Bodemeister Gallops; Asmussen Duo to Work Monday

Apr 22, 2012 Travers Manley & Gary Yunt

Zayat Stables’ smashing Arkansas Derby (Grade I) winner Bodemeister galloped 1 3/8 miles after the morning renovation break with exercise rider George Alvarez up.

Trainer Bob Baffert, seeking his fourth Kentucky Derby victory, is scheduled to arrive in Louisville on Monday night on the heels of the arrival of another possible Derby 138 starter, Liaison, owned by Arnold Zetcher.

Bodemeister is scheduled to have his initial Churchill Downs work Tuesday morning.

Mike Smith, winner of the 2005 Derby on Giacomo, has the Derby Day assignment on Bodemeister.

DADDY NOSE BEST / SABERCAT – Cathy and Bob Zollars’ Daddy Nose Best, winner of this year’s El Camino Real Derby (GIII) at Golden Gate and the Sunland Derby (GIII) at Sunland Park, galloped on the fast track beneath the Twin Spires early Sunday morning.

Bred in Kentucky by the Patricia Ann Elia Trust, Daddy Nose Best is scheduled to work at Churchill Downs on Monday morning for trainer Steve Asmussen. The 3-year-old son of Scat Daddy will be on the track at approximately 6:00 a.m. (all times Eastern).

It will be the third work at Churchill Downs for Daddy Nose Best since he arrived via van from New Mexico on March 28. He breezed five furlongs in 1:02.40 on April 9 and recorded a bullet five-furlong work in 1:00.20 on April 16.

Daddy Nose Best has a career record of 4-2-1 from 10 lifetime starts and earnings of $633,623. In eight of his 10 starts he was ridden by Julien Leparoux, but two-time Eclipse Award winning jockey Garrett Gomez will have the mount on the first Saturday in May. Gomez is seeking his first Derby victory in his ninth mount in the historic race.

Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC’s Sabercat, third behind Bodemeister and Secret Circle in the $1 million Arkansas Derby (GI) at Oaklawn Park, also galloped at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning prior to the renovation break for Asmussen.

A 3-year-old son of Bluegrass Cat, Sabercat is scheduled to record his first work since the Arkansas Derby on Monday beneath the Twin Spires in the next set after Daddy Nose Best.

The Arkansas Derby was just the second start of the year for Sabercat, who also ran in the Rebel (GII) and finished eighth behind Secret Circle. He ended his 2-year-old campaign with a four-length victory in the $1 million Delta Jackpot (GIII) at Delta Downs.

DULLAHAN – Donegal Racing’s Dullahan, the first horse since Round Table (1956-57) to complete a sweep of Keeneland’s Breeders’ Futurity (GI) – Toyota Blue Grass (GI) double, galloped 1 ½ miles around the Churchill Downs oval under Faustino Aguilar on Sunday after the renovation break during the training period reserved for Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks contenders.

A half-brother to 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI) winner Mine That Bird, Dullahan is scheduled to breeze at Churchill Downs on April 28. 

HANSEN – Kendall Hansen and Skychai Racing’s 2011 champion 2-year-old Hansen galloped 1 ¼ miles at the Trackside Training Center under exercise rider Joel Barrientos.

Runner-up in the Toyota Blue Grass (GI) in his most recent start, Hansen is scheduled to have his final work for Derby 138 next Saturday or Sunday according to trainer Mike Maker.

MARK VALESKI – Brereton Jones’ Mark Valeski galloped 1 ½ miles under trainer Larry Jones after the morning renovation break Sunday.

Runner-up in the Louisiana Derby (GII) and Risen Star (GII) in his past two starts, Mark Valeski is scheduled to work Monday morning at 8:30 after the renovation break during the time which the track is open to only Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks contenders.

Rosie Napravnik, who has been aboard the colt in his past two starts, is scheduled to handle the work.

OPTIMIZER – Bluegrass Hall’s Optimizer, trained by four-time Kentucky Derby winner D. Wayne Lukas, galloped after the renovation break under Joel Cano.

Optimizer finished a late-closing second in Oaklawn Park’s Rebel (GII) on Match 17, but disappointed when he finished ninth of 11 in the Arkansas Derby in his most recent outing.

PROSPECTIVE – John Oxley’s Prospective, winner of the Tampa Bay Derby (GII) on March 10 and most recently sixth in the Toyota Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland, had a scheduled day away from the track and walked the shedrow of trainer Mark Casse’s barn.

The 3-year-old son of Malibu Moon is scheduled to return to the Churchill Downs track on Monday to gallop during the special Derby-Oaks training period.

BARN TALK – Havre de Grace, the reigning Horse of the Year, worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 over a fast track early Sunday morning with exercise rider Jen Brasser aboard.

Owned by Fox Hill Farms and pointing for the $300,000 La Troienne Presented by Steelcase and ORI (GII), Havre de Grace posted fractions of :12.40, :24.40, :36.40, :48 and out six furlongs in 1:14.60. The move was the fifth fastest of 47 at the distance.

“It was a good work,” trainer Larry Jones said. “It was her first work in two weeks and she will work again next Sunday.” …

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Dream Team One Racing Stable’s Mucho Macho Man, third in last year’s Kentucky Derby, prepping for a run in the May 4 Alysheba Presented by Besilu Stables (GII), worked five furlongs in 1:01 under exercise rider Nick Petro.

 Trained by Kathy Ritvo, Mucho Macho Man posted fractions of :13, :24.80, :36.60, :48.80 and out six furlongs in 1:14.80.

“It was a very good work,” Ritvo said of the colt’s third breeze here this month.

Mucho Macho Man is scheduled for one more work before the Alysheba.

Bourbon Lane Stable and Wayne Lynn’s Bourbon Courage breezed four furlongs in :50.60 in prep for the $200,000-added The Cliff’s Edge Derby Trial (GIII). Bourbon Courage recorded fractions of :13.80, :26.60 and :39 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03 for trainer Kellyn Gorder.

Gorder reported Bourbon Courage’s stablemate Johannesbourbon came back from his seventh-place finish in the Coolmore Lexington (GIII) in good order and is likely to remain on Polytrack for his next start.

WORK TAB – John Oxley’s Dancinginherdreams, winner of the 2010 Pocahontas (GII), worked a bullet half-mile in :46.40. …

Jerry Romans’ three-time Churchill Downs graded stakes winner Sassy Image worked five furlongs in :59.80, third fastest of 47 at the distance. She will make her next start in the $300,000-added Humana Distaff (GI) at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day.

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 138^th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 5, 2012, and its Spring Meet is scheduled for April 28-July 1. The track has hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a record eight times. Information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.churchilldowns.com.

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