Danzing Candy, Trojan Nation Train in KY

Cliff Sise took a drag off his cigarette in the Churchill Downs barn area May 3 and looked down the shedrow to see a familiar face.

"Oh, look who is hot walking now," the trainer said, prodding Leandro Mora, assistant trainer to Doug O'Neill, as he led a bay around the barn.  

About 30 seconds later, O'Neill came by as well, walking a horse of his own.

"Oh, another hot walker," Sise said with a smile.

There are a lot of familiar faces in Barn 41 at Churchill, both equine and human, to those who are familiar Southern California racing. Three Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) runners are stalled there—most notably favorite Nyquist along with O'Neill's string, but also Sise's San Felipe (gr. II) winner Danzing Candy and the Patrick Gallagher-trained Wood Memorial (gr. I) runner-up Trojan Nation. Fellow Southern California trainer Peter Eurton also has a small group at the barn, and jockey Gary Stevens paid Kobe's Back a visit Tuesday.

For Danzing Candy and the maiden Trojan Nation, Tuesday morning was their first experience over the Churchill track after their arrival in Kentucky May 2.

Danzing Candy galloped under regular exercise rider Rolando Quinonez and Trojan Nation jogged around the track under assistant trainer Andy Durnin to get his bearings on the new surface.

In his first experience shipping out of Southern California for a race, Danzing Candy will gallop and school every day leading into the Derby to get acclimated to his new surroundings.

"He needs all that," Sise said.

Trojan Nation has already shown an ability to ship and run well, nearly breaking his maiden in the Wood, just a head short to Outwork at Aqueduct Racetrack. Durnin said "he didn't lose a pound" shipping from California to New York. The spunky Street Cry colt seemed to be a bit uncomfortable during his jog the second time around the racetrack, needing restraint from Durnin, but the assistant trainer said that's all normal for him. Before the jog, Durnin knew what he was likely getting into.

"He's a little more ornery than usual," Durnin said. "Looks like I got to hang onto him a little bit—get tied on."

He was correct in his assessment. Trojan Nation wanted to get going into a gallop and Durnin had to hold on tight.

"He just jogged and loped around and was having a look, getting comfortable," Durnin said. "When he got into the backstretch a second time, I had to restrain him. He wanted to take off and get into a gallop. He was game on. We'll have to leave that until tomorrow and let him stretch his legs.

"He was a little sharper today. He can be feisty at home, too. He's your typical, playful 3-year-old, who is still learning and growing—acting babyish in some ways. I'm guessing he'll be pulling me along tomorrow."

As for race tactics Saturday, the pair couldn't differ more. Danzing Candy has been out front in all of his races leading up to the Derby, and Trojan Nation could be trailing the entire field early on.

Sise said where Danzing Candy draws will dictate whether the Twirling Candy   colt goes for the lead or tries to race right off another front runner. One thing is certain—a :45 1/5 half-mile, like he ran during his fourth-place Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) finish, would not be optimal.

"The draw will tell. We have to have a fair half-mile. That was too fast," Sise said. "He needs to go slower than that if he's got any shot at going a mile and a quarter, but we've got to go if we're inside.

"He's never drawn good to allow us to take back. I'd love to have him sit just off the pace on the outside. They're probably all thinking he's going to be on the lead, and he probably is."

Both colts recorded their final timed workouts in Southern California before shipping, and the Gallagher team didn't see much importance to getting a breeze in over the Churchill main track.

BALAN: Danzing Candy Logs Final Derby Breeze

"Come Saturday, it's going to be a different track than the other 364 days, anyway," Durnin said. "That's why Paddy breezed him at Santa Anita, because you don't really need to get over the track, because it's going to be different come Saturday."