Road to the Derby: Saez regains ride on Wildcat Red

LOUISVILLE -- Wildcat Red, second in the Florida Derby by a neck to the now-sidelined Constitution, has been reunited with jockey Luis Saez for the Kentucky Derby.

The two teamed to win the Grade II Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park, but Saez opted to ride heavy favorite Cairo Prince in the Florida Derby, finishing fourth.

Wildcat Red's camp announced last week that Rafael Bejarano would ride Wildcat Red in the Derby. But Saez became available when Cairo Prince came out with an ankle injury.

Saez was aboard Sunday as Wildcat Red worked a half-mile in 48.69 seconds at Gulfstream, galloping out five-eighths of a mile in 1:02.30.

"He was flying. The good thing was: he got his last eighth in 11-flat," said trainer Jose Garoffalo. "That's all we needed."

Other works: The Todd Pletcher-trained Intense Holiday, the Risen Star winner and Louisiana Derby runner-up, worked a half-mile in 48.75 seconds in company with stablemate Micromanage at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County. Pletcher also oversaw the work of Spiral winner We Miss Artie, who breezed five-eighths of a mile in 1:01.19 in company with Capo Bastone.

Javier Castellano, who became available after Constitution was injured, was named Sunday as We Miss Artie's Kentucky Derby rider. Owner Ken Ramsey of Nicholasville, Ky., said he has a two-race agreement with Castellano to ride the Ontario-bred We Miss Artie in the Kentucky Derby and Woodbine's July 6 Queen's Plate for Canadian-born horses.

Etc.: Trainer Bob Baffert hasn't completely ruled out the Kentucky Derby for Midnight Hawk in the wake of that colt's nose defeat to Dynamic Sky on the final jump of Saturday's Illinois Derby. But, Baffert said in a text, "only if field continued to have more defections."

Kentucky Oaks: Likely favorite Untapable, winner of the Fair Grounds' Oaks and Rachel Alexandra, worked five-eighths of a mile in 1:00 in company at Churchill Downs under jockey Rosie Napravnik.

"She's a tremendously talented filly that's traveling extremely well," said trainer Steve Asmussen. "There's no denying her ability and this is more of the same. This is what we've seen all winter. She's just exceptional."

Rees writes for the Louisville Courier-Journal