Just Steel impresses in final Oaklawn work

Kentucky Derby probable Just Steel emerged from a Thursday work at Oaklawn Park in good order and was scheduled to ship Saturday to Churchill Downs, according to his trainer, D. Wayne Lukas.

Just Steel, who ranks 12th in points for the Kentucky Derby following his runner-up finish in the Arkansas Derby on March 30, had his first work out of that race Thursday. He went five-eighths on a track rated muddy in 1:00.80.

“He had a really strong work, a really good one, maybe as good as he's worked all year,” Lukas said Friday. “Keith Asmussen was up for the work. He was excited, I could tell. He was pumped. He worked really well.

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“This one after the race, we were just getting him more focused again and getting some condition on him, then we’ll do a little something more serious with him here, probably next Friday.”

Lukas said Just Steel is scheduled to have two more works ahead of the Kentucky Derby. Asmussen has the mount in the race, which is May 4. Lukas is a four-time winner of the Kentucky Derby.

Just Steel last raced at Churchill in November and won the Ed Brown. Earlier this year, he was second in the Smarty Jones won by Catching Freedom, who would go on to capture the Louisiana Derby.

Just Steel is a son of Justify who races for BC Stables. For his effort in the Arkansas Derby, he earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 95. He wintered at Oaklawn.

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