Kentucky Derby: Vyjack follows script that worked for Big Brown

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Vyjack blew out three furlongs in 37.13 seconds under his trainer Rudy Rodriguez on Thursday in his final preparation for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.

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“Just to sharpen him up a little bit. We don’t want to overdo it, but we want him to blow-out a little bit, open his lungs a little bit,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said that previous trainers for whom he worked – Richard Dutrow Sr., Richard Dutrow Jr,. and Bobby Frankel – often blew horses out close to a race. Dutrow Jr. blew out Big Brown three furlongs in 35.40 seconds two days before he won the 2008 Kentucky Derby. Dutrow also blew out Big Brown a quarter in 25.80 seconds the morning of the Preakness, which he won.

Speaking of Big Brown, he won the Derby from post 20, which is the same post from which Vyjack will break.

“We’re very, very excited about the 20,” Rodriguez said. “Most of the horses the last 10 years they all won from the outside. I think we’re in very, very good position. We got a good horse to be able to accommodate ourselves in a good position, plus we got a good jockey.

Vyjack, who won the Jerome and Gotham earlier this year at Aqueduct, will be ridden by Garrett Gomez. Vyjack was third in the Wood Memorial in his most recent start..