Kissing Your Sister

Dear Partners and Friends,

With his fourth place finish Saturday KEEN ICE now has 22 Derby points. That is almost always enough to get in the Derby and we will have a more detailed analysis for you on this topic as the week progresses. 

We got in with Paddy O'Prado in twentieth place on the list and he finished third. Sadly, history on our side or not, we will now have to sweat the next two weeks (should know after Arkansas Derby on April 11) to make sure Keen Ice gets to Run for the Roses. 

I firmly believed ICE would win or come close Saturday and am disappointed with the result. I can give you all the excuses about how wide he went and how soft the pace was, but I still expected more. Jockey, James Graham, is still full of confidence about his future and thinks he was built for the Derby. And not that it gets us any points, but he was easily the best looking horse in the paddock Saturday.  

Post race I asked trainer Dale Romans to send the horse directly to Kentucky and not back to Florida. Bottom Line: While 99% of all horse owners and partnerships would be thrilled to be in our position we have come to expect more. It was a little like kissing your sister. Stay tuned. 

PUCA 

PUCA will run this coming Saturday in the Gazelle at Aqueduct. PUCA needs to run a big race (second or third) to get to the Oaks and we believe she can do that. Condo Commando is the top three year old filly in the country so far based on race record, Beyers and Rags, etc. and she has run all winter in NY. IMPORTANT: IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND PUCA'S RACE SATURDAY WE HAVE TO KNOW BY WEDNESDAY A.M. HOW MANY YOU WILL HAVE.

Speaking of three year old fillies, congratulations to Forum Racing's BIRDATTHEWIRE who, despite a horrible trip, won easily in the Gulfstream Park Oaks on Saturday. With a clean trip I believe she could have won by ten. BIRD ran an 89 Beyer and continues to improve with each race.

ROCK SHANDY

Rock did not breeze as well as we hoped on Saturday. For that reason, we will NOT ship him half way across the country to run in the Bluegrass. If he is acting great and feeling full of himself Monday/Tuesday we may run him Saturday in the Santa Anita Derby, which will be a very short field where third (here we go again) may well get him in the Derby. If he is not on top of his game early this week we will breeze him next Saturday, reserving the option of flying him to the Arkansas Derby on April 11...the final Derby prep.

DUNBRODY

Dunbrody is doing great and will run next in one of the two turn allowance races on the dirt at Keeneland. Obviously we have a lot of other horses but Conor just reported on those on Friday.

As for FINNEGAN'S WAKE, several of you have asked about press reports that he might go to Hong Kong. Those reports were news to both myself and trainer Peter Miller. Enough said? FINN will run on Derby Day in the Woodford Reserve with Victor riding.

Special thanks to the fifty plus Donegal partners/fans that showed up in New Orleans. I am really starting to like that place. Imagine if we had won!

Jerry

P.S. I was surprised to see that the stewards from the "no foul Breeders' Cup Classic" at Santa Anita officiating the last seven seconds of the Notre Dame/Kentucky game last night. Deciding once again that muggings don't matter :).