Kentucky Derby clocker: Summer Is Tomorrow breezes as final stragglers arrive
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The gang’s all here!
All 20 starters for this year’s Kentucky Derby were on the grounds before dawn Monday, with the final arrival of Florida Derby winner White Abarrio, whose long van ride from Gulfstream Park ended at the Churchill Downs stable gate at 4:30 a.m. He joined recent arrivals Messier and Taiba from Santa Anita, fellow Floridian Simplification, and Happy Jack, who vanned over from Keeneland on Sunday.
The weather was picture perfect here Monday, with the skies crystal clear and temperatures in the mid-50s when training began before skyrocketing into the low 70s later in the morning. But the forecast is bleak for the near future, an 80 percent to 90 percent chance of rain on Tuesday and an 80 percent chance for Oaks Day on Friday.
Although the majority of this year’s Derby field completed their final serious preps over the weekend at various venues around the country, there was still a little unfinished business to take care of workout-wise, the first of which took place during the special Derby-Oaks training session this morning, with SUMMER IS TOMORROW breezing an easy half-mile in 49.23 seconds. Among the likely pacesetters in Kentucky Derby 2022, Summer Is Tomorrow two-minute-licked his way from the five-eighths pole before officially starting his breeze at the half, easing into top gear around the turn then finishing extremely well. He worked a final quarter in 23.32 while never asked for his best, and galloped out five-eighths in 1:02.59.
MESSIER was among the first Derby sightings early this morning, cantering once around the mile oval shortly after 5:30 a.m. He was joined on the track before dawn by, among others, CLASSIC CAUSEWAY and TAWNY PORT, neither of whom did anything too serious Monday either.
The large Derby contingent after the renovation break was led out, as usual, by the Todd Squad of CHARGE IT, MO DONEGAL, and PIONEER OF MEDINA, all of whom appear to have bounced out of their strong works on Saturday in good order. Trainer Kenny McPeek had his potential Derby trio right on their heels, with SMILE HAPPY, TIZ THE BOMB, and RATTLE N ROLL out for strong gallops. Rattle N Roll is 22nd on the points list and still needs a couple of defections to get into the race.
ZANDON was a bundle of energy this morning and may have made the best appearance of them all, bounding down the backstretch at a two-minute clip while continuing to catch the eye in the morning.
Both TAIBA and SIMPLIFICATION made their first local appearance and had an uneventful morning while getting a feel for their new surroundings. CROWN PRIDE, surprisingly, did not gallop this morning, spending the majority of his 30 minutes on the track in the one-mile chute before walking back to his barn. He is scheduled to have an official work Wednesday.
Among the Oaks contenders who were on their toes today were TURNERLOOSE, exiting a very sharp breeze over the weekend, and McPeek’s COCKTAIL MOMENTS, who is always a handful during routine morning gallops.