Domestic Dispute Sold, Joins Kentucky Derby Fray

By Steve Haskin and
Ron Mitchell
Domestic Dispute, third in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes, has been purchased by David Bienstock and Chuck Winner and will be entered in next Saturday's $1-million Kentucky Derby under new trainer Patrick Gallagher. The price received by previous owner and breeder Gary Garber was not disclosed.

Previously trained by Bob Baffert, Domestic Dispute has won two of 10 lifetime starts, with earnings of $280,687. In his first start of this year, the colt won the Santa Catalina Stakes (gr. II).

Winner said the decision to buy Domestic Dispute came after discussions with Garber and Baffert. Based on those conversations, Winner said the new owners and trainer did not feel there was anything that would preclude running the colt in the Derby. Now that a deal has been reached on the colt, Garber plans to attend the Derby.

"We had been following this horse and discussing it with the owner and Baffert and made a decision to buy him based on an evaluation of the horse and the intrinsic value of the horse," Winner said.

"His form was good early in the year and even though he lost his form a bit recently we're hoping that his old form comes back," Gallagher told The Blood-Horse.

Winner and Bienstock own interests in about 10-12 horses. Gallagher, a former assistant to Bill Shoemaker, took over their stable once his former boss retired. Among the most prominent horses raced by the California owners have been Walkslikeaduck and Finely Majestic.

Winner said Domestic Dispute will likely gallop up to the May 3 Derby, with a blowout (fast breeze) on May 2 once jockey Alex Solis, who has the Derby mount, arrives in Louisville, Ky. He will be moved from Baffert's barn to the barn of Andrew McKeever at Churchill Downs.