Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Saez will ride J Boys Echo
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Dale Romans didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when his close friend Robby Albarado suffered an injury that would keep the jockey from riding J Boys Echo in the 143rd Kentucky Derby next Saturday.
After the injury, Romans was hounded from all sides as to who would replace Albarado. On Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs, he joked, “I’ve been in touch with [Eddie] Delahoussaye to see if he can get ready in time,” referring to the retired Hall of Fame jockey who won the Derby in 1982 and 1983.
Later Wednesday, Romans announced via his Twitter account that it will be Luis Saez, the leading jockey this winter at the prestigious championship meet at Gulfstream Park in Florida, to ride J Boys Echo, owned by the Albaugh Family Stable.
Saez “has really matured as a rider,” said Romans. “Obviously, I watched him a lot when we were down in Florida this winter. We feel good about getting him.”
Albarado, meanwhile, is coping with a setback that might be even more mentally torturous than physically painful. He underwent surgery Monday in Lexington, Ky., to repair the broken lower left leg he sustained in a Sunday spill at Keeneland, with a rod and two screws implanted to facilitate the healing process. He is expected to be sidelined for at least several weeks.
“Robby’s as tough as they come,” said Romans. “He’ll get through this like he’s gotten through some other difficult situations.”
Six years ago, Romans was among the trainers who kept Albarado aboard his mounts on Derby Day despite Albarado having to ride with a customfitted mask to protect a broken nose and other facial injuries suffered three days beforehand when he was dumped in the post parade prior to a Churchill race. Albarado rode seven races on that 2011 Derby card, with his lone victory coming in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff for Romans aboard Sassy Image, who prevailed at 16-1 as the longest shot in a field of seven.
Albarado had been replaced the Friday before the 2011 Derby aboard Animal Kingdom, the eventual winner under John Velazquez. The connections of Animal Kingdom were unsure as to how Albarado could perform under the circumstances.
“You can only imagine how hard that is, losing a Derby winner like that,” said Romans.
Albarado was the regular rider for Romans on Not This Time, the Albaugh family homebred who might well have been the favorite for the upcoming Derby if not for the career-ending injury the colt sustained when finishing a fast-closing second last fall as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
“We were all crushed by that,” said Romans. “Nothing comes easy in this game.”
Breen and filly looking good
As good as his horses look, Kelly Breen tries to outdo them. The 47-year-old trainer will have Miss Sky Warrior as one of the favorites in the Kentucky Oaks on Friday, when many of the 100,000-plus racing fans will be dressed to impress amid the traditional “Pink Out” theme.
Breen is known for a sartorial splendor rarely undertaken by Thoroughbred trainers, with a natty fedora the unfailing final complement to a stylish outfit.
“I’ve picked out what I’m wearing Oaks Day,” he said this week at Churchill. “All but the hat. I’m probably going to have to go out and find one to match what I’m wearing.”
All that aside, a career-best performance from Miss Sky Warrior is far more important to Breen than how her trainer looks. A longtime leading conditioner on his home circuit of New Jersey, he is obsessive about his horses.
“We came here to win,” he said.
Miss Sky Warrior, a winner of four straight graded stakes entering a terrific renewal of the 1 1/8-mile Oaks, was the only Oaks or Derby hopeful to work here Thursday. She breezed before hard rain started to fall, getting a halfmile in 49.20 seconds over a track that was still fast.
Finley’ s lucky char min Roxelana
Bret Calhoun wanted to run Finley’ s lucky char min the Grade 1 Madison earlier this month at Keeneland and the Grade 1 Humana Distaff on the Derby undercard, but a minor injury to the filly’s hind leg is forcing her to miss both races.
Instead, Finley’ s lucky charm will make her 4-year-old debut as a heavy favorite here Saturday night in the $65,000 Roxelana, an overnight stakes at six furlongs.
The daughter of Twirling Candy was a close second in the Grade 1 La Brea at Santa Anita in her most recent race last December and has won 5 of 7 career starts.
Finley’ s lucky charm popped a curb – swelling in a ligament behind the hock – after a couple of works at Fair Grounds, Calhoun said.
“I didn’t want to fight it the rest of the year, so we freeze fired it and gave her a little time,” he said. “She’s come back super, but we missed just enough time with her that we had to skip those two Grade 1’s. We ought to be fine in this spot, and hopefully we’ve got a good year ahead of us.”