Kentucky Derby: Two Phil’s cruises through five-furlong drill at Hawthorne

STICKNEY, Ill. – Two Phil’s completed his major preparation for the May 6 Kentucky Derby working a smooth five furlongs at 7 a.m. Thursday at Hawthorne Racecourse.

With race rider Jareth Loveberry in from Kentucky for the breeze, Two Phil’s broke off about four lengths behind his workmate, the allowance-class sprinter Smokin Richie, before overwhelming him in midstretch and galloping out far in front of his mate. Two Phil’s was credited with an official time of 59 seconds for five furlongs off splits of 36 and 48 seconds. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:12 and eventually pulled up just short of the half-mile pole before returning with a pony to trainer Larry Rivelli’s barn.

“Effortlessly – that’s the one word I could give you,” Rivelli said an hour after the breeze. “He couldn’t blow out a match, cooled out like it was nothing.”

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Indeed, going into the clubhouse turn on the gallop-out, Two Phil’s breathing was nearly inaudible from the track apron and the colt appeared to be on cruise control. Thursday’s breeze followed a similarly sharp drill here April 16, and Two Phil’s is headed to Kentucky looking like the same horse, if not better, than the one who earned a Derby berth with a dominant victory March 25 in the Jeff Ruby Steaks. That career peak, which earned a robust 101 Beyer Speed Figure, came on a synthetic surface, though Two Phil’s is a Churchill Downs stakes winner on dirt, and in the Lecomte and Risen Star at Fair Grounds this winter he ran creditably in defeat.

Two Phil’s is scheduled to return to the track Friday and on Sunday ship by van to Churchill Downs, where he’ll take up residence in the shed row of trainer Mike Tomlinson. Rivelli said he planned to train Two Phil’s on Monday at Churchill Downs.

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A son of Hard Spun and the General Quarters mare Mia Torri, Two Phil’s was bred by Philip Sagan, who owned a 20 percent share of the horse through the Jeff Ruby. Madaket Stables purchased half of Sagan’s interest earlier this month, with Vince Foglia’s Patricia’s Hope the colt’s principal owner. Two Phil’s will be the first Derby starter for Rivelli and Loveberry.

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