Factor This Brings Four-Race Win Streak Into Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic

A field of 10 top older grass runners will go to post in the 34th running of the $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (GI), one of six graded stakes that will precede Saturday's 146th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI).

The 14-race program begins at 11 a.m. (all times Eastern) and will culminate the Derby that is scheduled for a 7:02 p.m. post time.

Other stakes are the Derby Day program are the 34th running of the $500,000 Derby City Distaff presented by Derby City Gaming (GI) for fillies and mares going seven furlongs on the main track, the 35th running of the $500,000 Longines Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (GII) for fillies and mares, the 96th running of the 500,000 Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU (GII) for 3-year-olds, the 29th running of the $500,000 American Turf presented by Smithfield (GII) for 3-year-olds going 1 1/16 miles on the grass and the 39th running of the $200,000 Iroquois presented by Ford (GIII) for 2-year-olds going a mile on the main track.

Gaining Ground Racing's Factor This, riding a four-race win streak, and Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable's Somelikeithotbrown, winner of the Bernard Baruch (GII) at Saratoga in his most recent start, will be the starting top weights with 124 pounds in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic that will go as the day's 13th race with a 5:50 post time.

Trained by Brad Cox, Factor This counts the GII Wise Dan at Churchill Downs among his scores in his win streak. Shaun Bridgmohan, who has been aboard for all of those victories, has the call Saturday and will break from post one.

Siomelightithotbrown, trained by Mike Maker, has placed in four other graded stakes on turf and in his lone race over the Matt Winn Turf Course finished third in the 2018 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (GI). Tyler Gaffalione, who was aboard for the victory in the Baruch, has the call Saturday and will break from post position nine.

The field for the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Factor This (Bridgmohan, 124 pounds), Bowies Hero (Florent Geroux, 119), Rockemperor (IRE) (John Velazquez, 119), Digital Age (IRE) (Javier Castellano, 119), Dontblamerocket (Julien Leparoux, 119), Mr Dumas (Manny Franco, 119), True Valour (IRE) (Rafael Bejarano, 119), Sacred Life (FR) (Paco Lopez, 119), Somelikeithotbrown (Gaffalione, 124) and Spectacular Gem (James Graham, 119).

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Derby Notes: Tiz The Law Arrives In Louisville, California Contingent Steps On Track

With the defection of Art Collector, 18 horses were entered for Saturday's 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 at Churchill Downs on Tuesday

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. gallops at Churchill Downs on Tuesday

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 arrives at Churchill Downs

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.

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Kentucky Derby Pedigree Corner: King Guillermo, Thousand Words, And South Bend

Each day of Kentucky Derby week, we'll take a look at the pedigrees of some Derby contenders and how those pedigrees might factor into their ability to succeed at 1 1/4 miles.

King Guillermo
Uncle Mo x Slow Sand, by Dixieland Band
Uncle Mo is one of two members in this year's class of Kentucky Derby sires to have already sired a Derby winner, with champion Nyquist taking the prize in 2016. Nyquist also reeled off wins in the G1 Florida Derby (1 1/8 miles) and Breeders' Cup Juvenile (1 1/16 miles) as the flagbearer of Uncle Mo's record-setting first crop.

That group also included Outwork, who won the G1 Wood Memorial Stakes at 1 1/8 miles en route to a Derby start. Mo Tom also ran in that year's Derby with a win in the G3 LeComte Stakes at 1 mile 70 yards under his belt. Uncle Mo's runners post an average winning distance of 7.41 furlongs, which is in the upper half of this year's Derby sires.

Uncle Mo was named champion 2-year-old male of 2010 with Grade 1 wins in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (1 1/16 miles) and Champagne Stakes (1 mile). He came back at three to win the G2 Kelso Handicap at 1 mile.

Slow Sand, a product of the globally-known Wertheimer and Frere breeding program, went unplaced in two career starts, one coming at 7 furlongs on the dirt and the other at 1 mile on the turf.

As a broodmare, Slow Sand has visited a global variety of stallions, with the most successful outcome besides King Guillermo being Dorothy B, a Fastnet Rock filly who is stakes-placed in England over 6 furlongs. Northern Star, by Montjeu, was also a winner in England at 1 1/8 miles. Slow Sand's biggest distance standout is Snan, a son of High Chaparral who was a two-time English winner at 1 3/4 miles.

Thousand Words
Pioneerof the Nile x Pomeroy's Pistol, by Pomeroy
Pioneerof the Nile is the sire of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, more than proving his ability to sire a horse capable of winning a classic.

The sire nearly gained another classic winner in 2017 when Classic Empire finished a narrow second in the Preakness Stakes. Prior to that race, Classic Empire took home champion 2-year-old male honors with Grade 1 two-turn wins in the Breeders' Futurity and Breeders' Cup Juvenile, then he came back at three to win the G1 Arkansas Derby at 1 1/8 miles. Pioneerof the Nile had another classic-placed runner in Social Inclusion, who finished third in the 2014 Preakness Stakes and was an allowance winner at 1 1/16 miles.

Pioneerof the Nile narrowly missed Kentucky Derby glory on his own right, having finished second to Mine That Bird in the 2009 edition. He entered the race on a four-race winning streak capped off by the G1 Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles. He also tallied wins at 1 1/16 miles in the G1 CashCall Futurity, and the G2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes and San Felipe Stakes.

Pomeroy's Pistol was a star sprinter, with three graded stakes wins between 6 and 7 furlongs. She stretched out to 1 mile to finish third in the G2 Davona Dale Stakes.

Thousand Words is by far the most successful of the two winners from three runners out of Pomeroys Pistol. The other winner is Moon Pistol, a Malibu Moon gelding who graduated in a Gulfstream Park West maiden claimer going 6 furlongs on the main track. Sweet Pistol, by Smart Strike, went unplaced in two career starts, one each on dirt and turf, both at 1 1/16 miles.

South Bend
Algorithms x Sandra's Rose, by Old Trieste
Algorithms went a perfect three-for-three in a racing career cut short by injury. He won on debut in a Belmont Park maiden special weight at 5 furlongs, then finished his juvenile season in the Gulfstream Park winner's circle, following a 6 1/2-furlong allowance optional claiming race. At three, he won the G3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream, going 1 mile.

His best runners at stud have typically been sprinters, as evidenced by his average progeny winning distance of 6.73 furlongs. However, his best runner to date, Math Wizard, took the G1 Pennsylvania Derby at 1 1/8 miles. As for his other graded stakes winners, Recruiting Ready took the G3 Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes at 6 furlongs, while Rich Mommy won the G3 Sugar Swirl Stakes at the same distance.

Sandra's Rose was an imposing turf sprinter on the West Coast, notching a win in the 5 1/2-furlong Tulza Stakes, and hitting the board in the G3 Senator Ken Maddy Handicap and Las Cinegas Handicap, both at 6 ½ furlongs. Though her most notable efforts came around one turn, she also nosed out a maiden special weight victory at 1 1/8 miles over the Santa Anita turf.

A veteran broodmare, Sandra's Rose has produced one other six-figure earner in North America: He's the Reason, by The Factor. The gelding is a multiple stakes winner in British Columbia, going as far as 1 1/8 miles.

Rose Essence, by Speightstown, earned her lone victory in her 15th career start when she won a 6 1/2-furlong Charles Town maiden special weight. Baroness Rose, by Curlin, won twice on the turf, once at 1 mile and another at 7 1/2 furlongs. The Dixie Union gelding Rose Junction won on debut as a juvenile, taking a 5 furlong Belmont Park maiden special weight, while the Eskendereya filly Eskenforandreya earned her lone career victory over 1 mile on the all-weather Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields.

Though she'll have a Derby starter, the most successful runner to date out of Sandra's Rose might be Anichkov Most, a son of Awesome Again who became a top runner in Russia. His exploits include back-to-back wins in the G1 N.N. Nashibov Cup at the classic 1 1/4-mile distance, along with victories in the G3 Season Opening Stakes and Season Closing Stakes, both at 9 furlongs.

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Brian Hernandez Tests Positive For Coronavirus, Off Tuesday Mounts At Churchill Downs

Jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. has tested positive for the coronavirus, as first reported by the Daily Racing Form. He had been scheduled to ride Art Collector in Saturday's Kentucky Derby, but the colt was removed from consideration Tuesday morning due to a minor hoof injury.

Hernandez and the other riders were tested for COVID-19 Monday. Hernandez said in a text to Kentucky Derby pool reporter Jennie Rees that he tested positive for the coronavirus but that he also tested positive for the antibodies, “which means I am no longer contagious.”

Hernandez was named on four mounts at Churchill Downs on Tuesday, but he has taken off and is awaiting further updates on what the positive test menas.

“Now we are waiting for Churchill and the health department to tell us when we can go back to riding,” Hernandez said.

The news that he'd tested positive came to Hernandez even as there were issues whether his scheduled Kentucky Derby mount, Art Collector, would run after Bruce Lunsford's colt nicked his left front heel in a routine gallop Monday morning. The final decision to withdrawal Art Collector from the Kentucky Derby was made Tuesday morning after the colt continued to show tenderness in the heel.

Hernandez last rode at Ellis Park on Aug. 29, and is named to ride three graded stakes mounts on Thursday and Friday's cards.

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