Derby Trial highlights opening night at Churchill Downs
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Churchill Downs kicks off its 38-day spring meet Saturday with a night racing program that features the 90th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Trial. First post is 6 p.m. (EDT), with the Derby Trial scheduled for 10:01 p.m. The centerpiece of the session comes the following weekend, with the 140th running of the $2 million Kentucky Derby on May 3 and the 140th running of the $1 million Kentucky Oaks the day before. Churchill Downs will offer a record six Grade 1 events among its schedule of 24 stakes races worth a total of $7.675 million during the April 26-June 29 spring meet. Bob Baffert has a pair of Kentucky Derby prospects, Bayern and Chitu, among the 10 entrants in the Derby Trial. Chitu is already in the main body of the Kentucky Derby field, ranking 12th by points following his victory in the Grade 3 Sunland Derby on March 23. A winner in three of four career starts, the lone setback coming via a runner-up in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis, the Henny Hughes colt drew post 2 with jockey Joel Rosario in the Derby Trial.
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"I am going to enter him, but I am not sure if he will run," Baffert said of
Chitu. "This gives me an option. He's a lazy work horse. He needs to get one
good work and I want to see how he trains."
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Bayern received the innermost post position and Rosie Napravnik is named to ride. A debut maiden special weight scorer on January 4, the Offlee Wild colt recorded a 15-length allowance victory in his second career outing but missed a planned stakes debut in the March 8 San Felipe due to a foot issue. He came back from a two-month hiatus in the Arkansas Derby, weakening to third as the favorite after establishing the early pace, and is eligible to keep improving in his second stakes attempt. Bayern remains under consideration for the Kentucky Derby but would need help making the field, currently ranking 23rd. "Bayern likes this track, so I am going to enter him in the Trial and watch for defections (from the Derby field)," Baffert said. "I think the Trial would set him up for the Preakness well." Spot is another top contender. A sharp 2 1/2-length winner in the Grade 2 Swale at seven furlongs, the Nick Zito-trained gelding was never a factor trying two turns in the Florida Derby, checking in seventh, but the son of Pulpit should appreciate the cutback to a one-turn mile. John Velazquez picks up the mount.
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Laddie Boy makes his first start at Churchill Downs since finishing second in
the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club in late November. Conditioned by Chuck Peery,
the gray colt showed little in his first two outings this year on Polytrack,
recording a pair of fifths in the John Battaglia Memorial at Turfway and the
off-the-turf Transylvania at Keeneland, but he will receive an equipment change
with blinkers off and picks up the services of the hot-riding Stewart Elliott.
Grade 2-placed Big Sugar Soda tries graded company again following a
runner-up in the March 22 Gazebo at Oaklawn Park. Matador has raced exclusively
in stakes in all six career starts, with a close fourth in the Grade 3 Sam F.
Davis being his best outcome this season, and Friendswith K Mill receives class
relief after finishing seventh behind California Chrome in the Santa Anita
Derby.
Embellishing Bob will be tested for class following an encouraging maiden win
at Fair Grounds, registering a 102 BRIS Speed rating for the four-length
decision. Recent Keeneland allowance winner Myositis Dan and expected long shot
Bitters 'n Bourbon round out the field.
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