Work brings magic out of Bandini

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – He’d bite, kick, rear up, lose focus and even scare away exercise riders. On Saturday, Bandini will try to win the Kentucky Derby.

“He was a mess, what a temper,” said Frederic Buscail, who climbed aboard the colt five months ago when other exercise riders refused. “After a lot of work, he’s a happy horse, very focused. And I think he has a good chance.”

So does trainer Todd Pletcher, in search of his first Derby victory.

Bandini behaved perfectly in winning the Blue Grass Stakes by six lengths three weeks ago, and is the 6-1 third betting choice in the Derby, behind Bellamy Road and Afleet Alex.

“He is not a problem to deal with,” said Pletcher, who has two other Derby starters in Coin Silver and Flower Alley. “He needs a good groom and a good exercise rider. You have to be careful. I wouldn’t walk up behind and tickle him on the hocks.”

Pletcher loved Bandini the first time he laid eyes on him, but quickly realized how much work needed to be done with this son of 2000 Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, known for his bad behavior.

In Bandini’s first start, he kicked jockey Jamie Spencer so hard that a new rider was needed. Bandini broke poorly and finished sixth in the Nov. 20 race at Aqueduct. Two months ago, the dark bay colt tried to bite High Fly on the first turn of the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park. High Fly won, Bandini was a closing second under regular rider John Velazquez.

Other than that, Bandini is 3 for 3.

“Most horses are pretty seasoned when they reach graded stakes,” Pletcher said. “We had to change some things in his case. He would be running 40 miles an hour while trying to bite another horse. That was a tribute to his athletic ability, but we had to correct that.”

After the Fountain of Youth, Buscail and retired Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr., took turns breezing Bandini in the mornings at Palm Meadows training center in Boynton Beach, Fla.

Buscail recalls a pivotal week. The 29-year-old Frenchman was aboard Bandini and the 62-year-old Cordero was riding Flower Alley.

“I was on the inside one morning, and the next I was on the outside,” said Buscail, who only began working for Pletcher in December. “We were side by side, nose to nose, working hard, teaching him to focus on the track and not another horse. You could see the improvement. He was becoming professional. He’s a quick learner.”

Bandini missed the Florida Derby with a bruised foot, but when he arrived at Keeneland a few weeks before the Blue Grass, Pletcher was pleased.

“He had trained very well, his works had been excellent, he schooled well in the paddock and he looked fantastic,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher said Bandini is the best 3-year-old he’s had for the Derby, and that Lexington Stakes winner Coin Silver and Arkansas Derby runner-up Flower Alley need to “step up” to have a shot.

“Bandini has trained well over this track, and his behavior has been outstanding,” Pletcher said. “I’m very excited with how he’s doing.”

Pletcher, 37, has been working up to winning the Derby since saddling his first starters in 2000. He’s 0 for 9, but finished second in 2001 with Invisible Ink and third with Impeachment in 2000. Limehouse was fourth last year.

Pletcher won his first Eclipse Award as the nation’s top trainer last year, and broke through with his first Breeders’ Cup victories – Ashado in the BC Distaff and Speightstown in the BC Sprint.

TV cop graces Churchill Downs

Until Thursday, there were no celebrity sightings at Churchill Downs, although O.J. Simpson showed Wednesday.

The drought ended when actor Dennis Franz, an early arrival for one of the many tres chic Derby eve celebrations, toured the backstretch. Franz is not a racetrack person.

“It’s a whole different world,” said the “NYPD Blue” Star.

Sis City favored in today’s Oaks

Rick Dutrow, whose week began with a 60-day suspension in New York for two medication violations and a stay of a previous 60-day ban resulting from an illegal claim and hidden ownership violation, today will saddle heavily favored Sis City in the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks for 3-year-old fillies.

New York Yankees manager Joe Torre is part owner of Sis City.