DOWNS DAWN PATROL (4/23): Paddy O (:58.2) wows.. Ice Box (:46.2) sharp
 

Rain started light early this morning but became more steady through the first half of training hours. Ice Box and Paddy O' Prado appear likely to go ahead and work after the break, but Pletcher looks to only send his Oaks gals for their slated spins. Boys will wait to work, and may not go until Sunday with the forecast for Saturday dreadful...

Looking forward to hearing about Ice Box.

Will be totally shocked if anyone works Saturday. I thought about canceling my trip for opening day (for about 2.5 seconds).

"Dreadful" is the perfect word for the forecast, Steve. Looks like it's gonna rough for the majority of the weekend.

Same here.

PADDY O'PRADO with absolutely stunning 'work of the day' going :35.0, :46.2, :58.2 and out in 1:11.2 and 1:25.3... Wasn't asked and kept going all the way around on the gallop out... Anyone on him before should be giddy now.

Nick Zito wanted a quick move from ICE BOX and got it with a sharp half mile plus in :46.2 and :59.3... Looked good...

Maybe Paddy can dirt.

Any gallopers of note Steve?

Don't have all the splits, but there was Oaks action aplenty too as Bret Calhoun's JODY SLEW (:48.2/1:01.1) and Dale Romans' QUIET TEMPER (1:03.0) worked, while Todd Pletcher sent AILALEA and Colizeo out in tandem with Ailalea getting the better of her stablemate in a shade over 1:00.0...

Jody Slew's effort was the notable best of the 4 as she really picked it up late and past the wire...

TY

If we go back to Saratoga as a 2yo and recall ATR conversations about Paddy with Romans, he always felt he'd be fine on dirt based on all he was seeing in the mornings. He is a big threat next Saturday as long as that goofy jock doesn't get cute or stupid.

With all the workers it was tough to watch gallops but Eskendereya again turned it up a notch with a little more than yesterday which was more than Wednesday. Still under a hammerlock.

How was the Ice Box gallop out? Lead change ok?

I guess I'll recycle the pp's.......

I've tossed Paddy O'Prado long ago for a variety of reasons - why does he keep impressing in the a.m.? Still seems to have a bit of a turfy action to my very untrained eye.

STEVE, any word on how Stately Victor looked in his work this morning?
It was over at Trackside.

He was strictly going the fast half, so the :59.3 was the majority of the gallop out. He was easing up at that point and I turned the binocs back up to the 5/8ths for what was coming next. Will ask Welsch about the change as I picked him up past the quarter pole.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/112407.html

Welsch said that Colizeo and Ailalea worked together.

No.. Marty McGee was going to go tomorrow but didn't get there this morning...

That's right... Clocker assistants had it wrong when the workers came out and called it on the walkie-talkie up to the stand incorrectly. Got clarified when Mike went over to the backstretch. Added confusion too because of Colizeo slipping and falling after galloping out.

CRISP also worked in amongst the crush and Sadler told Welsch he was happy with her seemingly casual 1:14.0...

Post race Derby comments...

Paddy O'Prado ( 13th )....Desourmeaux " I really thought he was going to win on the backstretch but he got discouraged when Super Saver backed up in his face at the 5/8ths pole and just shut down. Romans " I guess despite working well on the dirt he's, not surprisingly, a turf horse. We'll regroup and point for the Secretariat this summer. I should have listened to Paseka and left him in the barn. "

LOL.. :tro:

You forgot to include Desormeaux saying that he's working on being the best horse he ever rode.

If Paddy O'Prado wins the Derby I'll kindly ask Andy's source to make me a super dunce cap (with an Italian flag decal) and wear it each day I'm at Saratoga.

NT

Haha, very true. I doubt this is Barbaro redux in terms of transferring turf to dirt form...Maybe he likes the slop is a better point.

I've listened to what you have had to say about Dale Roman's strategy for Paddy for this race (drop back and make a big run) and I love the pattern of his TG numbers. The remaining isssue had to do with surface and it looks like I'm starting to get a poitive answer there, but when you refer to the "goofy jock" you are referring to a guy who has won the Kentucky Derby three times, right? Right now I plan to use PP as a key underneath Eskey in my exacta, tris and super plays.:tro:

BTW, I see in the Derby Trial, after going around the trainer and convincing the onwer directly to go in the Florida Derby Kent D is off Miner's Reserve. Any insight there?

If it was sloppy this morning, that still doesn't fully answer the question of Paddy's affinity for dirt.

Two weeks ago Desormeaux was telling us that Drosselmeyer would have been favored in the Derby if he hadn't been interfered with.:rolleyes:

He debuted in the slop and didn't run a lick.

So what are you saying? He hasn't raced on a fast dirt track. There are obvious signs that he is improving and much different from the colt that didn't pick up his feet in his only dirt race, but I would have felt more strongly about a great work on something that will resemble the racing surface next week (hoping it doesn't rain).

Dutrow wants P Val to ride Homeboykris

I consider myself a Prized fan, I really do. He's locally based and has sired some nicer horses in his day. That being said, and this is an honest question that I just don't have the means to answer: how many winners and stakes winners have Prized broodmares produced on dirt? He's had like 250 runners as a broodmare sire.

This is from WAY out there in left field.

so what? these guys get paid to ride and win. they are not PR people or public speakers, they are JOCKEYS for crying out loud. why would you listen to what most of them say? no one will ever accuse him of being a genius but not many win as much as he does either. all i know is when that guy is on the back of a horse you better pay attention.

Thanks for the info on Icebox. Greatly appreciated!

For what its worth, and I didn't even bet the horse, nor did I think he would win, but Desormeaux's ride on Hold Me Back in the 2009 Derby was one of the worst in recent memory. He literally gave that horse no SHOT of doing anything with a mind-boggling move around the clubhouse turn.

Man amazes me.

Take a peak at his ride on Sweetnorthernsaint in the KD. Another beaut.

One of my personal favorites.

So did Giacomo, slot ... :)

Not really, but welcome back anyway!

Giacomo really picked his feet up ... didn't have turfy hooves, but definitely had a higher action (imo). Not to compare Paddy O'Prado to Giacomo or anything, but I would imagine he'll probably be 50/1 as well. :D

And thank you ... I've missed this site. You guys have a wealth of knowledge. :tro:

His ride that day was really bad. I always thought that it never seemed to receive a ton of attention because it wasn't as downright hilarious as Mike Smith's effort on Flashy Bull in that same race.