Bourbon War, Vekoma, Hidden Scroll drill for Florida Derby

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – With the most important race of his star 3-year-old Bourbon War’s career coming up in just 15 days and a work scheduled for later in the morning, one couldn’t blame trainer Mark Hennig for fretting a bit as an unexpected shower rolled through shortly after the racetrack opened for training here on Friday.

Fortunately, after some anxious moments and a bit of a delay, all’s well that ended well for Hennig and Bourbon War, who breezed an easy four furlongs in 50.42 seconds over a fast and harrowed track following the second renovation break.

Bourbon War, the runner-up in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth 13 days earlier, was one of three potential Florida Derby starters to work around the region on Friday, along with Vekoma and Hidden Scroll, the third- and fourth-place finishers in the Fountain of Youth.

“I was planning to go at 7:30, but they back-raked the track because of the rain,” Hennig said. “I was hoping they would harrow the track during the second break. I was trying to gauge how much water we got, but the track looked to be in good shape, although perhaps a little on the heavy side. But we got the breeze in and stayed on schedule, which was good since the weather looks a little dicey later this week.”

Hennig said Bourbon War’s work went exactly as planned.

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“I thought he got a lot out of his last start and wanted to do what I did going into the Fountain of Youth, which was to give him a nice, comfortable breeze two weeks out and then come back with a little sharper one next week,” said Hennig. “And that’s exactly what we accomplished today.”

Trainer George Weaver said it sprinkled some at Palm Beach Downs, but he had no track-related issues to deal with before sending Vekoma out to work four furlongs in 50.76 in company with Majestic Dunhill. Weaver’s wife, Cindy, was aboard for the drill.

“He went fine, within himself, just a little leg stretcher,” Weaver said. “He’s a pretty idle horse when he works by himself, which is why I gave him some company, just to make sure he was honest. I’ll probably bring him back and let him do a little more next Saturday.”

Vekoma was beaten 2 3/4 lengths by Code of Honor and two lengths by Bourbon War in the Fountain of Youth, his first start since capturing the Grade 3 Nashua at Aqueduct four months earlier.

“Obviously, I’d have liked to have won, but for his first time out in four months and first time around two turns, I thought it was a pretty good race,” said Weaver. “Especially since he was still a little green and grabbed his left front, I believe when floated out a bit by Code of Honor at the top of the stretch. I’m still not 100 percent sure he wants to go two turns or run a little further or not on the dirt. But even though the waters keep getting deeper, off that effort he certainly earned a chance to try it again in the Florida Derby.”

Hidden Scroll, who contested a brutal pace in the Fountain of Youth, breezed four furlongs in company in 50.21 at Payson Park. Hidden Scroll took dirt while reserved in behind his workmate before tipping out at midstretch and gradually overtaking his target while well held throughout.

“We purposely put him behind another horse to make sure he was comfortable rating, and I thought it was a very good work,” said trainer Bill Mott. “They went off in 26, and he came home in 24, then galloped out very well. We still have a lot to learn about this horse. We still have to find out if he can get a mile and one-eighth, and he’s going to have to be able to rate a little bit to get that distance.”

Javier Castellano will replace Joel Rosario aboard Hidden Scroll in his next start.