Paasch Pair Works For Weekend StakesChristopher Paash sent Blue Grass hopeful Crowned Dancer and Commonwealth Breeders' Cup (gr. II) probable Roman Dancer out for half-mile breezes at his Victory Haven Training Center near Lexington on Tuesday morning."Crowned Dancer worked a half in :48 2/5," Paasch stated. "He is really coming up to the Blue Grass in great shape. Roman Dancer went in :49. He should be tough to beat in the Commonwealth."
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas has indicated that Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey's Ten Cents A Shine will run in the grade I, $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass instead of the Arkansas Derby (gr. II) as originally planned. The Ohio-bred son of Devil His Due went unplaced in Santa Anita's San Felipe Stakes (gr. II), but came back to work a mile in 1:38 2/5 over the Arcadia oval on March 30. Shipped to Churchill Downs the following Tuesday, he posted a super six-furlong drill in 1:13 1/5 on April 5."It looks like there is going to be a big field in Arkansas and if you draw the outside there, you have no chance to win," said Lukas. "This horse is training great. I have him where I want him physically but he's not where I want him mentally yet. We need to step up and get in the fray though or we'll be lost on the first Saturday in May."Lukas has chosen Mike Smith to ride Ten Cents A Shine in the Blue Grass.