Trainer Brown doubles up on undercard
Trainer Chad Brown won his second stakes on the Derby undercard when Roca Rojo prevailed by a head in the $300,000 Distaff Turf Mile.
The race ended with a headbobbing finish as the pacesetting Believe in Bertie and Roca Rojo hit the wire together. The photo awarded the victory to 6-5 favorite Roca Rojo, her sixth in eight starts.
Earlier on the card, a determined Paulassilverlining held off 3-2 favorite Finest City by a neck to win the $300,000 Humana Distaff, the first stakes race of the day.
The 5-year-old trained by Brown has been a model of consistency. This was her third straight stakes victory, improving her record to 10 wins in 20 career starts.
A switch to turf turned Arklow into a stakes winner. The colt trained by Brad
Cox is 2-for-2 since shifting to turf after losing all five of his races on dirt. He posted a one-length upset in the $300,000 American Turf for 3-year-olds Saturday at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
Hall of Famer Mike Smith was aboard as Arklow rallied six-wide in the stretch to beat Good Samaritan. Arklow ran 1:44.64 for 1 1/16 miles.
He paid $32 to win at 15-1 odds.
➤ Wild Shot rebounded from a seventh-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes to pull an 8-1 upset in the $250,000 Pat Day Mile for 3year-olds.
Unlike the Blue Grass, where Wild Shot set the pace, jockey Corey Lanerie kept the colt in second this time as Uncontested set the pace. Turned loose at the top of the stretch, Wild Shot sprinted away to a fourlength victory.
The colt was bred and is owned by historic Calumet Farm. Trained by Rusty Ar
nold, Wild Shot paid $19.40 to win. ➤ Celebrity chef Bobby
Flay also served up a winner. His 3-year-old colt Caviar Czar won his first race on the undercard. It came on the third try for the Ireland-bred horse.
It was a satisfying victory for Flay as he was also the breeder. John Velazquez was aboard as Caviar Czar paid $8.20 to win.
➤ The red carpet at the Kentucky Derby annually attracts a barrage of reality TV stars, athletes, media figures and other celebrities. “Goodfellas” actor Paul
Sorvino got the biggest applause this year as he serenaded the media crowd at Churchill Downs with a rendition of “My Old Kentucky Home” in his best operatic voice. He got a high-five from a fan and a kiss from his wife.
Athletes who walked the red carpet included former Red Sox star David Ortiz, golfer Justin Rose, Louisville coach Rick Pitino and former NFL stars Warren Moon and Jerry Rice.