Last summer at Saratoga, when George Steinbrenner’s homebred colt Majestic Warrior charged from off the pace to win the Hopeful Stakes, it seemed like a good bet he would be running at Churchill Downs this spring.
He is. But instead of running in the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May, the Kinsman Stable colt goes today, the last Saturday in April, in the Derby Trial at 7? furlongs. The Derby Trial, for years run at a mile, was, as the name implies, often used as a final prep for the Run for the Roses. That is no longer the case.
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With the filly Eight Belles certain to be entered for the Derby on Wednesday, the cutoff rule limiting the field to 20 starters, based on graded stakes earnings, likely will be invoked. Currently, one horse whose connections want to run, Denis of Cork, 21st on the earnings list, might not make the cut.
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Two Derby hopefuls worked out yesterday morning at Churchill.
Recapturetheglory, front-running winner of the Illinois Derby, breezed five furlongs in 1:01.1, through fractions of 12.1, 24.2, 35.4 and 48.2 seconds, galloping out six furlongs in 1:15 under Derby rider E.T. Baird.
Nick Zito’s Anak Nakal, who rallied for fifth in the Wood Memorial, sizzled a half-mile in 46.3 seconds.