Derby Watch: Many contenders skip working at Churchill

There was a time when it seemed almost sacrilegious to forgo working at Churchill Downs prior to running in the Kentucky Derby.

But just as the trend with Derby prospects in recent years has been toward fewer starts spaced farther apart, so too has there been an adjustment regarding where trainers choose to work their horses prior to the Derby.

One of the first to arrive at Churchill Downs merely the week of the race after doing all his serious training elsewhere was Funny Cide, who in 2003 had two works at Belmont Park after the Wood Memorial and arrived at Churchill Downs just days before the race. That same year, Empire Maker – who had his final drill at Churchill – came down with a foot problem the week of the race that likely compromised his chances on Derby Day. Funny Cide won.

Two years later, Giacomo worked twice at Hollywood Park between the Santa Anita Derby and Kentucky Derby, arrived the week of the race, and scored a 50-1 upset.

And in the last three years, both I’ll Have Another (2012) and California Chrome (2014) won the Derby after doing all their serious training in California following wins in the Santa Anita Derby. Neither worked at Churchill Downs.

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This year, as many as eight of the horses currently in the top 20 on qualifying points are scheduled to have their final works outside of Churchill Downs. Bolo, Dortmund, and Firing Line are prepping at Santa Anita. Frosted and Upstart are at Palm Meadows. Carpe Diem is at Keeneland. El Kabeir is at Belmont Park. And Mubtaahij is at Arlington Park, though it would not be surprising for him to have a short blowout at Churchill after he arrives next week.

That is a major change from 20 years ago, when just three of the 19 runners in that Derby did not work at Churchill – two of them because they had traveled from overseas. Just one of the 16 runners based in the U.S. did not work at Churchill – Tejano Run, who finished second. Of the 15 Derby starters in 1975, the only horses who did not work at Churchill were coming back to race in nine days or fewer. And in 1965, of the 11 runners in that Derby, the only horse who didn’t work at Churchill raced there just four days prior.

The reasons trainers say they do not feel it is compulsory to work at Churchill largely center on two themes: the weather, which is more consistent in, say, California and Florida, and the belief that the main track at Churchill on Derby Day changes in comparison to the track over which horses work in the weeks prior.

“The track a few weeks before is probably not what it is on Derby Day,” said Simon Callaghan, the trainer of Firing Line, who will ship to Churchill after a final work Saturday at Santa Anita. “He’s won on the Polytrack at Del Mar. He’s won on dirt at Sunland. So, it’s not necessary to work him over the surface. It just seemed best to keep things working the way we have been.”

Callaghan has just the one runner. But even trainers with multiple runners in this Derby have taken different approaches. Todd Pletcher has all his runners in Kentucky but will work Carpe Diem at Keeneland while working his remaining Derby prospects at Churchill Downs.

“He seems to be in a good routine over there, and he likes the track,” Pletcher said of Carpe Diem. “He’s won the Breeders’ Futurity and the Blue Grass there. He seems to be in a happy routine. One thing we really like about the Keeneland surface – the new surface there, which is great – it seems to drain really well. So, I don’t think we’ll have to watch the weather quite as closely there [as compared to Churchill Downs].”

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Bob Baffert has kept Dortmund at Santa Anita while already moving American Pharoah to Churchill.

The reasoning for Baffert’s two-pronged approach was strictly logistical. American Pharoah won the Arkansas Derby three weeks out from the Kentucky Derby. Baffert felt it smarter to go straight to Churchill with him rather than fly back to California and fly again to Kentucky. Dortmund has thrived this winter at Santa Anita – and, most notably, already has raced and won at Churchill Downs – so staying put and not having to worry about weather was preferred.

Like Dortmund, El Kabeir already has raced and won at Churchill. He has progressed all winter in New York, so remaining there for his final drill was considered ideal.

“He’s already shipped to Churchill and run well,” said Tonja Terranova, assistant to her husband, John Terranova, who trains El Kabeir. “We just thought it best to stay home, where he’s been – he’s happy here; he’s done all his training here – and go in ready to run.”

– additional reporting by David Grening and Nicole Russo