Down the Shedrow with Brian Lynch

Born in Brisbane, Australia, conditioner Brian Lynch started off his North American career training Quarter Horses in Canada in 1986 and took out his license to train Thoroughbreds in 1992. Starting his career as an assistant in California, he relocated to Woodbine in 2005 while working for Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel and remained at the Ontario-based track after going out on his own in 2006.

One of Lynch's best known pupils is 2008 Sovereign Award winner Ginger Brew (Milwaukee Brew), who captured that year's Woodbine Oaks before finishing second in the prestigious Queen's Plate. The 56-year-old trainer won his first Queen's Plate just last year courtesy of Stronach Stables' Shaman Ghost (Ghostzapper), who was recently transferred to Jimmy Jerkens.

Despite losing that Canadian Classic winner, Lynch still has plenty of talented runners in the barn, including Eclipse finalist Private Zone (Macho Uno), GISW Grand Arch (Arch) and MGSW turf star Heart to Heart (English Channel).

PRIVATE ZONE (g, 7, Macho Uno)

Good Friends Stable's Private Zone has changed hands several times throughout his career, but has been consistent with his trademark speed no matter whose care he is under. Starting his U.S. career under the care of California-based Doug O'Neill, the four-time Grade I winner was then transferred to East Coast-based Alfredo Velazquez and spent most of 2015 under the care of Jorge Navarro. Runner-up to champion Honor Code (A.P. Indy) when extended to a mile in the GII Gulfstream Park H. last term, the hard-knocking gelding scored a decisive victory in the GII Churchill Downs S. two months later and finished third behind a monster performance from Honor Code next out after setting the pace in the GI Metropolitan H. on Belmont day. Reeling off back-to-back wins in the GIII Belmont Sprint Championship S. and GI Forego S., the bay found only Eclipse winner Runhappy (Super Saver) too good when a gritty second in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint Oct. 31. Transferred to Lynch following that effort, Private Zone was last seen fading to fifth behind Tonalist (Tapit) after being headstrong early when attempting a title defense in Aqueduct's GI Cigar Mile Nov. 28.

“I think he was showing the signs of a solid season [in the Cigar Mile] and needed some time off. He's had the time off now, so hopefully we get a fresh start with him and have the same success other trainers have had with him.”

“He's just coming back into training. He's here at Palm Meadows. He will be pointed towards the [GII Churchill Downs S.] on Derby day.”

GRAND ARCH (g, 7, Arch)

Grand Arch, who scored his first black-type win in Woodbine's 2014 GII King Edward S., took advantage of the absence of two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan (Wiseman's Ferry) last term, starting with a victory in Saratoga's GII Fourstardave H. in August. The Jim and Susan Hill runner scored a career high next out with a head success over GI Arlington Million hero The Pizza Man (English Channel) in the GI Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland Oct. 3. The bay was last seen finishing third behind another Eclipse winner in the talented mare Tepin (Bernstein) in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile Oct. 31.

“He's training at [the Hill's] Margaux Farm in Kentucky and we will bring him back in when Keeneland opens for training. He has been training at the farm. He's getting legged up and then he will come back in. He's pointing towards the [GI] Maker's [46] Mile [Apr. 15].”

HEART TO HEART (h, 5, English Channel)

Terry Hamilton's Heart to Heart earned the 2014 Sovereign Award for champion 3-year-old colt on the back of consecutive wins at Churchill Downs in that year's GIII Jefferson Cup S. and GIII Commonwealth Turf S. The bay won Monmouth Park's GIII Oceanport S. last August, but failed to fire when 10th to stablemate Grand Arch in the GI Shadwell Turf Mile S. two months later. He closed out last term with a victory in Churchill's GIII River City H. Nov. 26 and picked up right where he left off this year with a victory in the GII Fort Lauderdale S. Jan. 9. Heart to Heart will make his next start in Saturday's GIII Canadian Turf S. at Gulfstream.

“He's doing great. It's very similar to where he drew the last time. Hopefully he duplicates that same sort of race.”

COFFEE CLIQUE (m, 6, Medaglia d'Oro)

Amerman Racing homebred Coffee Clique provided Lynch with his first win at the highest level in 2014 when she followed a victory in the GII Chuchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile with a win in Belmont's GI Just a Game S. Second to the aforementioned champion Tepin when attempting a title defense at Churchill last spring, the bay was sixth to that rival in the Just a Game, but rebounded to win the GIII Dr. James Penny Memorial H. last July. Last seen finishing off the board in Belmont's GIII Athenia S. Oct. 17, she boasts a record of 18-7-2-2 and earnings of $1,063,988.

“She has been retired and she was bred to Ghostzapper.”

POWER ALERT (AUS) (g, 6, Alert {Arg})

Power Alert, who is owned by Lynch and AJ Suited Racing Stable LLC, raced in his native Australia from the start of his career in October of 2012 up until March of 2014. The gray kicked off his American campaign for Lynch in December of that year with a pair of wins at Gulfstream, including the Silks Run S. last March. Fourth in the GIII Shakertown S. at Keeneland, he returned to winning ways in Churchill's GIII Twin Spires Turf Sprint S. on Oaks day and was fourth in both the GIII Jaipur S. on Belmont day and the GIII Parx Dash last July before being put away for the rest of the year. Resurfacing with a runner-up effort in Tampa's Turf Dash S., Power Alert captured the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint S. last time Feb .6.

“He seems like he is back to where we want him and he will run back in the Silk Run [S. at Gulfstream Mar. 12]. I will point him towards the Shakertown and then he will run on Oaks day in the [Turf Sprint] he won last year at Churchill.”

LEX VEGAS (c, 3, Street Boss)

Susan Hill and James Sciortino's Lex Vegas was an impressive debut winner at Gulfstream Jan. 18 and was scheduled to face for winners for the first time in a Hallandale optional claimer Friday.

“We had a minor hiccup with him and he won't resurface until Keeneland. Nothing serious, but he will be scratched [Friday].”

AWESOME SLATE (g, 3, Summer Bird)

Riversedge Racing Stables' Awesome Slate closed out his 2-year-old season with a victory in the Canadian Juvenile S. at Northlands Park last October. He kicked off his sophomore season with a third-place finish in Tampa's Pasco S. Jan. 23 and was fourth last time in that venue's GIII Sam F. Davis S. Feb. 13.

“He could possibly show back up in the [GII] Tampa Bay Derby [Mar. 12]. I'm sort of getting to know that horse a little bit. He was totally unlucky not to be third [in the Sam Davis] and I feel like there is still some more to him that we haven't gotten to yet. It seemed like he stalled in the second turn and re-rallied down the lane. He took himself out of contention there and then he sort of put himself back into the race. I just have to work out why that's going on.”

BUREAU DE CHANGE (m, 5, Exchange Rate)

Amerman Racing's Bureau de Change scored back-to-back optional claimer victories at Tampa Dec. 16 and Jan. 13, respectively. The bay had the misfortune of running into Tepin last time when fifth in that venue's GIII Endeavour S. Feb. 13.

“They really sprinted home pretty fast and she struggled to make up ground that she lost early. We will be pointing back towards the [GIII] Hillsborough [S. Mar. 12] for her back over at Tampa.”

SOLEMN TRIBUTE (g, 4, Medaglia d'Oro)

Lael Stables' Solemn Tribute seemed to come into his own last summer with consecutive wins at Woodbine. Second in Gulfstream Park West's Showing Up S. Oct. 31, the gelding scored a narrow success next out in Hallandale's Tropical Park Derby Dec. 19 and failed to fire last time when ninth in the GIII Tampa Bay S. Feb. 13.

“We are going to give him a little time off and point him back towards Keeneland. We just need to freshen him up a little bit.”