Kentucky Derby: Firing Line impresses with high-energy gallop

CHURCHILL DOWNS

WEATHER: Clear

TEMPERATURE: 48

TRACK: Fast/firm

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With the majority of the Kentucky Derby starters finally on the grounds, Tuesday was a busy morning during an Oaks/Derby session dominated by gallopers, many of whom were stretching their legs for the first time over the Churchill Downs main track.

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Once again, the weather was clear with a bit of a nip in the air when the track opened at 5:45 a.m., although only TENCENDUR among the Derby runners and four Oaks fillies came out to train prior to the special session, which was held nearly three hours later.

Tuesday was a good morning for the California contingent. Three California-based horses galloped locally for the first time, with all making very favorable impressions.

FIRING LINE, the Sunland Derby winner, couldn’t have had a better morning. An impressive physical specimen to begin with, Firing Line looked great coming by the grandstand the first time to begin his gallop and even better the second time around. He showed a high energy level cruising along at better than a two-minute clip, going in 43 and change from the three-eighths pole around the turn to the five-furlong marker before pulling up midway down the backstretch.

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The most imposing specimen in the Derby field, the giant DORTMUND has apparently adapted nicely to the local surroundings and looked sharp galloping here for the first time on Tuesday. So did BOLO, another good looker, with the action of a turf horse, who was striding out well and with a lot of energy.

The lone Derby contender to blow out Tuesday was MR. Z, who broke off at the quarter pole and breezed down the stretch in 24.43. He pulled up very abruptly into the turn after trying to bear out slightly approaching the wire. He is one of several members of the prospective Derby lineup to appear somewhat stiff or lethargic in their daily gallops of late, a group that also includes WAR STORY and OCHO OCHO OCHO. Ocho Ocho Ocho is a smallish horse who seemed dwarfed by his long-legged exercise rider this morning.

MUBTAAHIJ also galloped locally for the first time, and he won’t wow anybody by his appearance. From my vantage point on the fourth floor of the grandstand, it appeared he was training without shoes.

The Todd Pletcher Derby quartet of MATERIALITY, CARPE DIEM, ITSAKNOCKOUT, and STANFORD all schooled in the starting gate and galloped on Tuesday. Materiality was on his left lead the first time past the grandstand but was striding out well and on the proper lead in his second pass after visiting the gate. Carpe Diem, who comes with the reputation of being on the nervous side, had a good morning, although after he completed his schooling session, he was on the muscle alongside his lead pony when passing by the crowd lined up against the rail near the finish line. Stanford, whose Derby status remained unclear as of early Tuesday afternoon despite an eye-catching workout here Friday, seemed a bit rank and unsettled at times during his gallop, as if wanting to do more than his rider would allow.