{"id":4435,"date":"2015-04-03T08:12:58","date_gmt":"2015-04-03T13:12:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/equestrianinfluence.com\/horsehappenings\/?p=4435"},"modified":"2020-01-14T12:24:06","modified_gmt":"2020-01-14T17:24:06","slug":"toyota-blue-grass-hopefuls-continue-preperations-saturdays-1-million-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/equestrianinfluence.com\/horsehappenings\/toyota-blue-grass-hopefuls-continue-preperations-saturdays-1-million-race\/","title":{"rendered":"Toyota Blue Grass Hopefuls Continue Preperations For Saturday’s $1 Million Race"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seven of the eight contenders for Saturday\u2019s $1 million Toyota Blue Grass (G1) trained on Keeneland\u2019s main track Thursday morning. The eighth,\u00a0Pepper Roani<\/strong>, arrived here before noon.<\/p>\n

Post 1 \u2013 Ocho Ocho Ocho (Pictured Below):\u00a0<\/strong>DP Racing\u2019s\u00a0Ocho Ocho Ocho<\/strong>, winner of the Delta Jackpot (G3) and Juvenile Turf Sprint Stakes (moved to the main track because of rain at Santa Anita), jogged to the backstretch and galloped an easy lap around the main track a little after 9 a.m. Trainer Jim Cassidy was in attendance.noon from Louisville.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c(Assistant and exercise rider Matt Williams) said he feels like a lot bigger horse than he looks,\u201d Cassidy said. \u201cHe\u2019s pretty cool.\u00a0 He has a great, long stride on him, which is really helpful considering his size.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regarding choosing the Toyota Blue Grass instead of the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on his home track in California the same day, Cassidy said, \u201cI didn\u2019t want to knock him out with a tough race out there. I wanted to focus on the (Kentucky Derby) and I thought that this might be a little easier spot.\u201d<\/p>\n

On March 7, Ocho Ocho Ocho finished eighth, beaten 15\u00bd lengths, in the San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita. The colt had a rough trip in his first loss.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe broke a tad slow and got banged around,\u201d Cassidy said.\u00a0\u201cTyler Baze\u2019s horse (The Gomper) was running off and we were bounced around, hitting the rail.\u00a0(San Felipe rider) Mike (Smith) said to throw that one out; he didn’t even have a chance to run.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked if Ocho Ocho Ocho would show speed in the Toyota Blue Grass after such a troubled trip, \u201cI would expect (to be on the lead),\u201d Cassidy said. \u201cI think it’s obvious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Post 2 \u2013 Gorgeous Bird:\u00a0<\/strong>Marylou Whitney\u2019s homebred\u00a0Gorgeous<\/strong>\u00a0Bird<\/strong>\u00a0jogged on the main track a little after 6 a.m. Thursday with exercise rider Yoni Orantes up.<\/p>\n

Gorgeous Bird, a winner of two of four career starts, enters the Toyota Blue Grass off a fifth-place finish in the Fountain of Youth (G2) on Feb. 21 at Gulfstream.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe track was very dry and cuppy that day,\u201d trainer Ian Wilkes said. \u201cIt tends to be a little quick and speed favoring on big days and that is a little tough on closers. We just felt we needed to try him up here (instead of last Saturday\u2019s Florida Derby).\u201d<\/p>\n

Post 3 \u2013 Pepper Roani:\u00a0<\/strong>Skychai Racing and Sand Dollar Stable\u2019s\u00a0Pepper Roani<\/strong>\u00a0arrived here before noon from trainer Mike Maker\u2019s base at Churchill\u2019s Trackside Training Center. Maker reported the colt galloped there Thursday morning before shipping.<\/p>\n


\nPost 4 \u2013 Unrivaled:<\/strong>\u00a0Arriving the day before from the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland, Team Valor International\u2019s\u00a0Unrivaled\u00a0<\/strong>made his first appearance on the main track about 6:45 a.m., jogging once under Ross Montoya. His wife, Marya (pronounced \u201cMariah\u201d) Montoya, trains Unrivaled, a colt by Super Saver she claimed for $30,000 here in October for\u00a0David Wright\u2019s Waldorf Racing Stables.<\/p>\n

Ross Montoya works on the starting gate at Parx, where Unrivaled has made his three most recent starts. Following a second on Dec. 9, the colt broke his maiden by 15 lengths on Dec. 23 and in his first race for Team Valor won a March 15 allowance race by five lengths.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis schedule\u2019s been a little flexible because of this horse,\u201d Marya said about her husband.<\/p>\n

Marya, who also exercises Unrivaled, said she was pleased with Unrivaled\u2019s first time back on the Keeneland track in nearly six months.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were just letting him loosen up,\u201d she said. \u201cHe\u2019s not going to get any fitter between now and the race. Let him step out on the track, loosen up, look around a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the exercise, the trainer walked Unrivaled in the walking ring outside the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a happy horse,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Marya Montoya said Unrivaled\u2019s Friday plans are to jog again or walk the shedrow, depending on the weather.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Post 5 \u2013 Carpe Diem (Pictured Right):\u00a0<\/strong>Stonestreet Stables and WinStar Farm\u2019s\u00a0Carp Diem<\/strong>, the even-money morning-line favorite for the Toyota Blue Grass, left trainer Todd Pletcher\u2019s barn at 7:35 a.m. on Thursday with two stablemates: 2013 Coolmore Lexington (G3) winner Winning Cause and allowance winner Eastwood.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

With Patti Krotenko aboard for assistant Dermott Magnier, Carpe Diem galloped 1\u00bc miles on the main track and schooled in the starting gate. Stonestreet owner Barbara Banke, Stonestreet bloodstock adviser John Moynihan and WinStar President Elliott Walden also watched Carpe Diem\u2019s training.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has the pedigree and the looks and is doing very well,\u201d Walden said.<\/p>\n

Banke also was pleased.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was happy with what I saw (today),\u201d she said. \u201cHe likes this track and he\u2019s doing well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pletcher is scheduled to be at Keeneland Saturday morning through the race, Magnier said.<\/p>\n

Post 6 \u2013 Frammento:\u00a0<\/strong>Mossarosa\u2019s\u00a0Frammento\u00a0<\/strong>visited the starting gate and then galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Juan Bernardini after the morning renovation break.<\/p>\n

Trainer Nick Zito, who will be seeking a record fourth victory in the Toyota Blue Grass, gave a nod of approval on the morning\u2019s activities and expressed no concern about an off-track possibility Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe hasn\u2019t run on an off track, but I don\u2019t think it would bother him,\u201d Zito said. \u201cThe race isn\u2019t until 6 and the only way the track can be off is if it rains that day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Post 7 \u2013 Classy Class:\u00a0<\/strong>Cheyenne Stables\u2019\u00a0Classy Class<\/strong>\u00a0turned in an easy gallop once around the main track at about 9 a.m. Roger Horgan was aboard the colt, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin.<\/p>\n

Assistant trainer Austin Luttrell is pleased with how Classy Class has settled in at Keeneland, where his daily routine includes time in the afternoon to graze outside the barn.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe ate everything last night, and he\u2019s got his ears perked,\u201d Luttrell said. \u201cHe\u2019s looking around and seems like he likes it here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Post 8 \u2013 Danzig Moon:\u00a0<\/strong>John Oxley\u2019s\u00a0Danzig<\/strong>\u00a0Moon<\/strong>\u00a0galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Jason Hoyte before the morning renovation break.<\/p>\n

Danzig Moon finished fourth in his debut here last October on the opening day of the Fall Meet over a track that was labeled as good.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe got away bad that day, made a good middle move and then flattened out,\u201d said Norman Casse, assistant to his father, trainer Mark Casse. \u201cI don\u2019t think he got as much credit as he deserved for that race.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got a lot of talent, but did not have a lot of maturity in that first race.\u201d<\/p>\n

Casse is hoping for a fast track Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d prefer to see it fast,\u201d Casse said. \u201cBut he is by Malibu Moon and his offspring generally have good off-track form.\u201d<\/p>\n

Press Release and Photos Courtesy of Keeneland.<\/p>\n