Destin to train up to Kentucky Derby; Outwork to Wood Memorial

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – Plans for a trio of Todd Pletcher-trained 3-year-olds came more into focus Saturday, with Tampa Bay Derby winner Destin training up to the Kentucky Derby, Tampa Bay Derby runner-up Outwork confirmed for the Wood Memorial, and Fountain of Youth runner-up Zulu likely headed to the Blue Grass Stakes.

All three put in workouts Saturday at Palm Beach Downs. Pletcher confirmed following the work that Destin would train up to the Kentucky Derby. On Saturday afternoon, owner Mike Repole confirmed that Outwork would run in the Wood. Since Pletcher has said that he doesn’t want to run Outwork and Zulu in the same race, it is expected that he would run Zulu in the Blue Grass.

“Possibly,” is all Pletcher would say about Zulu going in the Blue Grass after saddling Off the Tracks for the Gulfstream Park Oaks.

Destin, a son of Giant’s Causeway, won the Tampa Bay Derby on March 12. His speed figures – in particular his Ragozin Sheet number – were so good that his connections fear that running him again would compromise his chances in the Kentucky Derby. Steve Davis, who owns Ragozin Sheets, is a part-owner of Destin.

“He believes in the figures,” Pletcher said. “The horse ran a huge race, improved multiple points on pretty much every speed figure that you can see. To think he’s going to come back in between the Tampa Derby and pop again in the Blue Grass or the Wood and then pop again [in Kentucky] … it could happen, but everyone’s comfortable giving him time in between, bringing him in fresh. Also, it gives you a chance to maybe continue to run in the Preakness if you want to.”

Pletcher noted that he had success in last year’s Breeders’ Cup with Liam’s Map, who won the Dirt Mile with nine weeks between races, and Stopchargingmaria, who won the Distaff with eight weeks between races. Destin would have eight weeks between the Tampa Bay Derby and Kentucky Derby.

Destin, Zulu, and Outwork were among 20 horses Pletcher worked on a warm Saturday morning.

Destin, who got very washy on the track, worked a half-mile in 48.61 seconds in company with J S Bach. Destin got his final quarter in 23.42 seconds while finishing a half-length in front. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.99.

Outwork, a son of Uncle Mo, worked a brilliant five furlongs in 1:00.48 in company with Decorated Soldier, a 3-year-old maiden winner. Outwork was eager under John Velazquez, who was trying to take a hold of him even before Pletcher, via two-way radio, was telling him to take a hold. Outwork went his first quarter in 24.34 seconds and three furlongs in 36.91.

Pletcher did ask Velazquez to let Outwork finish, and without much urging, Outwork ran away from Decorated Soldier through a final quarter in 23.85 seconds. He finished six lengths in front of Decorated Soldier and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.92 and seven furlongs in 1:29.04.

“He’s always a good work horse, pretty straightforward, jumps into the bridle, drags you around there,” Pletcher said. “Obviously, the last part of the work was done on his own. He put in a good, steady gallop-out.”

On Saturday morning, Repole said he still wasn’t sure where Outwork would run next. On Saturday afternoon, via text, he chose the Wood.

“Need to try and get the Wood Mo and I lost in 2011 at 1-9,” said Repole, referring to Uncle Mo’s third-place finish in the 2011 Wood.

Pletcher said Saturday morning he wouldn’t run Outwork and Zulu in the same race. There is a plane from Florida to Kentucky on Tuesday and a plane from Florida to New York on Thursday.

Zulu, with Javier Castellano up, worked a half-mile in 49.07 seconds, getting his final quarter in 23.50 while finishing a head in front of the older horse Itsaknockout. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.47 and six furlongs in 1:15.38.

Pletcher said he wasn’t looking for as sharp a work from Zulu as he was Outwork.

“He’s a lighter-framed horse; he doesn’t need quite as much,” Pletcher said. “I thought he worked well; it was a good gallop-out. He’s one you got to clue in a little bit if you want to do more. I thought when I told Javier on the radio to let him pick it up, you could see him engage and quicken a little bit.”

Rachel’s Valentina, who has not raced since finishing second to Songbird in last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, worked five furlongs in 1:00.41, finishing a length in front of Uncle Vinny through a final quarter in 23.37 seconds. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.04 and seven-eighths in 1:29.30.

:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays

Rachel’s Valentina will be making her 3-year-old debut in the Grade 1 Ashland next Saturday at Keeneland.

“That’s her fourth five-eighths back; we wanted a good, solid work, a good, solid gallop-out,” Pletcher said.

Blofeld and Stanford, who finished 1-2 in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap, worked five-eighths together in 1:00.76 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.72 and seven furlongs in 1:27.90.

Blofeld is pointing to the Oaklawn Handicap, while Stanford is going to the Charles Town Classic.

Anchor Down, who scratched from Saturday’s Sir Shackleton Stakes at Gulfstream to run in next Saturday’s Grade 1 Carter at Aqueduct, worked four furlongs in 48.09 seconds.