2023 Kentucky Derby Clocker Report: Confidence Game, Mage make appearances on quiet morning

Churchill Downs
Tuesday, April 25
Weather: Clear
Temperature: 39 degrees
Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The closest thing to a timed workout relevant to the Kentucky Derby on Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs came immediately after the track opened for training at 5:15 a.m., when the reigning Derby champion, Rich Strike, breezed an easy half-mile in preparation for his next start in the Alysheba Stakes to be decided on this year’s Derby undercard.

Other than that, it was a relatively quiet and uneventful morning locally on both the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks scene.

The special Derby-Oaks training session was highlighted by the first recent local sighting of Confidence Game, who has not raced since winning the Grade 2 Rebel on Feb. 25 or worked since drilling a mile from the gate nearly two weeks ago. Confidence Game put in a routine gallop as a prelude to his final Derby work scheduled for this weekend following the return of trainer Keith Desormeaux, who has been out of town due to the recent passing of his father.

Mage made his first local appearance since arriving from his South Florida base in the wee hours of Monday morning, jogging and cantering over the main track shortly after 7:30 a.m. Mage, who will be ridden by Javier Castellano in the Derby, is slated to have his final Derby breeze on Saturday, weather permitting.

Sun Thunder turned in another energetic gallop, with blinkers on again Tuesday, although he was definitely a bit more reserved than the previous morning.

:: Get the full DRF Kentucky Derby Clocker Report by Mike Welsch and the DRF Clocker Team

Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out a full contingent of his Derby and Oaks contenders during the special training session, all turning in routine gallops with the Hall of Fame trainer keeping a close eye on the weather for a third consecutive week before formalizing his final Derby prep plans.

As was the case Monday morning, trainer Brad Cox had Angel of Empire out on the track before 5:30 a.m. for his gallop. His three other Derby runners – Verifying, Jace’s Road, and Hit Show – got in their regular gallops two hours later, all without incident.

Like clockwork, Japanese contenders Derma Sotogake and Continuar hit the track at precisely 6:50 a.m., with Derma Sotogake again spending nearly 1 1/2 hours in various forms of exercise that included a 1 1/4-mile gallop over the main track along with some paddock schooling. The two are tentatively scheduled to work, in company, on Wednesday.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2023: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more

Among the Oaks runners to catch the eye was Southlawn, who is coming off a brisk 58.40-second half-mile breeze nearly a week earlier, and Defining Promise who, like her Kenny McPeek-trained stablemate Sun Thunder, galloped along at a brisk, nearly two-minute-lick pace.

At Gulfstream Park, Dorth Vader put in another in a series of impressive works, zipping five furlongs in 58.20 off a 34-second opening three-furlong split, galloping out three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.80 before pulling up a mile in 1:39.40, according to track clockers who noted the work came during a heavy rain shower that popped up shortly before she began the drill.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.