Win Win Win to Keeneland for Blue Grass Stakes

Live Oak Plantation's Win Win Win is preparing to hit the road again, this time heading west to Kentucky from his home base at Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Maryland.

"We are leaving tomorrow and should be there Wednesday morning," trainer Mike Trombetta said April 1.

The purpose of the trip is to race in the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) April 6 at Keeneland, which offers 170 qualifying points toward the $3 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) on a 100-40-20-10 basis to the first four finishers.

"It was between the Blue Grass and the Wood Memorial," Trombetta said. "I was a little concerned about the deeper track in New York. I would get to keep the same rider (Irad Ortiz Jr.) if we did the Blue Grass, and I think that track will be a little more conducive to his style."

Win Win Win picked up 10 points with his third-place finish in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) in his most recent start March 9 at Tampa Bay Downs. That 10-point total puts Win Win Win at 31st on the Derby leaderboard.

"He has done very well since the Tampa Bay Derby and we came back to Fair Hill because that's home," Trombetta said. "I kept him at Tampa after the Pasco (Jan. 19) to keep him out of the colder weather."

Win Win Win, who set a Tampa Bay track record with his 7 1/4-length victory in the seven-furlong Pasco Stakes, had his final pre-race work March 30 at Fair Hill, going five furlongs in 1:01 3/5 on the all-weather surface.