Country House to Receive Time Off at Blackwood Stables
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Photo: Dale Crosby
Country House the morning after the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs
Mrs. J. V. Shields, E. J. M. McFadden Jr., and LNJ Foxwoods' Country House will receive about two months off from training and will be turned out at Blackwood Stables in Versailles, Ky., trainer Bill Mott said June 16 after multiple reports noted the Lookin At Lucky colt was not likely to race again until next year.
Country House has not run since winning the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) via the disqualification of Maximum Security May 4 at Churchill Downs.
"We'll start by probably giving him 60 days of just turnout," Mott said. "And of course that puts you in the end of the year before he'll be ready, but hopefully he'll be ready to start early (next) year."
Country House developed a cough following the Kentucky Derby that kept him out of the Preakness Stakes (G1) and Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1). He resumed training with Mott's Churchill Downs string before shipping to Saratoga Race Course. The July 27 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), a local prep for the Aug. 24 Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1), marked a possible return for Country House before his connections decided to give the 3-year-old extra time to return to his top form.
Blackwood Stables is a full service breaking, training, and rehabilitation facility co-owned by Matt Hogan and Guinness McFadden, the latter being the nephew of Maury Shields, whose late husband Jerry bred Country House. The Derby winner was broke and began his training at Blackwood Stables before he was sent to Webb Carroll Training Center in South Carolina, and then to Mott for his race career.