2026 Kentucky Derby Clocker: Quartet of local workers beats the rain

CHURCHILL DOWNS
Saturday, April 18
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 73 degrees
Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With a forecast that called for a 90 percent chance of showers from mid-morning on, beating the rain became a major objective for the connections of the four potential Kentucky Derby candidates scheduled to work Saturday at Churchill Downs. Fortunately, the local weathermen proved to be very good handicappers, as all four got in those breezes with plenty of room to spare.

Saturday was a busy one on the Derby workout watch, with a trio of contenders also on the work tabs at three different venues around the South Florida area including The Puma at Gulfstream Park and Emerging Market at Payson Park.

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Trainer Riley Mott was taking no chance of catching wet footing of any kind with his Wood Memorial winner Albus, who was among the first horses through the gates when the track opened for training at 5:15 a.m. Typically a very strong work horse, Albus was clearly in maintenance mode in his first breeze since the Wood while in company with maiden mate Theoretical, completing an easy half-mile in 49.10 seconds. He did gallop out with nice energy, easing up after six furlongs in 1:15.83.

Wood runner-up Right to Party was one of three horses on the Derby qualifying points list to work during the special Derby/Oaks training session at 7:30 a.m. Right to Party went a serious five furlongs in 1:00.77 off a lively 35.70 opening three-furlong split while struggling a bit to keep pace outside graded stakes-placed workmate Very Connected, despite being strongly roused on the gallop-out into and around the turn.

Chip Honcho, who still needs a couple of defections to draw into the Derby lineup, looked sharp for trainer Steve Asmussen, breezing five furlongs in 35.08, 59.72, before galloping out in very nice fashion, for six furlongs in 1:12.72 and out in 1:25.73. He traveled easily, while more than holding his own with the older, Grade 2-placed Corporate Power.

At number 30 on the Derby points list, Ocelli has little chance of getting into the race but he did have his Derby towel on while working four furlongs in 24.43, 47.88, before galloping out a long ways past the wire, easing up seven furlongs in 1:27.04.

Down in Florida, The Puma continues to impress, showing off both his speed and stamina, working five furlongs in 36.96, 1:00.58 under jockey Javier Castellano before galloping out in eye-catching fashion, easing up after a full mile in 1:37.67. Castellano kept the Florida Derby runner-up (by the slimmest of margins) off the rail for the opening six furlongs, before dropping him down on the fence to complete the drill in high style.

“The best part of the work was the furlong before the wire and the two furlongs after it,” assistant trainer Gustavo Delgado Jr. said several hours later. “You could really see how confident and comfortable he was the whole way.”

Emerging Market was on total cruise control getting the better of a pressured and over-matched Favorable Scenario after a super easy but impressive looking half-mile in 24.16, 48.53, edging clear on the gallop-out in 1:02.08. The lightly-raced youngster seems to be doing quite nicely exiting a game win in the Louisiana Derby.

At the Palm Meadows training center, Albus’s stablemate Incredibolt, was also out for an easy stroll of his own while also too good for a lesser mate. The Virginia Derby winner was on cruise control from the half in 13.47, 25.82, 50.73 before drawing off readily on the gallop-out, easing up after five furlongs in 1:03.70. He will finally join trainer Riley Mott’s main string for one last Derby prep next weekend at Churchill Downs.

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