Tarantino to wheel back in Saturday's Blue Grass

Tarantino, who stumbled at the start of Saturday's Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks and was walked off the track, will wheel back this weekend in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2) at Keeneland.

Trainer Rodolphe Brisset told HRN Monday that he will be ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, who piloted Like a King to victory in the Jeff Ruby.

Brisset said Tarantino is in good shape, and he "just didn't get his chance to run at all" on Saturday.

"I got on him myself this morning and he jogged and schooled in the paddock," Brisset said."He was sound and happy."

The Pioneerof the Nile colt has been training at Keeneland, "so we know he likes the track here. … We're going to be running in our backyard, so that that's a good thing."

This wasn't the first time Tarantino has acted up in the gate, Brisset said, though he schools well in the mornings.

In Saturday's race, "just before the last horse walked in, he was acting up pretty sideways and pretty bad in there. And then when they kicked in, he just broke up in the air and stumbled when he hit the ground and that was done."

Tarantino is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm LLC and Robert E. Masterson. Brisset said they are all on board with wheeling back.

What happened in the Jeff Ruby, "it's racing," Brisset said. "That was last Saturday, so nothing we can do now. We can only look in front of us."