International Star Stays Home for Final Work
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Ken and Sarah Ramsey's International Star stayed at trainer Mike Maker's base at the Churchill Downs Training Center for his final Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) workout April 25.
Rather than ship the 3-year-old by Fusaichi Pegasus six miles to the main track at Churchill, Maker kept his colt at home for a four-furlong breeze in :50 4/5 while working with stablemate Nominative. International Star was timed in fractional splits of :13, :25 1/5, and :37 3/5. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:06 1/5.
As a result of his sweep of the major Kentucky Derby prep races in Louisiana—Louisiana Derby (gr. II), Risen Star Stakes (gr. II), and LeComte Stakes (gr. III)—International Star comes into the Derby with the honor of being the leader in the points system that will determine the 20-horse starting field. His 171 points are one point better than Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner Dortmund.
In the first two years of the points system, the respective points' leaders each year—Orb in 2013 and California Chrome last year—won the Derby.
Bred in New York by Katherine M. Voss and Robert Manfuso, International Star was purchased at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic September yearling sale for $85,000. The colt's purchase price looks a bargain; he has gone on to win five of nine starts and earn $1,010,979.