LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Doug O’Neill was back at Churchill Downs Sunday for the first time since winning the Kentucky Derby with I’ll Have Another last year, and he is thinking about winning another one.
And why not?
This time around, the trainer has Goldencents,who like I’ll Have Another, comes into the Saturday’s Derby off a victory in the Santa Anita Derby.
“It’s wonderful looking at the twin spires and dreaming of what could be coming on May 4,” O’Neill said.
Goldencents has O’Neill looking forward to Saturday, especially after the 3-year-old colt took his first jog around the track. A day after making the cross-country flight from California, the colt co-owned by Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino jogged a mile with exercise rider Jonny Garcia aboard. Jockey Kevin Krigger looked on.
“We just had an easy day with him, but I was real happy with the way he looked,”O’Neill said before showers passed over the track after the jog. “If all goes well, we’ll gallop him tomorrow.”
Goldencents had his last workout Thursday at Santa Anita, covering six furlongs in 1:16.20 at Santa Anita. Most notable about the workout was covering the final three furlongs in 36.00, boosting O’Neill’s Derby outlook.
Goldencents, a winner of 4 of 6 career starts, has won 2 of 3 this year. He followed a fourth-place finish in the San Felipe Stakes with a 1¼ -length victory over Flashback in the Santa Anita Derby.
Krigger has been the regular rider and will have a chance on Saturday to become the first black jockey to win the Derby since 1902.
Krigger said he wasn’t sure if he’d get aboard Goldencents before Saturday,but O’Neill is planning to put Krigger on 10 mounts so the jockey becomes familiar with the track and its surface.
“I’m happy either way how we do it, so it doesn’t really matter to me if I do or not,” Krigger said. “I would like to, though.”
Also Sunday, Florida Derby runner up Itsmyluckyday jogged a mile after his van trip from Florida. The Holy Bull Stakes winner had his last workout Thursday at Calder Race Course, clocking 53:00 over 4 furlongs before making an 18-hour van trip to Kentucky.
Exercise rider Peter Shelton said Itsmyluckyday was bouncing and eager to keep going during his jog, just the kind of enthusiasm trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. was looking for.
The only Derby contender to post a workout Sunday was Code West, who went five furlongs in 1:00.40 under Hall of Famer Mike Smith. The workout pleased trainer Bob Baffert after the horse’s sixth-place run in the Louisiana Derby, but Code West’s status for the Derby will be determined after he meets with owner Gary West.
The Derby field is limited to 20 starters. Code West is one of three horses tied for 20th in the qualifying points with 20 so it’s still uncertain whether he would make the field.
“Our options are the Derby, the Preakness, the Peter Pan,” Baffert said. “The Belmont has been the target for him. … We’re going to go over it. There’s no rush to judgment just yet.”
Baffert plans to send out Govenor Charlie today for the first time since April 11, a layoff caused by a foot bruise and soreness in his hind end.
Sports, Pages 15 on 04/29/2013