Retirements and Rehearsals

Rumored some weeks ago, it has now been confirmed that Showing Up (pictured) has been retired. It's evident that Barclay Tagg, usually so sparing with words, will be sad to see him go: "He's perfectly sound," Tagg said. "He had a couple of little problems with his hind suspensory, but he’s 100% now. I have to admit I became very attached to him. Whatever you asked of him he did, and did it exceptionally well, on both grass and dirt. He was a very, very fast horse, but he could lay off the pace and give you that big run at the end. When he made his move he was like Adrian Peterson going through a hole. I truly think he's one of the best horses I've ever trained." Stud plans for Showing Up are still undetermined. Tagg's Elysium Fields is also sidelined, albeit in a more temporary fashion; it sounds as though he's getting a break to grow up a bit. Given the number of trainers getting wholly unwarranted Derby Fever this year, it's nice to see such a decision (although having two other horses likely going forward to the race can't hurt). As mentioned yesterday, Tomcito had a nice workout at Keeneland: Jet Set Racing Stable's Tomcito, preparing for Saturday's $325,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes (gr. II), worked three furlongs out of the gate in :34.60 and galloped out a half-mile in :46.80 with Manfreddy Guzman up Tuesday morning at Keeneland. The gate drill was designed to get Tomcito into the race earlier, unlike the Florida Derby (gr. I) in which Tomcito raced at the rear of the 12-horse field, according to trainer Dante Zanelli. "He had worked out of the gate before his grade I win at a mile and a quarter in Peru," Zanelli said. "He was close to the pace that day and he won by 10 (9 ¾ lengths). " If he does well in the Coolmore Lexington, I may have finally found my Derby bandwagon. Vamos, Tomcito! Bet on the Kentucky Derby