Gray Attempt's camp goes to Arkansas Derby 'backup plan' for rider
In addition to preparing Gray Attempt for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 13 at Oaklawn, trainer Jinks Fires of Hot Springs must secure a jockey for the fleet gray colt.
Shaun Bridgmohan rode Gray Attempt in his first five career starts, including a front-running victory in Oaklawn’s first Kentucky Derby points race, the $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Jan. 25, before suffering a broken a collarbone in a March 5 spill at Fair Grounds.
Gray Attempt returned to the winner’s circle in last Saturday’s $125,000 Gazebo Stakes under 2000 Oaklawn riding champion Jon Court. But a week earlier, Court guided Long Range Toddy to victory in the first division of the $750,000 Rebel Stakes (G2), the final major local Arkansas Derby prep.
Fires said Friday morning that Court “most likely” will stick with Long Range Toddy, so the trainer has Stewart Elliott as the “backup plan” for Gray Attempt.
Fires and Court teamed to win the 2011 Arkansas Derby with Archarcharch. Elliott is best known as the rider of champion Smarty Jones, who won the 2004 Arkansas Derby.
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Fires had hoped to run Gray Attempt in the 1 1/16-mile Rebel, but called an audible after the colt emerged from an 11th-place finish in the $500,000 Southwest Stakes (G2) with a hind-end problem. No problems this time, Fires said, adding Gray Attempt returned to the track several days ago.
“Horses, one day can make a difference,” Fires said. “Every day you get up in the morning and look down the shed row and just hope everybody’s fine. You come to the shed row sometimes and you feel like a million dollars, then you walk down through the shed row and you say, ‘Oh, my God.’ ”
In addition to Long Range Toddy and Gray Attempt, other early Arkansas Derby probables include Rebel second-division winner Omaha Beach and Improbable, runner-up in the first division of the Rebel.
Long Range Toddy returned to the work tab Monday morning, working a half-mile in :51 for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.
Nominations to the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby closed Thursday.