went good, I was happy with his gallop,” Hernandez said. “He’s had two really good races at this track and I think one of his best races was here when he ran second in the (Kentucky) Jockey Club Stakes. So I think he likes this track and the distance should be in our favor.”
HONOR A. P. – C R K Stable LLC’s Honor A.P., who arrived late Monday afternoon from California, had his first gallop over the Churchill track Tuesday morning at 7:30 and a few hours later was installed as the 5-1 second choice on the Kentucky Derby morning line after drawing post position 16.
“I just talked to (jockey) Mike (Smith) and he’s happy with it,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “I think it’s O.K. There’s a long run to the first turn and I don’t have to worry about getting pushed down on the outside.
“He’s doing really well. He shipped in well. He got off the van here at Churchill Downs and looks very good.”
KING GUILLERMO – Victoria’s Ranch’s King Guillermo galloped 1 ½ miles at 5:15 a.m. Tuesday under exercise rider Edgar Garcia.
“I sort of had that awe-inspiring feeling when I walked into Yankee Stadium for the first time as a player, but Churchill Downs is better,” owner Victor Martinez said.
MAJOR FED – Lloyd Madison Farm’s Major Fed galloped 1 ½ miles at 5:15 a.m. Tuesday with Margarito Fierro in the saddle.
“He’ll have a couple more good gallops and be ready for Saturday,” trainer Greg Foley said.
Major Fed drew post No. 5 in Saturday’s “Run for the Roses.”
MAX PLAYER – George Hall and SportsBXL Thoroughbred’s Max Player walked the shedrow of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen’s barn Tuesday, one day after completing his final major preparation with a half-mile breeze in :49.80 Monday.
Max Player was moved to the Asmussen barn just after his third-place finish behind Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law with the hopes that the winningest trainer in Churchill Downs history could get him ready for the “Run for the Roses.” The trainer has spent the last three weeks getting to know his new charge.
“Under these circumstances, I was very familiar with the horse because of the type of races he’s been competing in. After the conversations about taking over his training, the first thing I did was watch all his videos, his workouts as well as all his races.
“I was extremely happy with how he came in. He rests well, he eats well. I think we’ve been able to do everything we wanted to do to get him ready for the Derby.”
MONEY MOVES – Robert LaPenta and Bortolazzo Stable’s Money Moves arrived at Churchill Downs Tuesday morning from Saratoga.
Trained by Todd Pletcher who is not coming to Louisville, Money Moves will be stabled in Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas’ barn.
MR. BIG NEWS – Allied Racing’s $200,000 Oaklawn Stakes winner Mr. Big News jogged a mile Tuesday morning at 6:30 a.m. for trainer Bret Calhoun.
Calhoun reported the colt would likely train at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.
NECKER ISLAND – Raymond Daniels, Wayne Scherr and Will Harbut Racing Stables’ Necker Island jogged in the mile chute stood in the starting gate and then galloped two miles under exercise rider Hillary Hartman.
Trained by Chris Hartman, Necker Island completed his major training for Derby 146 last Friday when he worked a half-mile in :48.40 under jockey Miguel Mena who was aboard for the first time.
“It was a good work,” said Mena, whose only other Derby ride came in 2010 aboard Backtalk. “He broke off about five lengths behind his workmate and we came through on the rail like Chris wanted me to. I got a good feel for him.”
NY TRAFFIC – Haskell Invitational (GI) runner-up Ny Traffic arrived at Churchill Downs Tuesday morning after a Tex Sutton flight from Albany, New York that also brought Money Moves and Kentucky Derby morning line favorite Tiz the Law.
SOLE VOLANTE – Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Andie Biancone’s Sole Volante went out to train at 7:30 a.m. and jogged 1 ¼ miles with his co-owner in the saddle. Andie Biancone, the 23-year-old daughter of trainer Patrick Biancone has been wearing all three hats – owner, trainer and exercise rider – since arriving Sunday from South Florida with the horse, but expects to turn over the morning riding to the gelding’s regular jockey Luca Panici later this week.
“He’s feeling really good,” Biancone said. “He’s fresh.”
SOUTH BEND – Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable, Peter Deutsch and Pantofel Stable’s South Bend, fourth in the Travers (GI) in his most recent start, was a last-minute addition to the Derby 146 field Tuesday morning.
STORM THE COURT – David Bernsen, Exline-Border Racing, Dan Hudock and Susanna Wilson’s Storm the Court galloped a mile under Thomas Dubaele, assistant to trainer Peter Eurton.
The 2-year-old champion of 2019 arrived at Churchill Downs on Monday afternoon from Southern California.
Julien Leparoux has the mount.
THOUSAND WORDS – Thousand Words, winner of the Shared Belief Stakes on Aug. 1, put in an easy jog under the watch of assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes in his first morning at Churchill Downs.
Several representatives from Spendthrift Farm, which co-owns Thousand Words along with Albaugh Family Stables, were on hand to watch the son of Pioneerof the Nile as he got his first feel for the track for trainer Bob Baffert.
TIZ THE LAW – Sackatoga Stable’s Tiz the Law, the overwhelming favorite for Kentucky Derby 146, arrived at Churchill Downs Tuesday morning from Saratoga.
Barclay Tagg, who saddled 2003 Derby winner Funny Cide for Sackatoga, trains Tiz the Law.
WINNING IMPRESSION – West Point Thoroughbreds’ and Pearl Racing’s graded stakes placed Winning Impression galloped about 1 ½ miles Tuesday under exercise rider Emerson Chavez.
KENTUCKY OAKS UPDATE
BAYERNESS – Belladonna Racing’s Indiana Oaks runner-up Bayerness returned to the track Tuesday following her half-mile move in :48.80 Sunday morning.
Rafael Bejarano has the call in the Oaks.
DONNA VELOCE – Kaleem Shah, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s Donna Veloce had a get-acquainted jog around the main track at Churchill Downs Tuesday morning a day after arriving from her Southern California base.
John Stack was aboard the Simon Callaghan trainee who has compiled a 4-2-2-0 career mark that includes a runner-up finish in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI).
“Everything is good here,” said Callaghan’s assistant Carlos Santamaria, who accompanied Donna Veloce on her morning jog on a pony. “We plan to take her to the gate and paddock Wednesday.”
Santamara said Callaghan would not be coming to Louisville for Friday’s Oaks.
DREAM MARIE – Miracle’s International Trading Inc.’s Dream Marie made a more settled impression Tuesday on her second morning at Churchill Downs since arriving from South Florida Sunday and galloped once around under exercise rider Ian Cravens.
“Yesterday, she had to look at the Twin Spires, today she was more relaxed,” trainer Matthew Williams said.
On Monday, the Graydar filly drew post position nine of nine.
“I love it, I’m very happy,” Williams said. “She’ll be the last to load, which is one reason I love it. She had the one in the Monmouth Oaks (when fourth Aug. 1) and that hurt her chances in that race.”
GAMINE – Gamine, the even-money, morning line favorite for the Kentucky Oaks, took to the Churchill Downs track Tuesday morning for a jog alongside assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes having arrived in Louisville late Monday afternoon.
Owned by Michael Lund Petersen, Gamine has yet to be headed in of her four career starts with her only defeat coming when she was disqualified for a medication overage in winning an allowance optional claiming race at Oaklawn Park on May 2. The daughter of Into Mischief elicited a final bid of $1.8 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds Training Sale and if she were to prevail Friday, she would become the highest-priced Oaks winner sold at public auction since Rags to Riches — a $1.9 million yearling purchase — was victorious in 2007.
“The two turns that’s the whole thing with her, but we know she’s fast and she’s done (two turns) before so it’s not like it’s new,” trainer Bob Baffert said of Gamine. “We’re just blessed we have a filly like this. We gave a lot of money for her and it’s worked out. A lot of times you do that and they don’t work out. We’re just enjoying her.”
HOPEFUL GROWTH – St. Elias Stable’s Monmouth Oaks (GIII) winner Hopeful Growth galloped 1 5/8 miles Tuesday at her Monmouth Park base and was scheduled to leave New Jersey at 5:30 p.m. for the overnight trip to Kentucky. She is scheduled to arrive between 7 and 8 a.m. Wednesday and will be staying with trainer Dale Romans, a longtime friend of trainer Anthony Margotta who will saddle the Tapiture filly.
“She’s training very well,” Margotta said via phone. “She had a nice solid gallop. Dale (Romans) is a great, great friend and I feel very comfortable with him taking care of her.”
SHEDARESTHEDEVIL – Qatar Racing, Flurry Racing Stable and Big Aut Farms’ Shedaresthedevil galloped about 1 ½ miles Tuesday with Edvin Vargas up for trainer Brad Cox.
SPEECH – Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables’ Speech was on the track at her usual 5:30 time Tuesday morning, galloping about a mile and half under exercise rider Osman Cedeno.
The 5-1 third choice on the morning line, Speech drew post position four for the 1 1/8-mile Oaks on Friday.
“I think the draw was good for everybody,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “Swiss Skydiver is naturally fast so the one hole should not bother her. And Gamine (from post five), she’s going to do her thing.
SWISS SKYDIVER – Trainer Kenny McPeek sent Peter J. Callahan’s multiple graded stakes winner Swiss Skydiver to the track for her regular morning exercise designed to keep her happy and allow her to “just stretch her legs” ahead of Friday’s race.
On Monday, the Daredevil filly drew post position one of nine and was installed as the 8-5 second choice on the morning line.
“I’ll have to study the pace, but all it takes is one horse to get off a little awkward to change everything, so we’ll leave that up to Tyler (Gaffalione),” McPeek said. “I have seen the other horses train and there are some that are training really well. We’ll have our work cut out for us either way.
“Nine horses, it’s a good number. It’s tough race to win. I learned that with Take Charge Lady. She was 4-5 several years ago and she got upset by Farda Amiga, who ran the race of her life. So there are no guarantees. Our filly is doing super.”
Swiss Skydiver has won four stakes this year between 1 1/16 miles and 1 ¼ miles, while her main rival Gamine, the even-money favorite, has only raced beyond a mile once in her four-race career.
“Her form is pretty well proven, so we’ve done our job. I think the question mark with Gamine is that she hasn’t done two turns on a regular basis. When she did, she had to fight for it. We ran on the same racetrack that weekend at Oaklawn and I don’t think there’s a lot separating them. It’s going to be fun to watch. That’s what makes me confident. (Bob Baffert’s) filly is going to have to do something she hasn’t experienced and it’s something we’ve done over and over all year.”
Although she is a lightly framed filly, McPeek says Swiss Skydiver always has distinguished herself from other top fillies he has had.
“They’re all different. My filly is just so hickory. All week she’s done nothing but dive into the feed tub. The biggest problem we have is keeping her settled when we don’t feed her right away. That’s a real rarity. Most fillies aren’t this sturdy. She loves what she does and eating is her number one thing to do. It makes a trainer’s job really easy.”
TEMPERS RISING – Mark and Nancy Stanley’s Tempers Rising galloped about 1 3/8 miles Tuesday morning for trainer Dallas Stewart.
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RESCHEDULED KENTUCKY DERBY WEEK AT A GLANCE
Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020
· First of 10 Races: 1 p.m. ET (TV)
o Race 1 – 1 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 2 – 1:32 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 3 – 2:04 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 4 – 2:36 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 5 – 3:08 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 6 – 3:40 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 7 – 4:16 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 8 – 4:52 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 9 – 5:26 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 10 – 5:58 p.m. (FS2)
· Stakes Race: $150,000 Unbridled Sidney, f&m, 5 ½ F (T)
· TV: FS2, 1-6 p.m.
· TBA: Media Opportunity
Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020
· First of 11 Races: 1 p.m. ET
o Race 1 – 1 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 2 – 1:32 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 3 – 2:04 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 4 – 2:36 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 5 – 3:08 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 6 – 3:40 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 7 – 4:16 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 8 – 4:52 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 9 – 5:26 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 10 – 5:58 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 11 – 6:30 p.m. (FS2)
· Stakes Races:
o $200,000 Pocahontas (GIII), 2yo f, 1 M
o $100,000 Opening Verse Overnight Stakes, 3&up, 1 M (T)
· TV: FS2, 1-6:30 p.m.
· TBA: Media Opportunity
Friday, Sept. 4, 2020 – Kentucky Oaks Day
· First of 13 Races: 11 a.m. ET (TV)
o Race 1 – 11 a.m. (FS2)
o Race 2 – 11:30 a.m. (FS2)
o Race 3 – 12 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 4 – 12:35 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 5 – 1:10 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 6 – 1:45 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 7 – 2:20 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 8 (TBA Stakes)– 3:05 p.m. (NBCSN)
o Race 9 (TBA Stakes)– 3:40 p.m. (NBCSN)
o Race 10 (TBA Stakes)– 4:15 p.m. (NBCSN)
o Race 11 (TBA Stakes)– 4:50 p.m. (NBCSN)
o Race 12 (Longines Kentucky Oaks) – 5:45 p.m. (NBCSN)
o Race 13 (TBA Stakes) – 6:20 p.m. (FS2)
· Stakes Races:
o $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI), 3yo f, 1 1/8 M
o $500,000 La Troienne presented by Oak Grove Gaming (GI), f&m, 1 1/16 M
o $400,000 Alysheba presented by Sentient Jet (GII), 4&up, 1 1/16 M
o $300,000 Eight Belles presented by TwinSpires.com (GII), 3yo f, 7 F
o $300,000 Edgewood presented by Forcht Bank (GII), 3yo f, 1 M (T)
o $250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by Sysco (GII), 3&up, 5 ½ F (T)
· TV:
o Kentucky Oaks Undercard, FS2, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. ET (Churchill Downs races not available 3-6 p.m.)
o Kentucky Oaks, NBCSN, 3-6 p.m. ET
Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020 – Kentucky Derby Day
· First of 14 Races: 11 a.m. ET (TV)
o Race 1 – 11 a.m. (FS1)
o Race 2 – 11:30 a.m. (FS1)
o Race 3 – 12 p.m. (FS1)
o Race 4 – 12:35 p.m. (FS1)
o Race 5 – 1:10 p.m. (FS1)
o Race 6 – 1:45 p.m. (FS1)
o Race 7 – 2:20 p.m. (FS2)
o Race 8 (TBA Stakes) – 2:55 p.m. (NBC)
o Race 9 (TBA Stakes) – 3:35 p.m. (NBC)
o Race 10 (TBA Stakes) – 4:07 p.m. (NBC)
o Race 11 (TBA Stakes) – 4:39 p.m. (NBC)
o Race 12 (TBA stakes) – 5:17 p.m. (NBC)
o Race 13 (Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic) – 5:50 p.m. (NBC)
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