Derby Watch: Many contenders skip working at Churchill
There was a time when it seemed almost sacrilegious to forgo working at Churchill Downs prior to running in the Kentucky Derby.
Jay PrivmanApr 22, 2015
There was a time when it seemed almost sacrilegious to forgo working at Churchill Downs prior to running in the Kentucky Derby.
After several slow days on the Kentucky Derby workout front, things began to pick up a bit Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs, where both War Story and Mr. Z turned in five-furlong works and American Pharoah got to really stretch his legs for the first time since arriving here last week.
Went the Day Well (#4, ML 12-1) takes on a field of seven in Wednesday’s eighth race at Aqueduct, a 1 1/8-mile optional claimer. Since Jan. 1, 2014, trainer Jimmy Jerkens is winning at a 28 percent clip in dirt races, for a return on investment of $3.38.
Chapter and Verse (#2, ML 5-2) will return to action in Wednesday’s sixth race at Keeneland, an about seven-furlong allowance. It will be his first start since a third-place finish by 3 3/4 lengths in a six-furlong optional claimer March 14 at Fair Grounds. The fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-place finishers from that race came back to win their next starts.
I still like Dortmund to win the Kentucky Derby, but there is no way I can be as confident as I was with California Chrome last year.
After the final scoring race for the Kentucky Derby is run, the Derby Watch top 20 becomes entirely points driven, and any horse who works his way into the top 20 must be included, even if the Derby Watch committee doesn’t think much of his chances or even if his starting status is in doubt.
Brad Free's horses to watch at Santa Anita for the week of April 21.
Ron Gierkink's horses to watch at Woodbine for the week of April 20.
Rock Fall extended his win streak to four, getting a smart ride from Javier Castellano in winning the $66,470 allowance Saturday by nine lengths. He earned a career-high 109 Beyer Speed Figure on his way to the stakes ranks for Todd Pletcher.