General a Rod has first breeze for Kentucky Derby

General a Rod, one of the main Kentucky Derby threats out of Florida this winter, had his first breeze since shipping to Kentucky when going five furlongs Thursday in 59.80 seconds at the Trackside training center.

“It was a nice work, nothing out of character for him,” said trainer Mike Maker. “He’ll probably have just one more work before the Derby. We’ll send him over to Churchill to work the Monday or Tuesday before the race.”

Trackside clocker Richard McCreery caught General a Rod, who went without company, with a six-furlong gallop-out of 1:14.40.

General a Rod, owned by J. Armando Rodriguez, is one of at least two Derby prospects for Maker, the former longtime assistant to D. Wayne Lukas who set the single-meet record for wins (25) last spring at Keeneland.

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

Maker also trains Louisiana Derby winner Vicar’s In Trouble, who is definitely in and is scheduled to work Saturday morning at Churchill. Another possible starter, Harry’s Holiday, is on the Derby bubble after running 13th of 14 in the Blue Grass Stakes last weekend over the Keeneland Polytrack.

“We’d like to run,” said Harvey Diamond, one of the Louisville-based partners who own Harry’s Holiday. “We want to see how he comes out of the race, and we’re not going to run unless we think he’s got a shot. He had a few excuses in the Blue Grass, although obviously, we were disappointed. He coughed up some chalk afterward and lost a shoe during the race. He’s a better horse than what he showed.”

Harry’s Holiday was coming off a just-miss second in the March 22 Spiral Stakes over Polytrack at Turfway Park.