Contact: Jenny Kellner
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird will undergo throat surgery to free an entrapped epiglottis discovered after he breezed Monday morning at Saratoga Race Course. The 3-year-old gelding should remain on target for the Grade 1, $1 million Shadwell Travers on August 29, trainer Chip Woolley said.

“After Mine That Bird’s work this morning, we scoped him, and he’s got an entrapment of the epiglottis,” said Woolley just three hours after the gelding worked five furlongs in 1:03.83 on the main track with Jamie Theriot aboard. “It’s enough that we’re going to take him to the city [Elmont, N.Y.] tonight and do surgery on him in the morning.

“The doctors think – there’s no guarantees – but the doctors think he’ll be good for Travers; he’ll be here and ready to run in the Travers,” he added. “But, it will be somewhat day to day. We will not run him if he’s not 100 percent, so we’re gonna see how things go with the deal tomorrow.”

Woolley said the brief procedure will be performed at about 8 a.m. Tuesday morning by Dr. Patricia Hogan at the Ruffian Equine Medical Center across the street from Belmont Park, after which Mine That Bird will immediately return to Saratoga.

“We could do it here, that’s not an issue, it’s the fact that the doctor down there has a full-day schedule tomorrow, and there was no way for her to come up here and get back and do her other surgeries,” said Woolley. “This horse transports well. It’s not that big a deal, we’ll just haul him down there, spend the night and do it, haul him back here tomorrow afternoon.”

Woolley said that the condition, in which the thin membrane lying below the epiglottis (the fleshy tissue that covers the windpipe when a horse swallows) moves up and covers the epiglottis, was discovered during a routine endoscopic examination by veterinarian Dr. James Hunt.

“Every time, two weeks out, we always scope him just to make sure we don’t have any problems,” said Woolley. “It’s just standard procedure with me, that’s how I’ve done it in every race. At his two week-out work, we scope him. We had no clue there was any problem. He came off the race track bucking and playing this morning. I never gave a second thought to it. He finishes up in eleven and three the last eighth of a mile. I mean, I would have never dreamed there’s a problem.”

The procedure, similar to the one Alysheba underwent 30 days before he won the 1987 Kentucky Derby, will take a matter of minutes, said Woolley, after which Mine That Bird should be able to resume training with little interruption.

“Basically, they’ve got a little hook with a kind of a sharp [piece] inside of the hook, and they just reach in and they hook the little piece that’s grown up over the top and slice it in two,” he explained. “And that thing will kind of draw back away, and, for the most part, it will be gone.”

Mine That Bird, who was second to Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness, third to Summer Bird in the Belmont Stakes and third in his most recent start, the West Virginia Derby, is scheduled to have his final tuneup for the 1π-mile Shadwell Travers next week.

“That’s our plan,” said Woolley. “I can miss a couple days of training without any worry about the work. I mean he can still work on Tuesday if he misses a day or two of training, that’s not going to make or break him. But he does need the work and like I said, if he’s not ready, he won’t run.”

Woolley was clearly shaken by the turn of events but expressed optimism that Mine That Bird would be able to keep his engagement in the “Mid-Summer Derby,” in which he is expected to face Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird, track-record holder Quality Road and perhaps the Preakness-winning filly, Rachel Alexandra.

“It’s pretty routine – I’ve done a number over the years with great success,” he said. “This horse, in particular, it’s a big deal no matter what you’re doing to him. [The timing] stinks. You’d have loved to have another week, but we don’t have that, this is what we’ve got, and this is what we’ve got to deal with.”

“BlackBerry Preakness Stakes (gr. I) winner Rachel Alexandra had her final workout July 27 at Saratoga as she continues to prepare for her next start in the $1.25 million Haskell Invitational (gr. I) at Monmouth Park on Sunday, Aug. 2.” Read more at bloodhorse.com

“Mine That Bird breezed through a four-furlong workout at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort on July 27. The track’s clockers recorded a time of :49 4/5 as the Kentucky Derby winner continued his preparations for Aug. 1, $750,000 West Virginia Derby (gr. II).” Read more at bloodhorse.com

Nicanor, the full brother to 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, has been scratched from the Virginia Derby on Saturday because of a leg injury.

Trainer Michael Matz says Nicanor injured his left hind leg during a gallop the other day. The injury became evident when the horse worked out Thursday in Maryland.

The $750,000 Virginia Derby at Colonial Downs is a Grade 2 race. It would have marked Nicanor’s stakes debut. Nicanor has won his last two starts on grass after not winning in three starts on dirt.

Pioneer set to ‘run a big race’, courierjournal.com May 12

Racing regulators approve Churchill schedule cuts, courierjournal.com May 12

KENTUCKY/GENERAL QUARTERS SURPRISES IN TOYOTA BLUE GRASS – Owner-trainer Tom McCarthy has trained horses off and on for most of his life, but never has the 72-year-old former school teacher and high school principal enjoyed a moment like Saturday’s victory by 14-1 shot General Quarters in the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass (GI) at Keeneland.
            McCarthy had claimed the son of Sky Mesa out of his career debut last May at Churchill Downs for $20,000.  General Quarters earned $465,000 for his first-place finish in the Blue Grass, in which he defeated favorite and runner-up Hold Me Back by 1 ∏ lengths under jockey Eibar Coa.  Massone, the only 3-year-old in the field of 11 not nominated to the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown, was third, and Terrain closed to be fourth.
            “I can’t tell you what was going through my mind,” said McCarthy. “I don’t think there’s a word that describes it.  I felt a sense of euphoria, a sense of well-being.  It’s hard to describe.  It’s a feeling I’ve never had in my life.”
            McCarthy had been a principal at three Louisville area high schools, but always dabbled with horses.  He has won a relative handful of races, none of which possessed anything close to the prestige and value of the Blue Grass.
            The victory by General Quarters improved his career record to 3-3-1 in 11 races and pushed his lifetime earnings to $641,735. 
            Hall of Fame Trainer Bill Mott said runner-up Hold Me Back would go on to the Kentucky Derby, while trainer Al Stall Jr. said no decision had been made on Terrain’s Derby status. 
            Previously unbeaten Charitable Man finished seventh in the race, one spot ahead of British-based Mafaaz, the winner of the Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes who already has a guaranteed spot in the Churchill Downs starting gate on Derby Day.  Trainer John Gosden said after the race that he was unsure of the colt’s status for a Kentucky Derby bid.
            Square Eddie To Return in Coolmore Lexington – J. Paul Reddam’s Square Eddie, runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (GI) and winner of Keeneland’s Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity (GI), is set to return to the Lexington track and the Kentucky Derby trail with a run in next Saturday’s $300,000 Coolmore Lexington (GII).
            Square Eddie worked six furlongs in 1:12.20 on Saturday over the synthetic surface at Hollywood Park and is scheduled to ship to Kentucky on Tuesday.  He has been away from competition since January because of a cannon bone injury.    
            Godolphin Horses Clear Quarantine – Two Kentucky Derby contenders for Dubai-based Godolphin – Desert Party and Regal Ransom – cleared quarantine at Churchill Downs on Saturday and moved into Barn 41, where they will continue to train toward the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby.
            The colts are the first Godolphin horses to attempt the Derby since 2002.

CALIFORNIA/SMITH GETS TEST DRIVE ON CHOCOLATE CANDY – Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Mike Smith had a “get acquainted” session on Sunday with Chocolate Candy, the runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby (GI) who will be his ride in this year’s renewal of the “Run for the Roses” on May 2 at Churchill Downs.
            Smith was in the saddle as Jenny Craig’s homebred son of Candy Ride worked five furlongs in :59.20 over the Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita.  Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Chocolate Candy would travel to Kentucky on Tuesday and work twice at Churchill Downs.

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KENTUCKY/JUSTWHISTLEDIXIE WORKS TOWARD KENTUCKY OAKS AT KEENELAND – West Point Thoroughbreds’ streaking Justwhistledixie continued her preparation for the Kentucky Oaks with a four-furlong work on Friday, April 10 over the Polytrack surface at Keeneland.
The winner of five consecutive races worked a half-mile in :50.40.  The daughter of Dixie Union, who is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, won the Bonnie Miss (GII) and Davona Dale (GII), both at Gulfstream Park, in her most recent outings. 
Justwhistledixie was the favorite over champion Stardom Bound and Fantasy (GII) winner Rachel Alexandra in the Kentucky Oaks Future Wage In March.
            Stardom Bound Back On Track – Stardom Bound, America’s reigning 2-year-old filly champion, jogged Sunday at Keeneland in her first trip to the track since her upset loss in the $400,000 Ashland (GI) over the Lexington track on April 7. 
Her third-place finish behind 24-1 shot Hooh Why in the 1 1/16-mile Ashland snapped a string of five consecutive Grade I stakes victories for the Rick Dutrow Jr.-trained Stardom Bound.

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SOUTHEAST/QUALITY ROAD TURNS BACK DUNKIRK, SETS RECORD IN FLORIDA DERBY – The showdown everyone expected in Saturday’s Florida Derby (Grade I) materialized, but Quality Road ended the suspense in a flash as he turned back previously unbeaten Dunkirk in track record time at Gulfstream Park to take South Florida’s major prep for the May 2 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (GI).
Edward P. Evans’ son of Elusive Quality turned back a strong rally by $3.7-million yearling purchase Dunkirk to win by 1 3/4 lengths in a track record 1:47.72 for 1 1/8-miles. Jockey John Velazquez was aboard the winner, who had to survive a claim of foul by three-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Kent Desormeaux aboard third-place finisher Theregoesjojo.
The victory was the third in four starts for Quality Road, who won the one-mile Fountain of Youth (GII) at Gulfstream in his previous start, and was a successful debut for the colt at a two-turn distance. It established the colt, who is trained by New York-based Jimmy Jerkens, as a major contender for the 135th “Run for the Roses” at Churchill Downs. If all goes well, Quality Road will be Jerkens’ first starter in America’s greatest race.
“It’s a lot of pressure,” said Jerkens. “But you know, it’s good to be in that position.”
The result was disappointing for Dunkirk, who made a charge from well off the pace under Garrett Gomez to draw even with Quality Road at the head of the stretch. Trainer Todd Pletcher voiced displeasure after the race with the condition of the track that produced two track records on the day and seemed to be extraordinarily kind to horses with early speed.
“He (Dunkirk) got a little farther back than we wanted,” Pletcher said. “It’s just a little disappointing that the racetrack came up different today than it’s been the whole meet … Speed’s been holding up all day.”
Dunkirk earned $150,000 for his runner-up finish and that total might not be high enough to earn the gray colt a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate. The field is limited to the 20 horses and preference is given to horses with the highest earnings in graded stakes races. That number will drop to 19 this year if British-based Mafaaz, who earned a guaranteed spot in the Derby starting gate with a win in the Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes at Kempton Park, makes it to Churchill Downs and is entered in the Derby.
“We’ll do the right thing by the horse,” Pletcher said. “If he makes the Kentucky Derby, fine. If not, we’ll go on to the next stop.”
Danger to Society and Europe, who was entered as a possible pacesetting “rabbit” for Dunkirk, were scratched from the Florida Derby.
Quality Road was not among the original nominees to the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown because of an oversight, but is expected to be the roster of late nominees that will be announced this week. The late nomination phase, which required a fee of $6,000 to make a horse eligible for the three-race series, was due by midnight (EDT) on Saturday, March 28.
The day’s other track record came in the seven-furlong Swale (GIII) for 3-year-olds, which was awarded to This One’s for Phil following the disqualification of Big Drama.
Despite the stewards’ ruling, it was a big effort for Big Drama, who ran for the first time since a victory in December in the Delta Jackpot (GIII). The David Fawkes-trained son of Montbrook saw a string of five consecutive victories snapped when he was disqualified for bumping the runner-up in the stretch.
Gomez rode This One’s for Phil. The winning time and new seven-furlong record was 1:20.88.
Also on Saturday at Gulfstream, Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Nicanor, the 3-year-old full brother to star-crossed 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro, finished second in a one-mile maiden race. Nicanor finished a half-length behind Glittermans Hotel, his second runner-up finish in three career races. “We just have to give him more experience,” said trainer Michael Matz, who also trained Barbaro. “He’s a good horse. It’s just going to take some time.”

DUBAI/REGAL RANSOM UPSETS DESERT PARTY IN UAE DERBY – Dubai-based Godolphin was expected to score an impressive win in Saturday’s $2 million UAE Derby (GII) and that’s the way it worked out. But the world racing powerhouse was surprised by which of its horses won that Kentucky Derby prep.
UAE 2000 Guineas winner Desert Party was an overwhelming favorite to take the 1 1/8-mile race, but that colt could not catch Godolphin’s Regal Ransom, who pressed the early pace, opened a clear lead in the stretch and held his Frankie Dettori-ridden stablemate safe in the run to the wire.
U.S. based jockey Alan Garcia rode Regal Ransom, who covered the distance in 1:50 over a “fast”
racing surface at Dubai’s Nad Al Sheba.
“He relaxed in front and when the other horse came to him, he dug deep and found a bit more,” said Garcia. “I’m so happy that I got the opportunity to ride and the plan worked perfectly.”
Both Godolphin runners are trained by Saeed bin Suroor and it appears that both will head to Churchill Downs to compete in Kentucky Derby 135. If so, they will be Godolphin’s first Kentucky Derby contenders since Essence of Dubai finished ninth to War Emblem in the 2002 renewal.
The top pair finished 15 lengths ahead of third-place finisher Soy Libriano.

WEST/SHOWDOWN SET FOR SANTA ANITA DERBY – The colts considered to be the top West Coast contenders for the Kentucky Derby – Pioneerof the Nile and The Pamplemousse – are less than a week away from their anticipated showdown in this Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby (GI).
The field for the 1 1/8-mile race is also expected to include the El Camino Real Derby (GIII) winner Chocolate Candy, the top Derby hope from the Northern California barn of trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.
Others expected to run in Saturday’s race include Feisty Suances, Mr. Hot Stuff and Gallant Son.
Kelly Leak Wins Sunland Derby – Favored Kelly Leak rallied from far off the pace to score a 1 ∏-length victory over 11 rivals in Sunday’s $800,000 Sunland Derby at New Mexico’s Sunland Park.
Mike Smith rode the winner, who is not nominated to the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown.
Mythical Power finished second and Scorewithcater edged Mine That Bird for third. The winning time for 1 1/8 miles over a “fast” track was 1:50.02.

EAST/I WANT REVENGE SHARP IN WORK FOR WOOD – Gotham (GIII) winner I Want Revenge, the likely favorite for Saturday’s Wood Memorial (GI) at Aqueduct, completed his serious preparation for that race with a sharp five-furlong work over the synthetic Cushion Track surface on Sunday at California’s Hollywood Park.
The Jeff Mullins-trained son of Stephen Got Even covered the distance in :59.80, which ranked third of 28 moves at the distance. Jockey Joe Talamo was in the saddle for the work.
I Want Revenge is scheduled to ship to New York on Wednesday.
Eleven Wood Memorial winners have also won the Kentucky Derby, and three of the last nine winners of the “Run for the Roses” used the Wood as their final tune-up for the big race in Louisville.

MIDWEST/STARDOM BOUND WORKS AT KEENELAND – Champion Stardom Bound completed her serious training for Saturday’s $400,000 Ashland Stakes (GI) at Keeneland with a six-furlong work on Sunday over the Lexington track’s Polytrack surface.
The daughter of Tapit, now trained by Richard Dutrow Jr., covered the distance in 1:12.60 under regular work rider Goncalino Almeida. She galloped out seven furlongs in 1:25.80.
“The boy said she went well and that she likes the track, which is going to help us,” said Dutrow. “The race is coming up tough and she is going to have to show up.”
Stardom Bound has won five consecutive Grade I stakes races.

WEST/CARLSBAD KEEPS ROLLING IN SANTA PAULA – Unbeaten Arizona invader Carlsbad won for the first time outside of her home state when she scored an easy 3 π-length victory in Sunday’s $100,000 Santa Paula Stakes (GIII) over the Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita.
Now trained by Jeff Mullins, Carlsbad notched her fifth career victory in the Santa Paula after she had won her first four races in Arizona by a combined 50 ≤ lengths. Tyler Baze rode the winner.
“This is really a nice filly,” said Baze. “She does everything right.”
Ultra Blend rallied for second and Pinkarella was third.
Carlsbad just missed the track record for 6 ∏ furlongs as she covered the distance in 1:14.55 in her first race over a synthetic surface.
Baffert’s Gabby’s Golden Girl Romps at Sunland Park – Arnold Zatcher’s homebred Gabby’s Golden Girl rolled to an easy 13-length victory in Sunday’s $200,000 Sunland Oaks at New Mexico’s Sunland Park.
The Bob Baffert-trained daughter of Medaglia d’Oro opened a five-length lead at the head of the stretch and drew away to cover the 1 1/16-mile distance in a strong 1:43.31. One for Jim was the distant runner-up, while the Baffert-trained Century Park, the even-money favorite, finished third.

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EAST/LARAGH POINTING TOWARD AQUEDUCT’S COMELY – Laragh, third to champion filly Stardom Bound in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI), has returned to her New York base and is scheduled to make her 3-year-old debut in the Comely (GII) at Aqueduct on April 11.
Trainer John Terranova shipped Laragh by van from Florida to New York for the one-mile Comely, which will be her first start since a mid-December win in the Hollywood Starlet (GI).
“The timing for the Comely is great for her,” Terranova told Daily Racing Form. “It’s also a one-turn mile and with her speed it looks like the perfect race to bring her back.”
What A Pear Works at Aqueduct – Unbeaten What a Pear continued her preparation for a run in Keeneland’s Ashland with a five-furlong workout on Wednesday over Aqueduct’s inner track.
The New York-bred filly covered the distance in 1:01.41 in what was scheduled to be her final move before her race against five-time Grade I winner Stardom Bound in the Ashland.
“Things went great,” trainer Joe Parker told Daily Racing Form. “So far, so good. I’m anxious to see what she’ll do next.

WEST/UNBEATEN CARLSBAD IN SANTA PAULA – Unbeaten Arizona-bred Carlsbad, a winner of her first four starts in Arizona by a combined margin of more than 50 lengths, makes her Southern California debut in Sunday’s $100,000 Santa Paula (GIII) on the synthetic Cushion Track surface at Santa Anita.
Now trained by Jeff Mullins, the Arizona Oaks winner faces stakes veterans Beltene and Empressive Lady in the field of six 3-year-old fillies in the 6 ∏-furlong Santa Paula.