Cairo Prince, Pletcher trio work Sunday for Kentucky Derby

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said he probably got his best night’s sleep in two weeks on Saturday, once he learned that Cairo Prince was sitting in the 20th spot on the Kentucky Derby points standings at day’s end, making it likely his horse will have a starting berth in the Derby lineup.

The following morning, a well-rested McLaughlin sent Cairo Prince out for the first of his three scheduled breezes leading up to the Derby, an easy half-mile in 48.77 over a fast track at the Palm Meadows training center here.

Cairo Prince, impressive winner of the Grade 2 Holy Bull in his 3-year-old debut, put himself in a precarious position in the points standings by finishing fourth as the even-money favorite in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 29. But after the two final major Derby preps, the Blue Grass and Arkansas Derby, were in the books on Saturday, Cairo Prince found himself in the final qualifying spot for the Kentucky Derby, at least for now. (Cairo Prince and Uncle Sigh are tied for the 20th spot with 24 points each, but Cairo Prince is ranked ahead of Uncle Sigh by virtue of a tiebreaker.)

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

If more than 20 are entered in the Kentucky Derby, the top 20 on the points list are given preference into the field.

“They let 20 run and it doesn’t matter if you’re first or 20th,” said McLaughlin. “I feel really good right now that we’re 20th. I hope that it stays that way, but we feel comfortable now.”

Cairo Prince worked in company on Sunday with stablemate Summer Cove. Breaking off outside his partner, Cairo Prince completed his opening quarter in 23.85 and was in hand cruising to the wire a half-length best before galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.94.

“I thought his work was great this morning,” said McLaughlin. “We’ll do the same thing next week going five furlongs, he’ll fly to Kentucky on the 22nd, and have one last work there.”

McLaughlin said the nine-week layoff from the Holy Bull and that Cairo Prince was hung a little wide could have contributed to his fourth-place finish in the Florida Derby.

“Both factors may have had something to do with what happened,” said McLaughlin. “I was just shocked he didn’t run one-two-three because of the points system. But it doesn’t matter now because we’re in and have a chance to win the Kentucky Derby, not just run in it.”

Also Sunday, trainer Todd Pletcher worked all three of his confirmed Kentucky Derby starters who are stabled at Palm Meadows: Constitution, Intense Holiday, and We Miss Artie. Pletcher got a fourth horse into the top 20 on Saturday by virtue of Danza’s impressive victory in the Arkansas Derby. He also trains Vinceramos, who is 22nd on the points list.

Constitution, working solo, went a very easy half-mile in 50.55 and galloped out five-eighths in 1:03.57. He completed his final quarter-mile in 24.63 while finishing into a stiff headwind.

“That was pretty much exactly the same breeze we had after his allowance win, a very easy half,” said Pletcher. “I thought he was very relaxed, which is something we’ve been concentrating on. I thought he was moving great. He did it effortlessly and picked it up nicely down the lane.”

We Miss Artie and Intense Holiday worked in company, completing four furlongs in 48.67, with a final quarter into the wind in 24.01. Intense Holiday appeared to be going easiest of the duo while about a head in front at the wire. The pair galloped out as a team in 1:01.20.

“I thought both went well, galloped out real well, with good energy,” said Pletcher.

Like Cairo Prince, all three of Pletcher’s locally based Derby hopefuls will work again next Sunday at Palm Meadows before shipping to Louisville on April 22.

“We’ll probably do a little more with Constitution next week,” said Pletcher. “Just like we did leading up to the Florida Derby.”

Pletcher was also excited, but not totally surprised, by Danza’s performance winning the Arkansas Derby by 4 3/4 lengths under jockey Joe Bravo the previous afternoon.

“I think any time you have a 40-1 shot win like that you have to be surprised,” said Pletcher. “But those of us who know the horse aren’t shocked because he’s always been a nice colt. I thought his third-place finish trying to make up ground on a speed-favoring track in his first 3-year-old start was a sneaky good race off the layoff. We went [to Oaklawn] because we thought it was worth taking a shot, for sure, and if he comes out of the race okay, he’ll run in the Derby. That’s why we were there yesterday.”

Pletcher said he remains undecided regarding Vinceremos’s Derby status should he have the necessary points to get into the race.