Churchill Beckons Pincay

For the first time since finishing far back on Valiant Nature in 1994, Laffit Pincay Jr. will be riding in the Kentucky Derby.

The mount for the world’s winningest jockey will be Millennium Wind, who earned a trip to Churchill Downs with a decisive gate-to-wire victory in the $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland.

Trained by Dave Hofmans for owners David and Jill Heerensperger, Millennium Wind was dominant. He was ridden by Pincay for the first time after Chris McCarron, the colt’s previous jockey, decided to stay at Santa Anita to ride Bienamado in the San Juan Capistrano and Beautiful Noise in the Santa Barbara.

“Chris does not have a Derby horse and [Hofmans] gave us a 10-day grace to make up our minds,” said Scott McClellan, McCarron’s longtime agent. “At the time, Millennium Wind had a quarter crack and a skin disease and Bienamado is the best turf horse in the country right now.

“It was a tough decision, and if we had to do it all over again, we would have stuck with Millennium Wind, which is easy to say after the fact.”

Beset by physical problems before his runner-up finish in the Louisiana Derby, the 3-year-old son of Cryptoclearance had trained extremely well of late and he ran to his works Saturday.

Able to coast into the first turn with the lead, the 4-1 fourth choice repelled a challenge from 6-1 Songandaprayer, then drew away to win by a little more than five lengths in 1:48 1/5 for the 1 1/8 miles.

This was the second victory in five starts for Millennium Wind, who was second to Point Given in December’s Hollywood Futurity in his only other appearance in a Grade I.

“I was really high on this horse the first time I worked him [last month] because I haven’t worked a horse as fast and as good as him in a long time,” Pincay said.

“He could be any kind. He’s still kind of green and he’s going to keep improving. It’s a big thrill. I’m looking forward to riding in the Kentucky Derby again.”

Songandaprayer finished second, nearly two lengths in front of 2-1 favorite Dollar Bill. The disappointments were Hero’s Tribute, who finished last, and A P Valentine, who never threatened while finishing fifth.

“I’m sure when I get back, I’ll find that [Hero’s Tribute] opened up a quarter crack,” trainer John Ward said from Aqueduct. “That’s what it looked like to me. He was running very well and, then, something happened.”

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Three weeks after his easy win in the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park, Balto Star rolled to another victory in the $500,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.

Over a sloppy track and against a field that was not particularly strong, the 8-5 favorite, despite breaking from post 11, was able to get to the lead by the time the field reached the far turn and went on to win by 4 1/2 lengths over Jamaican Rum.

Balto Star, ridden by Mark Guidry and trained by Todd Pletcher, completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.

Notes

Takin It Deep, a 21-1 shot who had begun his career in a $50,000 maiden claimer, rallied to edge heavily favored Early Flyer and won the $200,000 California Derby at Bay Meadows. Jose Arriaga rode the winner.