Just four days removed from his comfortable victory in the GI Kentucky Derby and a little more than 12 hours after settling into his stall at Pimlico Race Course, Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) made his first trip to the racetrack Wednesday morning as he begins his preparations for the GI Preakness S. Saturday, May 20.
Partnered with exercise rider Nick Bush, the $350,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase took one tour of the main track at around 6:30 a.m. (drone footage), jogging the 'wrong way' in the company of a pony and under the supervision of assistant trainer Ginny DePasquale, for two decades an employee of the Todd Pletcher stable.
“He looked good. He was bright, alert, checking things out, jogging with the pony,” said DePasquale, who has been employed by the Pletcher stable for 20 years. “He was ready to go. The pony had to hang on to him, because he wanted to do a little more. We're happy with the way he went this morning (video).”
Always Dreaming, whose sire set all the pace in the 2012 Preakness before being tagged on the wire by Derby winner I'll Have Another, has come out of the race well, according to DePasquale (video).
“The race, I think, took nothing out of him. We're happy. He bounced back almost immediately,” she said.
Always Dreaming is scheduled to gallop Thursday morning at 6 a.m. and Pletcher is expected to be on hand.
Bush Enjoying the Ride…
When Todd Pletcher saddled Super Saver (Maria's Mon) to his Derby victory in 2010, Nick Bush had been associated with the team for about three years, but never sat on the colt. When Always Dreaming was exhibiting tempestuous behavior during his first few days at Churchill Dows, Pletcher added a set of draw reins and reached out to Bush. The 30-year-old reflected on the events of last weekend with the Pimlico notes team Wednesday morning (video).
“It's special. It's a dream come true,” he explained. “As a kid, it was the race I wanted to win. Working with Todd for 10 years, we finally got it done. I was here for [2010 Derby winner] Super Saver, but I wasn't the rider. To be the rider of this one is very special.”
And Bush, who grew too big to be a jockey, is happy to ply his trade as an exercise rider for one of the nation's top trainers.
“I enjoy the animal. A lot of people make a lot of money doing jobs they don't like, but I love this job, because of the horses,” he said. “The horses have taken me to a lot of places–Dubai, California–lot of places I wouldn't be going if I was just having a normal job. This is me. Horses are me.
“I get along with horses better than I get along with a lot of people,” Bush joked. “So, it worked out great.”
In other Preakness news:
• Royal Mo (Uncle Mo), who failed to draw in off the also-eligible list for the Derby, went to the Pimlico main track for the first time Wednesday morning under 17-year-old exercise rider Taylor Leatherman. “[Trainer John Shirreffs] just wanted me to give him a good first day to get him used to everything, just try to keep him collected and make him use himself,” she said. “It was a good first day for us to get used to each other.”
• Owner Tom McKenna has paid $150,000 to supplement GII Arkansas Derby runner-up Conquest Mo Money (Uncle Mo) into the Preakness and is relishing the opportunity to contest a Triple Crown race. “It's a dream come true. I never thought I would be here,” McKenna said. “Everybody dreams about it that gets in the horse business, whether you have one horse, two horses or three horses. If you ask anyone what their dream is, they would say, 'I hope to get to the Kentucky Derby.' Everybody tells you that. Did I ever think I would get there? I hoped so. Lo and behold, I'm there.”
• Trainer Brendan Walsh has announced that Joel Rosario has the call aboard Multiplier (The Factor) in the Preakness. James Graham rode the colt to victory in the GIII Illinois Derby Apr. 22, but has elected to go in a different direction. “He's an experienced rider and a fantastic rider,” Walsh said. Though minus a Preakness win, Rosario piloted Ride On Curlin (Curlin) and Take of Verve (Tale of Ekati) to runner-up efforts in 2014 and 2015, respectively.
• After starting three horses in the Derby, Brad Kelley's Calumet Farm will be double-handed in the Preakness, with the announcement Wednesday that Term of Art (Tiznow), winner of the rained-off GIII Cecil B. DeMille S. last year, will take his place in the field. “We think he's a talented colt who deserves a chance in this big race,” O'Neill said. “We think he has classic-type ability and we're going to roll the dice.” Steve Asmussen will saddle Calumet's GIII Sunland Derby hero Hence (Street Boss), who exits an 11th-place effort beneath the Twin Spires.
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