Welcome to the first in a series of seven posts covering the workouts, general training, other such updates regarding the leading Derby contenders leading up to the Kentucky Derby on May 5th. Hopefully, we shall uncover a few clues that will help us to try and discover the Derby winner before he crosses the finish line! :)
Today's post will give a brief (alphabetical) overview of the top twenty-one Derby contenders, discussing their recent workouts and where they are based at this time, in addition to any other tidbits deemed noteworthy. Enjoy!
Alpha: He's missed some training due to infected cuts, but seems to be over them now, as he breezed five furlongs in :59.54 this morning at Belmont Park with Rajiv Maragh aboard, going in company with maiden Steele Road. He is expected to ship to Churchill on Monday, but will have no official workouts from here on out.
Bodemeister: He is already at Churchill Downs, where he breezed five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 in company with Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) contender Jemima's Pearl on April 24th. He is expected to breeze once more between now and the Derby.
Creative Cause: The Santa Anita Derby runner-up is currently based at Hollywood Park, where he turned in a sharp five-furlong breeze in 1:00 1/5 on April 24th. In that workout, he did not wear blinkers, equipment he has worn in seven of his eight races -- the lone exception being the Santa Anita Derby last time out. He will not wear blinkers in the Derby. He is scheduled to arrive at Churchill today, and will breeze there sometime during the coming week.
Daddy Long Legs: The UAE Derby winner is still over in Europe, where it's impossible to say for sure how well he is training. All we really know is that he will be ridden by Colm O'Donoghue and will ship to Churchill on Monday or Tuesday.
Daddy Nose Best: He's been at Churchill Downs for several weeks now, where he has turned in three breezes beginning on April 9th. Most recently, he went six furlongs in 1:14 flat on April 23rd. He's been on a once-a-week workout schedule, so I would expect his next and final breeze to come on April 30th.
Done Talking: It's a bit unusual to see a Derby horse based at Laurel Park, but that is exactly where Done Talking is doing his training. Like several other Derby contenders, he turned in his final pre-race workout this morning, going five furlongs in a bullet 1:01 flat over the Laurel main track.
Dullahan: The Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I) winner has looked good galloping at Churchill during the last week, and turned in his final workout this morning, going five furlongs in a moderate 1:01 1/5. He's got something to prove heading into the Derby, as his biggest success has come over synthetic and turf tracks, but he did run well enough to finish fourth in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) here at Churchill.
El Padrino: His last workout occurred on April 20th, when he breezed five furlongs in 1:00.56 at Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida. I believe his next workout is scheduled to come tomorrow, which would be followed by a plane flight to Churchill on Tuesday.
Gemologist: Like his stablemate El Padrino, Gemologist breezed five furlongs on April 20th -- going the distance in 1:00.81 -- and will record one more workout prior to shipping on Tuesday.
Hansen: He turned in his final pre-Derby breeze this morning, going five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 at the Churchill Training Center while going in company with Derby Kitten, the 2011 Lexington Stakes (gr. III) winner. I thought it was a highly impressive workout, with a final eighth in :12 seconds flat, and it should really set him up well for the Derby.
I'll Have Another: The Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) winner made headlines a few days ago when he made the vet's list after undergoing shock wave therapy on his back, but it was apparently nothing serious at all, for he looked great breezing six furlongs in 1:13 4/5 at Hollywood Park on April 27th. He is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs this afternoon, along with Creative Cause and Rousing Sermon.
Liaison: The winner of the CashCall Futurity (gr. I) has disappointed in all three of his starts this year -- all at Santa Anita -- but is supposedly training much better since arriving at Churchill. He breezed six furlongs in 1:12 4/5 at Churchill on April 25th, a breeze in which he was pushed hard to finish strongly. He'll turn in one more work between now and the Derby.
Mark Valeski: If there is a longshot that could hit the board in the Derby, I think this is the one. The runner-up in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) after losing a shoe during the race, he breezed five furlongs in a quick :59 3/5 at Churchill on April 23rd. So long as his next breeze is just as impressive, I believe that he could enter the Derby sitting on a huge performance.
Optimizer: He's currently number twenty-one on the graded earnings list, so he may not make the race, but he looked good breezing a half-mile in :48 3/5 at Churchill on April 23rd while finishing up on his correct lead, something he has had a bit of trouble with in the past. I expect he'll breeze once more sometime during the next couple of days, possibly on Monday.
Prospective: This morning, he breezed five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 at Churchill Downs, going in company with the stakes-placed Moon Traveler. He's been at Churchill for over a month now, which is something I really like to see. He did perform poorly here at Churchill last year in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), but seeing how much he has improved since then, I would be inclined to toss that performance out and assume that he will do better on Derby day.
Rousing Sermon: The heavily raced Rousing Sermon, who has made nine starts so far, breezed seven furlongs in the good time of 1:27 1/5 on April 21st at Hollywood Park. He is expected to arrive at Churchill Downs today, along with Creative Cause and I'll Have Another. He still doesn't have a rider for the Derby, but I expect that an announcement regarding that matter will come during the next two or three days.
Sabercat: He hasn't really done any serious training yet at Churchill, with his last breeze being a moderate five furlongs in 1:02 4/5 on April 23rd, but I would expect that his final work will be much, much sharper. Seeing how much he improved in his second start of the year -- going from an eighth-place finish in the Rebel to a third-place finish in the Arkansas Derby -- I wouldn't be surprised if he is sitting on another big step forward.
Take Charge Indy: The Florida Derby (gr. I) winner turned in an excellent five-furlong breeze on April 26th, going the distance in 1:00.47 while working in company with the allowance horse Zimmer -- who, coincidentally, won a maiden special weight at Churchill on Derby day 2010 under a skilled ride from none other than Calvin Borel. Take Charge Indy is schedule to ship to Churchill on Tuesday, along with El Padrino and Gemologist. He will record no more official workouts from here on out.
Trinniberg: The longshot sprinter breezed five furlongs in 1:15 2/5 at Calder on April 23rd, then arrived at Churchill via van yesterday. I would expect him to breeze once more prior to the Derby, but whether it will be a speed-sharpening or stamina-oriented workout is hard to say.
Union Rags: He has looked phenomenal since the Florida Derby, and especially since arriving at Churchill Downs. This morning, he breezed five furlongs in a brilliant :59 4/5, signaling that he is sitting on a career-best performance in the Kentucky Derby. So long as he continues to gallop well during the coming week, I might actually end up picking him to win the big prize.
Went the Day Well: He breezed five furlongs at Churchill Downs this morning in 1:01 flat, which was a much sharper work than he has previously turned in. Interestingly, he wore blinkers during the work, which possibly contributed to the much better final time. He is expected to wear them again in the Derby itself.
(Note: Be sure to check out our Kentucky Derby Handicapping Contest, in which one lucky handicapper will win a free copy of "The 10 Best Kentucky Derbies," published by Eclipse Press. Read the details here!)
-Keelerman
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