NEWS
Motion more bullish than Irwin on Preakness tilt for Animal Kingdom
Posted: Sunday, May 08, 2011 12:22 PM
ANIMAL KINGDOM
PhotosByZ.com/Thoroughbred Times
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by Ed DeRosa
Barry Irwin of Team Valor International and trainer H. Graham Motion did not appear to be entirely on the same page Sunday morning when discussing the Preakness Stakes (G1) as a target for their Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Animal Kingdom.
Both said the Preakness on May 21 at Pimlico Race Course would be under consideration for the Leroidesanimaux (Brz) colt who followed a victory in the Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes (G3) with a Derby win. Still, that Derby win came in just Animal Kingdom’s fifth career start.
“I don’t like the two-week thing,” Irwin said at Churchill Downs. “He’s fresh considering he’s only run four times, but I really want to think about this.”
Motion was a bit more direct.
“If he’s physically fine, we’re going,” said the trainer who also plans to start Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) winner Shared Account on the Preakness undercard.
Animal Kingdom will return to Motion’s Fair Hill Training Center base in Elkton, Maryland on Tuesday. Motion said the Derby winner would just walk on Monday and return to the track on Wednesday at Fair Hill. Irwin said if he decides to contest the Preakness then he expects Motion to conduct most of his training at Fair Hill, which features a synthetic Tapeta Footings track.
“We’d show up late to Pimlico,” Irwin said. “Graham is confident training on [a] synthetic [surface]. If it were up to him, he’d have trained him at Keeneland [Race Course, which has a synthetic Polytrack surface] the whole time except for a workout at Churchill.”
Motion said that under normal circumstances he probably would not work a horse expected to race on two weeks of rest.
“But this isn’t a normal situation,” Motion said.
The first three Derby also-rans to commit to the Preakness were Mucho Macho Man, Shackleford, and Dialed In, who respectively finished third, fourth, and eighth in the classic. The connections of each contender have reason for optimism.
Kathy Ritvo, trainer of Mucho Macho Man, said she expects her charge to move forward following his first race in six weeks.
“We’ll make sure he eats all his feed and that he’s in good spirits, but we’re planning to go,” Ritvo said of Mucho Macho Man.
Dale Romans, who trains Shackleford, would look forward to his colt shortening up a sixteenth of a mile on a track more typically kinder to frontrunners.
Dialed In, meanwhile, would be running for $5.5-million as part of the Preakness 5.5 promotion after becoming eligible for the bonus by winning the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) and Florida Derby (G1) at Pimlico’s sister track in Florida, Gulfstream Park.
Connections of Derby runner-up Nehro were more on the fence than the aforementioned trio. Zayat Stables’ Mineshaft colt has run six times in five months, including three consecutive second-place finishes in graded stakes since winning a maiden race on February 21 at Oaklawn Park.
“I’m anxious to see if he comes out of this in good order and then I’ll speak with the Zayat team to determine what we want to do what to do to get there,” said Nehro’s trainer, Steve Asmussen, who also could start Grade 3 winner Astrology for Stonestreet Stables and George Bolton.
The only other Derby starter listed as possible for the Preakness is Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Midnight Interlude, who finished 16th in the Derby after never being any better than ninth in the 19-horse field.
Ed DeRosa is internet news editor of Thoroughbred Times
Possible Preakness Stakes starters
|
Horse |
Owner |
Trainer |
Last start |
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Animal Kingdom |
Team Valor International |
H. Graham Motion |
won Kentucky Derby (G1) |
|
Astrology |
Stonestreet and George Bolton |
Steve Asmussen |
2nd, Jerome Stakes (G2) |
|
Concealed Identity |
Linda Gaudet and Morris Bailey |
Edmond Gaudet |
won Tesio S. |
|
Dance City |
Estate of Edward P. Evans |
Todd Pletcher |
3rd, Arkansas Derby (G1) |
|
Dialed In |
Robert LaPenta |
Nick Zito |
8th, Kentucky Derby |
|
Flashpoint |
Peachtree Stables |
Wesley Ward |
4th, Florida Derby (G1) |
|
King Congie |
West Point Thoroughbreds |
Tom Albertrani |
3rd, Blue Grass S. (G1) |
|
Midnight Interlude |
Arnold Zetcher |
Bob Baffert |
16th, Kentucky Derby |
|
Mr. Commons |
St. George Farm Racing |
John Shirreffs |
3rd, Santa Anita Derby |
|
Mucho Macho Man |
Reeves Thoroughbreds & Dream Team Racing |
Kathy Ritvo |
3rd, Kentucky Derby |
|
Nehro |
Zayat Stable |
Steve Asmussen |
2nd, Kentucky Derby |
|
Norman Asbjornson |
Thomas McClay and Harry Nye |
Chris Grove |
4th, Wood Memorial S. (G1) |
|
Prime Cut |
Courtlandt Farms |
Neil Howard |
2nd, Lexington S. (G3) |
|
Ruler On Ice |
George and Lori Hall |
Kelly Breen |
2nd, Tesio S. |
|
Saratoga Red |
Robert Baker and William Mack |
D. Wayne Lukas |
6th, allowance |
|
Shackleford |
Michael Lauffer and W.D. Cubbedge |
Dale Romans |
4th, Kentucky Derby |
|
Sway Away |
Batman Stable |
Jeff Bonde |
4th, Arkansas Derby |
|
The Factor |
Fog City and George Bolton |
Bob Baffert |
7th, Arkansas Derby |
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: Edie, Honokaa, HI on May 09, 2011 at 08:49 PM
I picked Animal Kingdom in the post parade-loved the strength of his hindquarters. He also had a great " I own this day" attitude-I was dying to place a bet on him. Anyway, he has a striking resemblance to Secretariat. I hope he will go for the Triple Crown-now, that would be exciting! It was thrilling the way he came from behind and passed the other horses like a breeze-You Go, AK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Posted by: Eric, Chicago, IL on May 09, 2011 at 03:44 PM
Nice run by Animal Kingdom. The final time was slow but it isn't his fault that Shackleford was allowed to set slow fractions. He closed well, so it shouldn't be a problem. He is full of stamina considering his pedigree and very capable, regardless of surface.
I'm also happy with Mucho Macho Man. He's a June 15 colt, so he still has a long way to go in terms of maturation. If all goes well, I definitely think he may be one to watch out for later this year and next year.
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Posted by: Robert , Louisville, KY on May 09, 2011 at 01:22 PM
Barry Irwin will somehow find a way to keep this horse from being a top horse. Did you hear his comments on being lied to by other trainers. Probably because he stuck his nose in so much in the training and running of the horses. I know he is the owner, but he knows nothing about training. Graham Motion is a top trainer and if Barry "its all about me" Irwin wants to have a shot at a Triple Crown winner, he better shut up and get out of the trainers way. Otherwise he might get lied to again.....and that might just send him over the edge !!
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Posted by: Stephanie, Sarasota, FL on May 09, 2011 at 11:25 AM
I have longed to see a Horse win the Triple Crown but I really hope it isn't this one! I just read an article and all the owner, Irwin talked about was money! He said the Derby didn't really matter but the Triple Corwn would because it would mean more money-Guy sounds like a complete Horse's you know what!
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Posted by: Delrene, Carlsbad, CA on May 09, 2011 at 02:05 AM
All horses ran an amazing race on Saturday. I was distracted by he use of the whip on Shackelford and hope the trainer addresses that with the jockey. I saw another comment in some article about the use of whip on Pants on Fire, but I did not see it so cannot comment. Shackelford ran his heart out.
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