Tag: Churchill Downs

Asmussen’s Preakness Trio: Pneumatic ‘Doing Extremely Well,’ Max Player Showing Good ‘Energy’

Steve Asmussen's trio of Preakness contenders each had the easy half-mile workout Monday that is typical for the Hall of Fame trainer's horses five days before a race.

Winchell Thoroughbreds' Pneumatic, winner of Monmouth Park's Pegasus Stakes in his last start after finishing fourth in the Belmont Stakes (G1), worked a half-mile in 50.20 seconds over the Oklahoma training track at Saratoga. Max Player and Excession each were timed in 49.80 seconds at Churchill Downs.

“It's what we asked for, and they handled it really well,” Asmussen said of the three colts. “Pneumatic is doing extremely well since his win in the Pegasus. We're excited about getting him the opportunity at this level.”

Pneumatic drew Preakness Post No. 10 Monday.

“He had an outside draw in the Pegasus, a little bit shorter field, but an outside draw nonetheless,” Asmussen said. “Joe (Bravo) worked out a really good trip and hopefully he can do the same.”

Max Player, owned George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds, will make his second start for Asmussen, having finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby. Max Player was third in both the Belmont Stakes and Travers when trained by Linda Rice.

Asmussen termed the work “a little leg-stretch,” adding, “I like his energy.”

Max Player drew Post No. 8 for his Preakness start.

“I think that's an excellent draw. I think he'll be able to stay a little closer from there,” Asmussen said. “Very anxious to see how he runs.”

Calumet Farms Excession will be making his first start since he was a fast-closing second at 82-1 odds behind the well-regarded Nadal in Oaklawn Park's Grade 2 Rebel Stakes on March 14. Excession will break on the rail, which Asmussen called “perfect.”

“He can follow the fence and make his late run,” he said.

Asmussen is shooting for his third victory in the Preakness, following Horses of the Year Curlin in 2007 and the filly Rachel Alexandra in 2009.

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Drury: Art Collector’s Versatile Style Will Be A Major Advantage In Preakness Stakes

Tommy Drury didn't get much sleep on Monday night of Kentucky Derby week. The trainer of one of the top Derby contenders, Art Collector, had found a decent-sized cut on the back of the colt's right front hoof, apparently suffered during his Monday morning gallop.

Drury and owner/breeder Bruce Lunsford faced a difficult decision. The colt's hoof was sensitive to the touch, and neither man wanted to subject the horse to the stress of the Run for the Roses unless he was 100 percent. Still, it would have been the first starter in the Kentucky Derby for both Drury and Lunsford, and making the decision to walk away from what could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was challenging.

“It was certainly difficult,” Drury said on an NTRA teleconference this Monday. “The Derby is a race of a lifetime for a horse trainer. At end of day, the responsibility we have is to put the horse first. It would not have been fair to lead him over there knowing there was an issue going on. It was a no-brainer. We want our horse to be good for the long haul, not just one race.”

Instead, Art Collector will be the 5-2 second choice in this Saturday's Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. He'll face a field of 11, including Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (9-5 favorite) and Kentucky Oaks runner-up Swiss Skydiver (6-1).

Art Collector, a 3-year-old son of Bernardini, won the G2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in July. He stalked the pace in that race, then won the Ellis Park Derby with a solid frontrunning display. That versatility in tactics gives Drury a bit of confidence heading into the Preakness Stakes.

“He has a little stop and go to him,” Drury explained, adding that jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. is very familiar with Art Collector's style. “You can use him and get him going again if you need to. In a race like this, that can be beneficial.”

The post position, three, won't be an issue for Art Collector either, Drury said. The colt is quick enough to get out of the gate and near the lead, and tactical enough for Hernandez to be able to take back off the pace if others decide to go.

No matter what happens this Saturday, Drury is looking forward to the future with Art Collector. This year, the Breeders' Cup Classic is the likely next stop on the colt's schedule, and Drury will also look for Art Collector to return as a 4-year-old.

“Art Collector is a very special horse to us,” summarized Drury. “He has taken my career to places I've never dreamed it would go. I've not had anything like him ever before.”

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Gaffalione, Asmussen Capture September Meet Titles At Churchill Downs

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione has been riding at Churchill Downs since the 2018 Fall Meet and, at the start of racing on Sunday for closing day of the September Meet, the 26-year-old Florida-native has already secured his third leading rider title of his young career.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen held an insurmountable lead, 11 wins to 7 over Brad Cox in the trainer standings, while owner Richard Rigney will battle for the title Sunday amongst a flurry of pursuers.

Gaffalione, who began riding fulltime at Churchill Downs six meets ago, began Sunday eight wins in front of Ricardo Santana Jr., 20-12. Represented by Florida-based agent Matt Muzikar, Gaffalione plans to ride at Keeneland for the next three weeks before the Churchill Downs Fall Meet. This was Gaffalione's second leading rider title in the month of September. He also won the crown at the six-day Kentucky Downs meet.

“It's pretty awesome having the leading title associated with you,” Gaffalione said. “It's been a short but fun meet. I'm very thankful for all of the opportunities that were given to me.”

In the trainer standings, Cox held the early lead over Asmussen following a six-win Kentucky Derby Week but Asmussen took over the proceedings when the September Meet restarted Sept. 17. This is Asmussen's record-extending 24th leading trainer title beneath the historic Twin Spires.

In the owner's standings, Rigney's Rigney Racing was in a tie atop the rankings at the start of Sunday's 10-race program with Gary and Mary West. Rigney had two entries in Races 3 and 10 while the Wests did not have any entered. Three ownership groups with two wins have the opportunity to tie Rigney and the Wests: Albaugh Family Stables (one entry, Race 1); Allied Racing Stable (one entry, Race 9); and Juddmonte Farm (one entry, Race 4).

Sunday's card at Churchill Downs had a first post of 12:45 p.m. There were mandatory payouts in all wagers but no carryovers as the Single 6 Jackpot was hit twice in the last two racing days. Following Sunday's program, racing in the Commonwealth will move to Keeneland from Oct. 2-24.

The Churchill Downs Fall Meet will run from Oct. 25-Nov. 29. There will be a two-day break on Nov. 6-7 for the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland. For more information, visit www.churchilldowns.com.

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Derby Winner Authentic ‘Very Smooth’ In Final Work Before Preakness Stakes

Spendthrift Farm, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stable and Starlight Racing's Kentucky Derby (Grade I) winner Authentic finalized his major preparation for Saturday's $1 million Preakness Stakes (GI) with a half-mile move in :47.60 Monday morning at Churchill Downs.

With jockey Martin Garcia aboard, Authentic worked at 7:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) through splits of :12.20, :24 and :36. Authentic continued to gallop out around the turn and clocked five furlongs in 1:00. He completed his work with a six-furlong gallop out time of 1:13.40.

“He's such an amazing horse,” Garcia said following the work. “He worked awesome. I've worked a lot of nice horses for trainer Bob Baffert in California and this horse is just as special. He's doing amazing for the Preakness.”

Baffert was on hand in Louisville to watch Authentic's final move along with staff members from Spendthrift Farm.

“It looked like he went in :50,” Spendthrift Farm's sales manager Mark Toothaker said. “He is very smooth.”

Authentic is scheduled to fly from Louisville to Baltimore on Tuesday along with a host of other local Preakness contenders. Among the other Preakness contenders based at Churchill Downs is George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds' Max Player. The Kentucky Derby fifth-place runner worked an easy half-mile in :49.80 Monday for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

The post position draw for the Preakness is Monday at 12 p.m.

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