Romans believes in his Indiana Derby favorite, Cherry Wine

Cherry Wine, the tepid 5-2 favorite over 3-1 Cupid for Saturday’s $500,000 Indiana Derby, has yet to win a stakes. But trainer Dale Romans has no doubt his  colt belong with the best of this 3-year-old crop.

“Yes. He was second in the Preakness and he beat the Kentucky Derby winner,” Romans said, referring to Nyquist. “He definitely, so far, until he shows different, belongs in this group.”

While Romans has won bigger races than the Indiana Derby, winning the 1 1/16-mile stakes would be extra special because of his long-time association with co-owners and breeders Frank Jones of Louisville and William Pacella of Chicago. Plus, Romans trained Cherry Wine’s mother and grandmother and also his sire, Paddy O’Prado, third in the 2010 Kentucky Derby and who proved a superior grass horse.

“To win a big race for Frank and the Pacellas would be good,” he said. “They’ve been two of our biggest clients, Frank has been around my entire life, with my father (the late trainer Jerry Romans Sr.) and now me, and the Pacellas have been with me the last 20 years. They’ve had some decent horses, but it’s time to step up and win a big race for them with a colt. They’ve had a Grade I filly, but it would be nice to do it with a colt and a home-bred. I trained his mother and his grandmother and his father. He’s like part of the family.”

Romans, who ranks No. 2 all-time in wins at Churchill Downs behind Hall of Famer Bill Mott, has never won the Indiana Derby, though he was second in 2011 with Preakness winner Shackleford when the race was held at Hoosier Park and run in the fall.

There’s literally a lot of gray area to handicapping this race, as like Cherry Wine, 3-1 second choice Cupid also is a beautiful light gray. Cupid could give trainer Bob Baffert a record fourth Indiana Derby.

As winner of Oaklawn Parks’ Grade II Rebel Stakes, Cupid is one of two graded-stakes winners in the field. But Romans has a lot of respect for the competition, believing there are potential stars in the dozen 3-year-olds entered. He knows about later-developing horses, with Shackleford’s first stakes victory in a $3 million career coming in the Preakness.

“It’s a good group of horses, a big field. A lot of things can happen in a race with a big field,” Romans said. “Rusty Arnold’s horse (Star Hill) is a nice horse coming out of a tough race at Belmont (the Woody Stephens). Buff Bradley’s horse (The Player) is a good horse coming off a good allowance race. He could have a breakthrough race. This is where some horses will step up and start looking like the top horses for the last half of the year.”

Whateverybodywants: A win of course!
 

Jockey Robby Albarado, seeking a record fourth Indiana Derby victory when he rides Whateverybodywants for the first time, agrees with Romans’ assessment of the field. Whateverybodywants, for instance, has raced only three times, winning his last two.

“You get a lot of lightly raced 3-year-olds who really don’t have many options this time of time of the year,” Albarado said. “The Indiana Derby this year seems like it’s going to be pretty tough. I’m looking forward to it. Whateverybodywants is a nice horse. I watched his replays. It seems like he does it pretty easy, within himself. I worked him last weekend in Lexington, and he worked really, really well. I don’t think they know the depth of him yet. So he could be a promising horse for the rest of the year.”

The Illinois-bred Whateverybodywants was third in his first race, last fall at Indiana.

“Last year he was kind of discombobulated, an immature 2-year-old,” said Lexington-based trainer Kellyn Gorder. “But we got him a start, and he came up with a little tiny issue that if we kept going it could have become something bigger. So we just gave him the time, didn’t have to do any surgery or anything. He came back to me this year bigger and stronger.”

Whateverybodywants rallied to win sprinting over Arlington Park’s Polytrack and a month later captured Iowa’s Prairie Mile around two turns while “green as grass,” Gorder said.

“Kind of looking around, survived an inquiry when he ducked out from the light shining on the finish line,” he said. “He’s had nice works coming up to this race. We’re excited and confident for him.”

Gorder was third in the 2009 Indiana Derby with Karama when Giant Oak was second by a half-length to the Baffert-trained Misremembered. Giant Oak, a two-time Grade I winner and $1.48 million-earner, is the sire of Whateverybodywants.

“I remember being in the (post-race) test barn, cooling my horse out and getting a really good look at Giant Oak,” Gorder said. “This horse kind of reminds me of Giant Oak. A different color, but a big, good-looking horse.”

Tom Rinaudo, owner of Whateverybodywants, became an accidental breeder. He was racing horses when he had a filly named Bella Gardella. The daughter of 2007 Kentucky Derby runner-up Hard Spun was well-bred but had a breathing problem that kept her from racing and she wound up having a tracheotomy, Rinaudo said.

“The trainer at the time suggested I breed her, without me knowing how expensive or how costly everything was going to be,” he said. “I bred her to Giant Oak, the mare ended up having a tracheotomy. None of the equine services wanted to take the time or risk of having her try to produce a foal.”

But veteran horsemen Barney and Ann Gallagher in downstate Illinois thought it was doable, and Bella Gardella delivered a healthy foal by Giant Oaks.

“Barney said, ‘This is a horse like everybody wants,’” Rinaudo recalled. “I said, ‘That’s a great name for a horse.’ It was a miracle the mare ever had a foal, now she’s had four.”

However, about a year ago Rinaudo decided the breeding business was too much for him and he gave Bella Gardella to the Gallaghers. When Whateverybodywants started looking like a good horse, Rinaudo wanted to buy the mare back.

“Ann said, ‘Mr. Rinaudo, you gave us this mare. You can have the whole mare back,’” he said. “I said, ‘You guys have been so great to me, so nice, what if you give me half the mare back?’

“... And here we are. For me, for like a small-time owner, this is an exciting race. And we’re all really excited about the story of the horse.”

Gorder also is running Torrontes in the Indiana Derby. He’ll be ridden by Albin Jimenez, last year’s Indiana Grand champion rider who is tied for second in the standings heading into Friday’s card. Torrontes has gotten his camp’s hopes up with big allowance efforts but has been dusted in three prior stakes attempts, though in the Pat Day Mile, he came out with heat stroke, the trainer said.

“He worked really well last week,” Gorder said. “We’re kind of giving him one more shot here. We thought he was a really good horse early on. He’s thrown us a couple of bad races, but we’re swinging for the fences a little bit.”

Wishing upon a Star
 

Trainer Rusty Arnold has loved Star Hill since the day he received the Elusive Quality colt from owner-breeder Calumet Farm.

“He’s a big, beautiful horse, shown quite a bit of ability,” said the Keeneland-based Arnold. “It took him four races to break his maiden. But since he got that done, he’s been in nothing but graded stakes. I’ve been thinking he’s wanted to run long the whole time, but he hasn’t done it yet.”

In fact, Star Hill’s best performances have come at shorter distances around one turn. In his last start, he was a late-running third in Belmont Park’s seven-furlong Woody Stephens, won by Tom’s Ready. Runner-up Fish Trappe Road won last week’s Dwyer in New York, so Arnold is thinking the Woody Stephens could prove a “key” race, launching other stakes-winners.

“I think that race will stand up good,” he said. “The way he trains suggests he wants to race longer. But he hasn’t done it yet. But he’s also drawn the 13 hole in three straight races. That’s almost impossible to do. First, you don’t get three straight 13-horse field.”

Star Hill couldn’t get 13 this time because only 12, the capacity that can run at Indiana Grand, entered. But he did draw No. 12. Corey Lanerie, fresh off his 11th riding title at Churchill Downs, will be aboard for the third straight race. He also was third on Star Hill in Churchill’s Grade III Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

“If he can tuck in behind the early speed, I think he will go long,” Arnold said. “He’s run against the best. We’ve been aggressive with him, and we’re going to stay aggressive with him. Because my plan is to run him back in the King’s Bishop,” the Grade I race at seven furlongs for 3-year-olds at Saratoga. “Of course I could change that (to a longer race), depending on how he runs.

“When I took him to Belmont, I thought he was sitting on a huge race. He didn’t have a good trip, wasn’t anybody’s fault. Maybe Corey, not riding Belmont a whole lot, he might have just gotten hung out there and moved a touch quicker than you want on that racetrack. But I just thought the horse had done terrific. He came back home and we thought about waiting on him until opening weekend at Saratoga and run in an allowance race. I thought he was training so well that I didn’t want to take him to an (entry-level allowance) right now.”

Discreet Lover arrives
 

Discreet Lover, third in the Ohio Derby, arrived at Indiana Grand late Thursday  night from trainer Uriah St. Lewis’ Philadelphia base at Parx Racing.

Discreet Lover (his sire is Repent and his dam is Discreet Chat) hasn’t won since taking a Parx maiden race by eight lengths 10 races ago at age 2. But he’s never been worse than third in four two-turn races over a fast track. “Since he started going long, he’s just gotten better,” St. Lewis said.

The three-week turnaround from the Ohio Derby would not seem an issue, and Discreet Lover is something of an iron horse in this era. The spacing between his races this year have been 2 1/2 weeks, two weeks, a week, two weeks and then a fat five weeks until the Ohio Derby.

“He recovers pretty quick, and he’s a good traveler,” St. Lewis said.

Martinez seeks second Indiana Derby with Cocked and Loaded
 

Willie Martinez rode Cocked and Loaded for the first when fourth in Thistledowns’ Ohio Derby. The jockey, whose riding base is Presque Isle in Pennsylvania, liked what he saw and felt that day, and is excited about shooting for a second victory in the Indiana Derby. Martinez won 12 years ago on the Buff Bradley-trained Brass Hat.

Cocked and Loaded, trained by Larry Rivelli, is trying to regain the form that saw him win last year’s Grade III Iroquois at Churchill Downs and to finish a respectable fifth in a very tough Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Martinez believes cutting back to 1 1/16 miles will help Cocked and Loaded, who was part of a moderate pace in the 1 1/8-mile Ohio Derby before fading late.

“He’s a very nice horse, very nice to ride,” he said. “He’ll put me anywhere he wants me to. I have to try to nurse him, but he’s fine. He’ll relax. He did run a good race in the Ohio Derby. The track was a little deep, and it was closers all day and the winner, Mo Tom, was the best horse.

“But this horse, I watched him train all winter in Tampa. He trains like a really good horse. He lives up to his name in the mornings.”

Jennie Rees sizes up Indiana Derby field at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino

If all 12 start, this will be the largest Indiana Derby field ever. Here we take a look at the pros and cons of betting each horse:

Post 1 - Discreet Lover (jockey Jose Flores, trainer Uriah St. Lewis, owner Trin-brook Stables)

Pros: Philadelphia shipper has been knocking at the door, including finishing third in the Ohio Derby at 87-1 odds. He’s been working very well and could pull off the upset if there’s a hot pace.

Cons: Other closers are faster than he is. His 1-for-13 record doesn’t inspire confidence as far as hitting winners circle, though he has four seconds and two thirds.

Post 2 - Cherry Wine (jockey Luis Saez, trainer Dale Romans, owners William Pacella, Frank Jones and Frank Shoop)

Pros: No other horse in the field ran in the Triple Crown, and he finished second in the Preakness, beating Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist. His 100 BRIS speed figure in the Preakness tops the field.

Cons: Finishing seventh in the 1 1/2-mile Belmont might have taken some starch out of him. He needs a fast pace up front, which is no sure thing.

Post 3 - Pilot House (jockey Richard Bracho, trainer Tom Amoss, owner Maggi Moss)

Pros - He has a race over the track and previously trained at Indiana Grand. Amoss is among the winningest trainers at the track (and the country), and jockey Bracho is having a fine meet here. He has the tactical speed to be in good position in a big field, including the run into the first turn.

Cons - He could “bounce” off his big effort in winning a Thistledown allowance in his last start June 20. None of his other races come close to the 97 BRIS speed figure he earned that day. He could get cooked if he’s up on the lead with Cupid and The Player.

Post 4 - Takeittotheedge (jockey Miguel Mena, trainer Dale Romans, owner Bakster Farm)

Pros: Trainer Romans has been extremely high on this horse since he won his debut March 5 by 7 3/4 lengths at Gulfstream Park. After recovering from a foot injury, he was third in a very strong allowance race at the distance and should greatly improve. Romans has a saying, “When they’re doing good, run ’em big.”

Cons - Romans is extremely high on most of his horses. Others are more seasoned, and this is asking a lot.

Post 5 - The Player (jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, trainer Buff Bradley, owners Bradley and Carl Hurst)

Pros: He is absolutely the talking horse of this field, getting rave reviews for his training and works at Churchill Downs. He has shown he’s game and fast, and could make things very tough on Cupid. Consider yourself lucky if you get the morning-line 6-1 on him. He’s a major Player indeed.

Cons: He’s one of only two horses in the field (the other recent maiden-winner Seeking Blame) having never before run in a stakes. He’s the only horse in the field who hasn’t raced around two turns.

Post 6 - Cocked and Loaded (jockey Willie Martinez, trainer Larry Rivelli, owners Richard Ravin and Patricia’s Hope LLC)

Pros: When he’s on his game, he can compete with almost anyone, as his victory in Churchill’s Iroquois last year showed. His close fifth in what’s proving a very tough running of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile is another indicator of his class. He made a big improvement in finishing fourth in the Ohio Derby and could finally be back on his best stride.

Cons: But he still lost his last four races by 6, 17, 19 and 11 lengths.

Post 7 - Seeking Blame (jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., trainer Dallas Stewart, owner Charles Fipke)

Pros: He looked very good winning a maiden race at the Indiana Derby’s 1 1/16-mile distance from an outside post. He was third to The Player in Seeking Blame’s first start May 3. He’ll be rolling at the end.

Cons: There’s a big difference between looking good in a maiden race and looking good in a $500,000, Grade II stakes.

Post 8 - Whateverbodywants (jockey Robby Albarado, trainer Kellyn Gorder, owner The Farm on 4 LLC)

Pros: He has improved in all three starts and looked very good winning the two-turn Prairie Mile in Iowa. Robby Albarado is riding lights-out these days, and the colt has been working extremely well. A very live play at a price.

Cons: He’s still not as fast as the favorites, his best BRIS speed figure being 89.

Post 9 - Torrontes (jockey Albin Jimenez, trainer Kellyn Gorder, owners Beckett Racing and David Thornton)

Pros - His last two works are as good as you could ask from a horse. Trainer Gorder has always liked the horse and believes he has a breakthrough race in him. You always have to watch the lesser-regarded horse when a trainer has two running in a race.

Cons - They still payoff in the afternoon at the races, not in morning workouts.

Post 10 - Call the Colonel (jockey Santo Sanjur, trainer Jon Cowan, owner C J Equine Service)

Pros - Throw out his last start on turf. Two races back he won a very nice entry-level allowance race. If the pace is hot, he could get a piece at a huge price.  You’ve got to root for a horse who was sold for $1,000 as a yearling and has made $104,596.

Cons - One thing to root for; another thing to bet. You’d like him better in a second-level allowance race.

Post 11 - Cupid (jockey Rafael Bejarano, trainer Bob Baffert, owners Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith)

Pros - Trainer Bob Baffert doesn’t make many mistakes when he ships. Throw out his last two races: Cupid was too rank racing around one turn in Belmont’s Easy Goer and had a breathing obstruction when he was 10th in the Arkansas Derby. Look for him to run to his snappy victory in Oaklawn Park’s Grade II Rebel.

Cons - The Player will ensure Cupid doesn’t get an easy lead. Off two bad races, it’s hard to be sure the good Cupid will show up.

Post 12 - Star Hill (jockey Corey Lanerie, trainer Rusty Arnold, owner Calumet Farm)

Pros - Trainer Arnold long has been high on his homebred son of Elusive Quality. He’s high quality, going from a maiden victory to finishing third in the Tampa Bay Derby behind Belmont runner-up Destin and Wood winner Outwork. He’s due some luck after drawing a very wide post for the fourth straight race.

Cons: He drew a very wide post for the fourth straight race. His best races have been around one turn. Key him in the bottom spot in the trifecta: He has five thirds in eight career starts.

Post time for the Grade II $500,000-added Indiana Derby is slated for 9:41 p.m. EST and will be carded as Race 9 on the program. The Grade II $200,000-added Indiana Oaks will lead into the Derby as Race 8 with an estimated post time of 9:11 p.m. EST. First post on Indiana Derby Night is 6:05 p.m. EST.

Source: Indiana Grand (Jennie Rees)