Clocker: Always Dreaming settles down a bit

CHURCHILL DOWNS

Weather: Rainy

Fast

Temp. 61

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rain prior to and during training hours at Churchill Downs on Thursday did little to disrupt the plans of the prospective Kentucky Derby and Oaks starters on the grounds, save for Miss Sky Warrior, who got her scheduled half-mile breeze in about 90 minutes earlier than originally expected.

Despite the rain, the main track held up remarkably well, remaining fast throughout the four-hour session, although it did have a bit of moisture peeking through in spots when the Oaks-Derby session began at 8:30 a.m.

As expected, all eyes were on Florida Derby winner Always Dreaming following a quite unsettled first appearance here Wednesday. And while Always Dreaming was a little less rambunctious on his second day in Louisville, he still proved a handful at times for his exercise rider, especially down the stretch, where he got to bobbing and weaving quite a bit as he approached the wire.

“He’s still a little keener than I want,” trainer Todd Pletcher said afterward. “He was better today. He still got a little aggressive turning for home. He’s doing great, he’s eating great, he’s moving great. I’m just hoping the breeze tomorrow will take just a little bit of the edge off him.”

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Pletcher’s other three Derby horses – Battalion Runner, Tapwrit, and Patch – had a relatively uneventful morning. All four of Pletcher’s Derby horses were scheduled to work Friday.

McCraken was back galloping Thursday for the first time since turning in an impressive five-furlong breeze here Monday, his penultimate Derby work, and looked none the worse for wear. The same can be said for trainer Steve Asmussen’s trio of potential Derby starters – Lookin At Lee, Untrapped, and Hence – all of whom also appear to have emerged from their works here Monday in good order.

State of Honor continues to make a good impression in the morning, while 2-year-old male champion Classic Empire, his stablemate, turned in another routine gallop in preparation for his final Derby prep, also scheduled for Friday here.

Practical Joke galloped in blinkers for the second consecutive morning, after which trainer Chad Brown confirmed that he will breeze with blinkers on Friday.

Kentucky Oaks starter Miss Sky Warrior was on the track at 7 a.m. in an attempt to beat the rain, although both she and her rider, Paco Lopez, got a bit of a soaking as the skies opened up just as they entered the clubhouse turn to begin a half-mile maintenance breeze.

Miss Sky Warrior left the four-furlong pole very relaxed and hit the top of the stretch in 25.06 seconds before finishing up nicely to complete the distance in 49.34 without urging. She galloped out with good energy, going five furlongs in 1:02.44 before pulling up six furlongs in 1:16.19.

“Mostly just a maintenance workout, and she did everything right,” trainer Kelly Breen said. “We were in a little bit of a rush mode to beat the weather, and I thought she worked good. My main thing was her fastest eighth was her last eighth. She did what I asked – galloped out strong – after which Paco came back and said she was great. It’s all good.”