courier-journal.com
For years, the Derby Trial has been more like a mock trial.
Established in 1924, the traditional Churchill Downs opening-day Kentucky Derby prep has not produced a Derby starter since 1991 when Alydavid showed why the quick turnaround isn't tried much anymore. He finished 14th of 17 after winning the one-mile Trial.
This year the Derby Trial even lost its graded status, and its purse has been lowered from $150,000 to $100,000.
But if the race has lost some clout, it has gained a compelling storyline this year because of Don't Get Mad, a colt who could make a Derby run if he wins impressively today.
Trainer Ron Ellis wasn't sure yesterday that a victory would mean a definite Derby spot for Don't Get Mad.
"We'd definitely like to have that option," he said. "As long as he wins, it's worth discussion. If you throw out his last race, if he runs any of his previous four races it will put him in the hunt."
Don't Get Mad is owned by B. Wayne Hughes, who also owns Derby supplemental entry Greeley's Galaxy. If Don't Get Mad wins today, Hughes could well be forced to decide which of his colts would run in the Derby. After the defection of General John B yesterday, 21 colts remain for the 20 starting spots. Hughes could pull Don't Get Mad, allowing Greeley's Galaxy into the field.
"I don't know the answer to that one," he said. "I hope it doesn't come down to that decision because I don't know what I would do. It's an interesting scenario that I hope doesn't come up. I'm not predicting what I would do in that case."
First, however, Don't Get Mad needs to bounce back from a sixth-place finish in his last race, the Santa Anita Derby. The colt won his first two starts last fall -- both at Churchill Downs -- for trainer Paul McGee, Ellis' brother-in-law. He hasn't performed as well in his past two starts, and Ellis is hoping that taking the horse off the anti-bleeding medication Lasix will help.
"The Santa Anita Derby wasn't a miserable race for him, but he was flat," Ellis said. "We checked him out thoroughly, ran him through a nuclear scan and … couldn't find any reason why he ran poorly. …
"We're going to take him off Lasix. His first three races he ran extremely well with no Lasix, so I'm going to try to race him again without it. Maybe it had an adverse effect on him."
Don't Get Mad, who will be ridden by Gary Stevens, drew the No. 8 post in a field of eight and is the second choice in the morning line at 7-2. Todd Pletcher's Vicarage is favored at 5-2.
Don't Get Mad represents the last Derby hope this year for Ellis, whose Declan's Moon, the 2-year-old champion, went down with a chip in his knee.
"That's how it works: Only a couple of months ago it looks like you have two strong shots, then you have a bad break here and there and you're on the fringes looking in," Ellis said.
Ellis said he originally was looking for Don't Get Mad to win impressively today so that he could point him toward the Preakness.
"But ever since I've gotten here, people have been throwing the name of Ben Jones at me," Ellis said. "I've just said, 'What?' "
Jones used the Trial to prep five of his six Derby winners -- Lawrin (1938), Whirlaway ('41), Citation ('48), Pensive ('49) and Hill Gail ('52).
"They do call it the Derby Trial, after all," Ellis said, smiling.
For years, the Derby Trial has been more like a mock trial.
Established in 1924, the traditional Churchill Downs opening-day Kentucky Derby prep has not produced a Derby starter since 1991 when Alydavid showed why the quick turnaround isn't tried much anymore. He finished 14th of 17 after winning the one-mile Trial.
This year the Derby Trial even lost its graded status, and its purse has been lowered from $150,000 to $100,000.
But if the race has lost some clout, it has gained a compelling storyline this year because of Don't Get Mad, a colt who could make a Derby run if he wins impressively today.
Trainer Ron Ellis wasn't sure yesterday that a victory would mean a definite Derby spot for Don't Get Mad.
"We'd definitely like to have that option," he said. "As long as he wins, it's worth discussion. If you throw out his last race, if he runs any of his previous four races it will put him in the hunt."
Don't Get Mad is owned by B. Wayne Hughes, who also owns Derby supplemental entry Greeley's Galaxy. If Don't Get Mad wins today, Hughes could well be forced to decide which of his colts would run in the Derby. After the defection of General John B yesterday, 21 colts remain for the 20 starting spots. Hughes could pull Don't Get Mad, allowing Greeley's Galaxy into the field.
"I don't know the answer to that one," he said. "I hope it doesn't come down to that decision because I don't know what I would do. It's an interesting scenario that I hope doesn't come up. I'm not predicting what I would do in that case."
First, however, Don't Get Mad needs to bounce back from a sixth-place finish in his last race, the Santa Anita Derby. The colt won his first two starts last fall -- both at Churchill Downs -- for trainer Paul McGee, Ellis' brother-in-law. He hasn't performed as well in his past two starts, and Ellis is hoping that taking the horse off the anti-bleeding medication Lasix will help.
"The Santa Anita Derby wasn't a miserable race for him, but he was flat," Ellis said. "We checked him out thoroughly, ran him through a nuclear scan and … couldn't find any reason why he ran poorly. …
"We're going to take him off Lasix. His first three races he ran extremely well with no Lasix, so I'm going to try to race him again without it. Maybe it had an adverse effect on him."
Don't Get Mad, who will be ridden by Gary Stevens, drew the No. 8 post in a field of eight and is the second choice in the morning line at 7-2. Todd Pletcher's Vicarage is favored at 5-2.
Don't Get Mad represents the last Derby hope this year for Ellis, whose Declan's Moon, the 2-year-old champion, went down with a chip in his knee.
"That's how it works: Only a couple of months ago it looks like you have two strong shots, then you have a bad break here and there and you're on the fringes looking in," Ellis said.
Ellis said he originally was looking for Don't Get Mad to win impressively today so that he could point him toward the Preakness.
"But ever since I've gotten here, people have been throwing the name of Ben Jones at me," Ellis said. "I've just said, 'What?' "
Jones used the Trial to prep five of his six Derby winners -- Lawrin (1938), Whirlaway ('41), Citation ('48), Pensive ('49) and Hill Gail ('52).
"They do call it the Derby Trial, after all," Ellis said, smiling.
