Vekoma, Out For a Spin Well After Keeneland Victories

Before the rain began April 7, trainer George Weaver had Toyota Blue Grass (G2) winner Vekoma out of the stall to munch on some grass outside Barn 11.

"He is well and happy," Weaver said of the son of Candy Ride , who is owned by R.A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables.

Saturday's 3 1/2-length victory secured Vekoma's spot in the starting gate for the May 4 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs and set Weaver up for a second shot at the roses.

In 2015, the Louisville native saddled Tencendur, who finished 17th behind Triple Crown winner American Pharoah .

"Vekoma is going to walk the next three days and then we will come up with a plan (for the Derby)," Weaver said.

Runner-up Win Win Win is scheduled to return to his home base Monday at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland. Owned by Live Oak Plantation, Win Win Win closed with a rush to nose out Signalman for second and pick up 40 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

"That was kind of important, wasn't it?" trainer Mike Trombetta said. "At the quarter pole, I thought I was going to the Preakness (G1)."

With 50 points, Win Win Win is 14th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard and will likely have a spot in the starting gate, but he could have been on the outside looking in had he finished third and earned 20 fewer points.

"(Win Win Win) gets his own attention because he can do a mile and a quarter and for him (distance) is not a question," Trombetta said. "This was only his second race going two turns. It makes me feel a lot better that (Tacitus, who) beat us in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) came back and won the Wood Memorial (G1) yesterday."

Trombetta plans to keep Win Win Win at Fair Hill until a week before the Derby with his final work coming at Fair Hill.

Signalman, who finished third, also will aim for the Kentucky Derby, trainer Kenny McPeek said.

Owned by Tommie M. Lewis, Steve Crabtree, Dean Demaree, David Bernsen, Jim Chambers, and Magdalena Racing, Signalman is 18th on the Derby leaderboard. With points still available in the April 13 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland and the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park, Signalman could be excluded from the Derby's 20 horse-limit.

"If he can't make the Derby on points, then we will go to the Preakness," McPeek said. "It is a high-level problem to have. (Signalman and grade 1 Central Bank Ashland Stakes runner-up Restless Rider) both ran well, and that will set them up for the next town. It was a good day overall."

McPeek said Signalman and Restless Rider, a candidate for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), "will stay at Keeneland another week or two. Maybe they will have another workout at Keeneland, maybe not. I haven't decided. Once they go back to the track to gallop, we will figure out what their energy levels are. Most likely they will have their final works at Churchill."

Commonwealth Stable's Out for a Spin, who scored a neck victory as a 52-1 shot in Saturday's $500,000 Ashland Stakes, returned to her home base at Churchill Downs following the victory that earned her a spot in the starting gate for the May 3 Kentucky Oaks.

Trainer Dallas Stewart, who won the Oaks in 2006 with Lemons Forever, reported via text that Out for a Spin was doing fine Sunday morning.

Restless Rider, campaigned by Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circle Stables, picked up 40 points toward the Oaks in the Ashland. Her total of 62 points is good for eighth on the leaderboard and a guaranteed spot in the Oaks.

D.J. Stable and Cash is King's champion Jaywalk, third in the Ashland as the even-money favorite, remains on track for a Kentucky Oaks bid.

"She's good this morning," trainer John Servis said. "She got pressured by (Out for a Spin) on the outside, and (jockey) Javier (Castellano) said she dug in and fought back. She stayed on pretty good."

After being passed by Out for a Spin and Restless Rider on the far turn, Jaywalk gained ground in the short run through the stretch.

"I told my son Tyler after the race that at least this takes some of the pressure off," Servis said about the high expectations for the 2018 Eclipse Award winner.

Servis, who finished third in 2016 Ashland with Cathryn Sophia before going on to win the Oaks, said the plan is to give Jaywalk one work here before shipping to Churchill Downs April 28.

With 51 qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks, Debby M. Oxley's sixth-place finisher Chocolate Kisses is virtually guaranteed a spot in the Oaks starting gate. 

"We tried to change her running style a little bit in the Ashland, so that is just one of those races you draw a line through," said David Carroll, assistant to trainer Mark Casse. "Mark and the Oxleys will make the decision, but the Kentucky Oaks is definitely on the table. (Chocolate Kisses) will stay at Keeneland until maybe a week before (the Oaks). Keeneland has a great track surface to train on and the barn area is quiet. Horses do very well at Keeneland."