Churchill Downs news: Country House to re-enter 'light training'

Kentucky Derby winner Country House returned to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott’s Barn 19 at Churchill Downs on Wednesday after an examination at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky.

“He looks good and I think the plan is to start him back with some light training,” assistant trainer Kenny McCarthy said. “We’ll start him off lightly jogging and go from there.”

Plans to go to the Preakness Stakes were quickly dashed when the colt developed a cough exiting his win in the Derby, which came about after Country House crossed the wire behind Maximum Security, who as disqualified to 17th.

No immediate plans have been made for Country House’s next start. Trainer Bill Mott's other Derby runner, third-place Tacitus, is pointing to the June 8 Belmont Stakes.

Seregenti Empress "really looked super"

Joel Politi’s Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress returned to the Churchill Downs work tab Friday with a half-mile move in :48.

Trained by Tom Amoss, Serengeti Empress worked just prior to the track’s first renovation break at 6:50 a.m. ET through splits of :12.40, :24.20 and :36.40 before galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.80 and completing her work with a six-furlong gallop out of 1:14, according to Churchill Downs’ clocker John Nichols.

“I thought she really looked super this morning,” said Amoss, who reported last week that Serengeti Empress could make her next start on the Belmont Stakes undercard in the Acorn (G1). “We’re still on target and letting her tell us what to do next.”

The Acorn is expected to attract the 1-2 finishers of the Kentucky Oaks, Serengeti Empress and Liora.

Mr. Money breezes toward Matt Winn

Allied Racing Stable’s Pat Day Mile (G3) winner Mr. Money resumed his work pattern for the June 15 Matt Winn (G3) with a half-mile breeze in :48.20 Thursday morning at Churchill Downs.

“It was a really good work first back,” trainer Bret Calhoun said. “I think the 1 1/16-mile distance in the Matt Winn will fit him well and, if all things go well, we’ll look at the Indiana Derby (G3) that’ll be at the same distance.

“Once (Louisiana Derby winner) By My Standards gets back to training we’ll have to sort through the races and see who fits where. It’s a good problem to have.”

Mr. Money and By My Standards, who ran in the Kentucky Derby, are both 3-year-old sons of two-time Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Goldencents.