Alicia Wincze on horse racing

Team Valor CEO Barry Irwin said on Tuesday that jockey John Velazquez has decided to give a portion of his share of the purse from the winning 137th Kentucky Derby aboard Animal Kingdom to fellow rider Robby Albarado. Team Valor will in turn match that amount.

Albarado had been scheduled to ride Animal Kingdom in the first leg of the Triple Crown but was replaced by Velazquez Friday morning due to concerns Irwin and trainer Graham Motion had about Albarado’s health. Albarado suffered a broken nose and facial lacerations when he slipped off of his mount prior to the third race at Churchill Downs last Wednesday and was subsequently stepped on.

Albarado took off his mounts Thursday and Friday but did ride Sassy Image to victory in the Grade I Humana Distaff on the Kentucky Derby undercard on Saturday.

“Johnny came up with what he believes to be an equitable split (of his portion of the purse money) and Team Valor is going to match it,” Irwin said. “That will hopefully help.”

The exact amount Velazquez and Team Valor would share with Albarado was not disclosed. Jockeys typically get 10 percent of the winner’s share of the purse in addition to their mount fee. The first-place purse for this year’s Kentucky Derby was $1,411,800.

Both Irwin and Motion have previously stated the decision to replace Albarado was due to concerns about his physical health and was not directly related to the fact Velazquez suddenly became available when his expected Derby mount, champion Uncle Mo, was scratched from the race Friday morning.

“We were going to make a change because we were concerned about (Albarado’s) well being,” Motion said on Sunday.

If ever there was a year when another previously stalwart Kentucky Derby trend was likely to fall, many figured the parity-laden class of 2011 would be the ones to do it.

Sure enough, the dreaded six-week layoff curse became the latest trend to go by the wayside as both Derby winner Animal Kingdom and third-place finisher Mucho Macho Man came into the race having not started March 26.

No horse had won the Derby off such a break since Needles did so in 1956. In addition to overcome that challenging piece of history, Animal Kingdom also became the fifth straight horse to win the roses after making just two prior starts in his 3-year-old season.

Bringing a fresh horse into the Kentucky Derby has become more a priority for trainers in recent years, especially if they are looking ahead to participating in all three legs of the Triple Crown.

“For us, I think it was necessary if we wanted to run in the Triple Crown to give him some time to recuperate,” said Kathy Ritvo, trainer of Mucho Macho Man. “We have a fresh horse now going into these next two races if all goes well.”

Saturday’s results will likely re enhance that train of thought. Still, even those who adhere to the less-is-more philosophy recognize that the current trend is just an example of the cyclical nature of the sport.

“I think when you start trying to analyze historically these kind of things, things are going to evolve, things are going to change,” trainer Todd Pletcher said Sunday morning. “Every horse is different. For me it’s never been that there is a set way to do it. Next year the winner might run four times before. Every horse is different, every year is different.

“This particular horse (Animal Kingdom) looked like schedule wise, two was what fit. When they won the (Vinery Spiral Stakes) you look at whether you can squeeze one more race in there or not and I think most people have determined that giving them more time than trying to squeeze two races together works better. But it doesn’t always work out that way.”

Shortly after it was announced on Friday his champion mount Uncle Mo was scratched from the Kentucky Derby, jockey John Velazquez got back into the race when it was announced he would ride Team Valor’s Animal Kingdom on Saturday.

Robby Albarado had been slated to ride Animal Kingdom but did not ride on Thursday after suffering a broken nose in a paddock accident on Wednesday. Trainer Graham Motion notified the stewards that Velazquez would take over the mount.

“We decided last night that if Robby rode today (Friday) we would stick with him,” said Barry Irwin of Team Valor. “But if he was not able to ride today, we didn’t feel comfortable riding him on Saturday. We made the decision this morning before the betting opened so the ‘punters’ would have full knowledge of what the deal was.”

PP 1: Archarcharch (Court)  10-1

PP 2: Brilliant Speed (Rosario) 30-1

PP 3: Twice the Appeal (Borel) 20-1

PP 4: Stay Thirsty (Dominguez) 20-1

PP 5: Decisive Moment (Clark) 30-1

PP 6: Comma to the Top (Valenzuela) 30-1

PP 7: Pants On Fire (Napravnik) 20-1

PP 8: Dialed In (Leparoux)4-1

PP 9: Derby Kitten (Castellano) 30-1

PP 10: Twinspired (Smith)  30-1

PP 11: Master of Hounds (Gomez) 30-1

PP 12: Santiva (Bridgmohan) 30-1

PP 13: Mucho Macho Man (Maragh) 12-1

PP 14: Shackleford (Castanon) 12-1

PP 15: Midnight Interlude (Espinoza) 10-1

PP 16: Animal Kingdom (Albarado) 30-1

PP 17: Soldat (Garcia) 12-1

PP 18: Uncle Mo (Velazquez) 9-2

PP 19: Nehro (Nakatani) 6-1

PP 20: Watch Me Go (Bejarano) 50-1

According to Churchill Downs communications department, 22 horses have been entered for Saturday’s 137th Kentucky Derby. The Derby field is limited to the top 20 horses based on graded stakes earnings when an overflow field in entered. The list of horses entered in order of their ranking on the graded stakes earnings list is as follows:

Uncle Mo

Dialed In

Archarcharch

Comma to the Top

Pants On Fire

Midnight Interlude

Soldat

Brilliant Speed

Master of Hounds

Twice the Appeal

Nehro

Mucho Macho Man

Decisive Moment

Animal Kingdom

Stay Thirsty

Santiva

Watch Me Go

Shackleford

Twinspired

Derby Kitten

The two horses entered who are outside of the top 20 in graded stakes earnings are:

Sway Away

Ruler on Ice

The post position draw for the Kentucky Derby will be held later today beginning at 5 p.m.

Here are the post positions, jockeys, and morning-line odds for Friday’s Kentucky Oaks.

1. Joyful Victory (Mike Smith), 5-2

2. Lilacs and Lace (Javier Castellano), 12-1

3. Summer Soiree (Gabriel Saez), 5-1

4. Kathmanblu (Julien Leparoux), 4-1

5. Suave Voir Faire (Miguel Mena), 50-1

6. Zazu (Joel Rosario), 4-1

7. Her Smile (Garrett Gomez), 20-1

8. Bouquet Booth (Robby Albarado), 20-1

9. Daisy Devine (James Graham), 20-1

10. Street Storm (Shaun Bridgmohan), 50-1

11. Holy Heavens (Kent Desormeaux), 50-1

12. Plum Pretty (Martin Garcia), 5-1

13. St. John’s River (Rosie Napravnik), 30-1

Trainer Graham Motion has lost one of his two Kentucky Derby contenders as it was announced Tuesday that Wood Memorial winner Toby’s Corner would not contest the race due to lameness in his left hind leg.

In a blog entry regarding Toby’s Corner on Graham Motion’s website, Joe Clancy of Steeplechase Times reported the colt was sent to New Bolton Center for tests after he emerged off in the leg following his Sunday work at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland. Though the results are thus far inconclusive, Dr. Dean Richardson called Motion early Tuesday to confirm his leading contender would have to miss the race.

“After what was a perfect work on Sunday, we weren’t 100-percent happy with him yesterday,” Motion told Steeplechase Times. “He had a lameness in his left hind, we had him looked at here and then we sent him to New Bolton. At this point, there’s nothing obvious that’s causing the lameness. We had to make a decision as to whether he could get on a van for Kentucky this morning and obviously he couldn’t.”

Toby’s Corner underwent a bone scan at New Bolton, but the test showed nothing definitive and Richardson will further evaluate the son of Bellamy Road before Toby’s Corner returns to Fair Hill. Motion still has Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes winner Animal Kingdom set to start in the Kentucky Derby.

The loss of Toby’s Corner clears the way for Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Derby Kitten - winner of the Coolmore Lexington Stakes - to get into the Derby field.

Ken Ramsey announced late Monday afternoon that Javier Castellano would ride Derby Kitten. The son of Ramsey’s stallion Kitten’s Joy was piloted by Julien Leparoux in the Lexington Stakes but Leparoux is committed to ride likely Derby favorite Dialed In.

Early Kentucky Oaks favorite R Heat Lightning has been withdrawn from consideration for Saturday’s Kentucky Oaks, it was announced today by trainer Todd Pletcher.

“We detected heat in her right knee this morning and she was slightly off at the jog.” said  Pletcher.  “It’s unfortunate.  She’s a very talented filly and has been training great.  We’ve scheduled an appointment for an evaluation, later this week at Rood and Riddle clinic in Lexington.”

R Heat Lightning, a 3-year-old daughter of Trippi out of the Gold Fever mare Yellow Heat, was headed into the Oaks as the likely favorite after a brilliant performance in Florida in the Grade II Gulfstream Oaks on April 2. The E Paul Robsham Stable homebred powered home to a 8 ¼-length victory under jockey John Velazquez for her second straight win and her third graded stakes triumph, fourth score overall in her eight-race career.

The bay filly won twice in five starts as a 2-year-old including the Grade I Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga. She was also runner-up three times, ending the 2010 season with a second-place effort in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs. Fourth in the Grade II Forward Gal Stakes to open up her sophomore campaign, she rebounded with a decisive 7 1/4-length triumph in the Feb. 26 Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream Park. She has earned $952,800 in her eight starts.

Upstart Santa Anita Derby winner Midnight Interlude was among the handful of Kentucky Derby contenders putting in their final serious breezes on Monday as he covered five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 in company with Mythical Power.

The son of War Chant appeared to move past his stablemate shortly after breaking off, but was about a length behind around the turn. The dark bay colt registered fractions of 12 2/5, 24 2/5, 36 2/5, 48 1/5 with gallop out times in 1:14 and 1:28 4/5.

“He’s still green, he’s learning how to run,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “Once he got in front of the workmate, he wants to shut it down a bit. He’s figuring it out. But I was really happy with the way he went.”

Blue Grass Stakes winner Brilliant Speed and Tampa Bay Derby victor Watch Me Go also went five furlongs, clocking in at 1:01 and 1:02, respectively. Graded stakes winner Santiva drilled four furlongs in :50 1/5 over the wet track for trainer Eddie Kenneally and Louisiana Derby runner-up Nehro covered four furlongs in :51 1/5.

“His energy level is amazing. He’s mentally there,” said Ahmed Zayat, owner of Nehro. “He’s had three very tough races and all you want is him to be ready and in one piece.”

Mike Repole’s two-pronged Kentucky Derby arsenal of juvenile champion Uncle Mo and Gotham Stakes winner Stay Thirsty put each other through their final paces on Sunday, working together in their final serious pre-race move over a sloppy Churchill Downs track.

The duo drilled five furlongs with Uncle Mo breaking off to the outside of Stay Thirsty. The two bay colts stayed close around the turn with Uncle Mo finishing ahead of his stablemate in 1:01 3/5 after clocking splits of 12 4/5, 25 2/5, 37 1/5, 49 1/5. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 1/5 and seven furlongs in 1:28.

Stay Thirsty held his own in the move, covering the distance in 1:01 4/5 and registering fractions of 13, 25 2/5, 37 2/5, 49 2/5 with a six-furlong gallop out in 1:14 2/5.

“It was kind of a text book kind of work for what we generally try and structure,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, who conditions both colts. “To me, it was very, very good from both horses.  Both horses seemed to handle the off going well. You’re always concerned when you have to go out in conditions like that but looking at the forecast….it looked like the chances of having an off track tomorrow were just as good as today.”

Working two Derby contenders together is a bit of an anomaly, but Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty had worked alongside one another several times before including prior to Uncle Mo’s triumph in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Not only do they share barn space but Uncle Mo and Stay Thirsty come into the Derby off less than sparkling efforts. After earning his first graded stakes score in the Gotham, Stay Thirsty was a non-factor in the Grade I Florida Derby where he finished seventh, beaten 16 3/4 lengths by winner Dialed In.

More disappointing than that, however, was Uncle Mo suffered his first career loss in the Grade I Wood Memorial when he finished third to Toby’s Corner. The son of Indian Charlie was later diagnosed with a GI tract infection and has been undergoing treatment since that time.

“I thought today’s work was even stronger than last week’s (for Uncle Mo),” Pletcher said. “That’s what we were wanting to see and it indicates to me both horses are fit and coming up to the race in good order.”

“(Jockey) Johnny (Velazquez) was thrilled with work,” Repole added. “He said this was a much better work for him. I asked him and he had a big smile on his face and his exact quote was ‘I’m happy and I wouldn’t trade places with anybody’. The surprising thing for me was that Stay Thirsty was right there so now at least I know I have my exacta for the Kentucky Derby. I’m actually going to box it.”