Well Said drops out of Derby HOT SPRINGS — Saturday’s $ 1 million Grade II Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park lost an expected starter Thursday when trainer Walter Bindner said Well Said would miss the race because of filling in his right front ankle. In his last start, Well Said finished fourth in the $ 300, 000 Grade III Rebel Stakes on
1 March 18 at Oaklawn, beaten 3 / 2 lengths by Lawyer Ron. “We had been battling a minor problem and it flared up [Thursday ], so we decided not to try it,” Bindner said. Bindner said he isn’t sure when Well Said will start again. The defection of Well Said leaves 13 probables for the race. The Fantasy
Only one major Racing Festival of the South event has eluded D. Wayne Lukas.
The Hall of Fame trainer can erase that with Ex Caelis, one of the favorites for today’s $ 250, 000 Grade II Fantasy Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Ex Caelis only has a maiden victory to her credit, but she finished second in the Grade III Arlington Washington Breeders’ Cup Lassie, second in the Grade II Alcibiades Stakes and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Oct. 29 at Belmont Park in New York.
Surgery to remove a bone chip from an ankle has kept Ex Caelis on the sidelines since the Breeders’ Cup, but she’s recorded a string of solid works for her 3-year-old debut.
Lukas said she’s cranked up “enough that I’m not concerned about hurting her.”
“The ultimate goal is the [Kentucky ] Oaks, obviously,” said Lukas, who has multiple victories in Arkansas Derby, Apple Blossom Handicap and Oaklawn Handicap. “But I expect her to run huge. She surprised me the last 30 days. I think she’s plenty fit enough. She’s definitely quality.”
Ex Caelis is scheduled to break from post 7 under John Jacinto and carry 117 pounds. The daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus was a $ 470, 000 yearling purchase.
“She’s a very, very talented filly,” Lukas said. “She’s gotten bigger, stronger, and more important, she’s better mentally than she was last year.”
Ex Caelis is among seven shippers for the Fantasy.
Representing the home team is Brownie Points, who won the $ 50, 000 Martha Washington Stakes on Feb. 24 and was second in the $ 75, 000 Honeybee Stakes on March 25.
“I feel like they’re ganging up on us,” trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel said. “I think she’s a filly that deserves a chance in a graded stakes, so we’ll see what we can do.”
Also entered in the 1 1 / 16-mile race are Lady Danza, Ready to Please, Sweet Idea, Miss Norman, Sweet Fervor and Quiet Kim. Private status
No horse entered in Saturday’s $ 1 million Grade II Arkansas Derby has as much back class as Private Vow, a multiple graded stakes winner of almost $ 400, 000.
But maybe no horse has more to prove than Private Vow, who finished a disappointing seventh in his 3-year-old debut, the $ 300, 000 Grade III Rebel Stakes on March 18 at Oaklawn.
“He got real tired in the Rebel,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “Disappointing race. Has trained pretty good. His work [April 4 ] was flat. I was expecting him to work better. But he had a good week and breezed nicely [Tuesday ].”
While Lawyer Ron, Red Raymond and Steppenwolfer, the 1-2-3 finishers in the Rebel, worked twice in preparation for the Arkansas Derby, Private Vow breezed three times, including the half-mile in: 48. 20 on Tuesday. Asked if the heavier work schedule was fallout from the Rebel, Asmussen said, “It’s what I do.” Hello to post 13
Asked what hurt more, his ribs or his horse’s extreme outside post position, trainer Harold Williams said, “the post.”
But it was probably a close race.
Williams was tending to Sayhelltolarry’s feet Tuesday night when the horse became spooked and kicked him, breaking at least two ribs.
Talk about kicking a man when he’s down.
The following morning, Sayhellotolarry drew post 14 for Saturday’s $ 1 million Grade II Arkansas Derby, the scheduled stakes debut for the son of Victory Gallop. But Sayhellotolarry will break from post 13 with the defection of Well Said, who had drawn post position 6.
“This horse, he needs every break he can get,” Williams said. “You would like for him to get every break to be able to step up to this kind of company, and he didn’t get it there.”
Williams said if there is a silver lining, it’s that Sayhellotolarry, who will be ridden by Calvin Borel, does have enough tactical speed to make the most of a seemingly bad post.
“If Calvin feels like he has to push him up at the start, I know he’ll come back for him,” Williams said. “If he feels like he’s got take him back, or just let the horses go on that are down toward the rail, I don’t think that’s going to bother him, either.” Sayhelltolarry has won his past two starts, both at
1 Oaklawn, by a combined 10 / 2 lengths. Final furlong Rockport Harbor, who was retired last month after a re-injuring his right hind foot, will enter stud at Darley at Jonabell near Lexington, Ky. “Rockport Harbor was a dazzling racehorse, whose talents ignited nationwide interest and passion,” Dan Pride of Darley said in a news release. “He’s got a lot of his sire [Unbridled’s Song ] in him, and we’re very proud to be standing him on the Darley roster.” Rockport Harbor’s last victory came in the $ 100, 000 Grade III Essex Handicap on Feb. 11 at Oaklawn. … Claims reached 340 for the meeting with eight more Thursday. Total money spent on claims is $ 5. 9 million. … Trainer Steve Hobby of Hot Springs said his promising 3-year-old, Run Lucky, wasn’t entered in Saturday’s $ 100, 000 Northern Spur Breeders’ Cup because of a minor foot problem.
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