Friday, May 09, 2008
Calder Barn Notes: 5-9-08
Carolina Mist Tests New Home in Sunday Allowance Feature
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (May 9, 2008) - Carliwood Farm and partners’ 3-year-old filly Carolina Mist hit the board in all three starts last year at Canterbury Downs in Minnesota and Remington Park in Oklahoma, and the Kentucky-bred chestnut resumes her career at Calder Race Course on Sunday in a 5 ½-furlong allowance test with leading rider Manoel Cruz aboard for new trainer Henry Collazo.
A daughter of Mr. Greeley, Carolina Mist won her debut at Canterbury last June and finished third in the Canterbury Lassie for trainer Michael Biehler before moving on to Remington where she finished second in the Cimarron Stakes on turf on Nov. 18 in her last start. Carolina Mist has done most of her training for her return breezing at Nelson Jones Farm (formerly Hooper Farm) in Ocala, but tested the Calder surface with an easy three furlongs in 37 2/5 last Thursday.
DESORMEAUX RETURNS TO MARYLAND WITH KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER
HEY BYRN, ICABAD CRANE AND RILEY TUCKER JOIN PREAKNESS PARTY
BALTIMORE, 05-09-08---Twenty-one years ago Kent Desormeaux announced his presence with authority in Maryland by winning 450 races. Two years later he broke the all-time single season mark by reaching the winners’ circle 598 times. He then left the state for greener pastures. Next Saturday, the 38-year-old returns in the 133rd running of the Preakness® Stakes (Grade I) as a Kentucky Derby champion for the third time after guiding Big Brown to victory six days ago.
“Everyone knows how excited people get for the Kentucky Derby. Well I get just as excited or even more about the Preakness,” said Desormeaux from New York this morning. “I may have grown up in Maurice, Louisiana but I grew up in the industry at Pimlico and Laurel Park. So to come there and get to ride in Maryland’s signature event is really important to me personally.”
Ten years ago, Desormeaux rode Real Quiet to Preakness glory and also has three second place finishes in the middle jewel of racing’s Triple Crown with nine other mounts-Free House (1997), Fusaichi Pegasus (2000) and Sweetnorthernsaint (2006). It was the lackluster performance by Fusaichi Pegasus, who won the Derby and was the prohibitive 1-5 favorite that keeps the rider humble about Big Brown’s Triple Crown aspirations.
Barn Notes: Friday, May 09, 2008
LEGENDARY LOCAL JOCKEY’S SON DEBUTS SUNDAY AT ARLINGTON
The apple hasn’t fallen very far from the tree – and those in attendance at Arlington Park Sunday will witness it in person.
Brandon Meier, son of popular veteran local jockey Randy Meier, will make his own long-anticipated professional riding debut aboard Frank Calabrese’s Houseboat in the fourth race of the afternoon.
“I’m excited. I’ve been waiting for this (first mount) and I’m ready to roll,” said the younger Meier, born 19 years ago in nearby Elk Grove Village, Illinois. “I just found out about it (Thursday). I was supposed to get my first mount two months ago, but then I screwed up my elbow working a horse in the morning – so that set me back until now.”
