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Home >> Kentucky Derby Preps Almost Ready
Kentucky Derby Preps Almost Ready
By: Claudia Beckford
The winners of the three major preparation races will continue on their way to the Kentucky Derby which will be held on May 3rd. Unfortunately; not everything is good news mainly for the horses that didn't have a good result on the preparation races as their current situation remains uncertain.
"Colonel John", the horse which won the Santa Anita Derby will stay in California for the next two and a half weeks and later on will leave to the Kentucky Derby.
"Recapture the glory", which achieved the victory at the Illinois Derby, will be in Kentucky as soon as his trainer and co-owner can meet and take him.
"Tale of Ekati", the Wood Memorial winner was sent to Kentucky on Sunday along with War Pass and Court Vision, who finished second and third, respectively, at the Wood.
Of the three winners, Recapture the glory got the best Beyer Speed Figure, a 102. Colonel John got a 95, and Tale of Ekati a 93.
Colonel John made a great effort to win in Santa Anita "I can't believe the horse won," Harty said. "I thought he had so much to do. When El Gato Malo went by him, it looked like he wasn't firing. At that point, I would have been content to be third. How he did it, I don't know. I thought it was a phenomenal race.
Colonel John will work twice at Santa Anita before leaving for Kentucky about 10 days before the Derby. The horse will have his final work at Churchill Downs, Harty said.Tale of Ekati will be practicing in Keeneland until the Kentucky Derby starts, stated his trainer Barclay Tagg.
Tagg said that he has always think Tale of Ekati is a pretty good horse, it had some trouble at the gate, but Tagg has been practicing throughout the week and his running is better than what they expected.
Recapture the glory's Illinois Derby victory put it in the Kentucky Derby, justifying the $6,000 Roussel paid to make it a late Triple Crown nominee just before the March 27 deadline. Russell said he has 2 more races that are practices for the Derby, but that Recapture the glory has improved a lot and the Kentucky Derby may be his best race.
"I think he's improving immensely," Roussel said. "I saw him improving a great deal at Fair Grounds. His third race back, the Derby, I think it probably will be his best race."
For this weekend an event of interest will be an expected workout at Churchill Downs by Lane's End Stakes winner Adriano. That work, trainer Graham Motion said, would be used as a prove to see if he likes the track and and whether it should run in the Derby or instead remain on Polytrack in the Grade 2, $325,000 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland for next April 19.
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