By Steve Sherack
An enthusiastic and rapidly growing crowd–by far the largest of the week–were out in full force during Wednesday morning's trackwork at Churchill Downs.
Barn 42 was a good place to begin.
While a saddle and white bridle were being prepared for Frosted (Tapit), Mubtaahij (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was already under-tack only three stalls down (pretty hard to miss his stall with the South African flag pinned to the adjacent wall) shortly after 8 a.m.
Trainer Mike de Kock chatted with NBC's Donna Brothers as the stunning Firing Line (Line of David), also-eligible Frammento (Midshipman) and Tencendur (Warrior's Reward) were all getting ready to kick off their days as well.
Darley's Charlie Boden and Jimmy Bell were both on hand to get a closer look at Godolphin's aforementioned GI TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial winner, who arrived from South Florida Tuesday.
Spots by the rail were scarce if you were one of the many who decided to line up by the gap during the renovation break prior to the private Derby/Oaks training session at 8:30 a.m. The Churchill stands across the way also appeared pretty well-populated as well for the first time of the week.
The popular New York-bred Upstart (Flatter) looked a picture during his first tour around the racetrack. If the smile on Rick Violette's assistant trainer Melissa Cohen's face was any indication, it's a safe bet to say that the handsome dark bay has settled in from Florida just fine.
Jim Cassidy, sporting his regular New York Yankees cap, watched from the backside as Ocho Ocho Ocho (Street Sense) blew out an easy three furlongs in :38.40.
The big two of American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) and Dortmund (Big Brown) seem to look better each day if that's even possible. No wonder why Hall of Famer Bob Baffert was in such good form during Tuesday night's Kentucky Derby Trainer's Dinner at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Louisville.
Owner Kaleem Shah, wearing a Dortmund soccer shirt and jacket, was in attendance to watch his undefeated GI Santa Anita Derby winner as well as the comebacking GI Breeders' Cup Classic hero Bayern (Offlee Wild), who is slated to return in Saturday's seven-furlong GII Churchill Downs.
After the Derby/Oaks training session wrapped, as imagined, it was a chaotic scene back by Baffert's when American Pharoah and Dortmund came out for their baths. Jockey Martin Garcia, returning from some trackwork on another Baffert runner, had to give a pretty loud whistle to help part the sea in order to return to the shedrow.
It was a surprisingly tranquil setting by Pletcher's nearby base as his four Derby runners were getting cleaned up. Bloodstock agent Steve Young kept a close eye on the unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Materiality (Afleet Alex). He signed the $400,000 slip at EASMAY on behalf of Alto Racing last spring.
There was plenty going on back at Barn 42 as well.
Philip Birsh's handsome Wood Memorial runner-up Tencendur nibbled on some grass while trainer George Weaver was interviewed by a local television station. The accommodating Christophe Soumillon was in quite high demand for interviews after piloting Mubtaahij for his morning trackwork as well.
Just as training hours began to conclude, there was a nice moment back at D. Wayne Lukas's headquarters. Along with his five former assistants–Dallas Stewart, George Weaver, Kiaran McLaughlin, Mike Maker and Todd Pletcher–the group was available for a quick photo-op. A large contingent of media as well as owner/breeder Ken Ramsey all looked on as
the sextet–all impressively represented by Derby entrants this year–shared plenty of laughs as the bright sun beamed down on the backstretch on a delightful spring morning.
Click here for a photo page from Wednesday.
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