Toccet Improved, Back in Derby Picture

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Owner Dan Borislow said Sunday that Toccet's ankles have shown marked improvement, and the colt definitely will be pointed toward the Kentucky Derby.

Toccet has been sidelined with what has been termed by veterinarians as remodeling of the ankles, and there was doubt whether he could be ready for the Derby.

"There's been no heat and no filling for two days in a row," Borislow said. " The horse is perfect right now, and John (trainer John Scanlan) is optimistic. He's really on the muscle today, and wants to go out and do something. We've received a good deal of encouragement from trainers and vets, and we've decided to go on with the horse. I don't know if it's the right thing to do, but the vets say 90 percent of the trainers would go on. They say we're not going to injure the horse any further; it's just a question whether we get lucky or whether it turns into something more chronic later on.

"We'll put a rider on his back in the second week of February, then give him a week with the rider on and see how he's doing. If everything looks fine, we'll resume training and shoot for the (mile and a sixteenth) Private Terms Stakes at Laurel on Mar. 29. If he comes out of the race in good shape, well send him to New York for the Wood Memorial, then the Kentucky Derby."

Toccet's injury was first detected following his hard-fought victory over Kafwain in the Hollywood Futurity. Prior to that, the son of Awesome Again captured the Champagne Stakes, Laurel Futurity, and Remsen Stakes.

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