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Security, drug testing increased for Derby weekLOUISVILLE, Ky. - After acknowledging horse racing has a "very serious'' drug problem, officials have increased security and added more testing for performance-enhancing substances heading into Saturday's Kentucky Derby."It's a very serious problem, and the public perception is that it is a huge problem,'' said C. Steven Duncker, chairman of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's Graded Stakes Committee. "I don't know if you can put a dimension on how widespread it is because, like in every other sports, our testing seems to be a step behind the cheaters.''The comments in The New York Times on Monday coincide with beefed up measures to catch cheats. The newspaper reported that for the first time at the Derby, top finishers will undergo a test that will screen for hundreds of drugs and metabolites.Churchill Downs already has instituted tougher drug testing, requiring pre-race blood tests used to detect stamina-enhancing "milkshake'' concoctions.A "milkshake'' is made of baking soda, sugar and electrolytes, and is believed to increase the concentration of carbon dioxide in a horse's bloodstream and lessen lactic acid buildup, warding off fatigue.Failure to comply will result in the horse being scratched from the race and will count as a violation of the policy, the track said last month.Starting Thursday, Louisville police officers and Jefferson County sheriff's deputies will take up posts on Churchill Downs' backside, along with private-security guards hired by the track. An independent team of investigators from the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau and the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority will also be watching the barns of Derby horses, the Times said.Recently, several horses in California have tested positive for drugs, and New York trainer Gregory Martin has been charged with using a "milkshake'' to fix a race at Aqueduct in 2003.Dancer's Image, in 1968, is the only horse in the history of the Kentucky Derby ever disqualified after the illegal drug butazolodin (bute) was detected. Watch the Kentucky Derby on NBC (Saturday at 5 p.m. ET).

'Alex' this year's Smarty Jones?

In the old days, it happened all the time. Future 3-year-old stars announced themselves early by dominating sprints as 2-year-olds. Then they just kept getting better as the races got longer, and when it was time for the classics, they lived up to their reputations and short odds.
The great Citation won 14 of his first 16 races before dominating the Derby on the way to a Triple Crown sweep. More than a year earlier, he won his debut at 4? furlongs. In 1972, the immortal Secretariat was 5-for-6 in sprints before he tried a mile.
Back then the thoroughbred was a hardier, more versatile breed, and as time goes on, there are fewer and fewer throwbacks. Most precocious sprinters fade when asked to go two turns. Late-maturing distance types plod behind the pack in 2-year-old sprints. Which is why Afleet Alex is such a refreshing change of pace, and many traditionalists will be rooting hard for him Saturday in the 131st Kentucky Derby.
Here's a horse that's been a standout since late last June, when he won his debut by 11? lengths. After another rout, he shipped to Saratoga and took the Grade II Sanford and the Grade I Hopeful, two of the most prestigious and tradition-rich sprints on the American racing calendar.
Nowadays, 2-year-olds who are 4-for-4 in late August rarely make any noise in the Triple Crown preps. Not this colt. Not only has Afleet Alex won from 5? furlongs to 1 1/8 miles, he'll be no worse than third betting choice in the Derby.
Tim Ritchey understands why there are still doubts about Afleet Alex, by far his biggest star in 30-plus years of training.
"It's probably because he's a $75,000 2-year-old in training purchase," Ritchey said last week. "He wasn't a million-dollar yearling and he started his first two races at Delaware Park. He's not trained by a Todd Pletcher or a D. Wayne Lukas or a Bob Baffert. He's not ridden by a John Velazquez. He's had to overcome a lot of things right from birth. And so far he's been up to the task."
Sentimentalists also will fall hard for Afleet Alex. "For the first 12 days of his life,'' Ritchey said, "he was basically kept alive by two little girls who bottle-fed him because his mother [Maggy Hawk] didn't have any milk."
Ritchey said he never doubted that Afleet Alex could go two turns, and that he was thinking about the Derby back in August.
"After the Sanford, when he ran as well as he did and set the stakes record [1:09 1/5] in a race a lot of elite horses have won, we kind of got some Derby fever," he said. "Then after the Hopeful, I knew we had a very nice horse, and it's just proceeded from there.
"I don't know where it ever came from that he was just a sprinter, but there's a lot of stamina in the bottom of his pedigree. You've got Hawaii, and you've got [dam sire] Hawkster, who I believe holds the record for a mile and a half on the grass.
"I bought him with the thought that he could go a distance of ground. It's just taken us a little longer to convince the public that he can, but I always thought he could."
The son of Northern Afleet takes a record of 6-for-9, with two seconds, into the Derby, and his only flop came March 19 at Oaklawn Park, when he ran sixth in the Rebel Stakes while suffering from a lung infection. He bounced back like a champ with an eight-length runaway in the Arkansas Derby, when he rocketed the final furlong in less than 12 seconds under regular rider Jeremy Rose. If he can come close to that effort, 1? miles will be no problem.
There are many parallels between Afleet Alex and last year's 3-year-old cult hero, Smarty Jones. Like Ritchey and Rose, trainer John Servis and rider Stewart Elliott had never competed in a Derby. Like Afleet Alex, Smarty Jones started at an out-of-the-way track in the Mid-Atlantic region, Philadelphia Park, and had an unfashionable pedigree. None of that kept him from getting within 70 yards of a Triple Crown.
Even after the Arkansas Derby, there was speculation that Rose might be replaced by a Derby veteran. He's only 26, and the pressure and craziness of the Derby atmosphere has unnerved dozens of older, more experienced riders. Having to come from off the pace in a field of 20 will put more heat on Rose and test his patience hard.
Two-time Derby winner Jerry Bailey, the most accomplished active jockey in the world, is a very cool, cerebral guy. Even he admits the circus on Derby Day is rough on the nerves.
"Well, it's huge," Bailey said. "You don't want to get overwhelmed by all of the surrounding activities. It's a hard race to ride, and you don't want the gravity of the situation to affect the way you're going to ride it. You don't want to panic, and you never know how any of these young guys are going to react until you get in the race.
"Last year was an example of a guy riding in his first Derby, Stewart Elliott. But here's a guy that was a seasoned veteran and rode it like he'd been there a hundred times. But you might have a slightly different situation this year in that these guys are much younger and haven't been around the block as much as Stewart has."
Servis and Ritchey are old friends, and they played golf together this spring in Arkansas, where Smarty Jones' Triple Crown bid also was launched. "John called me recently,'' Ritchey said. "He said he's on the Afleet Alex bandwagon and that he will be supporting us and cheering for our horse."
Any good karma left over from Smarty would be deeply appreciated.

A disgruntled Bobby Frankel told reporters Wednesday morning he may reconsider Ramon Dominguez as the jockey for High Limit's Kentucky Derby (gr. I) run Saturday. Frankel said after reading a quote from the rider in a Louisville Courier-Journal article, it seemed the jockey may lack confidence in High Limit to go forward Saturday. "There might be a new rider on this horse," Frankel said. "Who knows. I haven't made up my mind. But if he doesn't have confidence in him..." The article written by Brian Bennett quoted the jockey as saying, "He (High Limit) probably doesn't have enough experience to compete at the highest level yet." A Venezuela native, Dominguez has ridden in all of High Limit's four starts, including his win in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II). Frankel said he wanted to know whether or not the jockey was misquoted before he made a decision. "We'll see. Most likely, he'll ride the horse," Frankel later said.

Kentucky Derby contender Consolidator was retired Monday because of a fractured bone in his right front ankle.The San Felipe Stakes winner galloped Sunday and took some bad steps coming off the Churchill Downs track, where the Derby will be run this Saturday."These type of things always seem to happen," trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. "You just hope it doesn't happen to you."Lukas said he grew concerned when the colt was tentative during his Sunday afternoon walk around the barn. The Hall of Fame trainer had an X-ray taken Monday that showed Consolidator had fractured his sesamoid.Lukas said the colt would not require surgery; he will be treated with stall rest."I think he'll stay with me for a while," Lukas said. "He will not run again. I think he'll have a stud career. With sesamoid injuries, you can bring back a $25,000 claimer on Wednesday, but not this level of horse."Consolidator is owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis, who won the Derby in 1997 with Silver Charm and in 1999 with Charismatic. The couple will still have a horse in the race with Going Wild, who also is trained by Lukas."We've been blessed -- Bob and Beverly and especially myself -- in this race," Lukas said. "It would be selfish of me to say, 'Oh, my gosh' and feel sorry for our situation."The Lewises paid $1.25 million for the son of Storm Cat in 2003. Consolidator had three wins in 10 career stars and earnings of $661,760. He won the Grade 1 Lane's End Breeders' Futurity as a 2-year-old and the Grade 2 San Felipe on March 19.The withdrawal of Consolidator opens a spot in the anticipated 20-horse field for Illinois Derby winner Greeley's Galaxy. His owner, B. Wayne Hughes, will have to pay a $200,000 supplemental fee because the colt wasn't nominated to the Triple Crown series.Hughes also owns Don't Get Mad, who is expected to run in the Derby.

Trainer Bob Baffert, now a three-time Kentucky Derby (GI) winner, said all was well with Kentucky Derby (GI) winner War Emblem on the morning after (May 5) the race and the colt would now take aim at the Preakness (GI), the second jewel of the Visa Triple Crown. "It looks good," he said. "You can tell he ran hard. He's a little tired today (May 5). Yesterday (May 4) he was pretty wound up after the race, but today he's finally mellowed out a little bit. He can be tough, this son of a gun." The Thoroughbred Corp's Kentucky-bred son of War Emblem walked under the shedrow on the day after he won the Kentucky Derby by a front-running four lengths in 2:01.13 - the ninth-fastest Derby in 128 years. Baffert will stick to the plan that resulted in Preakness (GI) victories for his previous Kentucky Derby winners Silver Charm (1997) and Real Quiet (1998). He will train War Emblem at Churchill Downs, work him early next week and then ship him to Baltimore. "I'll train him here - this track (at Churchill Downs) is so good this year," Baffert said. "He (track superintendant Butch Lehr) had it great, he had it really great. This track is in awesome shape. I'm just going to train him, take him up there and what happens happens. That's the approach I'm taking." On the morning after his third Kentucky Derby victory in six years, Baffert continued to talk about the emotional impact of his latest success in the race. It was an unusual Derby win for Baffert as War Emblem had been in his barn for less than a month. The trainer first laid eyes on the colt at Churchill Downs after The Thoroughbred Corp's Prince Ahmed bin Salman purchased him privately after a romp in the Illinois Derby (GII) at Sportsman's Park. "I felt like I'd had this horse all my life," Baffert said. "When he turned for home, I felt like I'd had him since he was a baby. It just does that. And he's been a little bit of a project for me since I've had him here, because we had to work some things out with him. It was very gratifying, but it was also very emotional for me because of Jill (fiancée Jill Moss) and what we've gone through - the ups and downs and the disappointments and Jill's always there with me. This is for her and I. It's like we finally got our Derby." Baffert said the victory with War Emblem was also satisfying because of the disappointments of recent defeats with such horses at General Challenge and last year's eventual "Horse of the Year" Point Given, who suffered his only loss of the campaign in the Kentucky Derby. "I may not have shown it, but those losses were tough," he said. "People don't realize what we really go through. And then to win it for the prince, you know, I told the prince 'You weren't supposed to win it last year.' That's just the way this thing works. It was a humbling experience for the prince. "After Point Given, I wondered if I'd ever win another one of these things again - it's just too damn hard to win. And it seemed like the harder I tried to win, the harder it is to win it. And here this year I took a different outlook: I'm just going to get him and train that son of a gun the best I can and get him sharp and lead him up there and see what happens. And that's all you can do to win this race. That's why Wayne (trainer D. Wayne Lukas) ran second: he trained his horse, tried to get there and see what happens." Baffert said the colt's previous owner, 84-year-old Chicagoan Russell Reineman, retained 10 percent of War Emblem. He said that Reineman would get 10 percent of the colt's Derby earnings and the $1 million bonus he received for sweeping the Illinois Derby and the Kentucky Derby. "It was good for him," said Baffert. "He kept a piece in case this horse was to go on to win the Derby, he wanted to feel like he didn't sell the whole horse."

The Twin Spires still loom over the most famous stretch of soil in horse racing. Little else seems the same after a $121 million facelift to Churchill Downs.The 3 1/2-year renovation, the most ambitious in the track's storied history, replaced the six-level clubhouse, added luxury suites and spruced up the aging home of the Kentucky Derby. The new digs were to debut Saturday, a week before the big race on May 7."You can't help but get a tingle in your spine if you follow and love this sport, because now we've got a facility that we think is second to none in tradition, second to none in quality," track president Steve Sexton said recently while inspecting the changes to Churchill Downs.In place of the dingy, decaying clubhouse are more spacious and comfortable confines where fans can dine, bet and mingle while watching races. A new simulcast center features rows of seats for fans wanting to place bets on races elsewhere. Works of original art pay homage to the track's history.Sexton said he hopes the renovations bring back casual fans and slow the flow of money to a riverboat casino docked a few miles away on the Indiana side of the Ohio River."This is what Churchill needed," said Bob Tucker of Jeffersonville, Ind., among a group of fans who recently got a sneak peek at the changes. He said the refurbished track is a far cry from what he remembered from years of coming out to watch the horses run: "An old wooden structure and some metal folding chairs."Brandon Kessinger of Louisville, who has come out to the track since boyhood, said the renovations were fitting for a track he called "the Yankee Stadium of horse racing.""You just walk around and it screams history," he said, "but it needed a facelift."Some new artwork quickly may become featured attractions.On the second floor of the refurbished clubhouse is a 36-foot-long mural displaying colorful depictions of all 96 Derby-winning jockeys - from Oliver Lewis, who rode Aristides to victory in the first Derby in 1875, to Stewart Elliott, who was aboard 2004 winner Smarty Jones.The artist, Pierre "Peb" Bellocq, called it his contribution to revive the Derby's past. The artist, known for his Daily Racing Form caricature drawings, painstakingly researched the winning jockeys from the 19th century."I wanted to show the public the real colors, the real faces of the jockeys," he said.The mural drew flocks of admirers looking for recognizable faces among the riders."I just think it's so fun," said Vicki Tomlinson of Shelbyville. "I think it's great to see the reaction of everybody. I love to hear everybody say, `Oh, who's that?'"TVs seem everywhere to let fans keep tabs on races. Churchill installed touch-screen computers that let some fans order food and drinks and place bets without leaving their seats.The modernization also added a common feature at other sports venues - high-priced luxury suites. The track's 79 suites - sandwiched between the famed Twin Spires and overlooking the home stretch - range from $70,000 to $240,000 in yearly lease prices. The suites quickly were snatched up, and Churchill has a waiting list.The suites will generate about $9 million yearly for the track. Churchill also sold about 400 seat licenses - giving fans the right to buy other prime Derby seats for 30 years - producing another $19 million for the track.Wine and spirits giant Brown-Forman Corp. will occupy a luxury suite overlooking the finish line. The Louisville-based company plans to show off the suite and the rest of the track for business meetings and to entertain customers throughout the year."The one thing that is always symbolic of Kentucky and our home place is Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby," said Bob Krall, who oversees Brown-Forman's customer alliances.Probably the most sensitive part of the renovation was close to the fabled Twin Spires.To avoid detracting from the track's centerpiece, architects designed the luxury suites so they stair-step away from the spires. The spires, dating back to 1895, also were restored and repainted early in the renovations, but still look the same."We realize that's a critical and important element to what Churchill Downs is all about," Sexton said of the spires - used as a corporate symbol by the track's Louisville-based parent, Churchill Downs Inc., which owns tracks spanning both coasts. "The signature Kentucky Derby shot of horses rounding the first turn with the Twin Spires is known worldwide."Race fan Kessinger said the spires seem dwarfed by the luxury boxes, but said the track couldn't cling to nostalgia alone."It's progress," he said. "I don't feel sad about it."Other track improvements, while less glamorous, are designed to enhance fan comfort. They include expanded restroom space and new kitchens on every level, replacing the single kitchen that once served the whole track.New escalators and elevators will help smooth crowd flow, especially on Derby Day, when more than 140,000 fans jam into the track.The renovation increased the track's overall space from 1 million to 1.4 million square feet. Amid the new surroundings, however, are reminders of Churchill's rich history."I think it's the best of both worlds," said track spokesman John Asher. "You maintain the history ... when you look at those Twin Spires. And now we've got what I hope is a new foundation that will keep us alive and vibrant and growing for another 130 years."

Jeremy Martin (ArriveNet Editorials - Apr 12, 2005) -- Three major races involving Kentucky Derby contenders took place last Saturday. The three races where held in different regions of the country and had enough interest that NBC televised all three of the races live. Two out of the three races went as expected with the chalk coming in, but that was not the case in California. Any winning ticket from the Santa Anita Derby would have netted one a substantial profit. The following will recap the stakes races from Santa Anita, Aqueduct, and Hawthorne and give you the current state of some of the Kentucky Derby contenders. The first of the three took place in New York with the Wood Memorial. The field of eight featured little excitement as the favorite Bellamy Road went wire-to-wire. The only surprise was the performance of Going Wild. Victor Espinoza traveled up from California to ride this horse that finished last due to a tiring stretch run. Nick Zito trained the winning horse and he appears to be well on his way with yet another Kentucky Derby contender. With this dominating performance, Bellamy Road will likely come in at single digits once post time arrives on May 7. He set the track record at 1 minute and 47 seconds and appears to be the fourth horse out of Zito's powerful barn. Rounding out the trifecta were Survivalist and Scrappy T. Scrappy T's ability to hit the board along with Going Wild's last place finish gave a little boost to the trifecta as it paid $254.00. Jerry Bailey and Victor Espinoza will certainly be looking for different horses to ride once May approaches. Moving west, we stop in Chicago for the Illinois Derby. On paper this appeared to be a weak field with the possibility to produce zero Kentucky Derby contenders. But that changed with a dominating performance by the favorite, Greeley's Galaxy. Galaxy went off at under 2-1 and pulled away for an easy victory. Owner B. Wayne Hughes has been quoted as saying that he will pony up the $200,000 to enter the horse in the Derby. This horse will enter the Derby at around 17-1, but I feel that is to low as this horse cannot compete with the strength of the Derby class. There was very little value on the board as the race pretty much ran as expected. The $2 trifecta paid just under $100 and this race was completely dominated by the inside horses. Numbers 1-2-3-4 finished in exactly that order. Monarch Lane held on for second place and Magna Graduate took the show money. Neither one of these two horses will be in Churchill Downs. Finishing out the day, we travel to the Pacific to Santa Anita Park for its annual Derby. The favorite in this race was a Philly named Sweet Catomine, who left the starting gate at even money. She ran into all kinds of trouble, was bumped, and could not rally back into contention. The winner was a Jeff Mullins trained horse, Buzzards Bay. The Buzz went off at over 30-1 and that was just the start of a humungous paying board. Coming in second was a 60-1 shot name General John B. The next four finishers were all favorites, but the damage had already been done and any winning ticket on this race meant a smile to one's face. The exacta paid $751 and the trifecta paid and amazing $6,635. Buzzards Bay should qualify for the Derby with this surprising win and I expect him to enter the race at around 15-1. As for Sweet Catomine, this was a devastating loss and I have to question if she will be able to recover from such a disappointment. Buzzards Bay will try and carry this momentum into the Kentucky Derby betting, but I question his style of racing. He had everything go right for him at Santa Anita, with trouble behind him and the hardness of the track. The Kentucky Derby appears to be full of early speedsters like the Buzz and that compition will likely wear them all down and allow the closers to blow past them. Nick Zito appears to be the hot trainer as the race is now less the one month away. He could have as many as five Kentucky Derby contenders in the field and at this moment three of them appear to be serious contenders for the crown. For Zito, it starts with Sun King, who is far and away the best of his crop. Sun King is scheduled to race this Saturday in the Bluegrass Stakes and a win here would propel him into the morning line favorite for the Derby. Zito's other two powers are High Fly and Noble Causeway. These two horses finished first and second in a very competitive Florida Derby. The only thing that troubles me about these two is their long layoff between races. If either of them would happen to win the Derby, that would mark the first time in nearly 50 years that the winner of the roses had a layoff of five weeks or more. That is about the only black mark on High Fly, who continues to dominate the three-year old field. Next up are two more stakes races held in the South. The Bluegrass Stakes will go from Keeland and the Arkansas Derby will draw from Oaklawn. These are two important races that will play a major role in determining the field for the Kentucky Derby. Be sure to check back for a recap of the stakes races each week. Doc's is your place for finding the winner of the Kentucky Derby. We have grabbed the money five out of the last ten Derby's including the 30-1 shot Charismatic in 1999. Doc's Sports will be writing several weekly articles regarding the Kentucky Derby up to the day of the race and we will be following the Kentucky Derby contenders until the race lineup is set.