Podcast The Magic Mike Show 437: Kentucky Derby, Oaks Updates & Pegasus World Cup Recaps [What We Learned]
Kentucky Derby Irish War Cry ‘Perfect’ in Only Pre-Derby Work Sunday at Fair Hill April 30, 2017 Kentucky Derby Irish War Cry ‘Perfect’ in Only Pre-Derby Work Sunday at Fair Hill April 30, 2017 By: Jared Welch twitterfacebooklinkedinemail Share: share on facebook share on twitter share on linkedin email this article LAUREL, MD – Calling it “perfect,” trainer Graham Motion gave multiple Grade 2 winner Irish War Cry his only work before the May 6 Kentucky Derby on Sunday at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, MD. Isabelle de Tomaso’s homebred was timed in 1:13.20 for six furlongs over the main track under jockey Rajiv Maragh, who drove down from New York for the breeze. Maragh and Irish War Cry teamed up for the first time to win the Grade 2 Wood Memorial on April 8 at Aqueduct. The 1 1/8-mile Wood was the third stakes victory and second in graded company from five career starts for Irish War Cry, winner of the Grade 2 Holy Bull on February 4 at Gulfstream Park in his 3-year-old debut. That effort followed back-to-back juvenile victories at Laurel Park, including the Marylander Stakes on December 31. Kentucky Derby Bonus: Access our Top 10 Kentucky Derby Wagering Mistakes for a step-by-step guide on how we’ve hit three straight Kentucky Derby winners. “It was the only time I worked him since the Wood, by design,” Motion said. “That’s what I do. We don’t usually breeze until three weeks after a race. I told Rajiv to try and go off in 13 [seconds], which is right what they did on the money, and he finished up in 13 and change. I don’t think it could have gone any better. It was perfect.” The Wood provided his connections some redemption after Irish War Cry finished seventh as the favorite in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth on March 4 at Gulfstream, his lone defeat. He is scheduled to van Monday morning from Fair Hill to Louisville, KY, where he is one of the leading contenders for the Derby. “The two biggest attributes that he has are his stride, which is tremendous, and his demeanor,” Motion said. “He kind of had this reputation of being a headstrong horse, [but] he’s not a headstrong horse, as you just saw. He’s very relaxed. He’s done well being here, I think, for three weeks since the Wood. Now, we get to Churchill and see what happens.” Motion praised the rural setting at Fair Hill as having done wonders for Irish War Cry since leaving South Florida and following his win in New York. The trainer won the 2011 Derby with Animal Kingdom, who had a similarly sharp final drill leading up to the race. “Interestingly, it was almost an identical work, time-wise, although obviously, we did it with Animal Kingdom at Churchill,” Motion said. “He needed to breeze at Churchill, Animal Kingdom. He’d never even run on the dirt. He probably never breezed on the dirt, so [we] felt it was really important that he had that one work at Churchill. With this horse, I thought it was more important that he stayed here in this environment.” “Everybody’s excited,” he added. “You’re on tenterhooks a little bit because you just hope that everything goes all right. That’s all you can hope for.” Laurel Park
The Magic Mike Show 437: Kentucky Derby, Oaks Updates & Pegasus World Cup Recaps [What We Learned] The Magic Mike Show guys discuss the latest updates for… Read More
BLINKERS OFF 596: Pegasus World Cup and Southwest Stakes Picks The Racing Dudes preview the $3 million Pegasus World Cup… Read More
DWBS 127: Southwest Stakes Preview and PICKS Can Arabian Knight fend off all challengers in the Southwest… Read More
The Magic Mike Show 435: What We Learned [Kentucky Derby Updates | Instant Coffee, Arabian Knight, Forte] The Magic Mike Show guys discuss everything they learned from… Read More
The Magic Mike Show 437: Kentucky Derby, Oaks Updates & Pegasus World Cup Recaps [What We Learned] The Magic Mike Show guys discuss the latest updates for… Read More
Is Arabian Knight The Next American Pharoah? 2015 Triple Crown Champ Vs 2023 Kentucky Derby Prospect Aaron discusses why Arabian Knight’s victory in the 2023 Southwest… Read More
‘An American Pharoah-Type Race’: Baffert Makes Plans for Arabian Knight’s Next Race Scheduled to make his 3-year-old debut in the $750,000 Southwest… Read More
2023 Pegasus World Cup Replay | Art Collector Upsets Biggest Race For Mott, Alvarado Art Collector won the 2023 Pegasus World Cup (G1) at… Read More
2023 Southwest Stakes Replay | Arabian Knight Wins Kentucky Derby Prep But Earns 0 Points For Baffert Arabian Knight won the 2023 Southwest Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn… Read More