Hurricane Ike tunes up for Preakness bid; Super Saver to jog Wednesday

Hurricane Ike tunes up for Preakness bid; Super Saver to

jog Wednesday

Hurricane Ike notched his first stakes win with a 2 3/4-length score in the Derby Trial (Harold Roth/Horsephotos.com) The Cliff's Edge Derby Trial (G3) winner HURRICANE IKE (Graeme Hall) tuned for his next start in the May 15 Preakness (G1) with a five-furlong breeze in 1:00 2/5 under Calvin Borel at Churchill Downs on Tuesday morning. Working in his customary blinkers, Hurricane Ike broke off at the half-mile pole and recorded fractions of :12 1/5, :24 2/5, :36 2/5 and :48 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:15 over the fast track. It was the fourth fastest of 39 moves at the distance. Borel, who rode Hurricane Ike to his victory in the one-mile Derby Trial as well as a runner-up finish in the Bay Shore (G3) at Aqueduct, came away pleased with the workout.

"It was very good and he galloped out well," Borel said. "He was a very happy

horse the last time I rode him and I thought he was about the same today."

Assistant Lupillo Alferez, who was on another horse for trainer John Sadler

at the time, saw the last part of the work.

"I was on the frontside and he ran by me and really looked good," Alferez

said. "He can run long -- the longer the better for him."

Robby Albarado, who rode two-time Horse of the Year Curlin to victory in the

2007 Preakness, will pick up the mount on Hurricane Ike in Baltimore.

Super Saver and Calvin Borel slipped up the rail to strike the front in the stretch of the Derby (Alex Evers/EquiSport Photos) Alferez and six of the nine horses Sadler had at Churchill Downs for nearly three weeks prior to the Kentucky Derby (G1) were scheduled to fly home to Southern California on Tuesday afternoon. Among the departing horses were Sidney's Candy (Candy Ride [Arg]) and Line of David (Lion Heart), the respective 17th- and 18th-place finishers in the Derby. Kentucky Derby winner SUPER SAVER (Maria's Mon) walked the shedrow Tuesday morning at trainer Todd Pletcher's barn. The WinStar Farm homebred is scheduled to return to the track Wednesday morning to jog, most likely before 7 a.m. (EDT). Pletcher is expected to return to Louisville, Kentucky, before the end of the week and decide whether Super Saver will work or gallop up to the Preakness.

"I am trying to respond to all of the phone calls, texts and emails,"

Pletcher said. "It has been fun, but the focus now is moving forward and getting

ready for the Preakness. It is not the time to rest on laurels."

Coming by to check on the Derby winner Tuesday morning was Borel, who won his

third Kentucky Derby in four years on Saturday.

"He looks awesome," the 43-year-old Cajun rider said. "I saw him this morning and

he was on his toes. He is peaking at the right time."

Borel said one of the keys to the Derby victory was getting Super Saver to

rate off the pace.

"I got him to relax in a 20-horse field," Borel said. "It should get easier

with fewer horses in the next race. He's calm, cool and collected."

Pletcher echoed his rider's sentiments.

"I am pleased with the way he is eating and with his energy level," the

conditioner noted. "He is versatile and athletic. I have heard a lot about the

trip he got and the trouble some of the others got into. My point is that the

tactical speed, agility and other qualities he possesses helped Calvin give him

a perfect trip. Both deserve credit."

Super Saver is scheduled to leave Churchill Downs for Pimlico next Wednesday

along with Dogwood Stable's AIKENITE (Yes It's True), who will make his Triple

Crown debut in the Preakness off a runner-up effort in the Derby Trial.

Aikenite galloped a mile and a quarter under Kevin Willey on Tuesday morning

and is scheduled to work Sunday.

In other Preakness news:

Derby fifth-placer Noble's Promise appears likely to head to the Preakness for Kenny McPeek (EquiSport Photos) D. Wayne Lukas, who has saddled a record 34 Preakness starters, has informed Pimlico officials that in addition to confirmed starter DUBLIN (Afleet Alex), the Hall of Fame trainer is considering NORTHERN GIANT (Giant's Causeway) for the middle jewel. Second in the Lane's End (G2) and third in the Risen Star (G3) earlier this year, Northern Giant was knocked out of Derby consideration by a last-place effort in the Arkansas Derby (G1). He breezed five furlongs in 1:02 at Churchill Downs on Tuesday morning. The Lukas contingent, which will also include Black-Eyed Susan (G2) prospect and Kentucky Oaks (G1) third-placer TIDAL POOL (Yankee Gentleman), will be the first to arrive at Pimlico a week next Tuesday. The Black-Eyed Susan headlines the May 14 Pimlico card.

Lukas has lifted the Woodlawn Vase five times with Codex (1980), Tank's

Prospect (1985), Tabasco Cat (1994), Timber Country (1995) and Charismatic

(1999). He has had multiple Preakness starters on 10 occasions.

Dublin, who finished seventh in the Derby, is the only confirmed runner

planning to test Super Saver again, though NOBLE'S PROMISE (Cuvee), who led at

the quarter pole before finishing fifth, is possible, according to trainer Kenny

McPeek.

"He's a really good horse," McPeek said of his Grade 1-winning colt, who has

finished in the money in seven of nine starts. "He always tries hard. He really

tried hard the other day, got a little heavy on him the last part of it. He does

deserve one more try and I think that's what we're going to do."

Six other runners who competed in the Derby are under consideration at

varying levels, but there has not been a final decision on the status of the

Nick Zito duo of ICE BOX (Pulpit) and JACKSON BEND (Hear No Evil); the Bob

Baffert pair LOOKIN AT LUCKY (Smart Strike) and CONVEYANCE (Indian Charlie);

Derby third-placer PADDY O'PRADO (El Prado [Ire]); and Derby fourth-placer MAKE

MUSIC FOR ME (Bernstein).

"I've talked with Mr. LaPenta (Robert LaPenta who owns both Zito entries) and

he said the decision is up to me," Zito said.

Jackson Bend, who finished 12th in the Derby, is considered possible for the

Preakness with Derby runner-up Ice Box listed as doubtful.

Lookin at Lucky and Conveyance finished sixth and 15th, respectively, in the

Derby, and Baffert has said that he will take his time before making a final

decision on the Preakness.

Paddy O'Prado became the first of the Kentucky Derby runners stabled at

Churchill Downs to return to the track on Tuesday morning, jogging two miles

under the Twin Spires for trainer Dale Romans, who could also send Blue Grass S.

(G1) third-placer FIRST DUDE (Stephen Got Even) to the Preakness.

Alex Barba, who conditions Make Music for Me, will wait to decide whether to

run back in the Preakness or point toward the Belmont S. (G1) on June 5.

Potential new Preakness shooters include PLEASANT PRINCE (Indy King),

SCHOOLYARD DREAMS (Stephen Got Even), CARACORTADO (Cat Dreams), TURF MELODY

(Maria's Mon), A LITTLE WARM (Stormin Fever) and BUSHWHACKED (Posse).

Pleasant Prince, who was second to Ice Box in the Florida Derby (G1) two back

and third in the Derby Trial most recently, will work five-furlongs Sunday at

Keeneland for trainer Wesley Ward.

"The good thing about him is that unlike Ice Box who seems to settle way, way

back and make one big run, he can lay close," Ward said. "In the Preakness you

sort have to be a little bit in contention and he seems to run that way.

Hopefully everything works out pace wise where we're in a good spot."

Schoolyard Dreams will put in his final Preakness work either Wednesday or

Thursday at Monmouth Park for trainer Derek Ryan. The bay colt finished second

by a nose in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) prior to a fourth in the Wood Memorial

(G1) last time.

Caracortado will work seven-eighths at Santa Anita Park for trainer Mike

Machowsky. Unbeaten in first five starts, including the Robert B. Lewis S. (G2)

at Santa Anita, the California-bred gelding exits a troubled fourth in the Santa

Anita Derby (G1).

"He's going great right now so I'm really happy with how everything is

going," said Machowsky, who has not been to Pimlico since winning the Pimlico

Special (G1) with Southern Image six years ago. "I'm just hoping everything goes

well once I get into the race. It's kind of confusing criteria with who gets in,

and who doesn't, but he's doing great and if I'm going to take my shot at these

horses now is the time. He runs really well fresh and everything seems to be

coming together."

Graham Motion has put on hold a scheduled weekend work at Pimlico for Turf

Melody. The trainer is also considering Saturday's Dwyer S. (G2) at Belmont

Park.

"At this point we're on the fence with the Preakness," Motion said. "There's

a 50-50 chance. We're going to wait and see who confirms from the Derby and how

the field develops."

A Little Warm, who was second in both Louisiana Derby (G2) Hutcheson S. (G2),

and Lexington S. (G2) runner-up Bushwhacked are both battling high temperatures,

according to trainers Tony Dutrow and Jonathan Sheppard, respectively. Both have

missed three days of training.

The Preakness is limited to 14 starters. The post position draw will be held

at Pimlico next Wednesday at 5 p.m. and televised live on HRTV. If more than 14

starters are properly nominated, the starters will be determined with the first

seven horses given preference by the highest lifetime earnings in graded stakes.

The next four starters will be determined by the highest lifetime earnings in

all "non-restricted stakes," which means those stakes whose conditions contain

no restrictions other than age or sex. The remaining three starters will be

determined by the highest lifetime earnings in all races.