Derby Clocker: Good Magic continues to impress
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The main track at Churchill Downs is open for training from 5:15-10 a.m. on a daily basis. Factoring in the two breaks, that means trainers have approximately a four-hour period during which to work their horses.
But when it comes to 3-year-olds working for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, typically all the real action gets compressed into a very small window of time. As it did here once again on Saturday morning when 10 horses, six for the Derby and four for the Oaks, turned in their final major preps, nine of them in rapid fire beginning with a sharp move from Good Magic and ending with an easier five-furlong breeze by My Boy Jack less than nine minutes later.
GOOD MAGIC, the reigning juvenile champion, continues to impress in the morning. He cruised an easy five furlongs in 24.80, 36.68, 1:00.94, finishing willingly with his ears pricked before galloping out with good energy under some gentle prodding, completing six panels in 1:13.84 before pulling up seven-eighths in 1:27.35. He gives every indication he’s exited his Blue Grass victory in good order and likely is moving forward to an even better performance on Derby day.
PROMISES FULFILLED, with a target in a team that included potential Oaks favorite Monomoy Girl, breezed from the half to the wire in 23.94, 48.00, then was asked hard to continue on an additional quarter mile past the finish line, five-eighths in 1:00.60 and six furlongs in 1:13.65. As was the case last week when he lost focus drifting well wide into the stretch, this time it happened just inside the sixteenth pole when he switched back to his left lead prematurely at that point. He just does not seem quite as sharp now as he had been prior to his victory in the Fountain of Youth earlier this winter.
FREE DROP BILLY bounced out of last week’s impressive work in good order and turned back to a half-mile this morning, breaking from the three-eighths marker and finishing on the clubhouse turn in typical Dale Romans style in 49.12 before once again looking sharp galloping out around the bend in 1:01.54, easing up three-quarters in 1:15.24. Good work horse remains on his game at this time.
FLAMEAWAY worked in company outside stablemate Ride a Comet, with both a bit keen early clipping off a 22.50 opening quarter. Flameaway was slightly best at the wire in 47.66 before easing up a bit purposefully on the gallop-out after five-eighths in 1:02.15. Flameaway has been on his toes and shown a high energy level here all week. He gives every indication he should be close to the pace with a clean beginning on Derby day.
MY BOY JACK looked to be pretty much in maintenance mode this morning under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. Eased away from the five-furlong pole posting splits of 13.78, 26.81, 38.52 to the top of the stretch, he then quickened some under steady encouragement from just inside the eighth pole to the wire, completing five furlongs in 1:03.26 before galloping out with decent energy, in 1:16.68, into the bend.
Trainer D.Wayne Lukas wanted no part of the chaos during the Derby-Oaks session, choosing instead to send BRAVAZO out just before 5:30 a.m. to go five furlongs in 1:01.72 in company with maiden-claiming stablemate Berko. Bravazo broke a couple of lengths back and took a little dirt around the turn before angling inside his partner for the stretch run, both coming home in a strong 23.21, with Berko appearing to be under a bit less encouragement to the wire. The team galloped out six furlongs willingly enough in 1:14.84.
MONOMOY GIRL was the big name on the list of Oaks workers, breezing five furlongs from the half in 1:01.60 outside Secret House. She was followed by her stablemate SASSY SIENNA, a half in 49.20 with a sharp-looking gallop-out, Gary Stevens aboard; ESKIMO KISSES, five furlongs in 1:01.35, up 1:15.37, Corey Lanerie in the irons; and BLAMED, a half-mile in 48.27 with a willing gallop-out, five-eighths in 1:01.20, up three-quarters in 1:14.63 under Robby Albarado.
– additional reporting by David Grening
