Camden trainer has 2 in Derby

Kip Elser of Camden's Kirkwood Stables has schooled thousands of horses over the last 25 years, including many that went on to be major stakes winners, but he's never trained a horse that made it to the Kentucky Derby.

Until now. And he's doubly blessed.

Elser handled the early racing education of Smooth Air and Cool Coal Man, two of the horses scheduled to be in the starting gate for Saturday's 134th running of the Kentucky Derby.

"We are very, very excited," Elser said. "We've had a couple (Kentucky) Oaks winners over the years, but to have two Derby runners in the same year is very exciting and very gratifying."

Even though Elser trains approximately 100 2-year-olds each year, he says he remembers Cool Coal Man and Smooth Air very well.

"Cool Coal Man was always very aggressive, even though a bit on the small side," Elser said. "He was a late foal, but always very forward in his training.

"Smooth Air was much more laid back, not a particularly aggressive type of colt. But he did everything you asked of him with no trouble. He was kind of like the kid sitting, not in the front row of class or not in the back row, just kind of there in the middle. You wouldn't notice him unless you were looking for him."

Since leaving Elser's care and moving from Camden to the race track for trainer Nick Zito, Cool Coal Man has won four races from eight starts with one second.

A son of Mineshaft, Cool Coal Man's biggest victory thus far came in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 24.

Although he finished a disappointing ninth in his last start, in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 12, Cool Coal Man has trained well since.

Smooth Air, trained by 70-year-old Bennie Stutts Jr., has never finished worse than third in seven lifetime starts, with three victories, two seconds and two thirds.

Winner of the Hutcheson Stakes in January, Smooth Air is coming off a second-place finish in the Florida Derby behind likely Kentucky Derby favorite Big Brown.

Both Smooth Air and Cool Coal Man will be long shots on Saturday, but Elser points out that they've already accomplished something special.

"I saw where (trainer) Barclay Tagg said that there are 30,000 thoroughbreds born every year and if you're one of the 20 that climbs the pyramid to get into the Derby, that's a feat in itself," Elser said. "They both deserve to be there and I think they both have a shot. I'll be rooting for both of them."

Reach Charles Bennett at cbennett@postandcourier.com.