Kentucky Derby: Rock Your World impresses in final work
ARCADIA, Calif. – Rock Your World solidified his role as legitimate Kentucky Derby contender with a solid five-furlong team work Saturday morning at Santa Anita, the colt’s final work before leaving for Kentucky.
Winner of the Santa Anita Derby by more than four lengths in just his third start for trainer John Sadler, undefeated Rock Your World worked in company after the 6:30 a.m. break Saturday, under exercise rider Cerapio Figueroa.
Rock Your World pressed allowance-caliber workmate Best Chance from the outside, kicked away in the stretch, and galloped out super past the wire. Sadler’s splits for Rock Your World were 12.20 seconds, 23.80, 35.80, 47.60, and 59.40.
“It was a nice work, another work, and I’m happy with it,” Sadler said. “I’ve had to resist the temptation to do too much, because he’s already there.”
Rock Your World won the Santa Anita Derby on April 3 with a 100 Beyer Speed Figure. He has trained exceptionally well since and will ship to Kentucky at the top of his game. While the final time of his Saturday work was strong, what he did after the finish wire was equally impressive.
“The gallop-out, I thought, was exceptional,” Sadler said. “If you looked at his body going into that [clubhouse] turn, he’s low and moving forward.”
Rock Your world is owned by brothers Kosta and Pete Hronis, and Michael Talla. He will be ridden by Joel Rosario in the Kentucky Derby. Kosta and his wife, Stephanie, watched the Saturday morning work with Sadler, whose satisfaction with the colt’s preparation was evident by his relaxed demeanor after the work.
“There’s a calmness to being well-prepared, and things have gone well,” Sadler said. “Obviously, we’ve got [another week], and he still has to ship. But everything has gone smooth.”
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Rock Your World is scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs on Sunday.