Friday, April 20, 2012
Contact: NYRA Press Office
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NYRA NOTES
- New route to Louisville, but Alpha remains on track for Kentucky Derby
- To Honor and Serve,
- Jerkens among snowbirds returning to
- Life-long
Alpha exited a gallant neck loss to undefeated Gemologist in the Wood with a laceration on his left foreleg incurred when he was forced to steady in the first turn. Originally scheduled to leave for
“He’s doing really well,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said Friday. “We’re not out of the woods yet, but we’re doing well. Most likely we’re working him just once, here. We have him on the flight on the 30th, so we would probably work the 28th.”
McLaughlin did not rule out an earlier work for the son of Bernardini, who won both the Count Fleet and the Grade 3 Withers at Aqueduct this winter en route to the Wood.
“There’s also a chance we could work in the next two days, it’s just a gut feeling, and we’ll see about the weather,” McLaughlin said.
Alpha’s jockey for the Kentucky Derby is also a question mark. Ramon Dominguez, the regular rider of 2011 Juvenile Champion and Grade 3 Gotham winner Hansen, has been aboard Alpha for all three of the colt’s starts this year. With both horses headed to the
“Obviously we’re waiting for Ramon,” said McLaughlin. “But I’m not putting any pressure. Each day that goes by is fine with me, no problem.”
McLaughlin added that Godolphin’s star 4-year-old filly It’s Tricky continues to do well after her win in Aqueduct’s Grade 2 Distaff Handicap last weekend. The daughter of Mineshaft is expected to go from the seven-furlong Distaff to the Grade 1, $400,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap, 1 1/16 miles around one turn at
“It’s Tricky, she’s great,” said McLaughlin. “I think it’s good she went back to seven here and then a one-turn mile and a sixteenth at
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Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap winners To Honor and Serve (2011) and
Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, To Honor and Serve will be making his 4-year-old debut in the one-mile
Others pointing to the Westchester, according to NYRA stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes, are Bold Deed, who earned a career-high 102 Beyer Speed Figure for his 7 ½-length optional claimer victory at Aqueduct on March 17; Boys At Tosconova, who will be returning to stakes company after posting three straight allowance wins; Marilyn’s Guy, winner of the Grade 3 Excelsior last time out, and Ponzi Scheme, who has not run since finishing third in the Grade 3 Iselin at Monmouth Park on August 20.
Endorsement, Goombada Guska, and Gourmet Dinner are possible, said Byrnes.
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With opening day of
Jerkens, who celebrates his 83rd birthday on Saturday, will have 19 horses stabled at Belmont including Emma’s Encore, who broke her maiden on February 24 and won an optional claimer on March 14. The 3-year-old daughter of Congrats, out of the Wild Again mare French Opera, was never a factor when finishing last behind Grace Hall in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks, but Jerkens has not ruled out bringing her back in a stakes during the 56-day meet.
“In her race before the stakes, she came from last to win it,” he said. “I don’t know why she didn’t run well in the Oaks. Now that we’re back here, I’ll see how she trains.”
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When he was a minor, Joel Einhorn was thrown out of Aqueduct Racetrack three times for being underage. On two of those occasions, he promptly repaid his admission and returned to the track, and the teen soon became a life-long
“Kelso was just the greatest horse, and he made me a racing fan,” said Einhorn.
Decades later, Einhorn, now 68, will attend the Kentucky Derby for the first time and will have the chance to make a life-changing score on the “Run for the Roses.” The
Einhorn, who received multiple decorations for his service in the Vietnam War, admits the high stakes have created a lot of stress.
“I haven’t slept well in the past days,” said Einhorn. “I’m going to try to approach this by separating the bet from the experience of attending the Kentucky Derby. To win it will be life-changing, but to dwell on it will take away from the overall experience. [My wife and I] are going to take a lot of pictures, and it’s great that she’s into it. Can we run the race tomorrow?”
Einhorn sees the 2012 Kentucky Derby as a competitive race and said he isn’t ready to make a commitment to a particular horse.
“I had some preconceived ideas about the contenders, but I brushed them aside and I’m reassessing everybody,” said Einhorn. “All I want is to be lucky. You can be so smart, but luck wins the race.”
In January, Einhorn competed in the NTRA/Daily Racing Form National Handicapping Championship in
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