Louisville, Ky. (AP) – Ian Wilkes saw journalists outside his barn in the sign that he must do something good.
The veteran coach completely adopts the attention that Burnham Square has given it as a Kentucky Derby starter. Even better, it is the points leader go to Saturday 151st race at Churchill Downs After entering the last weekend of qualification on the sidelines.
Advertisement
“It's great to arrive at the derby. This is the race that everyone wants to win,” said Wilkes about his girlfriend, who joined the rear to win 100 points in Keeneland on April 8 and the jump to the top of the ranking. He finished with 130 at Edge Sandman (129) and journalism (122.5), two of the Derby favorites.
Wilkes added: “It was just a nice preparation for the horse. It improves more and more each time, gathering the construction blocks. Just continue to build for the derby.”
It remains to be seen if this momentum takes place in a signature victory, but the native Australian has his second derby starter and first since McCraken finished eighth in 2017. After visiting the winner's circle twice in different roles working for the moment – the rate of renown of renowned Carl Nafzger, Wilkes knows the process and Roses.
He was a rider and an exercise groom for Nafzger when he trained in Unbridled, who won the 1990 derby and preakness before closing the year with a classic Breeders' Cup victory which won the Eclipse Prize at the end of 3 years. Wilkes was Nafzger's assistant in 2007, when Street Sense was a back marker 3/4 mile before quickly conflict and beaten hard turned by 2 1/4 length.
Advertisement
Everyone has contributed, but something about Wilkes' effort told Nafzger that he would succeed in full.
“We had good horses, but Ian just had a special way with them, good hands and a good eye for talent,” said Nafzger, 83, a relationship that started in the late 1980s.
Wilkes had a lot of nominal challenges when Nafzger gave him the operation in 2008. More victories followed, underlined by Breeders' Cup Classic Breakthrough in 2012 with Fort Larned.
While Nafzger remembers looking at Burnham Square training last weekend under the twin turns, he also amazed the way the staff remained stable under Wilkes. Coherence is the key to the success and uniform skills of Wilkes in the management of people and the nature of the roller coaster mountains have been cited among his many skills in Nafzger and colleagues.
Advertisement
“We all have good races and we all have droughts,” said the temple coach Steve Asmussen. “His behavior and attitude and temperament towards people are stable. I can't say that about myself.”
Currently, Wilkes rushing into a roll with Burnham Square which he hopes to continue in the renowned event of Racing.
“I'm going to enjoy every day and have fun, and I hope it's my turn,” he said.
Burnham Square won two of the three departures as 3 years in sandwich, sandwich, Blue Grass and Holy Bull Stakes wins around a fourth in the youth fountain in Gulfstream. Despite the derby ranking, he will start the $ 5 million, 1 1/4 Mile Triple Crown Treener against 12-1 Cost of the post n ° 9 next to it Favorite journalism 3-1aimed at becoming the fifth winner of this place and first since Riva Ridge in 1972.
Advertisement
And unlike the blue grass – where he dragged the field with two laps before moving forward and finally going down Pacesetter East avenue in the section – there are 19 other competitors to navigate. Burnham Square will be mounted by Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr., who guided the magnificent return to Keeneland and swept last year Derby And Kentucky Oaks Aboard mytik dan and the filly Thorpedo Annarespectively.
Even with a chance to become the first jockey to win consecutive derbies since Victor Espinoza 10 years ago, Hernandez is looking forward to rewarding Wilkes and the owner Janis Whitham with a fundamental success.
“They put me on my first first year winner with Fort Larned, and I am lucky to win a classic from breeders,” he said. “But to come back and win a Kentucky derby for him, it would be the pinnacle for the Whitham and Ian family too.”
___
AP Horse Racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing
