Chelokee doubtful for Preakness; Pletcher mulls entering two

Chelokee doubtful for Preakness; Pletcher mulls entering

two

Hard Spun, about to be passed by Derby winner Street Sense, will try to hold off that rival in the Preakness (Patrick Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com) On Sunday, the top three finishers from the Kentucky Derby (G1) -- STREET SENSE (Street Cry [Ire]), HARD SPUN (Danzig) and CURLIN (Smart Strike) -- remained firmly on course for Saturday's $1 million Preakness S. (G1), but uncertainty hovered over a couple of other potential players at Pimlico. Trainer Michael Matz indicated that CHELOKEE (Cherokee Run) would probably opt for the Barbaro S. on Preakness Day, but he left the door open for a possible tilt at the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. In addition, Todd Pletcher didn't quash the idea that he could enter another sophomore in addition to KING OF THE ROXY (Littleexpectations). According to the Pimlico press office, Chelokee drilled five furlongs in 1:01 on the fast surface at Fair Hill on Sunday. Jockey Ramon Dominguez was aboard for the move, which was accomplished in company with five-year-old stablemate Wood be Willing (Pulpit), a recent allowance/optional claiming winner at Keeneland. Chelokee has not raced since his troubled third in the Florida Derby (G1). The dark bay colt, who has since recovered from a foot abscess, lacked sufficient graded earnings to make it into the Run for the Roses. "He went five-eighths of a mile and did it very nicely," Matz said. "Right now, I think that we're leaning toward going in the Barbaro Stakes."

If Chelokee does line up in the Barbaro, it would prove to be a deeply

poignant occasion. Matz trained the prodigiously talented Barbaro, last year's

Kentucky Derby winner who suffered a catastrophic breakdown in the Preakness and

had to be euthanized in January. In his honor, the 1 1/16-mile stakes for

sophomores on the Preakness undercard, formerly known as the Sir Barton S., was

renamed the Barbaro. 

Matz added that if any changes occur to the prospective Preakness field,

Chelokee could be rerouted to the 1 3/16-mile classic.

"I would say unless something happens where some of those top three horses

scratch out, we'll probably go in the Barbaro," the trainer said.

With Chelokee's likely defection from the Preakness, Dominguez would now be

available to ride XCHANGER (Exchange Rate) for Mark Shuman.

"(Xchanger's) super," Shuman said of his charge, who walked the shedrow at

Fair Hill on Sunday, one day after his bullet five-furlong work in :59 2/5. "He

didn't miss a beat, didn't miss an oat."

Dominguez piloted Xchanger to a supremely impressive 4 3/4-length triumph in

the Federico Tesio S. at Pimlico last time out. Shuman was awaiting final word

from Dominguez's agent, Steve Rushing, on Sunday regarding the Preakness mount.

Hutcheson S. (G2) hero and Santa Anita Derby (G1) runner-up Kingoftheroxy,

who worked six furlongs in 1:14 4/5 on Saturday, went straight back to the track

on Sunday. The Team Valor colorbearer galloped 1 1/2 miles at Belmont Park, with

Pletcher praising his appearance as "outstanding."

"We'll just basically gallop up to the race," he added.

When asked if Kingoftheroxy would be his only starter in Preakness 132,

Pletcher didn't give a categorical answer.

"That's my decision as of this moment," the three-time Eclipse Award winner

said.

In response to the inevitable follow-up question, whether that was subject to

change, Pletcher said, "Always."

Pletcher would not be drawn into naming his second possible entrant, saying

only that the decision would be made on Wednesday.

Also galloping at Belmont on Sunday was C P WEST (Came Home), who finished

second to Kingoftheroxy in last year's Futurity S. (G2).

"We galloped him today because the track was off," trainer Nick Zito said.

"It rained a lot last night, a lot of unexpected rain, so we rescheduled (his

final work) for tomorrow."

Most recently runner-up in the Withers S. (G3), C P West will reunite with

rider Edgar Prado in the Preakness.

At Churchill Downs on Sunday, Derby winner Street Sense visited the starting

gate and galloped 1 1/4 miles beneath exercise rider Mark Cutler.

"We stood him in the gate and backed him out," conditioner Carl Nafzger said.

"He's doing great. He's damn near ahead of schedule. We're just trying to keep

him happy. That's all you can really do between the Derby and the Preakness."

Also under the Twin Spires, Derby third-placer Curlin galloped two miles with

exercise rider Carmen Rosas. The Arkansas Derby (G2) romper is slated to work

Monday at approximately 6:30 a.m. (EDT).

Street Sense is scheduled to work Tuesday, as is Derby Trial S. victor FLYING

FIRST CLASS (Perfect Mandate). Plans call for all three Churchill-based

contenders to ship to Pimlico on Wednesday.

With trainer Larry Jones in the saddle, Derby runner-up Hard Spun galloped 1

1/2 miles and jogged another three-eighths of a mile at Delaware Park on Sunday.

"I'm thinking of using an exercise rider (Monday), so I can watch him go, to

see if there's anything that needs to be worked on," Jones said. "Or I might

just sit back and grin."

Jones does not expect the Lane's End S. (G2) winner to post a timed work in

advance of the Preakness. He reiterated that Hard Spun has exited the Derby in

great shape.

"He's a very special horse," Jones said. "He handles everything so well,

mentally. It's like he knows what he has to do. It's like he wants to succeed at

everything he does.

"He's just a little faster than the other horses," Jones continued. "If you

want to run with him early, if you want to commit suicide, he'll make you run

much faster than you want to. I'm not saying he's the fastest horse in the

world, but he's got a great cruising speed."

Hard Spun is scheduled to arrive at Old Hilltop on Wednesday.

One Preakness hopeful is already on the Pimlico grounds. MINT SLEWLEP (Slew

City Slew), fourth in the Withers in his latest, took a leisurely jog the wrong

way around the oval on Sunday. A five-furlong drill is on tap for Monday.

Trainer Robert Bailes said that Preakness 132 has been on his radar screen

for some time.

"We've had it on the back burner," Bailes said. "We just wanted to wait to

see how many horses in the Derby were going to come to this race."

Alan Garcia will partner Mint Slewlep in the second leg of the Triple Crown.

"Alan has been riding horses for me for a while," Bailes said. "He's a good

young rider. He's very underrated."