Tag: Churchill Downs

Swiss Skydiver Returns To Churchill, Will Be ‘Uncomplicated’ To Get Ready For Kentucky Oaks

Peter Callahan's newly minted Grade I winner Swiss Skydiver returned to Churchill Downs Tuesday evening and made her reappearance beneath the Twin Spires Wednesday for the first time since her 3 ½-length triumph in the $600,000 Alabama (GI).

Swiss Skydiver had a routine gallop Wednesday during the exclusive training window from 7:30-7:45 a.m. (all times Eastern) for horses preparing for the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) and the $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI). Tyler Gaffalione will have the call on Swiss Skydiver for the Oaks.

“Tyler got her ready as a 2-year-old and rode her twice to start her career,” trainer Kenny McPeek said. “Through different circumstances – either he was zigging or we were zagging – he didn't get to ride her back. Brian Hernandez is my regular rider and he has a commitment in the Derby aboard Art Collector and our thought was if she ran well in the Oaks that we would try the Preakness (GI).

“She'll work either Friday or Saturday and be ready for the race. It'll be just a maintenance breeze here at Churchill. Other than that it's uncomplicated to get her ready for the Oaks.”

Joining Swiss Skydiver on the track at 7:30 a.m. was Victoria's Ranch's King Guillermo, who broke from the starting gate and galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Edgar Medina. King Guillermo will be making his first start since his runner-up effort behind Nadal in the May 2, $500,000 Arkansas Derby (GI).

“Having not raced in four months, we wanted him to get reacquainted with the gate,” trainer Juan Avila said. “Everything went well this morning there.”

A trio of Longines Kentucky Oaks contenders also joined Swiss Skydiver on the track Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. including the first local appearance from Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Madaket Stables and Heider Family Stables' $400,000 Ashland Stakes (GI) winner Speech, who arrived at Churchill Downs just past noon Tuesday. The three-time winner had an easy 1 ½-mile gallop. Her stablemate, Jim and Donna Daniell's $600,000 Blue Grass Stakes (GII) third-place finisher Rushie, who trained just past 8 a.m. Rushie is also nominated for the $500,000 Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU (GII) on the undercard of the Kentucky Derby.

Raymond Daniels and Wayne Scherr's graded stakes placed Necker Island was the only other Derby contender, besides King Guillermo, on the track at 7:30 a.m. where he galloped 1 ½ miles with Hillary Hartman in the saddle. Trainer Chris Hartman reported Necker Island is scheduled to work in company Friday morning.

Four Kentucky Derby contenders were on the track prior to the exclusive training session: Lloyd Madison Farm's $300,000 Indiana Derby (GIII) runner-up Major Fed galloped 1 ½ miles at 5:15 a.m. under exercise rider Margarito Fierro; West Point Thoroughbreds and Pearl Racing's Arkansas Derby third-place finisher Winning Impression galloped 1 ½ miles under rider Emerson Chavez; John Oxley's Blue Grass Stakes fourth-place finisher Enforceable jogged about 1 3/8 miles; and George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds' $1 million Travers Stakes (GI) third Max Player galloped about 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Juan Vargas.

Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's $200,000 Ellis Park Derby runner-up Attachment Rate galloped 1 ½ miles at 9:45 a.m. with exercise rider Faustino Herrarte in the saddle. Trainer Dale Romans reported Attachment Rate is nominated to the Pat Day Mile and the race decision remains en flux.

Bruce Lunsford's Blue Grass (GII) and Ellis Park Derby winner Art Collected arrived at Churchill Downs from the Skylight Training Center on Wednesday morning and will train over the track on Thursday.

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Protesters March Outside Churchill Downs, Demand Justice For Breonna Taylor

Planned racial injustice protests took a crowd of demonstrators past the gates at the frontside of Churchill Downs on Tuesday. The afternoon's demonstrations resulted in 64 arrests for charges of obstructing the roadway and disorderly conduct, acting Louisville Metro Police Chief Robert Schroeder told whas11.com. The protests were scheduled by national organization Until Freedom at the end of a four-day conference dedicated to the pursuit of justice in the death of Breonna Taylor, a black woman who was killed by Louisville police in March of this year.

One of Until Freedom's co-founders, Linda Sarsour, was among those arrested.

Protesters met around 2:00 p.m. at South Central Park, then marched to the Louisville Metro Police Department Training Academy where they changed letters on the marquee to read “I see murderers.” From there, the protesters marched toward Churchill Downs, crossing the bridge on Central Avenue near Cardinal Stadium.

Arrests were made when protesters blocked the street, and Until Freedom march coordinators urged those who didn't wish to be arrested to stick to the sidewalks. Those protesters arriving at the frontside of Churchill Downs chanted “F*ck your Derby,” and hung a sign with Breonna Taylor's name on it near the front gate.

Calls from Louisville's Black community to boycott the race reach as far back as mid-July, but they have gotten louder as the Sept. 5 race gets closer.

The Justice and Freedom Coalition is one of four groups now calling for a boycott of the Kentucky Derby – joined by No Justice No Peace Louisville, the Louisville chapter of Black Lives Matter, and the national group Until Freedom – who say it an inappropriate time to hold the event while there is unrest in Louisville.

“You can understand people's frustration,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in his daily news briefing Tuesday. “Certainly, those that hold the Kentucky Derby have absolutely no control over the timing of the [Breonna Taylor] investigation, or when we will have any type of results. I hope there can at least be a positive dialogue there. That's certainly a large facility in an area of Louisville where a lot of good could be done together.”

LMPD units have been stationed outside the Churchill Downs stable gate for the past several days, according to multiple sources, and that presence is expected to continue as the ramp up to Sept. 5 continues. Churchill officials are taking other extra precautions for this year's spectatorless Kentucky Derby, including a hard perimeter, which is not usually part of the day's security plan.

Sources inside Churchill told the Paulick Report that the track is ready to go and that there are multiple plans in place which can be implemented to respond to rising levels of unrest around the area.

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‘Forgotten Horse’ Authentic Completes Penultimate Workout For Kentucky Derby

Following an abandoned workout on Monday, Haskell winner Authentic completed his scheduled breeze successfully on Tuesday at Del Mar. According to the Daily Racing Form, the 3-year-old son of Into Mischief was given an official time of 1:38.60 for a mile under exercise rider Juan Ochoa.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert had Authentic in 1:24.60 for seven furlongs, and plans to breeze the colt again on Sunday before shipping him to Churchill Downs on Monday.

A five-time winner from six starts, Authentic is expected to be at least double-digit odds in the Run for the Roses.

“He's the forgotten horse,” Baffert told drf.com.

Read more at the Daily Racing Form.

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Derby Week Stakes Races Taking Shape At Churchill Downs

Seventeen stakes races cumulatively worth purses of $9.78 million are on tap for Kentucky Derby Week at Churchill Downs, which runs Tuesday, Sept. 1 through Saturday, Sept. 5. The spectacular week of racing, headlined by the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) on Sept. 5 and $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) on Sept. 4, will feature 14 graded stakes events.

Here's a look at some of the known early probable entrants, according to assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork:

$115,000 Champion's Day Marathon Overnight Stakes presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (Entries taken Friday, race Tuesday, Sept. 1) – Probable: Eskenforit (trainer Steve Margolis).

$150,000 Unbridled Sidney (Entries taken Saturday, race Wednesday, Sept. 2) – Bye Bye J (Steve Asmussen); Change of Control (Michelle Lovell); Dixieincandyland (Eddie Kenneally); Stonewood (Carlo Vaccarezza); Tomlin (Mike Stidham); and Violent Times (Ralph Nicks).

$200,000 Pocahontas (GII) (Entries taken Sunday, race Thursday, Sept. 1) – Alexandria (Tim Hamm); Crazy Beautiful (Kenny McPeek); Dream Quist (McPeek); Girl Daddy (Dale Romans); Trip to Seoul (James Chapman); and Xtrema (Keith Desormeaux).

$115,000 Opening Verse Overnight Stakes (Entries taken Sunday, race Thursday, Sept. 1) – Crafty Daddy (Kenny McPeek); Cullum Road (Ignacio Correas IV); Hembree (Mike Maker); and Mr. Misunderstood (Brad Cox). Possible: Set Piece (Brad Cox).

$300,000 Eight Belles presented by TwinSpires.com (GII) (Entries taken Monday, Race Friday, Sept. 4) – Four Graces (Ian Wilkes); Mundaye Call (Brad Cox); and Sconsin (Greg Foley). Possible: Ocean Breeze (Wayne Catalano).

$300,000 Edgewood presented by Forcht Bank (GII) (Entries taken Monday, Race Friday, Sept. 4) – Beguiled (Phil D'Amato); Lucky Betty (Will VanMeter); Outburst (Eddie Kenneally); and Sharing (Graham Motion).

$250,000 Twin Spires Turf Sprint presented by Sysco (GII) (Entries taken Monday, Race Friday, Sept. 4) – Archidust (Steve Asmussen); Carotari (Bryan Lynch); Chaps (Eddie Kenneally); Chief Cicatriz (Shawn Davis); Diamond Oops (Patrick Biancone); Extravagant Kid (Brendan Walsh); Tell Your Daddy (Neil Pessin); Tiger Blood (Mike Maker); and Well Labeled (Larry Rivelli).

$400,000 Alysheba presented by Sentient Jet (GII) (Entries taken Monday, Race Friday, Sept. 4) – By My Standards (Bret Calhoun); Hence (Jack Sisterson); Owendale (Brad Cox); and Silver Dust (Bret Calhoun).

$1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (GI) (Entries taken Tuesday, Sept. 1, Race Saturday, Sept. 5) – Bowies Hero (Phil D'Amato); Digital Age (Chad Brown); Factor This (Brad Cox); Mr Dumas (Mike Maker); Parkland (Carlo Vaccarezza); Sacred Life (Chad Brown); Somelikeithotbrown (Maker); and Spectacular Gem (Jimmy Baker).

$500,000 La Troienne presented by Oak Grove Racing & Gaming (GI) (Entries taken Monday, Race Friday, Sept. 4) – Lady Kate (Eddie Kenneally); Monomoy Girl (Brad Cox); Saracosa (Cipriano Contreras); and She's a Julie (Steve Asmussen). Possible: Vexatious (Jack Sisterson).

$500,000 Derby City Distaff presented by Derby City Gaming (GI) (Entries taken Tuesday, Sept. 1, Race Saturday, Sept. 5) – Bell's the One (Neil Pessin); Mia Mischief (Steve Asmussen); Sally's Curlin (Dale Romans); Serengeti Empress (Tom Amoss); and Wildwood's Beauty (Scott Becker).

$500,000 Longines Distaff Turf Mile (GII) (Entries taken Tuesday, Sept. 1, Race Saturday, Sept. 5) – Beau Recall (Brad Cox); Belle Laura (Juan Avila); Daddy is a Legend (Rusty Arnold); Juliet Foxtrot (Brad Cox); and Newspaperofrecord (Chad Brown). Possible: She'sonthewarpath (Steve Margolis).

$500,000 American Turf presented by Smithfield (GII) (Entries taken Tuesday, Sept. 1, Race Saturday, Sept. 5) – Fancy Liquor (Mike Maker); Field Pass (Maker); King Theo (Carlo Vaccarezza); Mr. Big News (Bret Calhoun); Sugoi (Mike Tomlinson); and Vanzzy (Mike Pino). Possible: South Bend (Bill Mott).

$500,000 Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU (GII) (Entries taken Tuesday, Sept. 1, Race Saturday, Sept. 5) – Cezanne (Bob Baffert); Echo Town (Steve Asmussen); Liam's Pride (Doug O'Neill); Shashashakemeup (Keith Desormeaux); and Sonneman (Steve Asmussen). Possible: Attachment Rate (Dale Romans); Rushie (Michael McCarthy); South Bend (Bill Mott); and Taishan (Richard Baltas).

$200,000 Iroquois presented by Ford (GIII) (Entries taken Tuesday, Sept. 1, Race Saturday, Sept. 5) – Belafonte (Tom Humphries); Drop Anchor (Kenny McPeek); Pico D'Oro (Bill Morey); Sittin On Go (Dale Romans); Super Stock (Steve Asmussen); Therideofalifetime (Ignacio Correas IV); and Ultimate Badger (Romans).

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