Millennium Wind, a half-brother to 1999 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Charismatic, worked one-mile at Hollywood Park in 1:37 1/5 Tuesday morning. Trainer David Hofmans said Millennium Wind could ship to New York for the Wood Memorial.
“Right now, we’re 50-50 on him running in the Wood,” Hofmans said. “I’m going to talk to the owners tomorrow and they’ll make a decision. The Blue Grass (April 14) is our other option. Both are great races.”
Laffit Pincay Jr. replaces regular jockey Chris McCarron on Millennium Wind.
Trainer Neil Terracciano has withdrawn his appeal and started his 60-day suspension for the presence of Viagra in Destination Home on Nov. 18. He was also fined $1,000 and is denied privileges of the grounds.
Trainer Anthony Stabile was fined $200 for failure to conduct business in a proper manner necessitating a late scratch in the eighth race at Aqueduct on March 30.
1ST RACE – After chasing Cocktail Corner through soft fractions, Prime Queen took the lead at the top of the stretch and drew off to an easy victory. Kris’sbest closed well on the outside to finish second. Marqued Perfect reared up in the starting gate and threw Mike Luzzi to the ground. Luzzi dusted himself off and remounted the horse. She chased the pace but then tired badly. Intense Magic pulled up nearing the wire and was vanned off.
3RD RACE – In the first 2-year-old race of the year, Scalped Ticket led every step of the way and won like a professional in her career debut. According to jockey Joe Rocco, she worked about 30 times prior to her debut. She was named after an incident involving trainer and part owner James Casey at the Kentucky Derby in 1999. Casey was arrested on Derby day for scalping a Kentucky Derby ticket to an undercover officer and he was held in custody for 12 hours. After he was released, the case was in litigation and during the process it was discovered that Casey’s tickets were originally allotted to the office of Kentucky governor Paul Patton. The charges were dropped but then reinstated, before being dropped permanently nine months later.
4TH RACE – Loreny Benny rated off the pace but then started to make a move toward the leaders on the far turn. At the top of the stretch she angled outside and had dead aim on the leader Did’s Crusade. She brushed with Pleading Wish, who was inside of her, and the two ran together past the leader. But the slight brushing took away enough momentum from Loreny Benny and she ended up second.
6TH RACE – Favored Private Cat stalked the pace while wide and took over on the far turn. Judge Roy rated between horses but moved toward the lead nearing the stretch. He was on even terms with the favorite at the top of the stretch but was still full of run and pulled away to an impressive victory. It was the third victory of the afternoon for trainer Robert Klesaris and jockey John Velazquez. Uncommon lost all chance at the start when he was bumped by the winner a couple steps out of the starting gate.
7TH RACE – Another great ride by Velazquez, this time on Affair In the Air, to give him his fourth winner. After being bumped at the start, Affair In the Air rated off the pace before making an aggressive, inside move on the far turn to move into contention. She angled outside at the top of the stretch and blew by pacesetting Just Justin with ease to go on for the victory. Maricopa County trailed the field early but finished full of run to gain the place spot.
YESTERDAY’S CLAIMS
9TH RACE: Angle of Pursuit ($10,000) by Joe Imperio; Diablo’s Addition ($10,000) by Joe Aquilino; Lord Valentine ($10,000) by Dennis Brida
PICK SIX
Winning numbers: 5-3-6-7-5-4
4 winners each receives $35,414
119 consolation (5 of 6) winners
each receives $284
No carryover.
