El Padrino and Gemologist settle well at Churchill Downs
Trainer Todd Pletcher will enter the Kentucky Derby with all his might, when he gets represented by Let’s Go Stable owned, El Padrino, and the undefeated WinStar Farm owned star, Gemologist, at Churchill Downs on 5 May, 2012.
Both these brilliant prospects arrived at Churchill Downs on the morning of 1 May, 2012, from South Florida, to absorb the setting, feel the ground under their feet, and then continue preparations for the$2 million event.
The reason behind arriving at Churchill Downs so late was that both these colts were turning in massive works at the Palm Meadows training Center that Todd Pletcher wanted to keep it going without disturbing their routine through travel and a new place altogether.
The 3-year-old colts are ready for the biggest race of their short careers, and that is why they are at Louisville to train and then go hard in a field of 20 at Churchill Downs.
The Kentucky bred son of Tiznow, Gemologist, has stayed undefeated five starts, and with a single Derby prep race, Gemologist will be looking to join the ranks of undefeated Derby winners.
As a juvenile, Gemologist raced twice over the Churchill Downs dirt track, and has won both those races convincingly, which means he is one of those unique runners, who didn’t have to get used to the dirt at Churchill Downs.
Out of mare Crystal Shard by Mr. Prospector, Gemologist, downed he second race of his career at Churchill Downs, an allowance/optional claimer at about 1 1/16 miles, and then went on to win the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club also at 1 1/16 miles in his next start.
“What’s important is that not only is he undefeated but he’s two-for-two at Churchill," Pletcher said of Gemologist. “That’s significant as we’ve seen in the past. Not all horses take to this surface. The fact that he’s won twice around two turns here I think is a big edge.”
The Kentucky bred son Pulpit, El Padrino seems to be settling in well, exiting fourth in the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby. With three wins in six starts, El Padrino won the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds.
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