Johannesburg runs in Kentucky Derby

13 April 2012

Johannesburg will take his chance in next month's Kentucky Derby, trainer Aidan O'Brien finally revealed today.

The world's top-rated juvenile of 2001 will run alongside stablemate Castle Gandolfo in America's premier race, the 'Run For The Roses' at Churchill Downs on 4 May, despite losing his unbeaten record ten days ago.

Mick Kinane will partner Johannesburg and leading US jockey, Jerry Bailey, will ride his stable companion.

Despite stamina doubts raised by Johannesburg's pedigree and his defeat by elder filly Rebelline in the Gladness Stakes on his seasonal reappearance at the Curragh earlier this month, part-owner Michael Tabor is keen to take on an unimpressive crop of native threeyearolds in Kentucky.

With O'Brien mooting the sixfurlong July Cup as a potential later target for Johannesburg, the Preakness had emerged as a potential alternative.

The second leg of America's prestigious Triple Crown series, that Pimlico event is staged over a crucial half-furlong shorter than the first, the Kentucky Derby.

But connections have rejected that option for the colt who has already beaten his American peers in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at New York's Belmont Park last October.

"We've decided to give Johannesburg the chance of winning the Kentucky Derby," said O'Brien. "We can shorten up his trip at any time and he handled the dirt so well at Belmont. We opted against the Preakness because it's two weeks later.

"This way, we can bring him back for a European campaign after Kentucky."

Castle Gandolfo's participation is a boost for the capital's Lingfield Park, whose management hastily scheduled a Kentucky Derby trial on its Polytrack surface earlier this month in the hope of enticing connections to run Johannesburg. Castle Gandolfo attended instead, beating Aramram two-and-a-half lengths.

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