It was a hectic morning for Crown Pride and rider Masa Matsuda exercise on April 22 at Churchill Downs.
WATCH: Matsuda describes the incident at the Crown Pride school gate
The Japan Kentucky Derby, presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), the opponent dropped Matsuda and turned left out of the starting gate on arrival at school just after 8 a.m. ET.
Matsuda said he and Crown Pride both escaped the incident unharmed, especially thanks to the efforts of athlete Lee Lockwood, who caught Crown Pride quickly and sent him back to the gate to continue his lesson. me. Matsuda said the sound of the starter gate bell ringing before the door opened startled the pony, who was used to Japanese starting gates not to use bells.
“In Japan, you just open the gate and we can go, but in the US, first bell, then open,” said Matsuda. “So the horse was (surprised)… I fell off (the horse) but I just checked the ground of Churchill Downs.”
Teruya Yoshida’s Crown Pride broke through the gate without incident on his second attempt, with the elder Greg Blasi keeping him with him for a few steps.
“The second time, I pointed (stretched) the iron and sat (deeper) in the saddle,” says Matsuda. “Then I took the straight, easier route.”
The winner of the Mubadala (G2)-sponsored UAE Derby at the last Meydan, Koichi Shintani-trained Crown Pride will return to the starting gate for more lessons leading up to the May 7 classic.
