Churchill Downs Notebook

CHURCHILL DOWNS NOTEBOOK

MAY 28, 2009

by Frank Cotolo

Churchill's own Calvin Borel is having a sterling year. Winning the Kentucky

Derby (G1) with one of his trademark trips along the rail, Cal made another

great decision changing horses mid-Crown, so to speak, to ride filly Rachel

Alexandra (Medagli d'Oro) to a win he clearly predicted before the race.

On Monday, May 25, Cal recorded his second five-win card of the holiday's

five-program week He also won five races on Saturday. Starting with the last

race Friday, through the ninth race Monday, Cal won 14 of 25 assignments.

Over the five days of racing, weather became a factor. On Monday, there were

87 runners on the program before 21 were scratched. The track was "sloppy and

sealed" for seven races. A pair of turf races switched to the main track. The

preceding four days of the extended week were fast and firm.

Trainer Ken McPeek recorded his 1,000th victory when Old Man Buck (Hold That

Tiger) won an off-the-turf allowance that presented only three starters. Guess

who was up? Right, it was Cal.

Churchill remains dark until racing resumes Friday with a first post of 2:45

p.m. (EDT).

Track stats

The average of favorites winning went from 30 percent to 31 percent at the

end of the five-day racing week. Two of those days were pleasant for

chalk-bettors, with favorites winning five of 11 races on Friday and six of 11

races on Monday.

Speed continues to be a major factor in all events (on May 23 half of the

winners went wire to wire and in the 51 races over the five days being close to

the pace mattered greatly) at all distances on the main track. The turf course

routes are, however, being kinder to horses farther off the pace without

penalizing speed. Turf sprints really seem to favor one particular running style

lately; you haven't wanted a horse that has to make up a lot of ground in a turf

sprint.

In one of our early notebooks, we mentioned the impressive numbers being

recorded by Bret Calhoun and now his percentages (he has gone from 50- to

52-percent winners) are being matched by his placing. He jumped to second on the

leading-trainers list with 10 wins from only 19 starters. Compare that to Steve

Asmussen, who is first in the standings with a dozen winners from 63 starters

(19 percent).

Coming up

On Saturday, a pair of Grade 3 affairs lines the marquee at Churchill.

Three-year-olds and up will go six panels in the $100,000-added Aristides and

sophomore fillies will travel a mile in the $100,000-added Dogwood.

SEMAPHORE MAN (Formal Gold) could be the horse to beat in the Aristides. BOLD

START (Jump Start), CASSOULET (Distorted Humor), GRAND SENSATION (Grand Slam),

KNIGHTS CROSS (Thunderello) and VICARIAN (Vicar) are among the challengers. Ian

Wilkes, whose stakes-happy students have been lucrative, trains Vicarian, and he

is our choice from post 3.

Headlining the Dogwood is stakes winner AFFIRMED TRUTH (Affirmed), who will

take on the likes of HIGHTAP (Tapit), LADY'S LAUGHTER (Distorted Humor) and

SLIDES CHOICE (Devil His Due).

HORSES TO WATCH

Thursday (5/21)

2ND -- READY'S ROCKET (More Than Ready) had a very tough start and was very

slow getting back into competition, but he rallied nicely to finish second.

4TH -- BROADWAY BERTIE (Pleasantly Perfect) stayed with the front speed very

well for an 8-1 shot and wound up just being nabbed by two others very late in

the running.

9TH -- PIC A CHIC (Prime Meridian) came out of post 11 and watched the field

early. She gained steadily to make a good showing in a race that was won by a

78-1 shot with two other big outsiders following.

Friday (5/22)

2ND -- BURROWING OWL (Northern Spur [Ire]) needed this race over the

Churchill surface after coming from Delaware. Though he had little excuse for

faltering, he may react differently next out here.

3RD -- SAPPHIRE LAKE (Private Terms) is an Indiana invader that was

challenged to the half in this 6 1/2-furlong test. She offered a strong showing

at 18-1 and could go wire to wire next time.

9TH -- JANOU (Mutakddim) was far back early and expected to stay there at

20-1. Instead, he went four wide on the turn, shifted to the rail and gained

rapidly to finish a good second.

Saturday (5/23)

4TH -- MAJOR PLEASURE (Officer) chased the leader in this turf route while

being wide through the duel before he tanked. Watch for him in a turf sprint or

a mile on the green as he may become a stalker with a winning race under his

saddle belt.

5TH -- TIZSILK (Tiznow) broke his maiden here at 4-1 so well that he turned

out to be a great claim for Autrey Cody. This one can come right back against

winners and score at a mile or more.

Sunday (5/24)

3RD -- CHARLOTTE'S CAT (Storm Boot) is improving and sprinted well here,

dueling with two before tiring. Could be ready to break her maiden status soon.

4TH -- WATCHINGIRLSGOBY (Red Ransom) is another Indiana invader with promise.

He was all out at three-quarters on the green but may be better suited to a

sprint next time.

6TH -- VELVET ANGEL (Petionville) had no chance here after jumping out of the

gate, but she tried gallantly to get into the thick of things before being

eased. Still, this Indiana shipper was impressive enough before all the trouble

to be claimed and handed over to Joe Woodward. If she came out of that race all

right, she's a looker.

Monday (5/25)

6TH -- THUNDERING JILL (Thunderello) had great early foot to the

three-eighths but must have tired from the slippery slope. A drop in class and a

dry surface could do it for this one.

7TH -- CHAPEL BY THE SEA (Chapel Royal) raced four wide trying to get to the

top from post 8. He moved boldly midrace but lost steam and finished fifth.

10TH -- VALHALLA (Wagon Limit) had to run three wide, losing precious ground,

and weakened to finish a respectable fourth on the "good" surface.