With Triple Crown hopeful American Pharoah and three other Belmont Stakes contenders stabled on the grounds, Churchill Downs Racetrack will offer free open to the public access to the 8:30-8:45 a.m. training period for those horses starting on Memorial Day.
Additionally, area horse racing fans are invited to watch those colts train from the first floor of the facility, including the new Courtyard area, free of charge.
Churchill Downs Racetrack will open its Gate 17 entrance between 8-9 a.m. each morning through Tuesday, June 2, so the public can watch Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner American Pharoah along with rivals Conquest Curlinate, Keen Ice and War Story prepare for the 1 ½-mile third jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown – the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 6.
Churchill Downs’ concessionaire Levy Restaurants will have coffee, juice, soda, water and doughnuts available for purchase near the Aristides Garden. Also, video of the exercises will be shown on the Big Board and infield video screens.
Those unable to attend can watch an online live stream of the daily exercises at this link from 8:30-8:45 a.m. through Tuesday, June 2. Also, clips of the activity will be uploaded on the Kentucky Derby YouTube channel.
A graphic with each horse’s name will appear on the screen with the corresponding horse, although a majority of the focus will be on American Pharaoh.
“Our switchboard has received a number of calls from avid fans looking to get a glimpse of American Pharoah and this is a great way to showcase the stars of our sport to an audience yearning for more,” said Kevin Flanery, President of Churchill Downs Racetrack. “It’s always exciting to have a Kentucky Derby winner back in training at Churchill Downs, but it’s extra special to have American Pharaoh here preparing for a possible sweep of the elusive Triple Crown.
“A big ‘Thank You’ goes out to our local horsemen and staff for accommodating our request to host this special training period for the horses and fans.”
As a result, training hours at Churchill Downs will be 5:45-10 a.m. daily through Tuesday, June 2 – the date many of the Belmont Stakes contenders will ship to New York. The special training period over a freshly-harrowed and congestion-free track will follow the traditional 8-8:30 a.m. renovation break.
AMERICAN PHAROAH CONTINUES GALLOPS – Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum Brands and Preakness Stakes winner American Pharoah galloped 1 3/16 miles on the Churchill Downs main track at approximately 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning under partly cloudy skies with regular exercise rider Jorge Alvarez in the irons.
Jimmy Barnes, chief assistant to trainer Bob Baffert, said that the homebred son of Pioneerof the Nile continues to train well and he’s happy with the way the horse looks going into the Belmont Stakes (GI) on June 6.
Also on target for the Belmont Stakes is Conquest Stables’ Conquest Curlinate, who jogged and galloped one mile under exercise rider Marco Cano for trainer Mark Casse.
Christopher Dunn, Glenn K. Ellis and Ron Paolucci’s War Story jogged one mile and galloped 1 ½ miles with exercise rider Marvin Orantes up for trainer Tom Amoss.
Jerry Crawford’s Keen Ice galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Faustno Agular for trainer Dale Romans.
American Pharoah (Barn 33), Conquest Curlinate (Barn 36), Keen Ice (Barn 4) and War Story (Barn 29) are the locally-based Belmont Stakes contenders stabled at Churchill Downs.
The possible 11-horse Belmont Stakes lineup (with jockey and trainer): Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner American Pharoah (Victor Espinoza, Bob Baffert); Blue Grass champ and Kentucky Derby 10th Carpe Diem (undecided, Todd Pletcher); Peter Pan runner-up Conquest Curlinate (Shaun Bridgmohan, Mark Casse); Blue Grass fourth and Kentucky Derby 11th Frammento (Mike Smith, Nick Zito); Wood Memorial and Kentucky Derby 4th Frosted (Joel Rosario, Kiaran McLaughlin);
Louisiana Derby 4th and Kentucky Derby 7th Keen Ice (Kent Desormeaux, Dale Romans); Peter Pan winner Madefromlucky (undecided, Todd Pletcher); Florida Derby champ and Kentucky Derby 6th Materiality (undecided, Todd Pletcher); UAE Derby winner and Kentucky Derby 8th Mubtaahij-IRE (Irad Ortiz Jr., Mike de Kock); Preakness runner-up Tale of Verve (Gary Stevens, Dallas Stewart); and Louisiana Derby 3rd and Kentucky Derby 16th War Story (Colby Hernandez).
From Churchill Downs Communications