Awesome needs to get his act together

Jeremy Noseda is concerned Awesome Act may find his stamina stretched to the limit as he bids to land the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Awesome Act won the Gotham Stakes on his first start in America before being comprehensively beaten by Eskendereya in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial on the same Aqueduct track earlier this month.

Eskendereya was then promoted to favouritism for the 'Run For The Roses' but withdrawn through injury yesterday. Newmarket trainer Noseda feels the mile-and-a-quarter American dirt Classic now has a wide-open look about it but fears Awesome Act could still find life tough.

"It is a shame the favourite is out because it detracts from the spectacle but my worry is the trip," said Noseda. "I wish the distance could be reduced because he didn't look like he got home [over 1m 1f] in the Wood Memorial, although maybe I'm reading too much into his defeat.

"He lost a shoe coming out of the starting gate and pulled hard as he wanted to get on with things but we're sure to get a faster run affair on Saturday. There's a chance he may have bounced after his first run."

Awesome Act, who will be ridden by Julien Leparoux, is in the care of American trainer Steve Asmussen and Noseda will oversee the final preparations when he flies out tomorrow.