11 a.m.
Inspiring Artist

Out by section 115, Maureen O’Donnell Lassiter is working hard with her sketch pad. One look up and then down at her paper, you can see her inspiration: the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs.

The Louisville native loves the Downs. She’s getting an up-close look today, but often times she’ll sketch the landscape from memory.

While not an “artist,” Lassiter has a PhD in microbiology. Right now she’s not doing anything with her degree, but relishing her role as a grandmother.

She may, or may not be, at this year’s Derby, but she does have a pick that is perfect for her artist’s palette.

“It’s a wide open race,” she says, now as a handicapper. “But I like ‘brown’ horse: Big Brown. The reason is a personal one. My son works for UPS and I figure, ‘what can Brown do for me?’” – E.H.

 9:09 a.m.
Flying Coach

Richard Migliore bounds through Barn 45 at Churchill Downs at a few minutes past nine. That’s late for a racetracker, but the jet-setting jockey has a valid excuse. He just got into town.

The California-based rider left the Left Coast at 11:30 and took a red-eye flight to Cincinnati, and then had to hop a flight to Louisville. Standiford Field in Louisville is just a few miles from the Twin Spires.

“I got to Cincinnati at 7:30 and I just got here now,” the Mig says. “I booked it so late, I wound up in coach in the middle of two people, but I was able to sleep a little.”

Mig made it town—and left Louisville on an 11:30 flight back to California—to work Bob Black Jack a half-mile over the Churchill Downs strip. It was a successful venture as they got in solid :48 3/5 drill in advance of Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.

Ironically, the pair was ponied to the track by Kim Carroll, the wife of trainer David Carroll. Carroll trains Denis of Cork, who at the moment is 21st on the list by graded earnings and needs a defection to get into the big kahuna. The trainer kids that he instructed his wife to take them to the track…and then right to the outside fence.

That became a moot point by noon, when Behindatthebar was taken out of consideration for the Derby, putting Denis of Cork in at No. 20.

In his first six starts, Bob Black Jack was ridden by David Flores. Migliore was aboard for a runner-up effort in the Santa Anita Derby on April 5.

“At first, we figured David might ride him, but I told my agent that ‘I feel that we’re going to ride him,’” Mig says. “It was never a question in my mind; I just kind of knew.”

Migliore has had four mounts in the Derby throughout his illustrious career. His first mount, Eternal Prince in 1985, finished 12th. His best finish came in 2000 when he was fifth on Wheelaway. – E.H.

Team Bob Black Jack: Richard Migliore, trainer James Kasparoff, with an assit to Kim Carroll

9 a.m.
A Real Corker

Jockey Calvin Borel is holding court outside David Carroll’s barn. Winner of last year’s Kentucky Derby aboard Street Sense, Borel has just taken a tour of the Churchill Downs racing strip aboard the Carroll-trained Denis of Cork.

As of now, there is a very good possibility Denis of Cork will not run in the Derby. He’s on the outside looking in in terms of graded earnings, the yardstick when the racing office takes entries for the $2-million race tomorrow. Only the top 20 by graded stakes earnings get a shot at the roses.

“He’s peaking right now,” Borel laments. “This horse is getting better, and better, and better. Maybe we’ll get in.”

Carroll has a little rosier outlook on the situation.

“We got ourselves in this pickle…there’s no one to blame,” the trainer says in his thick Irish accent. “Mr. Williams (owner Warren) is a great man and was trying to do the best by his horse. You can’t point fingers anywhere. It is what it is.

“My best friend’s daughter is in the hospital right now, and that’s putting things into perspective. We hope she makes a full recovery. This is just a horse race. We’d love to be in it, but her recovery is more important at the moment to me. If I don’t run Saturday, the sun’s going to come up Sunday and I’ll have a nice, fresh horse.” –E.H.

7:00 a.m.
Smooth Recovery

Mount Joy Stables' Smooth Air takes to the track after a nailbiting weekend - the Benny Stutts Jr. trainee spiked a temp on Friday but is feeling his oats today. He is accompanied on his first circuit of the track by a stout pony who serves as a buffer for his antics as he twists and strikes, ears pinned in playful vice.

Later, back at the barn, Stutts and Mount Joy owner Brian Burns confer in front of the colt's stall. Even after getting some energy out on the track, Smooth Air is on edge. His hotwalker takes a snug hold on the lip chain when she brings him out of the stall.

"Now that's the horse I knew in South Florida," Stutts says. "The vet has been drawing blood every day and you could see the blood cells drop and spike back up after we put him on the antibiotics. He's 100% back to his old self; he's made a smooth recovery."

And as if to accentuate the point, Smooth Air pauses in his circuit of the shedrow to let out a healthy kick.Smooth recovery, indeed. -C.N.

 6:15 a.m.
Hangin’ With Mr. McGinness

The sentinel posted at Gate 10 this morning is an imposing character. Lee McGinness has been a security guard at Churchill Downs for nine years, but this is his first time at this post. In his years on the post, he hasn’t had any major trouble. One look at him and you see why. Not many would mess with Mr. McGinness.

During a series of corporate cutbacks, Churchill Downs let McGinness go, but has hired him back for the season. He’ll have a full plate this week.

In the pre-dawn of Monday morning, cars roll through past his guardhouse and he checks for horseman’s tags to allow entry onto the backstretch. His mantra this morning? “Show your tags, show your tags,” he shouts.

Someone without a tag offers weakly that he’s looking for someone with the Salvation Army. McGinness sends him away for another parking lot.
While he doesn’t wager, he does have a Derby horse.

“Big Brown,” he says. “That’s my mother’s maiden name.”

As good an angle as any. –E.H.

5:30 a.m.

Rookie Rewards

At the Circle K gas station on Third Avenue, horsemen fill their tanks and grab some fuel for themselves as well. A trainer, buying a water and a can of Red Bull, plunks a few power bars down on the counter. He is discussing the schedule of his filly, who will school in the paddock later in the morning, with a buddy who is clearly a rookie when it comes to backside affairs.

"This is great," the rookie remarks. "I'm going to learn about training and betting, all in one week."

The clerk attempts to ring up the power bars. No shot.

"Sir, I'm sorry," she says. "I can't sell these to you, they won't register."

The rookie is holding the same bar. "Try mine," he says.

"$1.49" flashes across the register. Bingo.

"Look at that," the trainer says. "Go figure, you grab the right bar. Must be beginner's luck starting already."

Following the rookie's first selections at the racetrack looks like a good hunch bet to us. -C.N.

5:50 a.m.

Scuttlebutt

Ron Soellner and Wanda Pate are cheery volunteers at Churchill this morning. Wanda drives the media shuttle from the Longfield Avenue parking lot to the backside press center; Ron rides shotgun. They've both been volunteering as shuttle drivers for about five or six years. Pate's husband drives a shuttle as well. Their time is compensated by donations to their associated charities - Pate volunteers through the Salvation Army, while Soellner is with Kiwanas.

"The best part of this job is meeting nice people such as yourself," says Soellner, who donated as many as 98 hours in a two-week span one year. "We're allowed to watch the Derby from the backside, which I like to do. We usually get a few people riding in here who give us the scuttlebutt."

Really? What's the scuttlebutt this year, Ron?

"Everyone's been pretty quiet so far, but it's the beginning of the week. Right now I like that Colonel horse."

"Colonel John," Pate puts in.

"Yeah, him," says Soellner. "I don't consider myself to be a horse person, but at this point I'd say there's about three to five horses that could legitimately win."

The shuttle pulls up to the press center. Soellner opens the door.

"You have a nice morning, now!" he says.

We will, Ron. We're off to find some scuttlebutt. - C.N.