General Quarters smokes five furlongs in :58 1/5 for Blue Grass

General Quarters smokes five furlongs in :58 1/5 for Blue

Grass

Sam F. Davis (G3) hero GENERAL QUARTERS (Sky Mesa) turned in a sizzling

five-furlong workout on Saturday at Churchill Downs in preparation for next

Saturday's Blue Grass S. (G1) at Keeneland.

Exercise rider Julie Sheets was in the saddle as the gray zipped five

furlongs in :58 1/5 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13 over a fast track. The

work by General Quarters was easily the fastest of 17 moves at the distance by

more than two full seconds.

Owner-trainer Thomas McCarthy, a retired educator who served as principal at

three Louisville, Kentucky, area public high schools, admitted to initial

concern over the rapid time, but said General Quarters appeared to do it easily.

"I really wanted a 1:01 or right in that vicinity, but he did it on his own

and she just sat on him," McCarthy said. "He's got to be ready for something."

McCarthy hopes that "something" will be a big effort in the $750,000 Blue

Grass, the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Derby (G1) prep run over Keeneland's synthetic

Polytrack surface. General Quarters is coming off a troubled fifth-place run

behind Musket Man (Yonaguska) in the March 14 Tampa Bay Derby (G3).

"He got in a lot of trouble and he got cut up pretty bad, but he's doing fine

now and he loves it here," McCarthy said. "I'm just hoping he holds his

condition and he'll do good in the Blue Grass. He likes Polytrack."

McCarthy, who claimed General Quarters for $20,000 out of the colt's career

debut last May at Churchill Downs, said the colt's mission is clear if he is to

earn a start in the $2 million Kentucky Derby on May 2.

"He's got to hit the board in the Blue Grass -- if he hits the board, we'll

go on to the Derby," McCarthy said. "When you've seen as many Derbies and Blue

Grasses that I have, every single year, it's just fantastic to think that I

would have a horse in it. I've tried for so many years and failed, but now I'm

just lucky."

General Quarters has $130,645 in graded stakes earnings.

Also beneath the Twin Spires on Saturday, Rushaway S. runner-up ZIEGFELD

(Elusive Quality) breezed five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 for trainer Dale Romans.

Dogwood Stable President Cot Campbell said earlier this week that the gray colt,

who has no graded stakes earnings, would make his next start in either the Blue

Grass or next Saturday's Arkansas Derby (G2) at Oaklawn Park. 

Terrain took a spin around Keeneland (EquiSport Photos) At Keeneland, Grade 3 victor TERRAIN (Sky Mesa) put in his final major move for the Blue Grass by working five Polytrack furlongs in 1:01 with exercise rider Keith Harris up. Working in company with Grade 3-winning four-year-old filly Sky Mom (Maria's Mon), who had jockey Jamie Theriot up, Terrain broke off about two lengths behind his workmate. Terrain drew even at the head of the stretch and finished on even terms with Sky Mom, who was timed in 1:01 2/5. "I got (Terrain) in 1:00.87," trainer Al Stall Jr. said. "I thought it was visually impressive. It looked like he hit all of his marks." Terrain, who was awarded the victory via disqualification in the Arlington-Washington Futurity (G3), went on to finish second in the Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland and fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita. He closed out his campaign with a fifth-place finish in the Delta Jackpot S. (G3). "I have no regrets about running in the Delta Jackpot after the Breeders' Cup," Stall said. "My only regret is we didn't win the thing. Shoot, we were 5-2 in a $750,000 race."

Terrain did not run again until March 14, when he finished third in the

Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds.

"He got a little sick on me before the (February 7) Risen Star (G3) and we

had to miss that race," Stall said in explaining Terrain's late start at three.

"It might turn out to be a blessing in disguise."

Terrain has bankrolled $410,830 in graded earnings.

In another Blue Grass development, Kempton Kentucky Derby Challenge S. winner

MAFAAZ (GB) (Medicean) was scheduled to arrive at Keeneland's quarantine barn at

1:30 p.m. (EDT) Saturday. Once the John Gosden trainee clears quarantine, he

will be stabled in Barn 1. The Sheikh Hamdan colt is already guaranteed a spot

in the starting gate for the Run for the Roses.