Kentucky Derby: Midnight Bourbon has spirited gallop

Before trainer Steve Asmussen sent his two Kentucky Oaks runners, Clairiere and Pauline’s Pearl, out to work at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning, one of Asmussen’s two Kentucky Derby hopefuls, Midnight Bourbon, had a spirited gallop under exercise rider Wilson Fabian.

His tail tied while training over a wet track, Midnight Bourbon galloped about 1 3/4 miles, Asmussen said. Going down the backstretch the first time, Midnight Bourbon increased his tempo, going at nearly a two-minute-lick clip.

“We let him really gallop today,” Asmussen said. “With him scheduled to work tomorrow, we wanted to do a little more with him today to avoid him doing too much in his work.”

Midnight Bourbon, racing only at Fair Grounds so far during his 3-year-old campaign, won the Lecomte Stakes in January, was third in the Risen Star in February, and finished second in the March 20 Louisiana Derby.

Asmussen’s second Derby runner, Super Stock, walked in the barn after working Sunday, and came out of his breeze in good condition.