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Malameeze, Mister Triester, Racketeer updates

Malameeze – trainer Bobby Barnett

On the grounds

“He’s sitting on go. He got to Hawthorne on Monday, and has had good, strong gallops the last two mornings. This horse wants to come from out of it. Hopefully we can save some ground and the speed will set it up for us so we can come running the last 3/8th of a mile.

"He’s developed very nicely for us this spring, and has improved a little in every race. He was a big, lanky, good looking 2-year-old, and we knew it was going to take him some time to put it all together. He’s been running on the Polytrack, but I don’t think the switch back over (to the Hawthorne dirt) will make any difference.

"We talked about the Illinois Derby and the Arkansas Derby, but this is the best spot for us right now. He bounced back out of the Lane’s End in great shape, and if he runs well Saturday, it will give us four weeks to get ready for the Kentucky Derby. He’s going to have to run a bang up race to earn that right though. Right now I think we’re 21st (on the graded stakes earnings list). If he qualifies after Saturday, it will be difficult for us not to take a shot. We’re right there stabled at Churchill.”

Mister Triester – trainer Glen Stute

Worked five furlongs at Hawthorne on Wednesday in at bullet 1:00 3/5

He’s doing fine. Fantastic. He’s really starting to wake up. The work was great. I loved it. A lot faster than anyone else worked this morning, and he got the last eighth in :11 3/5, which was really impressive.

"He’s been here since Friday because of a transportation issue from California. We had to fly into Louisville Thursday night and van up. We think we can win it, but it’s not going to be a walk in the park.

"Where did all of these guys come from? Frankel, Hollendorfer Pletcher? Well, Pletcher has been here before. We came out and won it last year (with Greeley’s Galaxy) and now all these guys want to do the same thing.

"I’ll tell you what. I love 8-1 (the morning line odds on Mister Triester). I know his early races look bad, but we’ve always believed in him. He had a throat issue that needed to be taken care of, so we did, and it worked. He’s a small framed horse, the kind of horse that would have a tough time with the grind of the Derby trail, but if he runs exceptionally well on Saturday, we would have to consider it (the Kentucky Derby).

"I thought we ran well in the Santa Catalina. That Brother Derek is one tough sucker. We think we’ll move up a lot off that race. We think we can take him back a little bit early. He’s very rateable and has a quick turn of foot. Go back and look at the way he broke his maiden (Feb 3 at SA). That’s the way he want to see him do it.”

Racketeer – trainer Bobby Frankel

Blood-horse profile

Scheduled to arrive Saturday morning

“He’s a nice horse. He’s well bred and he tries real hard. The main reason we’re coming to the Illinois Derby is the competition. We thought he’d fit well there.

"As hard as he tries, he reminds me a lot of Peace Rules. This is a gauge race for us. We expect him to run well, and think he’s good enough, or we couldn’t send him all the way to Chicago. We were very happy with the progress he made in the San Felipe (fourth behind A.P. Warrior). It was his first two-turn race. He was stuck between horses, and when a horse move a little pre-maturely, he kind of went with him. He was on the worst part of the track, didn’t get a great trip, and he still only got beat a nose for third by Bob and John, and he’s a nice horse.”

Hawthorne’s spring 2006 Thoroughbred meet runs February 24 through May 4 with live racing five days per week: Friday through Tuesday. Post time is 1:10 p.m. Saturday through Tuesday and 3 p.m. on Friday. Hawthorne is dark Wednesdays and Thursdays and Easter Sunday April 16, but full card simulcasting from racetracks across the country is offered every day.

The Grade II $500,000 Illinois Derby, a prestigious prep for the world famous Kentucky Derby, will be run at Hawthorne on Saturday, April 8.

For more information visit www.hawthorneracecourse.com.

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