THE ASPIRING HORSEPLAYER

Here’s the latest and greatest as the buildup to Saturday’s running of the Kentucky Derby continues to gain momentum:

• Behindatthebar, Todd Pletcher’s most recent Derby qualifier, will skip the Kentucky Derby and instead point to the Preakness on May 17.  Word is that they didn’t want to push the colt with his 3rd race in 5 weeks.  Pletcher will do battle with Monba and Cowboy Cal instead.
• Denis of Cork is now IN due to the above defection.  The Southwest Stakes winner who was last seen disappointing in the Illinois Derby has been working well lately, including a 4 furlong workout in 47.76 on Sunday.  Even better news for the colt is that the winning jockey from last year, Calvin Borel, has signed on for the mount.
• Big Truck put in a 5 furlong workout in 59.25 on Monday at Churchill Downs, which was fastest for that distance among 22 horses timed at that distance.  Trainer Barclay Tagg has got two shots in the Derby with Big Truck and Wood Memorial winner Tale of Ekati.
• Visionaire breezed a half mile in 48.40 on Monday.  Michael Matz and company are looking for their 2nd Derby winner in 3 years after the great Barbaro won in 2006. It should be noted that Visionaire’s time was slightly better than Bob Black Jack (48.60), Pyro (49.80), and Z Fortune (51.00). 
• Speaking of Bob Black Jack, the lightning quick colt turned in his 48.60 four furlong workout on Monday, then proceeded to gallop out to 5 furlongs in 1:02.  Don’t count this guy out.  He was right there with Colonel John in the Santa Anita Derby, and prior to that had duked it out with Gayego and Georgie Boy in the San Felipe.  I doubt he can win, but he might have a say in the outcome. 
• Steve Asmussen gave the final polish to both of his colts – Pyro and Z Fortune.  Pyro went 4 furlongs in 49.80 and breezed out to 5 furlongs in 1:03.40.  They were a bit easier with Z Fortune as they are worried that pressing him too hard on the heels of his effort against Gayego in the Arkansas Derby might take too much out of him.  The colt worked 4 furlongs in a relatively pedestrian 51.00 on Monday. 
• The mighty Curlin was seen on the track at Chruchill in the early morning hours of Monday.  He was really just out to get loose and get back into the habit of working out after shipping home in triumph as the world champion following his victory in the Dubai World Cup.  Asmussen says it might be a month or so before we get an idea what the plan is for the 2nd half of Curlin’s 4 year old campaign.