by Frank Angst
The connections of Atomic Rain welcomed some good news on Tuesday when a pair of possible Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) starters were removed from consideration for the classic.
Trainer Doug O’Neill decided not to move forward with any Derby plans for Square Eddie after he developed sore shins. The Smart Strike colt was facing a short turnaround of two weeks for Saturday’s 1 ¼-mile classic race after finishing third in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes (G2) at Keeneland Race Course.
That forced trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Starlight Partners into a decision with Sham Stakes (G3) runner-up Take the Points, who based on graded stakes earnings became eligible to move into the field of 20.
After Pletcher met with Starlight’s Jack Wolf, however, they decided to point Take the Points to the Preakness Stakes (G1). That decision allowed Atomic Rain to move into the field with graded earnings of $77,500.
Reached by phone, trainer Kelly Breen said Atomic Rain worked four furlongs on Tuesday at Monmouth Park and was shipping by van to Churchill with plans to enter the Derby. (click here for video of Breen talking about Atomic Rain and West Side Bernie)
Pletcher talked about the factors that went into the decision on Take the Points.
“In a race of this magnitude, I don’t want to leave one in the barn that I think has a chance to win,” Pletcher said. “So that’s what you have to figure out, whether or not you have a chance to win.
“The connections have to determine if competing in this race and maybe getting a piece of it is more exciting than going to a race like the Peter Pan or something else and winning,” Pletcher said. “That’s the thought process.”
The Even the Score colt has $85,000 in graded stakes earnings.
Pletcher also plans to meet with WinStar Vice President Elliott Walden to make a final Derby decision on Lexington Stakes (G2) winner Advice, who worked four furlongs in :47.2 on Monday.
“He worked well. The questions we face with him are “Do we want to run him back in two weeks and do we want to run him at a mile and a quarter?’” Pletcher said.
WinStar Farm already plans to enter Hold Me Back and Mr. Hot Stuff in the Derby but WinStar co-owner Bill Casner said that will not keep them from starting Advice if it is the right move for the Chapel Royal colt.
“When a horse works like that, it’s like, boom!, he’s on his game,” Casner said. “There’s windows of opportunity and you always try to measure what your window of opportunity is. Is this the best race for him or the Preakness?”
Pletcher did confirm that Tampa Bay Derby (G3) runner-up Join in the Dance will join Florida Derby Presented by Blackberry (G1) runner-up Dunkirk in Saturday’s classic.
Square Eddie suffered a minor cannon bone fracture in February. Although he missed a month of training, he came back to finish third behind Advice and Conservative in the Lexington on April 18 at Keeneland. Corey Nakatani had been scheduled to ride Square Eddie.
Frank Angst is Thoroughbred Times senior writer