Those trainers who decided to roll the dice and stick with the original plan to work their Kentucky Derby and Oaks prospects on Saturday at Churchill Downs, even in the wake of a gloomy forecast, were rewarded with a fast track throughout the morning as the inevitable showers did not arrive until a couple of hours after training ended.
Get Her Number, a Grade 1 winner in 2020 who was fourth in the Arkansas Derby on April 10, will pass on the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs next Saturday.
When it was mentioned to trainer Chad Brown that Highly Motivated was starting to get some buzz on the backstretch at Churchill Downs leading into next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, the four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer was all smiles.
The connections for Brooklyn Strong have indicated a desire to run in the Kentucky Derby if their New York-bred gelding can make it into the field by Tuesday.
Junior Alvarado will be out at least a week and Pablo Fragoso is out indefinitely due to injuries suffered by the two jockeys in a spill Thursday at Belmont Park.
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.
The Arkansas Derby, on April 10 this year, was the last major Kentucky Derby prep, and since Super Stock won the Arkansas Derby just two weeks ago, the tenor of his final Derby workout Saturday at Churchill Downs was relatively muted.
Essential Quality, who has won all his races and will almost certainly be the Kentucky Derby favorite, and Mandaloun, soundly defeated last out as the favorite in the Louisiana Derby, put in their final Derby works Saturday morning at Churchill Downs for trainer Brad Cox.
Jeff Ruby Steaks winner Like the King turned in his final serious work for the Derby on Saturday morning at his Keeneland home base.
While trainer Todd Pletcher was pleased with what he saw from all four of his 3-year-olds Friday morning when they put in their final workouts at Churchill Downs for the May 1 Kentucky Derby, there was one move in particular that seemed to stand out.
