Unbridled S Song

Two Maryland racehorse owners -- who last weekend were one race away from the Kentucky Derby -- will not send their horses to Churchill Downs for the first Saturday in May.Herb Kushner, owner of Romano Gucci, and Stuart S. Janney III, owner of Draw, say their horses will not run in the Kentucky Derby. On April 13, in final auditions for the Derby, Romano Gucci finished third in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in New York, and Draw ran fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky."

NEW YORK -- Unbridled's Song's star-crossed career is now in the hands of Nick Zito.Owner Ernie Paragallo moved his talented but troubled colt into Zito's Saratoga stable yesterday, firing Jim Ryerson as trainer.Ryerson won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the Florida Derby and the Wood Memorial with the horse, but never seemed to be on the same page with the brash Paragallo, who clearly was calling the shots and was widely criticized for what many have perceived to be mismanagement.With Ryerson seemingly on the outside looking in, Unbridled's Song's career hit the skids after the Wood Memorial as he lost both the Kentucky Derby and the Peter Pan as the favorite while being bothered by bad feet, a lung infection and an ulcer.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. -- The Arlington Citation Challenge was created to draw Cigar to the Midwest in pursuit of Citation's record. But that didn't mean in yesterday's race that Cigar would have an easy go of it.He was treated rudely. He drew the far outside No. 10 post position and then was forced to run wide the entire 1 1/8 miles -- and this carrying top weight of 130 pounds, 8 to 14 pounds more than his nine challengers."Probably my worst fears came true getting hung out [around the first turn]

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. -- The Arlington Citation Challenge was created to draw Cigar to the Midwest in pursuit of Citation's record. But that didn't mean in yesterday's race that Cigar would have an easy go of it.He was treated rudely. He drew the far outside No. 10 post position and then was forced to run wide the entire 1 1/8 miles -- and this carrying top weight of 130 pounds, 8 to 14 pounds more than his nine challengers."Probably my worst fears came true getting hung out [around the first turn]

HALLANDALE, Fla. - The forecast for today's Florida Derby calls for 80-degree temperatures, sunny skies and muddled conditions for handicappers.This premier prep for the Kentucky Derby features potential superstars but no obvious standout. It's the kind of race that makes the journey to the Triple Crown races one of the most challenging and captivating in sports.The top two Kentucky Derby hopefuls Cobra King and Unbridled's Song will meet here for the first time. Although 9-to-5 and 2-to-1, respectively, in the morning line, they raise more questions than they answer.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The 122nd running of the Kentucky Derby, with a favorite and story line clear cut just days ago, became a full-fledged thriller yesterday with the uncertain status of its premier attraction, Unbridled's Song.A stubborn injury to the colt's left front foot -- a gash in the heel and a crack in the hoof -- forced his handlers to summon a blacksmith, administer antibiotics, postpone a crucial workout and declare the gloomy situation day-to-day."It's really hard to tell where we're going to be in four days," said Jim Ryerson, trainer of the heavy Derby favorite.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- At one end of the backside, far from the sparkling barns of the Kentucky Derby horses, stands an old, loyal work pony named Leo.Ancient at age 29, Leo won't attract any wagers in Saturday's big race. He might not even garner a sideways glance. But if favored Unbridled's Song wins the first leg of the Triple Crown, his owner and trainer might owe Leo more than even the blacksmith and veterinarian tending to Unbridled's Song's foot injury.On Saturday, in front of more than 100,000 frantic Derby fans, the mild-mannered Leo will lead the hyperactive Unbridled's Song onto the track and to the starting gate.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- As a yearling, as a 2-year-old and now at 3, Unbridled's Song has sported a rare brand: Superhorse. If he wins today's Kentucky Derby, he will be nothing less.Facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles of history, psychology, physical condition and bad luck, he nevertheless is expected to be favored over 18 other 3-year-olds in the 122nd running of the Derby at Churchill Downs.He is the projected favorite for one reason."He's the best horse in the Derby," said D. Wayne Lukas, who tried to buy Unbridled's Song at both the colt's yearling and 2-year-old sales.

Taking Grindstone and Unbridled's Song out of the Preakness mix amounts to taking the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic out of the NBA playoffs.Even though there are other quality teams and players to carry on, how significant is the event without the best in the business?The NBA playoffs would just be a Runner-Up Bowl without the Bulls and Magic, and the Preakness will just be an equine Miss Congeniality contest without Grindstone and Unbridled's Song.Grindstone, the Kentucky Derby winner, was retired to stud yesterday after suffering a knee injury at Churchill Downs.

With the 121st running of the Preakness Stakes five days away, the stakes barn at Pimlico is eerily silent, the field still is taking shape and the status of possible favorite Unbridled's Song again has changed.After he finished fifth as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby, his handlers said he would not race again until his foot had healed and could tolerate regular shoes.Last week, the colt's owner, Ernie Paragallo, said Unbridled's Song almost certainly would not run in the Preakness. But yesterday, the trainer, Jim Ryerson, said from his barn at Monmouth Park, where Unbridled's Song is stabled, that the Preakness still is a possibility.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. -- At 3: 55 p.m. yesterday, under gray skies that quickly turned bright, Cigar and Unbridled's Song were led into tidy barns at Arlington International Racecourse.After flying together on the same plane from New York, they arrived at this glorious track outside Chicago for a race today that will be televised around the world: the $1.05 million Arlington Citation Challenge, in which the Maryland-bred Cigar will try to equal Citation's 46-year-old record of 16 consecutive wins.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. -- The superhorse Cigar and the potential superhorse Unbridled's Song will stand eyeball to eyeball before tomorrow's $1.05 million Arlington Citation Challenge at Arlington International Racecourse near Chicago.Cigar drew the No. 10 post position yesterday, and Unbridled's Song the No. 9."We're hung a long way out," said Cigar's trainer, Bill Mott. "We'll just have to make the best of it."The Maryland-bred Cigar is the 1-5 morning-line favorite to win his 16th straight race, matching the great Citation's 46-year-old record for horses based in North America during the 20th century.

NEW YORK -- Unbridled's Song, star-crossed all year with injuries and ailments, was declared sound yesterday and was booked immediately for a flight to Chicago tomorrow on the same airplane with Cigar. And the two charismatic horses will meet Saturday at Arlington International Racecourse when Cigar tries to match Citation's record of 16 consecutive victories.The confrontation between the 3-year-old mystery horse and the 6-year-old superhorse, who hasn't lost a race in 20 months, became a certainty when Dr. Jud Butler removed the patch from Unbridled's Song's left front ankle and gave his approval.

The connections of Unbridled's Song -- that high-strung but highly regarded colt who by turns has suffered from a sore foot, lung infection, ulcer and, some would say, shameful mismanagement -- now threaten to send their shell-shocked warrior back into the fray against the great destroyer, Cigar.Can you imagine it: Unbridled's Song vs. the world's greatest thoroughbred in Saturday's nationally televised Arlington Citation Challenge at Arlington International Racecourse near Chicago?Ernie Paragallo, the unconventional 38-year-old owner of Unbridled's Song, said in a telephone interview from New York's Belmont Park that a decision would be made after the colt's workout Tuesday morning where to stage his comeback race -- actually, his second comeback race.

With the 121st running of the Preakness Stakes five days away, the stakes barn at Pimlico is eerily silent, the field still is taking shape and the status of possible favorite Unbridled's Song again has changed.After he finished fifth as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby, his handlers said he would not race again until his foot had healed and could tolerate regular shoes.Last week, the colt's owner, Ernie Paragallo, said Unbridled's Song almost certainly would not run in the Preakness. But yesterday, the trainer, Jim Ryerson, said from his barn at Monmouth Park, where Unbridled's Song is stabled, that the Preakness still is a possibility.

Taking Grindstone and Unbridled's Song out of the Preakness mix amounts to taking the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic out of the NBA playoffs.Even though there are other quality teams and players to carry on, how significant is the event without the best in the business?The NBA playoffs would just be a Runner-Up Bowl without the Bulls and Magic, and the Preakness will just be an equine Miss Congeniality contest without Grindstone and Unbridled's Song.Grindstone, the Kentucky Derby winner, was retired to stud yesterday after suffering a knee injury at Churchill Downs.

NEW YORK -- Unbridled's Song, star-crossed all year with injuries and ailments, was declared sound yesterday and was booked immediately for a flight to Chicago tomorrow on the same airplane with Cigar. And the two charismatic horses will meet Saturday at Arlington International Racecourse when Cigar tries to match Citation's record of 16 consecutive victories.The confrontation between the 3-year-old mystery horse and the 6-year-old superhorse, who hasn't lost a race in 20 months, became a certainty when Dr. Jud Butler removed the patch from Unbridled's Song's left front ankle and gave his approval.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- D. Wayne Lukas still has no jockey for Honour and Glory, the fast-breaking speedster in his stable of five Kentucky Derby entries. He said Mike Smith would ride if Unbridled's Song does not enter.Holding court yesterday outside his barn, Lukas said he's having trouble ranking his starting five. The others are Grindstone, Editor's Note, Victory Speech and Prince of Thieves.So is Lukas' regular exercise rider, Donna Barton, who works them all."Honestly, it's so hard to pick them apart," Barton told the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Once heralded as America's next super horse and a Triple Crown threat, Unbridled's Song is extremely unlikely to run in the Preakness, his owner said yesterday.Despite his fifth-place finish in Saturday's Kentucky Derby, Unbridled's Song probably would have been the betting favorite in the May 18 race at Pimlico. His likely defection strips Maryland's premier horse race of its most dynamic contender."Right now, we're not going," said Ernie Paragallo, 38, a businessman from New York who had predicted that his horse would win the Triple Crown.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- D. Wayne Lukas stormed into Louisville firing from both barrels. One of his bullets hit the bull's eye.Grindstone, part of Lukas' record five-horse entry, ran down 13 horses in the final half-mile to win the 122nd Kentucky Derby yesterday at Churchill Downs. His photo-finish win over Cavonnier was the closest Derby finish since 1959, when Tomy Lee nipped Sword Dancer by a nose.The victory was Lukas' unprecedented sixth straight in a Triple Crown race, a record he will try to extend in two weeks at the Preakness.