Keeneland news: Castellano lands his Kentucky Derby mount
Trainer George Weaver said Tuesday morning that Javier Castellano, who rode Vekoma to victory in Keeneland's Blue Grass (G2) on April 6, will have the mount in the 2019 Kentucky Derby on May 4 at Churchill Downs.
Owned by the partnership of R.A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables, Vekoma returned to Palm Beach Downs training center in South Florida last Tuesday. Weaver said the colt is scheduled to work there Friday with plans to ship to Churchill on April 30 for the Derby.
QUIP'S NEXT STEPS
WinStar Farm, China Horse Club International and SF Racing’s Quip, winner of Saturday’s Oaklawn Handicap (G2) at Oaklawn Park, is back at trainer Rodolphe Brisset’s Keeneland barn.
Quip gave Brisset, who saddled his first starter in May 2017, his fourth graded stakes victory and the richest win of his career. Brisset said the Pimlico Special (G3) on May 17 at Pimlico or the Stephen Foster (G2) at Churchill Downs on June 15 are possibilities for Quip’s next start.
BLUE PRIZE TAKES FIRST STEP TOWARD BREEDERS’ CUP
Merriebelle Stable’s Blue Prize, winner of last fall’s Juddmonte Spinster (G1) here, will make her return to the races Friday when she goes postward as the likely favorite in the 25th running of the Grade 3, $100,000 Hilliard Lyons-Baird Doubledogdare going 1 1/16 miles on the main track.
Trained by Ignacio Correas IV, Blue Prize closed 2018 with a fourth-place finish behind champion Monomoy Girl in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) at Churchill Downs.
“We start Friday and see if we can get back (to the Breeders’ Cup). That’s the goal,” Correas said.
Blue Prize comes into Friday’s race with two works here – 5 furlongs in 1:00.80 on April 10 and a half-mile in :47.40 on April 2 – following a steady stream of works beginning in mid-January at Tampa Bay Downs.
“She worked very well at Tampa and there was not one work that I did not like,” Correas said of the 6-year-old mare.
Correas spaced Blue Prize’s races out last year with a stop in Maryland for the Allaire DuPont Distaff (G3) Preakness Weekend and back to Kentucky for the Fleur de Lis (G2) to complete her spring campaign.
“There might be some variation (to the schedule), but it is more or less the same unless the owners change it,” Correas said.
Joe Bravo, who was aboard for the Juddmonte Spinster victory and the Breeders’ Cup, retains the mount for Friday.
UPCOMING STAKES PROBABLES
$250,000 DIXIANA ELKHORN (G2) (Entries taken Wednesday, April 17: race Saturday, April 20) – Canessar (FR) (trainer Arnaud Delacour), Hunter O’Riley (James Toner), Leitone (CHI) (George Weaver), Red Knight (Bill Mott), Tiz a Slam (Roger Attfield), Vettori Kin (BRZ) (Kenny McPeek) and Zulu Alpha (Mike Maker).
$150,000 BEWITCH (G3) (Entries taken Tuesday, April 23; race Friday, April 26) – Beach Flower (Mac Robertson), Coachwhip (Jack Sisterson), Flower Party (IRE) (Mike Stidham), Gaining (GB) (Brad Cox), Get Explicit (Barbara Minshall), Ickymasho (GB) (Roger Attfield), Maroubra (FR) (Cherie DeVaux) and Samuna (FR) (Jorge Abreu). Possible: Vexatious (Neil Drysdale).