Ellis Thinks Ats' Over Foot Trouble After Jog

(from Churchill Downs notes)
Atswhatimtalknbout, the fourth-place finisher to Visa Triple Crown contender Funny Cide in the Kentucky Derby (Gr. I), jogged two miles over a fast track on Sunday at Churchill Downs as the condition of his sore right front foot continued to improve.

The Ron Ellis-trained son of A.P. Indy jogged two miles the wrong way on the outer rail under exercise rider Raul Vizcarrando. He was squealing and playing under his rider as he jogged amid intermittent raindrops on a cool, overcast morning under the track's historic Twin Spires.

"He looked perfect," said Ellis. "I think this shows that we've gotten through it."

Ellis had a few anxious days since Atswhatimtalknbout apparently bruised that foot during a six-furlong workout on Tuesday at the Louisville track. He missed two days of training and regular blacksmith Wes Champagne flew in from Southern California on Thursday to fit the colt with bar shoes similar to the ones he had worn when he suffered tender feet while training over the winter.

The colt popped an abscess on the bulb of the foot Friday and allowed the injured area to be drained and cleaned. He returned to training with a one-mile jog on Saturday and followed that with Sunday's activity.

"We'll probably throw a patch on it and see how it does," said Ellis. "The patch should stabilize it."

Ellis said the colt will gallop on his return to the track for training on Monday, but this week's scheduled work would probably be shoved back to Wednesday.

"I want him to get in a couple of good days of gallops before he works," said Ellis, "but the way he looks today we're definitely through it."