Storm the Court will be out to put an end to the futility Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the Silks Run S., but he is 20-1 in the morning line for a race that brought together a surprisingly deep field. Expectations are that the Silks Run will be the 21st straight loss for the now 7-year-old horse.

“The race came up super tough,” said his trainer Bill Morey.

Storm the Court won his debut on Aug. 10, 2019, for trainer Peter Eurton. He lost his rider in his next start, the GI Del Mar Futurity, and then was third in the GI American Pharoah S. Ridden by Flavien Prat, he won the Juvenile in a game effort in which he outfought Anneau d'Or (Medaglia d'Oro). Since then absolutely nothing has gone right.

“A lot of it has to do with fact he matured a lot earlier than most horses do,” Eurton said. “In the Breeders' Cup he was in the right place at the right time. The rest of the horses caught up to him.”

Storm the Court's 3-year-old campaign coincided with the pandemic, which pushed the GI Kentucky Derby back to Sept. 5. He lost all five of his starts leading up to the Derby, but ran creditably when third in the GIII Ohio Derby and second in the GIII La Jolla H. In the Derby, he finished sixth, beaten nine lengths. That was sixth straight loss, and it would only get worse.

Being that the horse was an Eclipse Award champion and a Grade I winner, the owners looked into turning him into a stallion, but the response from the breeding farms was lukewarm at best.

“There was some talk about turning him into a stallion back when he was four,” Eurton said. “But it didn't happen. His pedigree, it's just not there.”

His five-year-old season ended with a 12 3/4-length drubbing in the GIII Tokyo City S. That would be his last start for Eurton.

“The owners thought the horse would be better off back East and would have more opportunities there,” Eurton said.

He was sent to Tom Amoss and made two starts for him, the last of which resulted in a 23-length loss in an allowance race at Churchill in September.

The ownership group then decided to make another change and sent the horse to Morey. The new trainer hasn't gotten him to the winner's circle in three tries, but at least Storm the Court has been competitive. He's had three starts for the new outfit, all of them in allowance sprints on the grass. He finished third at Horseshoe Indianapolis and then second in consecutive races at Tampa Bay Downs.

“I had some other horses for the ownership group and they called me and asked what I doing for the winter,” Morey said. “When I told them I'd be racing at Turfway and Tampa, they thought Tampa might be a good place to get him reinvigorated and back on his game. That was the idea. It just seemed like the horse was obviously stale with what he was doing so we decided to try something drastically different. So far, it has worked to some extent. We haven't gotten to the winner's circle yet, but we seem to have him going pretty good. We're training him to be a sprinter rather than continuing to train him to be a router. I have trained him to sprint. I am assuming that the trainers who had him before me were all training him for routes.”

Morey is optimistic he can break the losing streak, but understands that it probably won't happen Saturday. Storm the Court is running against horses who are considerably faster than him on the Beyer scale, including Big Invasion (Declaration of War), who was second in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

“In this game you take chances,” Morey said. “There wasn't an allowance at five furlongs on the grass at Tampa for the foreseeable future. An on-the board-performance in a race as tough as this would almost feel like we had broken the losing streak. This looks like a tough spot. Maybe we'll get lucky and hit the board or maybe win. If not, hopefully we'll get him into the winner's circle the next time.”

At Santa Anita, Eurton will be watching. He hasn't had the horse for a year and a half, but will always have the memories of his win in the Breeders' Cup.

“I would love to see him win a race. One hundred percent,” he said. “There will always be a soft spot in my heart for this horse.”

The post Fifty Months And Twenty Races Later, Storm The Court Looking To Get Back To Winner’s Circle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Breaking like a shot from post position six in a field of nine, Brickyard Ride outfooted 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Storm the Court while under restraint in the early running and was merely a chestnut blur around the far turn.  With just three taps of the stick to keep him focused, Brickyard Ride cruised to the wire, where he received a congratulatory pat on the right shoulder from Centeno, who celebrated his first-ever graded stakes victory.

“Well, speed kills and he killed today, with his speed,” said Lewis, who also trained Clubhouse Ride.  “He's blessed with a lot of natural speed obviously, he's learning how to relax.  He's maturing, he's a big powerful horse.  He reached for (more) ground like a horse that could run forever.  He's starting to look like he could be the goods.”

A 3 ¼ length winner of the six-furlong Don Valpredo Cal Cup Sprint on Jan. 16, Brickyard Ride was off at 5-1, a considerable overlay off of his morning line of 3-1, and paid $12.00, $5.40 and $4.20.

“This is of big significance to me,” said Centeno, a 27-year-old Puerto Rican native.  “Craig Lewis gave me the opportunity to work this horse and since I've been on him, he's run well for me and he's comfortable with me.”

Out of the Southern Image mare Brickyard Helen, Brickyard Ride collected his first graded stakes win and his seventh overall victory from 13 starts.  With the winner's share of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $380,277.

Fellow Cal-bred Tigre Di Slugo, who was second to the winner in the Cal Cup Sprint, rallied well for second today, finishing a nose better than Exaulted.  The 5-2 favorite with Joel Rosario, Tigre Di Slugo paid $3.80 and $2.80.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Exaulted was off at 6-1 and paid $3.40 to show.

Fractions on the race were 21.63, 43.93 and 1:08.49.

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The third running of the 1 3/16-mile Pegasus Turf and the fifth renewal of the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) at 1 1/8 miles on dirt comprise the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, headlining a blockbuster 12-race program featuring seven graded-stakes worth $4.725 million in purses.

First race post time is 11:40 a.m. EST. The Pegasus Turf will be part of NBC's live national telecast from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

This year, the Pegasus Turf will serve as a 'Win and In' qualifier for the $1 million Middle Distance Turf Handicap Feb. 20 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In addition, the Pegasus World Cup is a 'Win and In' race for the $20 million Saudi Cup.

During Wednesday's post-position draw inside Gulfstream's Sport of Kings Theatre, Colonel Liam was made the narrow 7-2 program favorite over stablemate Largent (9-2) in a field of a dozen stakes winners, 10 of them graded, including Grade 1 winners Aquaphobia, Next Shares, Say the Word and Storm the Court, the 2-year-old male champion of 2019.

Colonel Liam and Largent are part of trainer Todd Pletcher's triple threat that includes Social Paranoia (8-1), also among the five horses listed at less than double-digit odds. The others are Anothertwistafate (5-1) and Say the Word (6-1).

“The mile and three-sixteenths is a little different distance for Largent. He's never been quite that far but the way he ran in the Fort Lauderdale going a mile and an eighth certainly gives you confidence he'll handle it,” Pletcher said.

“Social Paranoia has won as far as a mile and five-sixteenths, and Colonel Liam was a little bit unlucky in the Saratoga Derby at a mile and a quarter. I think [the distance] should work for all three of them,” he added.

Colonel Liam, a 4-year-old son of Liam's Map, is the least experienced runner in the Pegasus Turf. Liam's Map was a two-time Grade 1 winner on dirt for Pletcher, taking the 2015 Woodward and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

“It's always fun when you're training the offspring of a horse that you've trained,” Pletcher said. “It's great to see Liam's Map doing well as a stallion and showing his versatility of getting dirt horses and turf horses and good 2-year-olds, and showing that he's capable of siring just about any type of horse.”

A $1.2 million purchase as a 2-year-old in training in April 2019, Colonel Liam went unraced as a juvenile before debuting against older horses going a mile on dirt last April at Gulfstream, where he was placed first after finishing a troubled second. Moved to the grass for the first time in his third start, he beat his elders again in an open allowance at Saratoga, then encountered trouble again while running fourth, beaten less than a length, in the Saratoga Derby.

Colonel Liam turned in his best performance to date last time out, rating in mid-pack off a moderate pace before coming with a four-wide move to take the lead and widen his advantage through the stretch to win the 1 1/16-mile Tropical Park Derby by 3 ¼ lengths Dec. 26 at Gulfstream.

“Very impressed,” Pletcher said. “I loved the way he pulled away at the end. We've always had high hopes for him, so it's nice to see him living up to those.”

Irad Ortiz Jr., up in the Tropical Park Derby, rides back from Post 5.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Twin Creeks Racing Stable's Largent also had a career-best effort in his most recent start, saving ground inside before forging a short lead at the top of the stretch and drawing clear to a two-length triumph in the 1 1/8-mile Fort Lauderdale (G2) Dec. 12. The 5-year-old Into Mischief gelding, never worse than second in nine starts with six wins, beat Virginia-breds in turf stakes at Laurel Park and Colonial Downs last summer.

“That was his breakthrough performance,” Pletcher said. “He's always been very consistent. He's run against some really nice horses. We took advantage of his Virginia-bred status because that's what you're supposed to do when you have those kinds of options. It wasn't so much that we felt like he didn't belong at Saratoga or some bigger races; we had the opportunity and wanted to take advantage of it.”

Paco Lopez gets the return call on Largent from Post 6.

Winner of the one-mile Poker (G3) in July, The Elkstone Group's Social Paranoia, 5, went unraced until capturing a 7 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance Dec. 16 on the Gulfstream turf. The son of Street Boss owns three wins in four tries on the local surface including the one-mile Appleton (G3) last winter. He won the Dueling Grounds Derby going 1 5/16 miles at Kentucky Downs in 2019.

“He's consistent and likes this course, and he's proven at the distance,” Pletcher said. “The key, for him and Colonial Liam both, was we needed a race under their belt to kind of set them up for this. They were both coming off short layoffs so a prep race was important for both of them.”

Luis Saez, whose previous trip aboard Social Paranoia came in his March 2019 maiden triumph at Gulfstream, has the assignment from outside Post 12.

Peter Redekop's Anothertwistafate, based in California with trainer Peter Miller, is a stakes winner on three surfaces. He won the El Camino Real on Golden Gate's all-weather track and was second by a neck in the Sunland Derby (G3) on dirt, both going 1 1/8 miles, while on the 2019 Triple Crown trail.

The 5-year-old son of Scat Daddy won the Longacres Mile (G3) going a mile at Emerald Downs last September in one of only two 2020 starts, and in just his second race for Miller captured the 1 1/8-mile San Gabriel (G2) on the Santa Anita turf Jan. 2. Joel Rosario rides for the third straight race from Post 8.

“I don't think [distance] will be an issue,” Miller said. “He's the type of horse that doesn't seem to get tired. He's got a lot of stamina and is built like a horse that can get a mile and a half.”

A win by homebred Say the Word would be a fitting sendoff for Sam-Son Farm, the legendary owner and breeder of 84 Sovereign Award winners and four Eclipse Award winners, which is undergoing a complete dispersal of its racing and breeding stock. The 6-year-old gelding became a Grade 1 winner in the 1 ½-mile Northern Dancer (G1) last October on the Woodbine turf and exits a third, beaten one length, in the 1 ½-mile Hollywood Turf Cup (G2) Nov. 27 at Del Mar.

Flavien Prat, up in the Turf Cup, rides Say the Word (6-1) from Post 11.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey will send out a pair of contenders in North Dakota (10-1) and Breaking the Rules (20-1). Allen Stable Inc. homebred North Dakota, a 5-year-old half-brother to Grade 2 winner and influential sire War Front, needed seven tries to break his maiden but has won four of his last six races. The most recent came in the 1 3/8-mile Red Smith (G3) Nov. 21 at Aqueduct.

“He's been kind of a late bloomer but he's been doing well. His races, really all [last] year, have been good so we're looking forward to running him here,” McGaughey said. “He's a true distance horse, probably even a little more than a mile and three-sixteenths. The way he's doing and the way he's been coming around, all year really, [is great], and his races have been spaced and he's fresh and we're ready to give it a try.”

Another homebred, Phipps Stable's Breaking the Rules is a 6-year-old son of War Front that has three career races over the Gulfstream turf, winning the Tropical Park Derby and finishing second by a head in the Canadian Turf (G3) during the 2018-2019 Championship Meet. He went two-for-five in 2020, running fourth in the Lure and Knickerbocker (G2) in New York and third by two lengths in the Fort Lauderdale under jockey Edgard Zayas after being bumped at the start.

“I think he's had a pretty good year. I was disappointed in his race at Saratoga in the Lure. Then he came back and I thought he ran fine on a track he doesn't prefer. He wants it hard and it had more give to it than I thought,” McGaughey said. “I thought his race here in the Fort Lauderdale was pretty good. I think that Edgard was not familiar with him and he told me he thought he was too far back and I think he moved a little bit soon on him. He got caught up on the outside and didn't get beat far. It was a fast race, so I'm looking forward to getting him stretched out.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez is named on Breaking the Rules from Post 2, while Jose Ortiz has the call on North Dakota from Post 4.

Exline-Border Racing, David Bernsen, Susanna Wilson and Dan Hudock's Storm the Court (12-1) went winless in eight 2020 starts, including a sixth in the Kentucky Derby (G1), after clinching his Eclipse Award with a front-running head triumph in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). He has raced three times on the turf for trainer Peter Eurton, running second in the 1 1/16-mile La Jolla (G3) last summer at Del Mar as well as the Mathis Brothers Mile (G2) Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. Julien Leparoux gets the assignment from Post 3.

Trainer Mike Maker upset the 2020 Pegasus Turf with Zulu Alpha, and while that horse continues to recover from an injury that knocked him out of the Breeders' Cup last fall, Maker will be represented by the pair of Cross Border (15-1) and Aquaphobia (20-1).

“It was cool to win it last year, it'd be cooler to win this year and even cooler than that to win it again next year,” Maker said.

Three Diamonds Farm's Cross Border owns nine wins from 30 lifetime starts and became a graded winner when elevated to first in the 1 3/8-mile Bowling Green (G2) last summer at Saratoga following the disqualification of Grade 1 winner Sadler's Joy, who edged Cross Border by a neck. Last time out, the gelded 7-year-old son of turf champion English Channel was beaten a head when second in the 1 1/16-mile Buddy Diliberto Memorial Dec. 19 at Fair Grounds.

“I like his chances. He's doing great and shipped over well. We're looking forward to running him,” Maker said. “He's been a very solid horse. We've had luck with him from 6 ½ furlongs to a mile and a half. He just loves his job and he's easy to train.”

Paradise Farms Corp., David Staudacher, Hooties Racing and Skychai Racing's Aquaphobia is the most experienced runner in the Pegasus Turf with 39 career starts, nine of them wins, none bigger than his one-length triumph in the 1 3/8-mile United Nations (G1) last July at Monmouth Park. The 8-year-old Giant's Causeway horse has raced exclusive in stakes since being claimed by Maker for $62,500 last winter at Gulfstream, most recently running sixth by two lengths behind North Dakota in the Red Smith.

“He's a horse we were trying to get for quite some time and we were fortunate to get him,” Maker said. “We gave him some freshening. He just got outrun last time and he's doing super now. He'll get a firmer course here which he likes and I think the distance is favorable for him.”

Tyler Gaffalione will ride Cross Border from Post 9. Joe Bravo, aboard in the United Nations, returns from Post 7.

Godolphin's well-traveled homebred Pixelate (15-1) was a popular head winner of the 1 1/8-mile Del Mar Derby (G2) last September, and is coming off a half-length victory in the one-mile Woodchopper Dec. 26 at Fair Grounds. The 4-year-old City Zip colt will be making his Gulfstream debut in his 15th career start, having raced at nine different tracks in seven states. Edgard Zayas gets the assignment from Post 10.

Co-owned by a partnership that includes trainer Richard Baltas and his wife, Debby, Next Shares (20-1) is the richest horse in the Pegasus Turf with a $1.85 million bankroll and one of two millionaires in the field, along with Storm the Court. The 8-year-old Archarcharch gelding and 2018 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) victor is winless since his triumph in the November 2019 Seabiscuit Handicap (G2).

Next Shares will be making his third straight appearance in the Pegasus Turf, having finished seventh in 2019 and 12th in 2020. Drayden Van Dyke has the call from Post 1.

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Farm owner Judy Pryor, whose background comes in the Quarter Horse realm, said the decision to purchase Thoroughbred stallions came after the state passed racino legislation in November, opening up future opportunities for the state's breeding and racing programs. However, she said the process of finding the stallions wasn't easy.

Pryor went to the recent Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale looking for a stallion, but the horses she landed on were scratched from the sale either because the owner decided to hang on to them or a private sale was made before the horse entered the ring. She did, however, take note of Giant Expectations, who was being shown as a stallion prospect at a farm near the sales grounds.

“I kind of came home from there with my tail between my legs, thinking, 'I don't need to work this hard, anyway,'” Pryor said. “I started really researching and asking a lot of questions, and the gentleman that owns Giant Expectations, Justin Border, won the Breeders' Cup and an Eclipse Award with a horse by one of the stallions I was interested in.”

Border, through the nom-de-course Exline-Border Racing, campaigns Storm the Court, who won the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile en route to champion 2-year-old male honors. Storm the Court is by Court Vision, who had been standing at Acadiana Equine in Louisiana.

Pryor had always been keen on sons and daughters of Gulch – a rapidly shrinking population in 2021 – so seeing the Gulch sire line run through Storm the Court via Court Vision gave her another target for acquisition.

“I started thinking, 'This guy likes what I like,' so I started researching Storm the Court, and I got it in my head that I was going to get Court Vision,” Pryor said.

After plenty of research and phone calls, Pryor ended up with two new stallions; both of them tied to Border's stable either actively or passively.

Giant Expectations, a son of Frost Giant, won four of 25 starts during his on-track career for earnings of $1,343,600. The 8-year-old is best known for his victories in the Grade 2 Pat O'Brien Stakes and San Antonio Stakes.

Bred in New York by Sunrise Stables, Giant Expectations is out of the winning Is It True mare Sarahisittrue, whose five foals to race are all winners. He hails from the family of multiple Grade 2 winner C Z Rocket.

Court Vision, a 16-year-old son of Gulch, is best known on the racetrack for his victory in the 2011 Breeders' Cup Mile at Churchill Downs, a swan song that brought his career record to nine wins in 31 starts and earnings of $3,746,658. His other wins of note included the G1 Hollywood Derby, Woodbine Mile, Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap, and Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes, the G2 Remsen Stakes and Jamaica Handicap, and the G3 Iroquois Stakes.

From seven crops of racing age, Court Vision has sired 156 winners, with combined progeny earnings in excess of $13.9 million. He began his stallion career in 2012 at Park Stud in Ontario, then moved to Kentucky for one season at Spendthrift Farm in 2016 before relocating to Louisiana.

Storm the Court is Court Vision's best runner to date, conceived during Court Vision's lone season in Kentucky. In addition to bringing in an Eclipse Award and a Breeders' Cup trophy, Storm the Court finished a solid sixth in last year's Kentucky Derby, and he most recently ran second in the G2 Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.

Court Vision's other runners of note include Grade 2 winner Mr Havercamp and Canadian champion King and His Court.

Pryor said she was still deciding on stud fees for her two new additions, but her goal would be the same no matter the price: raise a horse that could take her to the Kentucky Derby as a connection instead of a spectator.

Court Vision, in particular, has already gotten one foal to Churchill Downs when the lights were at their brightest, and Pryor hoped history could repeat.

“I'm a 71-year-old lady that always wanted a Kentucky Bluegrass farm, but I live in Omaha, Neb,” Pryor said. “That's been my childhood dream. I know I'll probably never make it, but I'd sure like to go. I've gotten to be in the paddock at all three Triple Crown races a few times.”

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The third running of the 1 3/16-mile Pegasus World Cup Turf, introduced in 2019 to serve as a companion race to the $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), will be run Jan. 23. The Pegasus Turf has been won previously by eventual Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar (2019) and Zulu Alpha (2020).

The Pegasus World Cup Turf and Pegasus World Cup will be part of an extraordinary program featuring seven graded stakes, four contested on the turf. Stakes on Pegasus Day will also include the $200,000 Inside Information (G2), $125,000 William L. McKnight (G3), $125,000 Marshua's River (G3), $125,000 La Prevoyante (G3) and $125,000 Fred Hooper (G3).

The 12 horses given first preference for the Pegasus World Cup Turf are (in alphabetical order):

• Anothertwistafate – Owned by Peter Redekop B.C., Ltd. Trained by Peter Miller
• Breaking the Rules – Owned by Phipps Stables. Trained by Shug McGaughey
• Colonel Liam – Owner by Robert and Lawana Low. Trained by Todd Pletcher
• Cross Border – Owned by Three Diamonds Farm. Trained by Mike Maker
• Doswell – Owned by Joseph Allen LLC. Trained by Barclay Tagg
• Largent – Owned by Twin Creeks Racing Stables, LLC, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. Trained by Todd Pletcher
• North Dakota – Owned by Allen Stable Inc. Trained by Shug McGaughey
• Pixelate – Owned by Godolphin, LLC. Trained by Michael Stidham
• Say the Word – Owned by Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm. Trained by Philip D'Amato
• Sharp Samurai – Owned by Owned by Red Baron's Barn LLC, Rancho Temescal LLC, Mark Glatt. Trained by Mark Glatt
• Social Paranoia – Owned by The Elkstone Group, LLC. Trained by Todd Pletcher
• Storm the Court – Owned by Exline-Border Racing, LLC, David Bernsen LLC, Susanna Wilson and Dan Hudock. Trained by Peter Eurton

The also eligible horses (in order of preference):

• Next Shares – Owned by Debby Baltas, Richard Baltas, Christopher Dunn, Jules Iavarone, Michael Iavarone, Jerry McClanahan, Ritchie Robershaw, Mark Taylor. Trained by Richard Baltas.
• Field Pass – Owned by Three Diamonds Farm. Trained by Mike Maker
• Analyze It – Owned by William H. Lawrence. Trained by Chad Brown
• Greyes Creek – Owned by OXO Equine LLC. Trained by Chad Brown

Limited seating is available and tickets can be purchased at Pegasusworldcup.com.

Fans can watch and wager on the Pegasus World Cup at 1stbet.com and xpressbet.com.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, winner of 16 of the past 17 Championship Meet titles at Gulfstream Park, has an intriguing trio of contenders for the Turf in Largent, Social Paranoia and Colonel Liam.

Largent is an improving son of Into Mischief who enters the Pegasus off a victory Dec. 12 in the Fort Lauderdale (G2). The gelding has won six of nine career starts and has won four of his five starts at Gulfstream.

Pletcher-trained Social Paranoia, a 4-year-old son of Street Boss, prepped for the Pegasus at Gulfstream Dec. 16 by winning an allowance optional claiming event off a five-month layoff. Social Paranoia earlier in the year won the Appleton (G3) at Gulfstream.

Pletcher's third entry is the lightly raced Colonel Liam, a 4-year-old son of Liam's Map who enters the Pegasus off an impressive 3 ¼-length victory Dec. 26 in the Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park.

Trainer Barclay Tagg, who trained the recently retired Tiz the Law to victories in last year's Florida Derby (G1), Belmont Stakes (G1) and Travers (G1), comes into the Turf with Doswell. The lightly raced 6-year-old raced only once as a 2-year-old. The son of Giant's Causeway broke his maiden as a 5-year-old and ended 2020 with a second-place finish behind Largent in the Fort Lauderdale.

It took seven races for North Dakota to win his first race, but the Shug McGaughey-trained 5-year-old has since won three of five races with his last being the Nov. 21 Red Smith (G3) at Aqueduct. McGaughey will also send out Breaking the Rules, a 6-year-old son of War Front who comes off a fourth-place finish in the Knickerbocker (G2) in October and a third-place finish in the Fort Lauderdale (G2).

Say the Word, a 6-year-old Ontario-bred by More Than Ready, enters off a third-place finish Nov. 27 in the Hollywood Turf Cup (G2) for trainer Philip D'Amato after winning the Northern Dancer Turf (G1) in October at Woodbine. The gelding finished fourth in his only other race at Gulfstream, that coming in 2018.

Storm the Court ships in from Santa Anita for trainer Peter Eurton. Winner of the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), the son of Court Vision was sixth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) last year before moving to turf and finishing seventh in the Hollywood Derby (G1) and second last time out in the Mathis Brothers Mile (G2)

Cross Border will attempt to give trainer Mike Maker back-to-back wins in the Pegasus Turf after saddling last year's winner, Zulu Alpha. The 7-year-old son of English Channel was second in last year's Sword Dancer (G1) and won the Bowling Green (G2), both at Saratoga. He comes into the Pegasus off a second-place finish in the Buddy Diliberto Memorial Dec. 19 at Fair Grounds.

Sharp Samurai was beaten a nose by Jesus' Team for the place in the Breeders' Cup Mile. The 7-year-old gelding, based at Santa Anita with trainer Mark Glatt, was second last year in the Pacific Classic (G1), Eddie Read (G2) and City of Hope (G2). His last victory was the 2018 City of Hope. Sharp Samurai is also on the invitation list for the Pegasus.

Pixelate, trained by Michael Stidham, comes into the Pegasus off a victory Dec. 26 in the Woodchopper at Fair Grounds. The Godolphin homebred and son of City Zip won the Del Mar Derby (G2) in September and was fifth in the Belmont Derby (G1) in October.

Anothertwistafate, winner Jan. 2 of the San Gabriel (G2) at Santa Anita and Sept. 10 Longacres Mile (G3), is invited to the Turf and is on the reserve inviation list for the Pegasus.

The Pegasus Turf also-eligible list is led by Next Shares, who will try to make his third trip to the Pegasus Turf the charm after a seventh-place finish in the 2019 edition and a 12^th place finish last year. The 8-year-old would enter this year's event off a third-place finish Jan. 2 in the San Gabriel.

The reserve invitation list also includes Field Pass. The Ontario Derby (G3) winner is trained by Mike Maker, who saddled last year's Pegasus Turf winner Zulu Alpha. Trainer Chad Brown, who won the inaugural Pegasus Turf with Bricks and Mortar, has two on the reserve list in Red Bank (G3) winner Analyze Itand OXO Equine's Greyes Creek.

The post Pletcher Lands Three, McGaughey Two On Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitation List appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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To read previous editions of The Haiku Handicapper, click here.

#2 – Max Player
Can't knock his hustle
Don't love the late-game barn change
Should gain some ground late

#3 – Enforceable
Looked good at Fair Grounds
But fell off the map quickly
Blue-blood would surprise

#4 – Storm the Court
How many horses
Finish third at Thistledown
Then win the Derby?

#5 – Major Fed
A fine Grade 3-type
Punching against heavyweights
Tricky assignment

#7 – Money Moves
One start in six months
An optional claimer loss
This guy's pocket change

#8 – South Bend
Which will be longer:
Touchdown Jesus's wingspan
Or lengths off winner?

#9 – Mr. Big News
First-class pedigree
Exit-row coach race record
Minor check at best

#10 – Thousand Words
His ship's been righted
Knocking around four-horse fields
What's his true level?

#11 – Necker Island
A wonderful claim
Who's lost to a lot of these
He'd be an upset

#12 – Sole Volante
Churchill plays turfy
Which might be his best surface
A player, if he's right

#13 – Attachment Rate
Has some wins in him
Don't reckon this'll be one
He'll grow up nicely

#14 – Winning Impression
A pair of sevenths
Never held back Dallas Stewart
From trying longshots

#15 – Ny Traffic
Loves to run second
Pack animal tendencies
Wait for a mile race

#16 – Honor A. P.
Mike Smith had options
This one got the final rose
Serious win threat

#17 – Tiz the Law
All that's left to do
Is avenge his Churchill loss
And he's a man now

#18 – Authentic
Nail-biting Haskell
Begs the question if he peaked
For the May Derby

Prediction
Long-awaited bout
“Law” staves off Honor A. P.
Twelve and two follow

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With the scratch of Finnick the Fierce, the inside stall and outside three stalls in the 20-horse starting gate will remain open for the field of 16 starters. Program numbers remain unchanged.

With the first good weather morning since Tuesday, all 16 entrants for the Run for the Roses trained over Churchill Downs' fast track Friday morning on the eve of the 146th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI).

Among the horses galloping during the 5:15-5:30 (all times Eastern) training window reserved for Derby and Oaks entrants were morning line Derby favorite Tiz the Law and second choice Honor A. P. who were two of the first horses on the track.

ATTACHMENT RATE – Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's Attachment Rate had his final morning of training before Saturday's Kentucky Derby.

Trainer Dale Romans reported everything is ready to go for the Ellis Park Derby runner-up.

AUTHENTIC/THOUSAND WORDS – With trainer Bob Baffert looking on, stablemates Authentic and Thousand Words each put in maintenance gallops Friday morning under perfect weather conditions at Churchill Downs.

Friday's clear skies were welcome after rain had soaked the Louisville area the previous two mornings. Derby and Oaks contenders were given a special training slot from 5:15-5:30 Friday and, after Oaks favorite Gamine stretched her legs with a race-day gallop, Authentic came on the scene under Humberto Gomez for a couple of laps around beneath the Twin Spires.

Thousand Words then emerged just after the special training period concluded and also galloped under Gomez.

Both colts are aiming to give Baffert what would be a record-tying sixth Kentucky Derby victory Saturday. Authentic has won four of five starts and bested Ny Traffic last time out in the Haskell Stakes (GI) on July 18.

“In the Haskell it looked like it he was going to be coming up short but a lot of it was he just shut it down early,” Baffert said. “But he's training really well, he's coming up to the race in great shape. He's the kind of horse where he looks around like in the stretch, I told (jockey) Johnny (Velazquez) if we're lucky and we turn for home and he's right there you have to keep him busy because he does check things out.”

Thousand Words, who is owned by Albaugh Family Stables and Spendthrift Farm, has been training forwardly since defeating Honor A. P. in the Shared Belief Stakes on Aug. 1.

“He's a horse who can be a little bit tough mentally. But all of the sudden he started doing really well,” Baffert said of the son of Pioneerof the Nile. “He's a horse where he's getting closer, his numbers are getting tougher and tougher. But everything has to go right for him. He's that kind of horse.”

ENFORCEABLE – Having arrived from Florida Thursday afternoon, Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse was on hand at Churchill Downs Friday morning to see for himself the form John Oxley's Enforceable is bringing into his Kentucky Derby run.

With assistant trainer David Carroll in the irons, Enforceable again looked like a horse wanting to do more as he galloped during the 5:15-5:30 a.m. exclusive training period for Oaks and Derby contenders. The son of Tapit — who is a full brother to graded stakes winner Mohaymen — has been eager in his morning outings all week and could end up closer to the pace Saturday than is typical for his late-running self.

“I was saying to David that I think he may be a little more forwardly placed than usual,” Casse said. “He's really on his game. In the Blue Grass Stakes (in which he finished fourth) he broke much better than he had been breaking and going 1 ¼ miles, I don't know that the pace is going to be crazy. So we're not going to take him back. We're going to let (jockey) Adam (Beschizza) place him wherever he feels comfortable but I'm going to think he'll be more forwardly placed.”

FINNICK THE FIERCE — Arnaldo Monge and trainer Rey Hernandez's Finnick the Fierce was declared out of Saturday's 146th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI).

“Because he's blind on the right eye, he carries himself a little funny,” Monge said. “And we always knew that. But ever since he arrived, the vets have been keeping an eye on the horse and I'm telling Rey 'well, they're concerned about this' and there might be a legitimate reason but a regular vet doesn't seem to think so. So we're always trying to do the best for the horse so we made the decision (to scratch) because we don't want to go tomorrow and we're all excited and then he gets scratched at the post. So we always said this is a horse for the long term. It was an honor to be selected (for the Derby) but at the end of the day the most important thing is the horse. Maybe we are missing something I don't know, but I think the plan is to do more diagnostics on him and if everything is OK we'll run another day. What can we do, that's life.

“I didn't notice anything but it was always the right front. That's the same side as his eye and it's always been that way. Rey rides the horse and said 'this horse is fine' and that he didn't feel anything. I don't know. I know horse racing is under scrutiny all the time so I understand not trying to risk that publicity.

“We'll have to see what comes out of this next diagnostic test. Just to be on the up and up, we'll probably send him to Rood and Riddle and get an independent opinion on the horse. If all is good, (the Preakness) could be a consideration. Maybe the Breeders' Cup. Rey wanted to turn him out after the Derby anyway but it will depend on how this comes out. It's a bummer but we'll be back.”

The Dialed In gelding, who was seventh in the Blue Grass Stakes (GII) in his most recent start, had jogged, then galloped Friday morning with Hernandez aboard.

HONOR A. P. – C R K Stable's Honor A. P. was the first Kentucky Derby contender to set foot on the track Friday morning at 5:15 and galloped 1 5/8 miles with Javier Hernandez aboard and trainer John Shirreffs keeping close watch.

After watching the gallop Shirreffs was all smiles, but modest when complimented about how good his Santa Anita Derby winner looked.

“When you get to this level, they all look good,” said Shirreffs, who is seeking his second Kentucky Derby victory after pulling the upset with Giacomo in 2005.

MAJOR FED – Lloyd Madison Farm's Major Fed had his final morning of Derby training Friday with an easy one-mile jog and 1 5/8-mile gallop.

With exercise rider Margarito Fierro in the saddle alongside of Brian Theall aboard stable pony Alejandro, Major Fed will attempt to put his starting gate woes behind him in the Derby.

“We've gotten pretty unlucky at the start,” trainer Greg Foley said. “We schooled him a couple of times this week at the new gate and in the morning in the paddock. We just need things to go our way for once at the start.”

MAX PLAYER – George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbred Corp.'s Max Player, had a strong 1 ½-mile gallop over a fast track at 5:15 a.m. under regular exercise rider Juan Vargas.

MONEY MOVES – Outfitted with his Kentucky Derby saddle towel, Money Moves galloped during the special 5:15 a.m. training period for Oaks and Derby contenders as trainer D. Wayne Lukas — who is overseeing the colt's conditioning on behalf of his protégé Todd Pletcher — kept watch astride his saddle horse.

MR. BIG NEWS – Allied Racing's Mr. Big News galloped 1 ½ miles Friday morning at 5:30 for trainer Bret Calhoun.

NECKER ISLAND – One of the last Derby horses to train Friday morning, Necker Island jogged once around under Hillary Hartman and then stood in the Kentucky Derby starting gate located in the mile chute.

Among those looking on with trainer Chris Hartman was Wayne Scheer from South Dakota, who owns Necker Island in partnership with Raymond Daniels and Will Harbut Racing.

NY TRAFFIC – John Fanelli, Cash is King, Paul Braverman and Team Hanley's Ny Traffic made the good impression as he came out at 5:15 a.m. and galloped 1 ½ miles around the Churchill track.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. participated in some the top 3-year-old races last year with Math Wizard, who hit the board in both the Ohio Derby (GIII) and Indiana Derby (GIII) before a breakout win in the Pennsylvania Derby (GI), but Ny Traffic is the first Classic starter for the 33-year-old trainer, a native of Barbados who has been training in the U.S. since 2011.

“The Derby means everything to me,” Joseph said. “That's why we came here. We hoped to one day win the Kentucky Derby and now to be in the position where we have a chance, we are very fortunate and blessed. We are just trying to take it all in.”

SOLE VOLANTE — After jogging Monday through Thursday, Reeves Thoroughbreds and Andie Biancone's Sole Volante was reunited with jockey Luca Panici for a strong 1 ½-mile gallop during the special 5:15 a.m. training time restricted to Oaks and Derby horses.

SOUTH BEND – It was another smooth morning for Bill Mott trainee South Bend as he galloped during the special 5:15 a.m. training session. Assistant trainer Kenny McCarthy continues to be pleased with what he is seeing from the son of Algorithms, who is attempting to make Mott the first trainer since Bob Baffert in 1997-98 to win the Kentucky Derby in consecutive years.

STORM THE COURT – Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) winner Storm the Court jogged a quarter-mile and then galloped a mile under Thomas Dubaele at 7:30 Friday morning.

Trainer Peter Eurton said Storm the Court would not go to the track Saturday morning in advance of his Derby run.

Owned by the partnership of Exline-Border Racing, David Bernsen, Susanna Wilson and Dan Hudock, Storm the Court will be ridden for the first time Saturday by Julien Leparoux.

Eurton, who is saddling his second Derby starter, was asked about the ideal scenario for Storm the Court to notch his first victory of 2020 Saturday.

“The others break a step slow and we break fast and they have to catch us,” Eurton said with a laugh. “The break is everything. If the pace is fast, we will be four to six lengths off it but if it is not a fast pace, we will be up on it.”

TIZ THE LAW –Sackatoga Stable's prohibitive 3-5 morning line favorite Tiz the Law had a strong 1 ½- mile gallop at 5:15 a.m. with regular rider Heather Smullen aboard in his final day of serious training before Saturday's Kentucky Derby. Trainer Barclay Tagg said the Belmont (G1) and Travers (G1) Stakes winner would go out for a one-mile jog Saturday morning.

“He had a very nice gallop,” Tagg said. “Right speed. Everything was comfortable. He pulled up nicely and came back nicely. We're all good. He'll jog once around tomorrow.”

The Constitution colt has won six of seven starts laying close to the pace and making one run at the top of the stretch. His trainer is hoping for a similar trip in the Derby.

“I'd like for us to be laying third all the way around until we get down for business,” Tagg said. “I'm very confident in our horse. He's a very nice colt. I hope he wins it. He's a good horse, good horses do good things.”

Next to Tagg and his partner/assistant Robin Smullen, the person who knows Tiz the Law the best is Heather Smullen, niece of Robin.

“He's good,” Heather Smullen said. “He does everything you ask him to do. He's very happy with himself and moved well over the track this morning (Friday).”

WINNING IMPRESSION – West Point Thoroughbreds and Pearl Racing's Winning Impression jogged a mile with exercise rider Emerson Chavez up for trainer Dallas Stewart.

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Storm the Court
Court Vision x My Tejana Storm, by Tejano Run
Court Vision had no trouble getting the distance over dirt or turf. On the main track, he took the G2 Remsen Stakes (1 1/8 miles) and the G3 Iroquois Stakes (1 1/16 miles). After finishing 13th in the 2008 Kentucky Derby, he was moved to the turf, where he finished the year with a win at 10 furlongs in the G1 Hollywood Derby and one at 1 1/8 miles in the G2 Jamaica Handicap. He then became a star turf miler, taking home Grade 1 wins in the Breeders' Cup Mile, Woodbine Mile Stakes, and Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes.

Storm the Court, the winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile and champion 2-year-old male, is one of two graded stakes winners by Court Vision. The other is Mr. Havercamp, who is a Grade 2 winner at 7 furlongs and 1 1/16 miles, as well as a Grade 3 winner at 1 mile, all on the turf. His runners also include Canadian champion King and His Court, who is a stakes winner at 9 furlongs over Woodbine's all-weather main track, and finished third in the third leg of Canada's Triple Crown, the 1 1/2-mile Breeders' Stakes.

Despite having several examples to prove he can sire a distance runner, Court Vision's average progeny winning distance of 6.89 furlongs puts him in the lower half among this year's Derby sires.

My Tejana Storm spent her entire career racing at Philadelphia Park, where she won three times around one turn, once on the turf and twice on dirt.

Save for the Eclipse Award winner, My Tejana Storm's most successful runner is the U S Ranger filly Belleoftheprairie, who earned six figures as a multi-surface runner, excelling at the 5 furlong distance. He's Great, by Greatness, is a five-time winner racing exclusively at Charles Town, where those wins came between 4 1/2 and 7 furlongs. What a Wicked Game, by Tizway, went unplaced in seven starts in New Mexico.

Attachment Rate
Hard Spun x Aristra, by Afleet Alex
Hard Spun finished second in his own Kentucky Derby try in 2007, but he proved himself to be a versatile runner, taking the G1 King's Bishop Stakes at 7 furlongs and the G2 Lane's End Stakes and Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes at 1 1/8 miles. He also finished second in the Breeders' Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles.

His own foals post an average winning distance of 7.64 furlongs, which is near the top of the list for this year's Derby sires. His most notable runner on the classic stage is Wicked Strong, who won the G1 Wood Memorial Stakes 1 1/8 miles en route to finishing fourth in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.

Aristra won one of six starts racing in New Mexico and Pennsylvania, graduating in a Penn National maiden claimer in her final start, going 1 mile 70 yards on the main track. She was claimed for $5,000 that day.

Attachment Rate is her lone six-figure earner, having run second in the Ellis Park Derby (1 1/8 miles) and Unbridled Stakes (1 1/16 miles), and third in the G3 Gotham Stakes (1 mile). Aristra's next-best runner is Talk Less, a son of Blame who is a three-time winner in Ohio, all at distances at or near a mile. Arkadag, by Union Rags, is a two-time claiming winner at Laurel Park at 7 furlongs and 1 1/16 miles, both on the dirt. Rounding out the group is Base Jumper, a son of Arch who won twice at Finger Lakes, both at 1 mile 70 yards.

How did a nickel claimer get into the books of such high-end stallions? Aristra is a half-sister to four graded stakes producers, including the dams of champion Caledonia Road, Grade 1 winners Hymn Book and Data Link, and Grade 3 winner Strike The Bell.

Sole Volante
Karakontie x Light Blow, by Kingmambo

Karakontie, a Japanese-born homebred for the Niarchos family's Flaxman Holdings Ltd., spent most of his career racing in Europe. At two, he took the French G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère and Prix La Rochette, both at 7 furlongs. He came back at three to win the French 2000 Guineas at 1 mile, and he finished that season with a victory in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

Sole Volante is a member of Karakontie's first crop of runners. However, the sire's average progeny winning distance of 7.34 furlongs is an excellent number for a rookie stallion at this point in the season.

Beyond Sole Volante, Karakonte's top runners include Kenzai Warrior, an English Group 3 winner at seven furlongs; multiple turf sprint stakes winner Karak; and Ketil, who is multiple Group 3-placed in France at 1 1/2 miles or longer.

Light Blow, also a Niarchos homebred, won once at an eye-popping 1 7/8 miles during a short racing career in England. She also ran second at about 1 1/4 miles on debut.

She has lived up to the lofty expectations of the Niarchos program as a broodmare. Sole Volante is her top earner, but she has already had an elite 3-year-old in Explode, a son of Trappe Shot who was a Sovereign Award finalist in 2019 off a campaign that featured wins in the G3 Canadian Derby at the classic distance. He went even further to finish third in the G3 BC Premier's Handicap at 1 3/8 miles.

Light Blow is also the dam of Light of Joy, by Kitten's Joy, who was stakes-placed in England at 1 1/2 miles.

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Beneath the Twin Spires at Churchill Downs, John Oxley's Enforceable worked a half-mile in :49.60 and Victoria's Ranch's King Guillermo worked a half-mile in :52.20. Also working was Peter Callahan's Swiss Skydiver who covered a half-mile in :49.20 in her final prep for Friday's Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).

At Del Mar, 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) winner Storm the Court worked six furlongs in 1:12.80 and Thousand Words covered five furlongs in :59.80.

Also at Del Mar, Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Honor A. P. breezed seven furlongs in 1:27.20 with Mike Smith up at 12:45 p.m., a little over an hour before the day's first race.

Owner Charles Fipke reported that Shirl's Speight will miss the Derby because of a minor cough.

ART COLLECTOR – Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector jogged a mile at 6:45 a.m. with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. in the saddle.

The Blue Grass and Ellis Park Derby winner had his final work prior to the Derby Friday with a five-furlong move in 1:00.80. He is expected to walk the shedrow Sunday.

ATTACHMENT RATE – Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's $200,000 Ellis Park Derby runner-up Attachment Rate galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Faustino Herrarte at 7:30 a.m.

Attachment Rate is scheduled to work on Sunday. Trainer Dale Romans is due back in Louisville Saturday from Saratoga.

AUTHENTIC – Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing's $1 million Haskell (GI) winner Authentic is scheduled work Sunday at Del Mar and arrive Monday at Churchill Downs. The plane is due to land at 11:30 a.m.

DR POST – St. Elias Stable's Haskell third-place finisher Dr Post was removed from Kentucky Derby consideration, according to Churchill Downs assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork.

ENFORCEABLE – Lecomte (GIII) winner Enforceable completed his major Derby preparations by working a half-mile in :49.60 under jockey Adam Beschizza.

Breezing over a track labeled as good during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Derby and Oaks runners, Enforceable posted fractions of :12.80, :24.80, :37.20 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.20 while working on his own.

“I think he is really improving at this stage of his career,” trainer Mark Casse said. “He's maturing; he's ready to go.

“I thought he looked super,” added Casse, who will be seeking the first Kentucky Derby triumph of his Hall of Fame career. “If you said to me three months ago you could have him where he is today and you'd be in the position you're in, I would have taken it. I just think he's at the top of his game right now. That's all you can ask for.”

Saturday's work was the sixth for Enforceable since finishing fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes (GII) at Keeneland on July 11 and the second consecutive work with Beschizza aboard.

“I thought the work was perfect,” said Beschizza, who also had worked Enforceable over the winter at Fair Grounds. “He went a scratch under :50. Mark and (assistant trainer) David (Carroll) just wanted to keep the lid on it. His major work was in the bag.”

Enforceable will represent the first Kentucky Derby mount for Beschizza.

“I like his consistency,” Beschizza said. “He is a light-framed horse and doesn't need a lot to keep fit. He is going to have to be on his 'A' game. He needs pace and we know he is going to get it (in the Derby).”

“Where he fits in (the Kentucky Derby field) will depend a lot on who gets lucky, who doesn't. And pace,” Casse said of the late-running colt. “But the only thing for us as a trainer we want is for a horse to be at the top of his game, and I feel like he's there.”

Casse is set to drive up to Kentucky from his base in Ocala, Florida, with a planned midweek arrival.

FINNICK THE FIERCE – Arnaldo Monge and trainer Rey Hernandez's Finnick the Fierce galloped Saturday morning at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington.

Hernandez said Finnick the Fierce would train the next two mornings in Lexington and then ship to Churchill Downs Monday afternoon.

HONOR A. P. – (from Del Mar media office) C R K Stable's Honor A.P. went through his final Kentucky Derby prep Saturday at Del Mar at 12:45 p.m. PT.

The ridgling son of Honor Code was sent seven furlongs with his Derby rider, Mike Smith, up and his trainer, John Shirreffs, looking on from the track's Clubhouse box section. His final time for the move was 1:27.20. Track clocker Toby Turrell caught splits of  :25.80, :37.80, :50.20, 1:02.80 and 1:14.80 along the way. He gave him a one mile gallop-out time of 1:40.60.

“I just wanted an easy seven eighths,” Shirreffs said. “He got it; we're good to go. Now we just need a bit of luck. You need some of that in that race.”

Since running second in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on August 1, the grandson of the late champion and superior stallion A.P. Indy now has had four workouts at Del Mar in preparation for his mile and a quarter debut next Saturday.  His last three –:59.40 Aug. 15, 1:00.20 Aug. 22 and today's drill – all have been accomplished in the early afternoon with Hall of Famer Smith up.

Smith and Shirreffs combined to pull off a 50-1 shocker in the 2005 Kentucky Derby with Giacomo. Honor A.P., who won the Santa Anita Derby in June, is expected to be one of the shorter betting choices for the Run for the Roses behind the likely stout favorite Tiz the Law.

KING GUILLERMO – Victoria's Ranch's King Guillermo published an easy half-mile move in :52.20 Saturday morning under exercise rider Edgar Garcia.

Trained by Juan Avila, King Guillermo strolled through opening eighth-mile splits of :14.40 and :27.20 before he galloped out five furlongs in 1:05.20.

“(Juan) asked me to go easy and it was exactly what the horse needed,” Garcia said. “I thought he galloped out around the turn well and was moving very easy on the track. He doesn't need to do much, he's pretty fit.”.

MAJOR FED – Lloyd Madison Farm's $300,000 Indiana Derby (GIII) runner-up Major Fed had a scheduled walk day following his five-furlong move in :59 Friday morning at Churchill Downs.

“He cooled out great,” trainer Greg Foley said.  

Major Fed is likely to return to the track Sunday at 5:15 a.m.

MAX PLAYER – George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbred's $1 million Travers Stakes (GI) third-place finisher Max Player schooled in the paddock and galloped 1 ½ miles at 6 a.m. with exercise rider Juan Vargas in the saddle.

The Steve Asmuseen-trained colt is expected to work Monday. Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. will have the call in the Derby.

MONEY MOVES – Robert LaPenta and Bortolazzo Stable's two-time winner Money Moves is targeting the Kentucky Derby, according to assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork.

Money Moves worked five furlongs in 1:00.14 Friday at Saratoga for trainer Todd Pletcher. He is scheduled to arrive Monday at Churchill Downs.

NECKER ISLAND – Raymond Daniels and Wayne Scherr's Necker Island walked the shedrow at trainer Chris Hartman's barn a day after working a half-mile in :48.40.

“Once he got going, I thought it was a good work,” Hartman said of the breeze that ended with a :23.40 final quarter and a gallop-out to the half-mile  pole. “He will walk again tomorrow and then back to the track Monday.”

Miguel Mena, who was aboard for the work, has the Derby mount, his second. Mena rode Backtalk in the 2010 Run for the Roses.

NY TRAFFIC – John Fanelli, Cash is King and Paul Braverman's Ny Traffic walked the shedrow at trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.'s barn at Saratoga a day after working five furlongs in :59.45.

Joseph reported via text that Ny Traffic came out of the work well and is scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs Monday.

RUSHIE – Jim and Donna Daniell's Rushie walked the shedrow at trainer Michael McCarthy's barn a day after working five furlongs in 1:01.60.

“Everything is good this morning,” McCarthy said looking at the track that was labeled muddy before the first renovation break. “We got lucky with the weather yesterday and it worked out well.”

SHIRL'S SPEIGHT – Charles Fipke reported on Twitter that $100,000 Marine Stakes winner Shirl's Speight will miss the Kentucky Derby due to a minor cough.

“He's coughing and full of mucus so we've had to put him on antibiotics,” trainer Roger Attfield said. “I've had 4 or 5 of them (get sick) these last couple weeks actually. It's nothing majorly serious but it's bad timing. We were looking forward to seeing if we could something fancy but there will be another day. Just normal stuff we have to go through quite often.”

SOLE VOLANTE – Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Andie Biancone's Sole Volante walked the shedrow at trainer Patrick Biancone's barn at Palm Meadows a day after working five furlongs in :57.80 on the turf.

“Everything is good,” Biancone said via text. “He leaves at 5:30 tonight and should be at Churchill between 11 and 11:30 tomorrow morning.

STORM THE COURT – David Bernsen, Exline-Border Racing, Dan Hudock and Susanna Wilson's Storm the Court worked six furlongs on his own in 1:12.80 with Austin Solis aboard over a fast track at Del Mar Saturday morning.

Trainer Peter Eurton gave the work a thumb's up via text with Storm the Court scheduled to ship to Louisville on Monday.

THOUSAND WORDS – Multiple graded stakes winner Thousand Words completed his final piece of serious work in advance of his trip to Louisville for the 146th Kentucky Derby, working five furlongs in :59.80 in company under the watch of trainer Bob Baffert at Del Mar Saturday.

The move was the second fastest of 44 works at the distance for the day and continued the pattern of improvement for the son of Pioneerof the Nile. The colt broke off several lengths behind Tapitution but went by his workmate on the gallop out, continuing on to cover a mile in 1:39 1/5 on Baffert's watch.

“Bob said it was great work, he was really happy,” said Jason Loutsch, racing manager for Albaugh Family Stables, which owns Thousand Words in partnership with Spendthrift Farm. “It looks like we're trying to teach him to sit back a little bit. He was right off the workmate, about 5 or 8 lengths, and that's probably going to be our style this week since there is a lot of speed in (the Kentucky Derby). I think there will be three or four horses up near the lead and hopefully we're in the second pack that sits behind them.”

Thousand Words comes into the Kentucky Derby off a victory in the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 1 where he bested Grade 1 winner Honor A. P.  The bay colt opened his sophomore campaign with a victory in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes and boasts and overall record of four wins from seven starts.

“He's one of these horses that is just steady,” Baffert said. “He's just a steady kind of horse. I think he'll be a threat. Both of them, Authentic and him, they're threats. When you see a horse like Tiz the Law, he looks like right now he'll be so tough to beat, but I'm happy right now the way they're coming in. They're coming in the right way and that's all you can ask for right now.”

Thousand Words and his stablemate Authentic are set to ship to Louisville on Monday August 31. Baffert said Authentic is slated to put in his last serious workout at Del Mar on Sunday.

TIZ THE LAW – Sackatoga Stable's Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law breezed five furlongs in :59.21 Saturday morning at Saratoga.

Tiz the Law, the multiple Grade I-winning son of Constitution, is scheduled to arrive in Louisville Monday evening at 5 o'clock.

“Everything went fine,” trainer Barclay Tagg said. “He came back well. It may have been a little faster than he needed to go but the track was very fast, too. It went perfect, he's a pleasure to train.”

WINNING IMPRESSION – West Point Thoroughbreds' and Pearl Racing's graded stakes placed Winning Impression had a regularly scheduled walk day Saturday following his five-furlong move in :59.20 Friday at Churchill Downs.

Likely starters in the 146^th running of the $3 million, Grade I Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve to be run for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles on Saturday, Sept. 5 (in order of preference): Tiz the Law (jockey Manny Franco); Authentic (John Velazquez); Art Collector (Brian Hernandez Jr.); Honor A. P. (Mike Smith); Ny Traffic (Paco Lopez); King Guillermo (Samy Camacho); Thousand Words (Florent Geroux); Max Player (Ricardo Santana Jr.); Enforceable (Adam Beschizza); Major Fed (James Graham); Storm the Court (Julien Leparoux); Attachment Rate (Joe Talamo); Sole Volante (Luca Panici); Finnick the Fierce(Martin Garcia); Winning Impression (Joe Rocco Jr.); Necker Island (Miguel Mena); Money Moves (Javier Castellano). Possible: Rushie (TBA).

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Michael Lund Petersen’s Gamine, towering winner of the GI Longines Test S. Aug. 8, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 (XBTV video) in the company of her stakes-winning stablemate and fellow ‘Rising Star’ Quality Response (Quality Road). With Juan Ochoa in the saddle, the $220,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $1.8-million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sales topper was timed in fractions of :25.40 and :37.80 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.20 and seven-eighths in 1:27.20, according to clocker Toby Turrell. Improbable, who wired the field in the GI Whitney S. Aug. 1, worked by his lonesome, stopping the timer in 1:00.40. The opening three furlongs went in :36.20.

“Very nice works,” trainer Bob Baffert told the Del Mar notes team via text. “Still looking strong.”

Eclipse Award winner Storm the Court (Court Vision) worked a bullet five furlongs in :59 flat (1/73) (XBTV video) and could make his next start in the GI Kentucky Derby Sept. 5. He was most recently second trying the turf for the first time in the GII La Jolla H. Aug. 9, also opening the door for a start in the GII Del Mar Derby Sept. 6.

“It was a bit fast, the rider didn’t realize they were going as fast as they were, but that’s better than the alternative,” trainer Peter Eurton told the notes team.

Should he make the trip to Kentucky, Julien Leparoux has the mount.

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