After Bill Mott confirmed that Kentucky Derby fourth Chief Wallabee (Constitution) would not make the trip to Laurel for the May 16 GI Preakness, trainer Donnie Von Hemel confirmed Monday that Junior Alvarado will ride Crupper (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
“I talked to them this morning,” Von Hemel said on Monday. “Since Bill's not going, that's what we were waiting on.”
Alvarado rode Crupper in Oaklawn's nine-furlong Bathhouse Row Stakes on Apr. 18, a victory that gave Crupper a free entry into the Preakness.
In his fourth career start, he won a 1 1/16-mile Oaklawn maiden race at 16-1 odds Feb. 6, which also was the first time he wore blinkers. He followed up at that venue with a third-place finish in an allowance race on Feb. 28 prior to his Bathhouse Row win.
Crupper worked five-eighths of a mile in :59.80 May 1 at Trackside, Churchill Downs' satellite training center.
“He came out of the race in good shape, moved up here the next day or maybe two days,” Von Hemel said. “He always eats well and continues to eat well. Good energy on the racetrack. Worked in :59-and-change last weekend. These are all good things.”
Asked about another workout prior to the Preakness, he said, “If I do something, it won't be anything very serious.”
According to von Hemel, Crupper will likely leave Louisville for Maryland on Tuesday, May 12.
Preakness Decision for Golden Tempo by Week's End
Golden Tempo (Curlin)'s trainer Cherie DeVaux told NBC's Today Show on Monday that a decision whether to run in the GI Preakness should be made by the end of the week. NBC flew DeVaux to New York Sunday for her early Monday appearance on the Today Show.
Meanwhile, the Kentucky Derby winner shipped back to DeVaux's main base at Keeneland late Sunday morning. He had a scheduled walk day Monday morning.
Asked about the Preakness, DeVaux said, “We'll just have to see how he comes out of the race. He gets a couple of easy days. He's probably snoozing right now. We'll try to make a decision by the end of the week.”
Black-Eyed Susan Next for Nycon
While Ocelli (Connect), third in last weekend's Kentucky Derby, is unlikely to move on to the Preakness, trainer Whit Beckman indicated Nycon (Nyquist), who bypassed last Friday's GI Kentucky Oaks, is likely to make her next start in the GII Black-Eyed Susan on May 15.
Originally targeting the Black-Eyed Susan with Nycon, connections decided to run in the Oaks after the filly became the first or second also-eligible. Nycon drew into the Oaks, however, Beckman ultimately decided to bypass the race.
“There were just some things we didn't love the morning of [the race]. It wasn't anything serious,” he said. “There's nothing wrong with her. She's [went] out to train [Sunday] morning.
You have to consider the Black-Eyed Susan. That was a really strong group of Oaks fillies. I don't think she doesn't belong, but hopefully in this next start at [Laurel] she can show where I've always seen her talent level to be and figure out a summer campaign.”
Runner up in both the Cash Run Stakes and Busher Stakes this winter, Nycon was last seen finishing fourth in the GIII Gazelle Stakes at the Big A on Apr. 4.
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