Kentucky Derby clocker: Serious work done out of town Friday

Churchill Downs
Weather: Cloudy
Track: Good/fast
Temp: 56

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The effects of even more rain falling over the local area Thursday night and into Friday led to a racetrack that started out as sloppy but improved steadily once the clouds finally gave way to clearer skies as Friday morning progressed at Churchill Downs.

The uncertainty of the conditions during training hours Friday prompted trainer Richard Mandella to call an audible and postpone Omaha Beach’s scheduled work for another 24 hours. Jockey Mike Smith was to fly in to handle that assignment, but he’ll now stay at home, with Julien Leparoux tabbed by Mandella to deputize for Smith on Saturday.

Mandella’s decision meant that for a second straight morning all Derby workout activity took place out of town Friday – at Palm Beach Downs in South Florida, where Spinoff, Cutting Humor, and Vekoma turned in their final major Derby preps, and several hours later at Santa Anita, where stablemates Roadster and Game Winner joined probable Oaks favorite Bellafina on the work tab.

Although he did not work Friday, Omaha Beach had himself another good morning, looking like he could be a powder keg when finally allowed to strut his stuff Saturday. His most immediate victim in the Arkansas Derby, Improbable, was also razor sharp Friday, showing a much higher energy level than during any of his previous gallops since exiting Monday’s half-mile breeze.

By My Standards and Tacitus continue to look good in advance of their final Derby breezes on Sunday, with Tacitus stepping up the pace to nearly a two-minute clip during the latter stages of his daily 1 1/2-mile gallop for a second straight day. War of Will also made a favorable appearance, cruising down the center of the course. Like Omaha Beach, he is tentatively scheduled to work here Saturday, along with Plus Que Parfait.

The track dried out sufficiently during training hours for Oaks hopefuls Motion Emotion and Liora to get in their scheduled breezes. Motion Emotion cruised an easy half-mile over a track rated good at 7:30 in 25.11 and 50.05 with jockey Tyler Baze up. Trainer Wayne Catalano waited until 9 a.m. to send Liora five furlongs over a fast and relatively quick strip in 23.53, 34.78, and 59.49, easing up after six furlongs in 1:13.18.

Palm Beach Downs
Track: Fast

SPINOFF worked in company inside stablemate Last Judgment, posting splits of 25.17 and 37.01 en route to a final clocking of 1:00.70, according to trainer Todd Pletcher. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.74 before easing up after one mile in 1:41.32. Both horses were well in reserve and on even terms at the wire before being asked out another quarter-mile around the turn, with Last Judgment sticking his head in front and arguably slightly best of the pair while working in the deeper going outside his mate.

CUTTING HUMOR turned in a solo half-mile in 24.95 and 48.00, galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.97 and three-quarters in 1:14.22 before pulling up seven-eighths in 1:28.22, per Pletcher. A good work horse by nature, Cutting Humor finished with great energy while well within himself to the wire before carrying that momentum out another strong quarter-mile around the bend without need of prodding.

VEKOMA again went in company with regular mate Majestic Dunhill and from the deeper going outside his mate. He posted splits of 24.11 and 35.93 before completing five furlongs in 59.83 and going out six furlongs in 1:12.82 while holding a slight edge to the wire while going easily under regular rider Javier Castellano. (Thanks to XBTV video of the work.)

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Santa Anita
Track: Fast

ROADSTER, working nearest the rail in company,went six furlongs from the five-eighths in 25.59, 36.15, 1:01.10, and 1:13.90, easing up the final sixteenth to complete seven furlongs in 1:28.25 (timed via XBTV video).

GAME WINNER, also in company nearest the rail, worked seven furlongs from the five-eighths. He posted splits similar to Roadster’s of 24.61, 36.06, and 1:01.03 to the wire under a bit more encouragement than Roadster, and showed much better energy than Roadster when sharply roused to continue out a full seven-eighths in 1:13.65 and 1:27.50.

BELLAFINA, went solo from the five-eighths and covered the final half in 23.07, 48.04 (via XBTV) after angling several paths off rail into the stretch. She was allowed to coast to the wire and ease up on the gallop-out. She does not have the smoothest action when she breezes.