Kentucky Derby Clocker: T O Password's work more impressive than that of Forever Young

CHURCHILL DOWNS
Tuesday, April 30
Weather: Cloudy
Temperature: 65
Track: Good

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The rain forecast for the Louisville area during the early morning hours on Tuesday morning came and went as predicted, but did not disrupt the plans for the two Japanese contenders in this year’s Kentucky Derby, Forever Young and T O Password, who got in their final serious works over a track officially labeled as good during the special Derby/Oaks training session immediately after the renovation break.

Forever Young, undefeated winner of the UAE Derby and the more fancied of the two Japanese runners, had a bit of an unconventional work here last week, basically two-minute licking to the top of the stretch before blowing out a quarter-mile down the lane. And he was traveling at only a little more than a two-minute clip when leaving the six-furlong pole again today before starting to pick up his pace once the work officially began at the five-furlong marker.

Cruising along around the turn, Forever Young posted a leisurely 39.10 opening three furlong split before responding to some moderate pressure, shading 24 for his final quarter to complete five furlongs in 1:02.88. He then shut it down a bit quickly on the gallop-out, easing up three-quarters in a somewhat disappointing 1:17.56. Forever Young was not equipped with the hood he wore in his previous breeze.

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It’s hard to draw any real conclusions, having never seen Forever Young train up to any of his previous races, but he really hasn’t grabbed one’s attention in any special way during training hours throughout his local stay, as his legion of supporters might have hoped.

In fact, T O Password was far and away the more impressive of the two on Tuesday, exceeding expectations after seemingly a bit lackluster, and certainly not appearing to be the smoothest mover, since arriving at Churchill Downs last weekend.

Working in blinkers and in company with his stablemate, the Alysheba Stakes-bound T O Saint Denis, T O Password breezed five furlongs over the wet strip in 1:00.06, covering his final quarter in a very impressive 23.03 while never really extended for his best by jockey Kazushi Kimura. He then maintained a short advantage over his more experienced and accomplished mate on the gallop-out, easing up six panels in 1:13.29. Still, it’s hard to get too enthused about his chances coming into the Derby with only two previous starts on his résumé.

Other than the two workers, it was another relatively quiet morning on the Derby and Oaks front, the weather-related track conditions certainly a contributing factor.

A couple of horses likely to offer some value in their respective races who did look very happy over the wet surface during the Derby/Oaks session were Grand Mo the First and Where’s My Ring.

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Grand Mo the First again picked up his pace at the end of another long gallop, two-minute licking from the wire into and around the clubhouse turn before pulling up down the backstretch near the five-furlong pole. Oaks-bound Where’s My Ring seemingly bounced out of her brisk work last weekend none the worse for wear. She was full of energy galloping, as usual, equipped in blinkers.

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