Derby works: Hoppertunity, Tapiture ignore the bad weather

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainers tend to follow the same routine with their horses, morning after morning, at most any racetrack, whether a half-mile bush track or Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby Week. But there was nothing routine about training hours under the Twin Spires on Monday morning, with torrential downpours and severe lightning interfering with the plans of a couple of top Derby contenders. Ultimately, however, it did not deter either Tapiture or Hoppertunity from getting in key workouts over the sloppy Churchill strip.

Among the obstacles all horsemen at Churchill had to deal with Monday due to the intense weather was the racetrack being shut down for almost 30 minutes due to the dangers posed by severe lightning in close proximity to the track shortly before 7 a.m. The course was floated prior to reopening, at which time trainers were advised that there would not be another renovation break for the remainder of the morning.

That decision forced the hand of Bob Baffert, who called an audible regarding the scheduled work times for both Hoppertunity and his Oaks candidate, Ria Antonia.[:slideshow-right:]

Monday at Churchill Downs
65 degrees, thunderstorms, sloppy

Hoppertunity (five furlongs in 1:01.25): Already having had one good work under his belt here last week over a fast track, Hoppertunity came back with an even better move in the slop this morning. Going in company with stablemate Drill, an older, multiple graded stakes winner, Hoppertunity broke off under Martin Garcia at the 4 1/2-furlong pole nearly three lengths behind his target.

Hoppertunity quickly settled into a comfortable stride, posted a 25.43-second opening quarter split before easing up nearly on even terms with Drill after three-eighths in 37.08. Remaining straight as a string down the stretch and totally focused while his partner was having an issue changing leads and got to looking around some approaching the wire, Hoppertunity remained in hand to complete his final quarter to the 7 1/2-furlong pole in 24.17.

The best was yet to come, as Hoppertunity continued on very strongly with barely a hint of encouragement around the turn and into the backstretch, galloping out six furlongs in 1:14 before finally pulling up seven-eighths in 1:27.36.

Reputedly a lackluster work horse, according to West Coast observers, Hoppertunity has impressed over the past 10 days, obviously handles a wet track well should that should come into play on Derby Day, and seems to be a horse sitting on a very big effort.

Tapiture (four furlongs in 50.16): He had the misfortune of being out on the track during some of the worst of the thunderstorm activity shortly before the track was shut down. As seems to be his nature, Tapiture was on the muscle and eager to stretch his legs despite turning into torrents of rain upon entering the backstretch. He broke off at the half-mile pole under a bit of encouragement just as a giant clap of thunder shook the grounds but paid little heed to the elements.

He quickly settled into a very comfortable stride once taken sharply in hand by his rider midway on the turn. Reaching out very nicely and obviously handling the sloppy strip well, Tapiture finished very willingly under the conditions before being given the signal to start easing up by his rider shortly after passing the wire. Like Hoppertunity, Tapiture has made a favorable impression over the week and is another who probably would not mind seeing a sloppy track Saturday.

Two of the three New York-based 3-year-olds running in this year’s Derby, Uncle Sigh and Wicked Strong , galloped over the track for the first time since their arrival this past weekend. Uncle Sigh was equipped with blinkers, which he will wear Saturday, and seemed a little uncomfortable over the wet Churchill surface, while Wicked Strong turned in a nice, strong, focused gallop in the slop.

Harry’s Holiday did not have the best of mornings. He did not appear to be striding out well in the slop and had washed out quite a bit by the time he reached the gap for the return trip home.

Ria Antonia (four furlongs in 47.55) was the only Oaks worker on soggy Monday and actually served as a bit of a guinea pig for Hoppertunity, as she was the first of the Baffert pair to test the sealed and floated surface following the makeshift break around 7:30 a.m. She passed that test with flying colors, zipping a half-mile without need of any urging in 47.55 before galloping out extremely well, five-eighths in 1:00.26 and up six furlongs in 1:14.13.