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2.22.2002
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Photo By: Benoit & Associates
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Koji Maeda's Sunday Break (Jpn), shown winning at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., earned a spot in the starting gate for the $750,000 Wood Memorial (GI) on Apr. 13 at Aqueduct Race Course in Ozone Park, N.Y. by virtue of his convincing, albeit erratic, victory in a nine furlong allowance race at Aqueduct on Mar. 27. Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale conditions the Japanese-bred son of Forty Niner, and Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens is the colt's regular rider. |
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Kentucky Derby Late Nomination Deadline Looms
March 29, 2002
By John Asher
Kentucky Derby Headlines:
- Derby Late Nomination Deadline Looms
- Sunday Break Weaves And Wins
- Magic Weisner Bids To Continue Roll
Owners of
late-blooming contenders for the $1 million guaranteed Kentucky Derby
(Grade I) and the Visa Triple Crown are running out of time to nominate
their horses for American racing's spring classics.
Late nominations for the May 4 Kentucky Derby, the Preakness
(GI) and Belmont Stakes (GII) are due on Saturday, March 29. The fee
nominating a horse at this point in the process is $6,000.
The early nomination period, which required a fee of $600, ended
January 19 and 405 horses were nominated to the three races.
The most recent winner of the Triple Crown was Affirmed in 1978.
The only surviving Triple Crown winner is Seattle Slew, who is now 28
years old and stabled at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky.
Any horse that sweeps the three races this year would receive a
$5 million bonus for completing the Visa Triple Crown Challenge. The
challenge is sponsored by Visa, the world's leading payment brand and
largest consumer payment system.
EAST (New York, Maryland) --Koji Maeda's Sunday Break made a successful
debut in New York, but his race in a prep for the Wood Memorial (GI) was
more eventful than his connections had expected.
The Japanese-bred son of 1988 Kentucky Derby runner-up Forty
Niner made a powerful move from just off a slow pace to take command as
the field neared the top of the stretch in a 1 1/8-mile allowance race
on Wednesday at Aqueduct -- but that's where the race got interesting.
Sunday Break veered in, out and back in again under jockey Gary Stevens
on the run through the stretch. Because of those antics, rivals that
appeared beaten by Sunday Break seemed ready to rush past him in deep
stretch. But the colt regained his focus and unleashed a burst of speed
that carried him to a one-length victory. After that, all Sunday Break
had to do was survive a steward's inquiry, which he did -- much to the
relief of fans who had backed him at odds of 1-5.
"My horse started looking around at the grandstand," said
Stevens, a three-time Kentucky Derby-winning rider. "He ducked in and I
nearly fell off. This is a good horse."
"This race was good experience," said trainer Neil Drysdale, who
saddled Fusaichi Pegasus to win the 2000 Kentucky Derby. "He got to
playing in the stretch. Gary said he was just too relaxed on the front
end."
Sunday Break covered distance in 1:51.48 over a "fast" track to
score his third consecutive victory.
Magic Weisner, Maryland's top contender for the Visa Triple
Crown, will be seeking his fifth consecutive victory Saturday when he
faces four rivals in the $50,000 Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park.
The son of Ameri Valay has reeled off four straight wins --
three in Maryland-bred stakes company -- for owner-trainer-breeder Nancy
Alberts. Phil Teator will ride the 3-2 morning line favorite, whose most
recent win came in the Deputed Testamony Stakes at Laurel. His record
now stands at 5-1-0 in eight races.
The major competition to Magic Weisner could come from Broom, a
son of Broad Brush who brings a two-race winning streak into the race.
He is trained by Grover "Buddy" Delp, a nominee this year to racing's
Hall of Fame who is best known for his work as trainer of 1979 Kentucky
Derby winner Spectacular Bid.
MIDWEST (Kentucky, Illinois, Louisiana, Arkansas) -- Trainer Ken
McPeek's two major Kentucky Derby contenders have spent a good part of
their lives at Churchill Downs and Florida Derby (GI) winner Harlan's
Holiday and Louisiana Derby (GII) winner Repent will return home to the Louisville track on Easter Sunday.
McPeek's Derby duo should arrive at Churchill Downs around
mid-morning.
Repent is scheduled to run next week in the Illinois Derby (GII)
at Sportsman's Park and the final Derby prep for Harlan's Holiday will
come a week later in the Toyota Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland. Harlan's
Holiday won the Iroquois (GIII) and Repent the Kentucky Jockey Club
(GII) last fall at Churchill Downs.
The first Kentucky Derby contender to arrive at Churchill Downs
is John Battaglia Memorial winner Request For Parole. He shipped from
Turfway Park early last week with the stable of trainer Steve Margolis.
The next start for Sam and Jeri Knighton's son of Judge T.C.
will come in the Toyota Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland. Margolis will have
to find a new jockey as Pat Day, who rode Request For Parole to a third
place finish in last week's Lane's End Spiral (GII) at Turfway, already
has another commitment on that day.
Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning rider Chris McCarron has picked
up the mount on Team Valor's Rebel (GIII) winner Windward Passage in the
Arkansas Derby (GII) on April 13 at Oaklawn Park.
The Arkansas Derby picked up a trio of prospective starters late
in the week when it was confirmed that Rebel runner-up Ocean Sound and
the 1-2 finishers in last week's Rushaway Stakes at Turfway Park, Mr.
Mellon and Wild Horses, would contest the 1 1/8-mile event.
WEST (California) -- Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is the king of Northern
California racing and one of the top conditioners in America, but so far
he has had absolutely no luck when it comes to the Kentucky Derby.
Hollendorfer has come to Churchill Downs with Derby contenders
in Event Of The Year (1998) and Globalize (2000) only to see both horses
knocked out of the race by injuries. This week Hollendorfer lost one of
his contenders for the 2002 Derby when El Camino Real Derby (GIII)
winner Yougottawanna was forced to the sidelines by a foot injury.
The California-bred son of Candi's Gold, owned by Ted Aroney and
Sid and Jenny Craig, suffered a hairline fracture in his right front
pastern that will require surgery. Hollendorfer said the injury, which
was discovered after a Tuesday gallop, will probably require the
insertion of a screw to stabilize the bone and Yougottawanna could be
out of training for up to six months.
"He galloped perfect," said Hollendorfer. "We really don't know
what happened."
Hollendorfer still has a major Kentucky Derby contender in San
Felipe (GII) runner-up U S S Tinosa.
Johannesburg Prep Set, Gains Sponsor -- Details are now set for the
one-mile Kentucky Derby prep race at Britain's Lingfield Park on April 6
that is expected to attract Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier's
champion Johannesburg.
Arena Leisure, owner of Lingfield Park, announced this week that
Australian beer company Foster's will sponsor the "Foster's
International Trial Stakes" over the Polytrack surface, which a U.S.
dirt track.
The unbeaten Johannesburg, who has not raced since his victory
in last fall's Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) at Belmont Park, worked over
the Lingfield surface last week for trainer Aidan O'Brien.
SOUTHEAST (Florida) -- Trainer H. James Bond wants to keep his options
open for Gary West's Buddha. The colt breezed Thursday at Florida's
Payson Park and afterward Bond said Buddha could run in the $250,000
Aventura at Gulfstream Park on April 6. But he added that the three big
Kentucky Derby preps on April 13 -- Toyota Blue Grass, Wood Memorial,
and Arkansas Derby -- are all being considered.
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