Percy's Bar turns in bullet work toward Kentucky Oaks

LEXINGTON, Ky. – It’s not how fast they work. It’s how they work fast.

Percy’s Bar, moving deceptively easily with jockey Luan Machado sitting chilly in the irons, turned in a solo work toward the Kentucky Oaks on Thursday morning at Keeneland, going a half-mile in a bullet 47 seconds, according to Keeneland clockers.

“She tricks you,” trainer Ben Colebrook said of the filly’s ease in turning in strong splits.

Percy’s Bar has always been a good work horse. She fired four consecutive bullet drills into her April 3 victory in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes, which could make her one of the favorites for the May 1 Oaks.

On Friday morning, Percy’s Bar walked through the Keeneland paddock and emerged as the fast track opened following the second morning renovation break. She was rolling as she came to the pole, with Keeneland clockers catching her in splits of 12.20 seconds, 23.40, and 35.40 en route to her official half-mile clocking, which was the fastest of 30 works at the distance on the morning. She galloped out five furlongs in 59.60.

:: Keeneland Spring Meet! Get DRF Past Performances, picks, news, and more.

“You all saw, she was doing it well within herself,” Colebrook said. “He just sat against her.”

This will be the most serious piece of work for Percy’s Bar in advance of the Oaks. Colebrook, who is based in Keeneland’s Rice Road stable area year-round, plans to keep the filly at home for as long as possible before vanning to Churchill Downs ahead of the 11 a.m. deadline for Oaks entrants to be on the grounds on Saturday, April 25.

Colebrook spaces the filly’s works well. She had just one timed breeze in the four weeks between strong Grade 1 efforts last fall in the Alcibiades and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Colebrook said Percy’s Bar would “do something” before the Oaks, but he indicated the shape of her final preparations would be up to the filly, with a strong open gallop as a tuneup a possibility.

“She'll tell me,” Colebrook said. “We'll see what she wants to do. We will do something with her, but I don't know if it'll be untimed or what. If I do work her next time, I might put a horse in front of her. It sounds silly, but she switches off when she’s behind a horse or horses and just waits for Luan’s cue. When she has open [daylight], she wants to go. And she doesn’t need the competition. She’s fierce.”

While Percy's Bar remains at Keeneland, down the highway at Churchill Downs, another major Oaks prep winner turned in a work. Prom Queen, winner of the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks in just her third career start, worked five furlongs in 1:01.40, according to Churchill Downs clockers. Exercise rider Edvin Vargas was aboard.

“It was a solid move from her,” trainer Brad Cox told Churchill publicity. “She did things very easily on her own and traveled well over the surface.”

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.