Graded Kentucky Derby Workouts Report
ADRIANO (Grade D+) - Is going into the KD off of 6 weeks rest. He performed his 2nd post Lane's End workout on April 20 at Churchill Downs under jockey Edgar Prado and in company with stablemate Longley. He breezed five furlongs in 1:01.80 which ranked a dull 18th out of 39. To put his time into perspective, the top ranked horse of the morning at the same distance breezed it 15 lengths faster so ADRIANO'S worked seems pretty dull. He had fractional times of :25, :37.60 and :49, and galloped out in 1:16. This is a workout a maiden claimer should have, not a supposed Kentucky Derby contender. Looking at his very poor effort in his lone try on conventional dirt (G2 Fountain of Youth - Feb 24) it just could be that ADRIANO hates conventional, traditional dirt. He likes turf and polytrack which is mostly normal of one and the other. ADRIANO'S previous work was on April 13 at Churchill where he breezed four furlongs in :50.0 which ranked 29th out of 42. He had fractions of :13, :25.40, and :37.80 and the colt galloped out in 1:03.40. None of which shows anything positive. His final KD workout is scheduled for Sunday, April 27.
ANAK NAKAL (Grade A-) - On Friday, April 25, the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club (at CD as a 2yo) winner breezed four furlongs over the Kentucky Derby surface in :46.60. The work was ranked 2nd best out of 22 and was most impressive. To put this workout in perspective, the 3rd ranked horse on that morning worked a full 4 lengths slower than ANAK NAKAL. This colt is obviously improving at the exact right time. His previous KD work came on April 18 and he went in :49.40 breezing a half-mile over the CD main track. The work ranked 20th of 3. His fractional times were :12.40, :24.60, and :37.20. and galloped out in 1:03.80. ?He did pretty well,? said trainer Nick Zito. ?He?s got a fondness for the track. He won the Kentucky Jockey Club, which is a prestigious race, and it?s proven over the year to do well with 3-year-olds. It?s been kind of a springboard.? It's safe to say that his best race of this year will most likely be his next one wjich happens to be run on the exact surface he has proven to love both last year (in racing) and this yesr (in workouts). The big questions are A) Is he really talented enough? and B) Will he improve enough to compete well on May 3rd? He certainly should benefit from the added distance of a classic nature.
BEHINDATTHEBAR (Grade TBA) - Obviously has not worked since the very recent (April 19) Grade 2 Coolmore Lexington Stakes win at Keeneland going 8.5f.
BIG BROWN (Grade A-) - Got his final Florida workout on Thursday, April 24,a the Palm Meadows Training Center. The Kentucky Derby favorite worked for the last time in Florida before his scheduled ship to Churchill Downs on Monday April 28. BIG BROWN worked five furlongs in a speedy :58.60, handily
11.80, :23.00, and :34.80 and galloped out in 1:11.80). It was the lone workout at the distance at Palm Meadows but a time that fast on a training track (or any track really) doesn't need to be compared to anything. ?He did exactly what we wanted him to do,? said trainer Dicky Dutrow. ?He did it the right way, looked real good, and did it in racehorse time while well within himself. He went about his business in a smooth and ordinary way.? Dutrow said he wasn't worried about the fast time of the work. ?Right now, I?m not concerned in any way,? he said. ?We needed to turn his head loose a little in the lane, because we?ve kept him covered up in his last couple of breezes. I told Michelle to let him out just a little notch in the stretch, she did just that, the colt took the bit, and just carried her to the wire. With the race 10 days away, this is what we needed and wanted." BIG BROWN'S previous KD workout came on April 18 which was his second workout at Palm Meadows since his Grade 1 Florida Derby victory. He breezed five furlongs in 1:00.60, ranking 1 of 2, and galloped out in 1:14.40. ?It was just what I was looking for. It was basic?nothing special,? said trainer Dutrow. ?We don?t need to squeeze the lemon dry in the mornings.? ?I like the track here (at Palm Meadows) and he seems to like the track here,? said Dutrow. ?I feel great about running over any racetrack right now, but the weather has been really, really good. I could bring him up there, but I want to keep him where I know he?s doing good.? ?I?m very excited. I feel like he?s the best horse, and we can?t wait for his next race right now.?
BIG TRUCK (Grade C+) - Got his post Blue Grass and first KD work on April 22 when the G3 Tampa Bay Derby winner breezed four furlongs in :48.80. The move ranked a solid 8th out of 43. To put this time into perspective, the bullet horse went in about a length and a half faster. Trainer Barclay Tagg actually said the work went faster than he wanted. It was a decent move and will most likely get his final KD work any day now. But then again he fired a bullet 4 days prior to the G1 Blue Grass in which they had to send out a search party to find him. This colt normally trains well in the morning so unfortunately his works can not be used as much of a gauge for his form, soundness or fitness. You can Watch The Video Of His Apr 22 Workout. There's no denying that he is a handsome colt. One thing to think of is if his :46.60 four furlong move 4 days before the Blue Grass just zapped the run out of him. He's certainly is one of the most intriguing NY Breds to come along since FUNNY CIDE, SAY FLORIDA SANDY and GANDER.
BOB BLACK JACK (Grade B) - He's the six furlong world record holder for a nongrass surface (Jan 26 at SA - 6f in 1:06.20 in the Sunshine Millions Dash). Who says synthetic surfaces are always slow? On April 21, BOB BLACK JACK worked six furlongs in a smoking 1:10.80 at SA which ranked 2nd out of 19. To put this in perspective the 3rd ranked horse was 3 lengths slower which is really no surprise as there is nothing faster in four legs going six. His previous KD work was on April 14 when he worked four furlongs in :48.00 at SA which ranked 8th out of 38. To put this into perspective COLONEL JOHN covered the same distance on the same morning in :47.40 and he might end up being the post time favorite.
COLONEL JOHN (Grade A) - On April 20 the G1 Santa Anita Derby champion worked five furlongs at SA in :59.40 breezing which ranked 3rd out of 45. He got the very rare "B" breezing notation from the SA clockers who rarely ever rate a workout as such. There was COLONEL JOHN and just one other horse who got a "B" noted move out of the 45 horses who worked 5f that morning. The clockers had COLONEL JOHN covering the final two furlongs in :23.20 (terrific) and trainer Eion Harty said he galloped out in 1:12.40. This was one strong workout to say the least. But then again he has never pranced a hoof on anything but all-weather tracks. His previous KD work was on April 14 when he went four panels in :47.40 ranking 4th of 38 at SA that morning. It will be very interesting to see how well he trains over the Churchill Downs surface, his first time touching real dirt. He is scheduled to get his final prep somewhere between Saturday and Tuesday depending on the weather in Louisville.
COOL COAL MAN (Grade C+) - On April 24 the G2 Fountain of Youth victor worked four furlongs in :47.40 breezing at Churchill Downs which ranked 2nd out of 35 and to put that into perspective, the bullet horse went in :47.00. ?I was very happy?they were just galloping along the right way,? trainer Nick Zito said after the work. ?You always worry about the breeze before the Derby, but he did great?they were really comfortable. ?We hate to make excuses for the Bluegrass, but he didn?t care for the Polytrack,? said Zito. ?He won over Churchill last fall, so he definitely has a chance. He?ll get the distance. He?s gotten tons of conditioning in him all winter. You just never know in the Derby. I just hope we?re this year?s Giacomo.? His Apr 24 work was very similar to his final prep before the G2 Fountain of Youth.
COURT VISION (Grade A+) - On April 17 G2 Remsen (as a 2yo) worked four furlongs over the Kentucky Derby surface in :46.20 which was a bullet best of 25 for the morning. To put this into perspective the 2nd ranked horse was 5 lengths slower. He went in company with the unraced stablemate Five Gold Rings who started the work a couple of lengths ahead of COURT VISION, but this son of GULCH blew past that one in the stretch and finished well clear. Churchill Downs clockers got his final quarter-mile in an awesome :23.0. COURT VISION looks absolutely outstanding over this surface. A seemingly very smart move by trainer Bill Mott was giving this colt 12 days rest after his 3rd place finish in the G1 Wood Memorial. Something interesting to note here is that Bill Mott Mott put blinkers on him and Mott is known for not believing in the whole concept of the equipment change of using blinkers. Bill Mott was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1998 at the age of 45, becoming the youngest trainer ever inducted. ?The breeze was awful quick for Court Vision, as he's a horse who typically doesn't work fast,? Mott said. He should be ready for another breeze any day now.
COWBOY CAL (Grade TBA) - As of this writing it is 13 days since his placing in the G1 Blue Grass and he has not had a published workout yet. Trainer Todd Pletcher said that COOWBOY and MONBA are scheduled to work at Keeneland either Saturday or Sunday (Apr 26 or Apr 27)
DENIS OF CORK (Grade B+) - On April 21 at Churchill Downs, he breezed five furlongs in a bullet best of 23 in 1:00.00 getting the final quarter in an impressive :22.80. He gallopped out in 1:12.40. To take his time in perspective, the 2nd ranked horse for this morning was 4 lengths slower at the same distance. That was his first work since finishing a disappointing 5th in the G2 Illinois Derby. He actually ran his second best career figure in the Ill Derby thus regressing off of his top which came in the G3 Southwest on February 18. He's going to need several defections to draw in but if he does he will then have a chance to prove his quality.
GAYEGO (Grade TBA) - Speedy son of GILDED TIME has not had a work, as of this writing, since his win in the G2 Arkansas Derby 13 days ago. He is scheduled to work on Saturday April 26.
MONBA (Grade TBA) - Has not had an official workout since his win in the G1 Blue Grass 13 days ago. Trainer Todd Pletcher said that MONBA is scheduled to work at Keeneland either Saturday or Sunday (Apr 26 or Apr 27)
PYRO (Grade ?) - Has not had an official workout that has been published since his very disappointing 10th place finish in the G1 Blue Grass 13 days ago. He did, in fact, work six-furlong on Monday April 21 at Keeneland but in heavy fog so nobody could get a time. "He was strong, very smooth, very relaxed and came back with a little blow, drank a little water," trainer Steve Asmussen said, adding he didn't know the time of the workout because the clockers couldn't work with the fog. "I was pleased. That was a lot more than I normally do off of a race, but he didn't exactly run really hard" in the Blue Grass. PYRO jogged one-mile Wednesday (Apr 23) morning at Churchill Downs, his first exercise this spring over CD since arriving from Keeneland on Tuesday afternoon. The mystery continues......
RECAPTURETHEGLORY (Grade D) - On April 25, with jockey E.T. Baird Jr. up, he breezed five furlongs in :1:01.20 and galloped out in 1:15 at Churchill Downs. The work was 9th ranked out of 27 and to put that into perspective the bullet horse went 12 lengths faster and was breezing as well. Not exactly a work to write home about. On April 17 he breezed five furlongs at CD in 1:01.0 which ranked 5th out of 16. He took advantage of a dog slow early lead in the G2 Illinois Derby and is not exactly showing much in the morning.
SMOOTH AIR (Grade ?) - On April 19, this runner-up to BIG BROWN in the $1 million Grade 1 Florida Derby, worked seven furlongs in 1:25.80 at Calder. He galloped out a mile in 1:41. He was the only horse to work that distance and for a slow track like Calder it makes it difficult to get a good read on that workout. His 1 mile work at Calder on April 13 is the same story. One thing is for sure, he was 7 1/2 lengths better than Peruvian champ TOMCITO in the Fla Derby.
TALE OF EKATI (Grade A) - On April 23 at Keeneland the G1 Wood Memorial winner breezed five furlongs in 1:00.20 which ranked 2nd out off 11 that morning. He was 4 lengths faster than the 3rd ranked horse. TALE OF EKATI will ship to Churchill Downs on Saturday, April 26, and is scheduled to work again Tuesday, April 29, at Churchill Downs. Barclay Tagg is "The Man". You can Watch The Video Of His Apr 23 Workout. Look at how quick and athletic his stride is in the Apr 23 work. He just 'skips' along the Polytrack and changed leads on cue. With that kind of athleticism he should be able to move quickly to avoid trouble in the Derby which probably will have 20 starters. He's a perfect 3-3-0-0 on the New York tracks and usually if a horse likes Aqu and Bel they will like Churchill.
VISIONAIRE (Grade C+) - On April 22 he breezed at Keeneland, with regular rider Jose Lezcano aboard, four furlongs in company with Scenery Change. His time for the work was :49.60 which ranked 16th out of 43 for the morning. ?He just did a little maintenance work here, and then he?ll do one more at Churchill,? said trainer Michael Matz. The GRAND SLAM colt will get his final KD work on Monday, April 28 at CD. He definitely regressed from the Gotham to the Blue Grass but quite a few talented colts just don't take well to the Polytrack.
Z HUMOR (Grade C) - On April 17 this DISTORTED HUMOR colt breezed four furlongs in :47.60 which was 3rd best out of 25 for that morning. To put it in perspective it was about 7 lengths slower than COURT VISION'S (Z's stablemate as both are trained by Bill Mott) work at the same distance, same morning. He worked in company and got fractions of :12.60, :24.60 and :36 and galloped out in 1:00.80. This work came 12 days after finishing 3rd in the G2 Illinois Derby and isn't scheduled to work again until Mon or Tue. He is the 2nd likely starter for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. Z HUMOR ? galloped over the ?fast? surface at Churchill Downs on Wednesday April 23. Mott said both colts (Z and Court) would turn in their final pre-Kentucky Derby works on Monday or Tuesday (Apr 28 or 29). This sure seams like a lot of time in between works but then again we're dealing with a Hall of Famer conditioner here.
