Corporate Jungle Begins 2013 Campaign in Opening Verse

Gary and Mary West’s Corporate Jungle, sixth behind Mizdirection in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (GI) in his last start, will make his 5-year-old debut for new trainer Tom Proctor in Saturday’s $65,000-added Opening Verse at 1 1/16 miles on the Matt Winn Turf Course.

 

A dark bay or brown son of Giant’s Causeway, Corporate Jungle’s 2012 campaign was highlighted by a victory in the Appleton (GIII) at Gulfstream Park and a runner-up effort to Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the Fourstardave (GII) at Saratoga while in the barn of trainer Chad Brown.

 

“He had some little issues and so they gave him some time,” Proctor said. “It seems like he’s come back good. I got him because they want to have him for Del Mar this summer. If he runs well here, I’ll probably take him to California and go in the Shoemaker Mile (GI).”

 

The Shoemaker Mile will be run at Betfair Hollywood Park on June 29. Proctor also mentioned the $150,000-added Firecracker Handicap (GII) at Churchill Downs on June 29 as a possible next spot for Corporate Jungle if things go according to plan Saturday.

 

“It’s a handicap so we’ll take a look at the weights and see what we get and what Wise Dan gets before making a decision,” Proctor said.

 

GOOD LORD LOOKS TO COLLECT FIRST GRADED STAKES WIN IN SATURDAY’S ARISTIDES

 

Good Lord is a five-time stakes winner, but he will look to collect his first graded-stakes triumph in Saturday’s $100,000-added Aristides (GIII) at Churchill Downs. It will be the third try in the race named after the first winner of the Kentucky Derby for Good Lord, who finished fourth in the Aristides in 2011 and 2012.

 

“He’s doing well and he’ll run a good race,” said 78-year-old Forrest Kaelin, the longest tenured horseman based at Churchill Downs. “He’s been a nice little horse. He’s just shy of $500,000 in earnings and I got him for $20,000. That’s a good buy. It’s hard to find those.”

 

Following Good Lord’s most recent fourth-place effort in the Aristides, he went on to win five of his next nine starts, all in stakes races. In his last start, he finished third in the Texas Mile (GIII).

 

“He ran a good race,” said Kaelin, who was sporting a Good Lord baseball cap Friday morning. “There were some nice horses in there with (winner) Master Rick and (runner-up) Prayer for Relief, who’s won over $1 million.”

 

Doug Shank and Stan Young’s Good Lord will cut back in distance for the Aristides, which will be run at six furlongs on the main track.

 

“I think he’s better at six furlongs and seven-eighths,” Kaelin said. “Seven-eighths is probably his ideal distance.”

 

Good Lord will face four rivals in the Aristides, including defending champ Rothko, the 9-5 morning line favorite. It is scheduled as Race 5 on Saturday’s 11-race program at 2:51 p.m.

 

STAKES NOMINATIONS CLOSING

 

Nominations for the five graded stakes races on Saturday, June 15 close Saturday: the $500,000-added Stephen Foster Handicap (GI) for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles; $175,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap (GII) for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles; $100,000-added Matt Winn (GIII) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles; $100,000-added Regret (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf; and $50,000-added President of the United Arab Emirates Cup (GI) for Arabian 4-year-olds and up at 1 ¼ miles. Stephen Foster Handicap night is the first of three Downs After Dark events at the Spring Meet. The first of 11 races will be 6 p.m. EDT. Handicap weights for the Stephen Foster and Fleur de Lis will be announced Saturday, June 8.