Firing Line takes tough Derby loss in stride

Firing Line, who had finished second behind Dortmund (Big Brown) in both the Los Alamitos

Futurity (G1) and the Robert Lewis (G2) before romping to a 14 1/4-length victory

in the Sunland Park Derby (G3), loomed as a win threat in the Derby right up

until the closing yards of the 1 1/4-mile first leg of the Triple Crown.

"Disappointed? Not for me. Not for us. It's just for the horse. He didn't

deserve to lose. Maybe even if the horse, American Pharoah, that won the race

were to lose, he wouldn't have deserved to lose because both horses ran a huge

race," Santamaria said.

"Too bad we couldn't have two winners in the same race, unless it's a

dead-heat, but 99 percent of the time there is just one winner. We know we have

a chance in the next race. We'll see."

Firing Line is housed in Stall 1 of Barn 42, which has not been the home to any

recent Kentucky Derby winners, but in the early 1990s, it was the place to be

for the Preakness. Hansel had the stall in 1991 and Pine Bluff was there a year

later for the Derby. Both lost in the Derby but won two weeks later in

Baltimore.

American Pharoah, Firing Line and Kaleem Shah's Dortmund are being pointed to

the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown at Pimlico on May 16. All are scheduled to

remain at Churchill Downs until flying to Baltimore on Wednesday, May 13.

The Baffert-trained duo of American Pharoah and Dortmund walked the shedrow at

Barn 33 at Churchill Downs.

While American Pharoah and Dortmund enjoyed a leisurely morning, there was still

plenty of activity for the Baffert crew.

After the morning renovation break, Kaleem Shah's Luminance worked six furlongs

in 1:13 under Chris Landeros. Runner-up in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) in her most

recent start, Luminance is considered as a probable starter in the $250,000

Black-Eyed Susan (G2) on May 15 at Pimlico.

Meanwhile, trainer D. Wayne Lukas hoped that a Preakness run is in the cards for

Mr. Z (Malibu Moon), the 13th-place finisher in the Derby, who is also owned by the Zayat Stables.

"I haven't talked to Mr. (Ahmed) Zayat, but we will get together," Lukas

said. "My vote would be to go. He never got a chance to run. We were the

whipping boy, but you get that in an 18-horse field."

Lukas plans to be in Baltimore for Preakness weekend with runners expected in

several undercard stakes both days.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin notified Maryland Jockey Club officials Monday morning

that Transparent (Bernardini) is being pointed to the $300,000 Pimlico Special

(G3) on May 15. The five-year-old is coming off an optional claiming allowance victory

at Keeneland.

The Ackerley Brothers Farm's Bold Conquest (Curlin), considered as a possible

starter in the $100,000 Sir Barton at 1 1/16 miles on the Preakness undercard,

worked five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 early Monday morning at Churchill Downs for trainer

Steve Asmussen.

That was the same time turned in by his champion stablemate Untapable (Tapit),

who was a 2 1/2-length winner of the Apple Blossom H. (G1) in her latest.

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