Preakness Decision on Mylute Scheduled for Saturday

May 10, 2013 Gary Yunt

GoldMark Farm and Whisper Hill Farm’s Mylute galloped 1 ½ miles under Maurice Sanchez shortly after the track opened for training Friday morning. A decision on the Preakness status of the fifth-place Kentucky Derby finisher will be made tomorrow morning.

“He trained well this morning and showed good energy. I was satisfied with what I saw and passed that on to the owners,” trainer Tom Amoss said. “After he trains in the morning, I’ll call the owners at 7 and we will make a decision on the race.”

The other five horses stabled at Churchill Downs under consideration for next weekend’s Preakness, galloped Friday morning.

Going before the break were Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider’s Illinois Derby (GIII) winner Departing, who covered 1 ½ miles under Trina Pasckvale, and the D. Wayne Lukas-trained trio of Oxbow, Titletown Five and Will Take Charge. Rudy Quevedo partnered Oxbow and Titletown Five with Taylor Carty aboard Will Take Charge.

Going after the break for a 1 ½-mile exercise was Mike Pegram’s Govenor Charlie with Jorge Alvarez in the saddle for trainer Bob Baffert.

MIZ IDA READY FOR RETURN TO THE RACES ON SUNDAY – Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s homebred Miz Ida, a four-time stakes winner last year including a victory in the Valley View (GIII) at Keeneland, is scheduled to make her return to the races in Sunday’s third race at a mile on the turf at Churchill Downs.

“She’s been training well,” trainer Steve Margolis said. “The break she had (after the Nov. 17 Mrs. Revere) was by design. There were no issues and we wanted to freshen her up and hope for a good 4-year-old campaign.”

Miz Ida won four of six starts in 2012 with stakes victories on the turf also coming at Kentucky Downs, Indiana Downs and Fair Grounds.

“She danced a lot of dances last year and lost her footing in a Grade II (the Mrs. Revere),” Margolis said. “Sunday is a good starting point and it gives us four weeks to the ($100,000-added) Early Times Mint Julep (Handicap, GIII, to be run at 1 1/16 miles on the turf on June 8).”

Before Miz Ida gets back to work for the Kleins on Sunday, Good Deed will carry the stable colors in Saturday’s $65,000 Unbridled Sidney at five furlongs on the turf.

A three-time stakes winner on dirt, Good Deed will be making her grass debut.

“She is a half to Due Date and Country Day,” Margolis said of horses that experienced success on the turf with the latter finishing second in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GII) here. “She never has raced on Polytrack or turf, but the way she worked on it, I think she will run well.”

Margolis won the first race of the meet on April 27 with Becky Winemiller’s Wine Princess and he said the seven-length allowance winner may take a shot at the $175,000-added Fleur de Lis (GII) on June 15.

“She is undefeated here on dirt and three-for-three going a mile,” Margolis said. “That was a nice win opening night off a (6 ½-month) layoff. We have six weeks. I know that will be a tough spot with maybe Royal Delta and Believe You Can and On Fire Baby.”

CAULEY’S WRY SMILE CARRIES DOUBLE MEANING – It has been a week since Anita Cauley’s On Fire Baby ran a strong second in the La Troienne (GII) to Authenticity and the memory of that effort brings a big smile to the owner’s face.

“I was very, very proud of her,” Cauley said of On Fire Baby, who came into the LaTroienne off a victory in the April 12 Apple Blossom Handicap (GI), her first race in more than 10 months. “What made the race so exciting was both horses wanted it.”

Next up for On Fire Baby, trained by Gary Hartlage, is a likely start in the Fleur de Lis, 1 1/8-mile test that may attract defending champion Royal Delta.

“Just to be included in a talk with a horse like Royal Delta, how lucky can you be?” Cauley said.

A two-time Grade II winner at Churchill Downs, On Fire Baby is one of three stakes quality fillies produced by Ornate, who was a stakes winner for Cauley. Included in the family is High Heels, a Grade II winner who ran third in the 2007 Kentucky Oaks (GI).

A new addition to the Hartlage barn is a 2-year-old son of High Heels named Wry.

“He is a Distorted Humor and I thought it was the perfect name for him,” Cauley said. “I was surprised it was not taken.”

Wry came to the barn after the Hartlage stable returned to Churchill Downs at the conclusion of the Oaklawn Park meet on April 13. Wry had his first work last Friday, a half-mile in :50.60.

“He has been the perfect gentleman so far,” Cauley said. “We call him Roly Poly around the barn.”

Wry got his early education at Eisaman Equine in Williston, Fla., and Shari Eisaman told Cauley that Wry had the looks of a recent star.

“Shari told me that he was the spitting image of (2012 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner) I’ll Have Another,” Cauley said. “Wry looks like Distorted Humor and I’ll Have Another is a Flower Alley (a son of Distorted Humor), so yes, I can see that.”

DOWN THE STRETCH – More Than Beauty’s 5 ¼-length romp in her debut in Thursday’s third race for 2-year-olds continued a long line of family success at Churchill Downs. More Than Beauty is a daughter of Brown Eyed Beauty, a stakes-winning daughter of Miswaki who also won her debut here as a 2-year-old by 5 ½ lengths on May 27, 2001. Brown Eyed Beauty also produced runaway Churchill Downs 2-year-old winners Brown Eyed Baby and Brown Eyed Jozi. All three offspring are owned and bred by Clifford Grum, trained by Cecil Borel and ridden to their Churchill Downs victories by Calvin Borel. Calvin Borel also was the regular rider for Brown Eyed Beauty. … Nominations close Saturday for three stakes, two of them Grade III contests. The 76^th running of the $100,000-added Louisville Handicap at 1 ½ miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course is scheduled for Saturday, May 25 for 3-year-olds and up. Two days later is the 10^th running of the $100,000-added Winning Colors for fillies and mares going six furlongs on the main track. Also closing Saturday is the $65,000-added Keertana, an overnight stake for fillies and mares going 1 3/8 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course on Saturday, May 18. … Highlighting the Friday morning work tab was a best of 27 five-eighths move from Fiftyshadesofhay in 1:00.20. Jockey Rosie Napravnik was aboard for the work that came after the renovation break on a fast track.

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