Kentucky Derby 2019 Daily: Cash is King back on the scene

Welcome to Horse Racing Nation’s Kentucky Derby Daily, which will each day leading up to the May 4 race at Churchill Downs detail all the news and notes related to contenders in one convenient space.

Since the 2005 Triple Crown season defined by Afleet Alex, the charitable lemonade stand that followed the dual classic winner to the races, and an Eclipse Award to top it all off, the ownership group that campaigned him has “taken several twists and turns.”

That’s how Chuck Zacney, one of the original five partners in Cash is King, puts it.

Two stakeholders were bought out. A third passed away. Zacney has since campaigned other horses with the final partner, Joe Lerro. But when it comes to Cash is King, “Now it’s pretty much just me.”

The stable is seeing quite a resurgence with two contenders headed toward Saturday’s 2019 Kentucky Derby preps. Butch Reid-trained Maximus Mischief should go favored in Gulfstream Park’s Holy Bull (G2), while John Servis-conditioned Lucky Lee is a less heralded probable runner in Aqueduct’s Withers Stakes (G3).

“It’s funny — John and I talk all the time,” Zacney said. “I’ll call and say, ‘How’s the horse under the radar screen?’ We both know it’s Lucky Lee. The other ones have been getting the print, and justifiably so.

“We’re very happy with his last two races in wins at Parx, and he continues to improve.”

A $110,000 yearling purchase by Flatter, Lucky Lee broke his maiden second out in Pennsylvania by 5 1/2 lengths, then returned to beat winners in allowance company by four lengths. But he wasn’t the most impressive horse on the grounds as a 2-year-old. 

Maximus Mischief, bought for $240,000 as a juvenile, debuted an 8 3/4 length Parx winner before returning to win his respective allowance by six lengths. The colt topped it off by shipping out to win the Remsen Stakes (G2), ending his 2-year-old season perfect.

“We knew going into the Remsen that he had very good foundation, and very little has changed since then,” Zacney said. “We gave him a little bit of a breather — three, four weeks — and he’s just had his third work.

“We’re happy. He’s doing everything right. He’s maintained his weight, and he’s a big boy — 1,200-plus pounds. He moves well. We’re expecting good things the next couple months.”

Reid picked up jockey Jose Ortiz for the Holy Bull. Frankie Pennington, who had the mount previously on Maximus Mischief, will ride Lucky Lee in the Withers.

On this trip down the Derby trail, especially with Maximus Mischief in contention, Zacney said he “wouldn’t trade places with too many people.” The gravity of that statement isn’t lost on him, not in the age of growing partnerships boosted by WinStar Farm, Sol Kumin and other giants of American racing.

“I’m a kid from Northeast Philly,” Zacney said. “I should not be having two horses in the Derby preps and a 3-year-old filly for the Oaks, meaning Jaywalk, the champion 2-year-old filly he co-owns. “That really doesn’t happen.”

Since Afleet Alex lost the Kentucky Derby, then returned an authoritative winner of the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, Cash is King has won two prep races: with Afleet Again in the 2010 Withers and Maximus Mischief’s Remsen.

“I’m thrilled to death, but I also know how tough this game is,” Zacney said, “so I keep using ‘cautiously optimistic.’ Quite frankly, I’ve been trying to get to the Derby since 2005 with Afleet Alex. I realize how difficult it is.”

Screener says…

Mike Shutty, author of Horse Racing Nation’s Super Screener handicapping system, tabbed Gray Attempt as the most likely winner of last Friday’s Smarty Jones Stakes. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be doing so moving forward on the Derby trail.

“While it was a sharp effort for Gray Attempt, his running line in this race came back just so-so,” Shutty said, “nothing to match the patterns we have seen from prior Kentucky Derby winners’ superior early prep races run in January.”

To read in more detail Shutty's criteria, click below to receive a free PDF:

Derby links

• It’s not an indication that she’ll face the boys, reports TwinSpires.com, but multiple graded stakes-winning filly Bellafina has been nominated for the Triple Crown. Trainer Simon Callaghan said connections “just wanted the option.” 

• An updated look at HRN’s Kentucky Derby rankings shows a few big movers, mainly War of Will, the Lecomte Stakes (G3) winner who’s the only horse to run in 2019 in the first five.

• HRN’s Reinier Macatangay formulated a useful Kentucky Derby cheat sheet to help you determine which horses may actually contend the first Saturday in May.

In case you missed it…

Monday’s Derby Daily report ran down the probables for Saturday’s trio of preps, the Holy Bull, Withers and Robert B. Lewis (G3) at Santa Anita Park.