Isn’t He Clever gone to Steven Asmussen’s barn from Henry Dominguez
The Grade 1, $2 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, hopeful Isn’t He Clever has been taken out of training from the care of the leading New Mexico trainer Henry Dominguez, and has been transferred to veteran trained Steven Asmussen by owner
J. Kirk Robison.
The Kentucky bred son of Smarty Jones is coming off an eighth place finish in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park to winner, Bodemeister, on 14 April, 2012, and prior to the Arkansas Derby, he finished second to Steven Asmussen trained
3-year-old, Daddy Nose Best, in the Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Derby at Sunland Park on 25 March, 2012.
Out of mare Sharp Minister by Deputy Minister, Isn’t He Clever kicked off his 2012 campaign in impressive manner, when he bagged the second race of the new season called the Borderland Derby.
Held at Sunland Park on 25 February, 2012, Isn’t He Clever downed Zackn’mat in second and Major Hope in third, which topping the 1 1/16 mile distance in 1 minute and 43 seconds under jockey A. Medellin.
Owner J. Kirk Robison said a start in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby is still under consideration, and he was moved to Steven Asmussen’s barn at Churchill Downs on 17 April, 2012.
“We moved him to Steve’s barn because there are more opportunities for him on the dirt being in Kentucky and out in the East than if we brought him back (to New Mexico),” Robison said via phone from El Paso.
“We’re evaluating our options,” Robison said. “The Derby is still under consideration, but I’ve always said I would never enter the Derby if I didn’t think the horse would be competitive. The horse will go out for some exercise this week, but won’t have a work
till next weekend. The decision will be based on Steve’s opinion.”
Currently, Isn’t He Clever sits at 21 on the graded stakes earnings list, and with 20 starters to make the Kentucky Derby gate, Isn’t He Clever would want a couple of more colts and geldings to bypass the 138th running of the Grade 1 Kentucky
Derby.
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