With less than two weeks to go until the first weekend of May, a bevy of contenders for the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks took to racetracks across the country to meet the stiff winds on Friday morning. Seven.
'Rising star TDN'Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) has remained at Keeneland since his big win in the April 6 GI Toyota Blue Grass S. and returned to his desk for the first time on a chilly morning, zipping through the company's half-mile In recent Keeneland maiden winner White Palomino (Kitten's Joy) in :48.80 (19/127) (videotapes).
The $2.3 million leader from the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale was split into evens of :12.40, :24.20 and :36.80 before galloping with five strong feather in 1:01.20 and three-quarters in 1:15.60. Gym racer Kriss Bon – sounded optimistic that Joel Embiid will be prepared for Game 1 of the Philadelphia 76ers' first-round NBA playoffs against the New York Knicks – during the game.
“I always work with him at work in the morning,” coach Chad Brown said. “He's always been a good worker, just needs a little focus. Obviously this year we added strobe lights, which has helped a lot. But it only took a little competition for him to feel like having a horse by his side held the reins for him with ease.
“He's a horse with good feel – a pleasant horse to work around,” he continued. “He's a very alpha horse. He's definitely in charge of what's going on everywhere, and we give him his space and we let him be himself. He is a very rare horse in your stable.”
Sierra Leone will reach Churchill on Sunday and is expected to catch its last wind on April 27, weather permitting.
Brown's second derby hopeful, winner of the GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby Domestic products (Practical joke), went half a mile in :48.40 at Payson Park on Saturday morning and train to Kentucky on Monday, with rival Oaks usually owning and 'Rising star TDN' Ways and means (Practical joke). The latter drilled five plates in 1:00.60 at Payson Park on Saturday.
Getting Freedom Goes Early at Churchill
With much of the pre-Derby hype focused on 'TDN Rising Star' The fierceness (City of light) and Sierra Leone and to a lesser extent Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), Seize freedom (Structure) was arguably the highest performing horse and received the least amount of attention over the two weeks.
The GII Louisiana Derby winner was one of the first to visit the main Churchill track on Saturday morning at 5:15 and covered five lengths in 1:00.80, breaking away slowly by fractions of :25 .40 and three-eighths in :37.80 before galloping out six furlongs in an energetic 1:13.20 and seven in 1:26.20, according to watch expert John Nichols. Trainer Brad Cox sent his stablemate out Just one touch (justification), the latest second at Blue Grass, with a half-mile breeze was timed :48.20 (:24.20, 1:01.20).
Catching Freedom finished his 5/8 move with a score of 1:00.80. #KyDerby pic.twitter.com/u3S2Ut1fDU
– Kevin Kerstein (@HorseRacingKK) April 20, 2024
'Rising star TDN' Tarifa (Bernardini), in the eyes of many, the Oaks favorite, went out soon after to show off his five-piece alongside fellow Oaks hopefuls gin (Accelerate). The duo stopped the clock at 1:00.80 with fractional times of :13 and :37.20, with a six-minute gallop in 1:14.20.
Tarifa outside Gin Gin completed five furlongs in 1:00.80. #KyOaks pic.twitter.com/LQ6fS5kYhZ
– Kevin Kerstein (@HorseRacingKK) April 20, 2024
Steel only (justification) produced six eventful furlongs in 1:13.80 (:13.40, :37.20, :49.40). After starting to move on his own, he was joined inside by a stablemate and the duo faced a pair of Norm Casse workers at the half-mile pole. But when they reached the road, Wayne Lukas students separated and completed the work in parallel.
Someone trained by Lukas Lemon Muffins (Collected), who earned his way into the Oaks with a defeat in the GIII Honeybee S., went five furlongs in 1:02.20.
Gargan, McPeek One Pair in Each Lane
New York-based trainer Danny Gargan will have two runners in this year's Run for the Roses and that team looked each other through the half-mile breeze in :48.20 (16/123) Saturday in Louisville.
Dornoch (Good magic), half-brother to the 2023 Derby hero magician winner of the GII Coolmore Fountain of Youth S. March 2, working outside stablemate Social man (Good magic), runner-up at long odds in the GII Wood Memorial S.
Dornoch zipped around the outside of Society Man, completing the half-mile easily in :48.20. #KyDerby pic.twitter.com/3CtWY3Vkqs
– Kevin Kerstein (@HorseRacingKK) April 20, 2024
Mystik Dan (Goldencents), upset winner in the GIII Southwest S. and third in the GI Arkansas Derby, will carry barn hope Ken McPeek and earn the bullet for Saturday's five-day work to be counted. on: 59.40 (1/71) ) below the Twin Towers. 'Rising star TDN'Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) continued to thrive following her comeback win in the GIII Fantasy S. and won by five points in 1:00.60 (14/71).
“She was a super nice girl,” McPeek said. “I was impressed with how easily she could win the Fantasy so soon after the layoff and she ran so well on this surface at Churchill. They better bring a bear [in the Oaks] because I'm carrying a grizzly bear. I wouldn't mind letting her face the ponies.”
Thorpedo Anna (outside) completed a solid five-pitch routine in 1:00.60. #KyOaks pic.twitter.com/wMsusH0J0o
– Kevin Kerstein (@HorseRacingKK) April 20, 2024
Stronghold blew a bullet at Santa Anita
Wall (Ghostzapper), the eventual winner of the GI Santa Anita Derby, ran a fast half-mile at :46:60 Saturday morning at Arcadia under the guidance of jockey Antonio Fresu and under the supervision of his trainer Phil D'Amato.
Arriving at the track just after 6:30 a.m., Stronghold pulled away at the half-mile pole a few lengths behind a stablemate, even tied by one-sixteenth of a mile at the finish and narrowly ahead. California-based sprinter Crack The Chosen Vron (Vronsky) shared a time in the half-mile.
“He makes it so easy,” Fresu said. “I actually expected the route he would take to be about :48,” he added. “The track today was a bit fast. I didn't ask him for anything.”
According to D'Amato, Stronghold will move to Kentucky next Tuesday and will have his final Derby work next weekend.
Work of the day from @santaanitapark—Stronghold (Red Cap), 46.60, and Shady Tiger, 47.40, worked 4 Furlongs on April 20, 2024, for trainer @PhilDamato11. pic.twitter.com/YzUVEzuA5e
– XBTV (@WatchXBTV) April 20, 2024
