Belmont Stakes for Wilkinson?
Assistant trainer Rick Giannini of conditioner Neil Howard’s barn reported that Courtlandt Farms’ Machen and Gaillardia Racing’s Wilkinson, fifth and sixth, respectively, in Saturday’s $1 million Louisiana Derby, both came out of the race in good order.
“They’re both fine,” said Giannini. “Machen got a little tired, and Wilkinson got a little too far back early, but then he came running. Maybe he can be like his daddy (Lemon Drop Kid) and go on and win the Belmont Stakes.
“As for (Courtlandt Farms’) Prime Cut, he ran huge,” said Giannini, “and he’s doing fine this morning, too.”
Prime Cut beat Adele Dilschneider’s highly regarded Bind by three-quarters of a length in Saturday’s fourth race on the Louisiana Derby Day program.
Ashley Giannini, wife of Howard’s assistant and herself an assistant to trainer Steve Margolis, reported that the Margolis-trained coupling of Richard, Bertram and Elaine Klein’s Early Return and Cash Refund, third and fourth, respectively, in Saturday’s $150,000 Duncan Kenner Stakes, as well as Thoroughbred Futures Racing’s Switching Gears and Gold Square’s Little Miss Holly, eighth and ninth in Saturday’s $500,000 Fair Grounds Oaks, all appeared well Sunday morning.
AL STALL JR.’S LOUISIANA DERBY DAY HORSES ALL IN FINE FETTLE SUNDAY
Trainer Al Stall Jr., who saddled Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Might, a full-sister of their 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Blame, to win a maiden race Saturday; that same ownership’s Bind to run second in Saturday’s fourth race; Adele Dilschneider’s Apart to run third in Saturday’s $400,000 New Orleans Handicap; and Claiborne Farm and Dilschneider’s Left to run seventh in the $1 million Louisiana Derby; reported all those horses came out of the Louisiana Derby Day program in fine fettle.
“All the horses are fine, we think,” Stall said Sunday morning, “and they’re all going to run back probably at Churchill and probably in just regular races. There’s no (condition) book out yet, so we don’t have anything definite planned.”