Mor Spirit works five furlongs before heading to Churchill Downs

Mor Spirit, the two-time stakes winner who was second in the Santa Anita Derby on April 9, was flown to Churchill Downs on Friday for the Kentucky Derby on May 7, a day after a five-furlong breeze at Santa Anita.

Mor Spirit was timed in 1:01.60 in his first workout since finishing behind Exaggerator in the Santa Anita Derby. Trainer Bob Baffert considered waiting until Mor Spirit was based at Churchill Downs before resuming workouts but said he changed his mind.

“I called an audible because I was trying to set up a [workout] pattern for him,” Baffert said on Friday. “That morning, I called it. He went nice and looked good. He galloped out nicely.”

Owned by Michael Lund Petersen, Mor Spirit has won 3 of 7 starts and earned $658,400. By Eskendereya, Mor Spirit won consecutive stakes in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity last December and the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita in February.

Mor Spirit has lost his last two starts, including a second to Kentucky Derby hopeful Danzing Candy in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 12.