Like the King starts final drive to Kentucky Derby with work on Keeneland turf

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Like the King, who punched his ticket to the Kentucky Derby by winning the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby on Turfway's Tapeta, began his serious preparations for the Derby with an in-company work on the turf Saturday morning at trainer Wesley Ward's Keeneland base.

Seeking a strong work for his Derby hopeful, Ward put Like the King on turf in order to send him out with two solid stablemates - Grade 1-placed multiple stakes winner Outadore and Grade 3-placed After Five, both also 3. Like the King, with jockey Drayden Van Dyke aboard, started out well back of both stablemates as they broke off down the backstretch, but rallied strongly through the lane, passing Outadore and making up several lengths on After Five.

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Keeneland clockers credited Like the King with his six furlongs on the turf rated firm in 1:16. After Five was clocked in 1:17, and Outadore in 1:18.80.

"I wanted to make sure he got a lot out of it today," said Ward, who will be saddling his first Derby starter. "Those were two good horses in front of him. ... He got a good blow today."

Ward plans to work Like the King twice more, both on Keeneland's main dirt track, before vanning him to Churchill Downs the week of the race. Like the King started twice on dirt last year as a juvenile, finishing second and third in races at Belterra Park and Keeneland.

Meanwhile, down the highway at Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, Mandaloun worked a sharp five furlongs in company with Grade 2 winner Bonny South on the fast main track shortly after it opened. He was timed in 58.80 seconds, the fastest of 28 at the distance Saturday morning.

Mandaloun, trained by Brad Cox, won the Grade 2 Risen Star two starts back, but was most recently sixth as the favorite in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby.

Later in the morning, Helium, winner of the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, worked five furlongs in 59.20 in company with stablemate Ghost of the Mambo. Helium is trained by Mark Casse, who has scheduled a work for Derby hopeful Soup and Sandwich on Sunday.

Other Kentucky Derby candidates stabled at Churchill Downs include unbeaten Eclipse Award champion Essential Quality, who turned in a routine gallop on Saturday morning. The colt is scheduled for two works prior to the May 1 Derby.