Kentucky Derby 2019 Radar: Winchell lines up for Risen Star
Winchell Thoroughbreds has plans to show up in the next round of Kentucky Derby 2019 preps at Fair Grounds and Oaklawn Park, where trainer Steve Asmussen stables strings of his horses during the winter.
Grade 2-placed Limonite is possible to make his 3-year-old debut in the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes Feb. 16, said Ron Winchell’s racing manager David Fiske. Limonite returned to the work tab at Fair Grounds this month and has recorded three works in all, the latest a five-furlong move on Tuesday. The Lemon Drop Kid colt was timed in 1:01.20, the fastest of five.
“He’s been doing great,” Fiske said. “He’s a bigger version of himself. Hopefully he’ll get ready for the Risen Star.”
Limonite, co-owned by Willis Horton Racing, debuted at Saratoga and finished third beaten only a neck to Signalman. He broke his maiden next out at Keeneland when he rallied to win by a head, then was caught by a half a length in allowance optional claiming at Churchill Downs.
He was far back again in the Nov. 24 Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and rallied to third over a sloppy track at odds of 20-1. Signalman defeated him by two lengths.
It’s possible stablemate Wicked Indeed could join Limonite in the Risen Star. Wicked Indeed made his stakes debut in the Jan. 19 Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds, finishing fourth.
The Winchell homebred by Tapit won on debut at Fair Grounds on Nov. 30, bumping with another horse in the six-furlong event to win by a nose. He then finished third behind Tackett and Owendale in a Dec. 22 allowance optional claiming race. Tackett went on to finish ninth in the Lecomte, while Owendale posted a mile upset in a Jan. 17 allowance that should also lead him to the Risen Star.
The Lecomte marked only the third start for Wicked Indeed. He broke from the one hole and maneuvered through traffic from the inside before he was clear to round out the superfecta behind War of Will, Hog Creek Hustle and Manny Wah.
“Wicked Indeed came back great,” Fiske said. “I thought he ran well considering he was starting from down on the rail.”
The beaten Smarty Jones favorite Bankit, also co-owned by Willis Horton, is still training at Oaklawn Park, but Fiske said it is a “mystery” to connections why he ran sixth. Their best guess is he didn’t like the surface that day.
Fiske added it could be from the adverse weather that hit Hot Springs, Ark., right before the Jan. 25 Smarty Jones.
“The track wouldn’t open until noon for training because of the cold temperatures and the frozen ground,” Fiske said. “It might have been a little loose and dry and maybe not to his liking. I don’t know. He scoped well. Felt good. Sound as ever. It’s kind of inexplicable why he ran as poorly as he did. It was rather disappointing.”
Bankit’s next race has not been decided.
Tight Ten is receiving a break after his 10th-place run in the Lecomte. The Tapit colt was a debut winner at Churchill Downs before finishing second in the Saratoga Special (G2) and the Iroquois (G2).
“Tight Ten is going to take a little time off and grow up a little bit,” Fiske said, “because he didn’t seem to be training or running as well as he had last summer.”
Another homebred for Winchell, Tight Ten finished ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile after hitting the rail and never got going in the Lecomte, where he was bumped around at the break.