GREELEY'S GALAXY - B. Wayne Hughes' Greeley's Galaxy, apparently assured of a spot in the 131st Kentucky Derby with the unfortunate injury to Consolidator, went through his usual routine this morning, galloping a mile and one-half under regular exercise pilot Mikki Fincher.
Trainer Warren Stute, attempting to become the oldest conditioner to win the Derby, at age 83, is scheduled to return to Louisville Tuesday evening and will be on hand to oversee Greeley's Galaxy final race prep, a five-furlong breeze, Wednesday. With his drill Wednesday, Greeley's Galaxy will have four workouts over the Churchill Downs track since winning the Illinois Derby by 9 ½ lengths April 9 at Hawthorne Race Course.
On April 16, he breezed a half-mile in :47.60; he returned April 22 to work six furlongs in 1:16.80 and then went a mile April 28 in 1:40.60
Kent Desormeaux, three-for-three on the son of Mr. Greeley, purchased for $220,000 at Keeneland's April sale of two-year-olds, has the call again in Saturday's Derby.
HIGH LIMIT - Blue Grass Stakes runner-up High Limit went to the track this morning after the renovation break to have his usual mile and one-half gallop under Jose Cuevas for trainer Bobby Frankel. High Limit, an easy winner of the Louisiana Derby, is slated for a half-mile breeze after the break Wednesday morning under jockey Joe Deegan. Whereas High Limit worked in company, with stablemate and Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, April 28, Wednesday he will be alone.
SORT IT OUT - After breezing a half-mile in :47.20 Monday, Sort It Out's activity this morning was limited to walking under trainer Bob Baffert's shedrow at Barn 33.
The son of Out of Place, who is certain to be a big longshot despite his trainer's three-victory record of success in the Kentucky Derby, will return to the track Wednesday morning to jog. Brice Blanc has the mount on Sort It Out, who is owned by the Stonerside Stable of Janice and Robert McNair and the Preferred Pals Stable, which is a partnership headed by attorney Larry Paltrowitz. Sort It Out earned his way into the 131st Kentucky Derby with a runner-up effort behind Coin Silver in the Lexington Stakes April 23 at Keeneland.
SPANISH CHESTNUT - The colt by Horse Chestnut galloped a mile and a half at Keeneland under exercise rider Rodolph Brisset Tuesday morning. Spanish Chestnut, owned by Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, who also have Bandini in the Derby, had his final Derby prep at Churchill Downs Sunday when he breezed five furlongs in 1:00.40. He will remain at Keeneland until Saturday morning, shipping to Churchill Downs just hours before the Derby.
"It is the same as I did with Lion Heart last year," Biancone said of the colt who finished second behind Smarty Jones in the 2004 Derby.
The trainer said Spanish Chestnut is doing well in the quiet confines of Keeneland and is coming up to the race in good order. Joe Bravo, who won last year's Haskell Invitational aboard Lion Heart, has the mount on Spanish Chestnut.
WILKO - With horse and trainer well rested after arriving from California late Sunday night, Wilko got his first look at the Churchill Downs strip Tuesday morning.
The Awesome Again colt galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Sergio Martin in what trainer Craig Dollase termed a "sightseeing tour."
"We just let him go along easy and look around," Dollase said. "He's settled in and doing well here."
Wilko, owned by J. Paul Reddam and Susan Roy, will try to become the first Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner to score in the Kentucky Derby. Dollase took over the colt's training from Jeremy Noseda after that Lone Star Park race. Under his care, Wilko has run third in the Hollywood Futurity and Santa Anita Derby and fourth in the San Felipe. Corey Nakatani, who has ridden him twice before, has the mount Saturday.
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From a Churchill Downs press release
