Kentucky Derby: Crown Pride continues to stand out on the track

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – There were two Kentucky Derby winners on the racetrack Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs.

One is bit a of a premature call, as a winner will be crowned Saturday from the 20 who are set to run in this year’s race, all of whom were on the track Wednesday morning for training, with Crown Pride and Taiba turning in final workouts.

The other was Mandaloun, who is now the 2021 Derby winner following the disqualification of Medina Spirit, which elevated runner-up Mandaloun to the top spot.

Who will follow Mandaloun as the 2022 winner? Epicenter and Zandon will be the top two choices in the race, and no fault can be found in their final works and subsequent training. But no horse has made a bigger impression over the past week than Crown Pride, who capped a fabulous fortnight of training with a sensational workout Wednesday.

Moving along effortlessly under jockey Christophe Lemaire, Crown Pride was timed by Daily Racing Form going a half-mile in a sharp 46.67 seconds, including a blazing final quarter-mile in 22.29 seconds. That followed the usual extensive figure eights Crown Pride did while warming up in the mile chute prior to his drill.

Crown Pride is facing a far stronger group here than he defeated in the United Arab Emirates Derby. But he has trained like a horse who is sitting on his best effort yet. He could very well add to the sensational run of success Japanese-based runners have had in recent months in the Breeders’ Cup, on the Saudi Cup card, and in Dubai.

Taiba, the Santa Anita Derby winner, breezed three furlongs in an easy 38.20 seconds, with trainer Tim Yakteen just giving him something to tick him over to Saturday. Since the Santa Anita Derby, Taiba had one work at Santa Anita, which came last Thursday. So this was his second work in the four weeks between the Santa Anita Derby and Kentucky Derby.

As he did in his last work at Santa Anita, Taiba wore blinkers Wednesday, something Yakteen does to keep Taiba focused in his workouts. But he does not wear them to race. Joel Rosario was aboard for the work. Mike Smith has the mount on Saturday. Rosario rides Epicenter in the Derby.

Several Derby runners had schooling sessions at the gate Wednesday, including all three trained by Brad Cox – Cyberknife, Tawny Port, and Zozos.

“Stood in the gate good and galloped good, so we’re rolling,” Cox said.

Cox’s 2022 Derby entrants all came out for training immediately after the first renovation break, at 7:30 a.m., during a period reserved exclusively for Derby and Kentucky Oaks runners.

But once Cox accompanied that group back to his barn, he set out with another set to train, that one including Mandaloun, who stood along the outside rail midway down the backstretch for several minutes before commencing a routine gallop.

Mandaloun has not raced since finishing ninth in the Saudi Cup on Feb. 26, after which his return trip home was delayed by three weeks. After finally arriving in the United States and undergoing requisite quarantining, Mandaloun was sent to Juddmonte Farms, where he was born and raised, to have a freshening.

“In those three weeks he lost some condition, so we just gave him some time,” Cox said.

Prior to the travel woes, Mandaloun was ticketed for the Grade 2 Alysheba, to be run here Friday. But with the time off, Mandaloun won’t get to the races again until later. First, he needs to get on a work pattern, which Cox said should begin anew no later than Monday.

Cox said if all progresses satisfactorily, a race like the Grade 2, $750,000 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs July 2 would be a strong consideration. The 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster is a Win and You’re In toward the Breeders’ Cup Classic, run Nov. 5 at Keeneland.

– additional reporting by Mike Welsch