Churchill Downs: Fort Larned breezes for Grade 2 Alysheba

Fort Larned, the reigning Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, worked four furlongs in 48.80 seconds at Churchill Downs on Tuesday, his first breeze since finishing a disappointing fifth as the odds-on favorite in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on April 13. He galloped out five-eighths in 1:01.80.

The Oaklawn Handicap was the second disappointing outing in a row for Fort Larned, who stumbled and lost rider Brian Hernandez Jr. immediately after the start of the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap five weeks earlier.

“I think he really struggled with the track out there at Oaklawn, which is unusual for him, although I don’t want to take anything away from the winner [Cyber Secret], who ran very well that day and beat us fair and square,” trainer Ian Wilkes said. “But sometimes you just have to put a line through a race and move on from there.”

Wilkes said he was pleased with Fort Larned’s work Tuesday and, if all goes well, he’ll run him in the Grade 2 Alysheba on Kentucky Oaks Day, May 3.

“I thought he went well this morning,” Wilkes said. “The horse is doing fine, although if there are any questions, I certainly won’t run him in the Alysheba.”