Kentucky Derby clocker: Final impressions of the field

CHURCHILL DOWNS
Thursday, May 2
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 63
Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The complexion of this year’s Kentucky Derby may have changed immensely overnight with the news that likely favorite Omaha Beach was out of the race, but it was still business as usual for the rest of the field during training hours Thursday morning at Churchill Downs.

About the most noteworthy observation taken away from the Oaks-Derby session was the conspicuous absence of Haikal, a mystery cleared up with the news he was dealing with a foot abscess that put his Derby status in question.

As for the new Derby morning-line favorite Game Winner, he again waited for the 9:00 break before galloping another routine 1 1/2 miles without incident not far behind his stablemate and Oaks hopeful Flor de La Mar.

Bodexpress, who drew into the field via the defection of Omaha Beach, galloped locally for the first time and appeared a bit awestruck of his new surroundings, looking around and tossing his head several times while kept down on the inner rail throughout.

Brief impressions of this year’s Derby field (in post position order) from observations made during training hours locally and around the country over the past two weeks follow.

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WAR OF WILL comes in off a very impressive work. Has been a bit headstrong during routine gallops and there’s some question how much conditioning he got out of that last start. He figures to be a pace presence from the outset given his rail post.

TAX has made a very favorable impression on a daily basis since his arrival from N.Y.

BY MY STANDARDS has trained as well as anybody since his upset victory in the Louisiana Derby. He looks like a live longshot in current form.

GRAY MAGICIAN got very hot when visiting the track during the Oaks/Derby session for first time on Wednesday.

IMPROBABLE has been bit headstrong himself during early stages of his two local breezes, but he settled in nicely and galloped out with terrific energy in a very sharp work here Sunday. Getting the distance is perhaps the main issue for this son of City Zip.

VEKOMA: Nothing to knock about the Blue Grass winner. He seems to have settled in nicely this week after returning to Florida following his Keeneland win to complete final major preparations.

MAXIMUM SECURITY: It’s hard to learn much from his series of slow one-mile breezes at Palm Meadows since winning Florida Derby, but he’s undefeated and virtually unchallenged.

TACITUS is not the best of work horses, but he’s looked solid during his morning gallops, picking up the pace during the latter stages of his two-minute licks. He should relish 1 1/4 miles.

PLUS QUE PARFAIT didn’t have the flashiest final work, but he has come out of his last breeze looking very solid during training hours.

CUTTING HUMOR: All his works since the Sunland Derby win have been very good down at Palm Beach Downs, but he will get a class test on Saturday.

HAIKAL didn’t look comfortable galloping over the track for first time on Tuesday and now his Derby status seems questionable due to a foot abscess.

CODE OF HONOR has trained with renewed energy since getting to Kentucky, capping strong series of breezes with a sharp move here Sunday. He gets a mulligan for his Florida Derby disappointment due to the pace scenario.

WIN WIN WIN wound up with some unplanned company in his lone local breeze, having to come around the Mott team of Tacitus and Country House. He ran past the duo to the wire and reengaged them gamely after getting hung wide on the gallop-out. Gained newfound respect off that move.

MASTER FENCER: Hard to gauge off his easy blowout here Wednesday.

GAME WINNER had an easy schedule at first after arriving locally off a well-graded work at Santa Anita, but looked just fine when finally allowed to pick up the pace the past two mornings.

ROADSTER: Another who did all his major Derby work at Santa Anita. Nothing really to knock about him since he arrived locally along with Game Winner last weekend.

LONG RANGE TODDY turned in surprising burst of speed for an Asmussen trainee on “maintenance Monday,” and is another who has looked just fine during routine morning gallops.

SPINOFF prepped at Palm Beach Downs along with Cutting Humor in a series of decent if not spectacular works.

COUNTRY HOUSE was part of that four-horse workout mess here Sunday while asked to finish from nearest the rail. He must overcome a pretty tough post position draw.

BODEXPRESS : This maiden faces an imposing task breaking from the outside after drawing in off the also-eligible list.