Pletcher colts put in solid works

[bc_playlist_id:289889:]CHURCHILL DOWNS

Weather: Clear

Temperature: 39

Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Like an elite quarterback, trainer Todd Pletcher read the defense and called an audible on Friday, pushing the final workouts for four of his Kentucky Derby hopefuls up one day due to a forecast that called for possible heavy rain here Saturday morning.

Trainers Mark Casse and Ron Moquette also moved to Friday from Saturday works for Kentucky Derby contenders Danzig Moon and Far Right, respectively.

Temperatures had dipped into the high 30s by the time the track opened at 5:45 but gradually rose as the morning progressed.

Pletcher sent out his foursome in pairs, beginning with MATERIALITY and ITSAKNOCKOUT, who were followed several minutes later by STANFORD and MADEFROMLUCKY. Madefromlucky was withdrawn from consideration for the Derby after his breeze.

:: KENTUCKY DERBY WORKOUTS: Video analysis, news, and times

Materiality worked well once again. With his new rider, Javier Castellano, aboard, Materiality broke inside Itsaknockout and was under his rider’s control for the entire half-mile work. Castellano allowed him to fan several paths off the rail entering the stretch after a 23.50-second opening quarter-mile, and Materiality had plenty left in reserve at the wire. He put in a strong gallop-out, five-eighths in 1:01.08 and six furlongs in 1:14.53 under little encouragement. This was strictly maintenance stuff for a horse who has given every indication over the past several weeks that he’s bounced back strongly from his hard-fought victory in the Florida Derby.

Itsaknockout’s effort was his best in three breezes since his fourth in the Florida Derby. Working outside of Materiality, he lost a bit of momentum when pushed wide off the turn but gathered himself up nicely once settling into the stretch, actually forging a short head in front of his partner at the wire under mild encouragement. He then held his own on the gallop-out around the turn. Any reservations about whether he deserved a spot in the Derby field were surely erased Friday.

That was also the case with Stanford, who turned in the work of the morning, breezing in company inside of Madefromlucky. Stanford was full of run from the moment he left the half-mile pole, with his rider having her hands full keeping him on even terms with his workmate to the stretch. From the top of the lane home, Stanford just toyed with Madefromlucky, with the rider looking back several times, waiting on Madefromlucky through the stretch.

The pair did encounter some unexpected company nearing the wire – Keen Ice, who was galloping at a two-minute clip near the rail. Keen Ice finally eased out just far enough to let the Pletcher workers through, at which point Stanford bid both a fond goodbye, galloping out full of energy on his own. He went five furlongs in 1:01.06 before pulling up an extremely impressive six furlongs under just a bit of late encouragement in 1:13.94. This is an improving 3-year-old who might just outrun his long odds on Derby Day.

:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays

DANZIG MOON, a bit rank and a little too quick in his work six days earlier, settled in a lot kinder under jockey Julien Leparoux on Friday. He went an easy half-mile in 48.59, shading 24 for his final quarter while making up a length on his workmate, the maiden winner Bollente, without need of encouragement. Danzig Moon, who has had a very good week, proceeded to gallop out willingly, five-eighths in 1:01.65 and six in 1:15.20 in a perfectly orchestrated maintenance move.

FAR RIGHT, going solo, turned in an average half-mile in 23.83 and 49.11 while lacking the same energy on the gallop-out as the other Derby contenders who breezed Friday. He eased up five furlongs in 1:03.50.

Pletcher also sent out a pair of his Oaks hopefuls, ANGELA RENEE and ESKENFORMONEY, before dawn.

Angela Renee breezed in company with maiden winner Curalina and was best of all the Oaks workers Friday, completing her half-mile in 48.11. She got her final quarter in 23.43 while well held by jockey John Velazquez. She continued very nicely into the turn, galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.89 and pulling up six furlongs in 1:14.86.

Eskenformoney struggled a bit to keep pace at the end with workmate Roberta Turner, who was a runner-up in a Keeneland maiden race in her only start. Eskenformoney got to the wire a head behind Roberta Turner despite being put to urging by Castellano. She completed four furlongs in 48.57, then could not keep pace when asked on the gallop-out.

FOREVER UNBRIDLED, who needs one defection to get into the Oaks field, turned in a maintenance-type five-eighths breeze shortly after 6 a.m. in 24.63 for the quarter, 36.21 for three furlongs, and 1:01.01 for five furlongs. She showed little on the gallop-out, going three-quarters in 1:16.

CONDO COMMANDO went well after the break with trainer Rudy Rodriguez aboard. She covered five furlongs in 1:00.40, with her final three-eighths in a solid 35.63 under just a hint of pressure. The New York-based invader seems to have adapted nicely to the Churchill surface.

SARAH SIS breezed five furlongs in 1:02.60 under Florent Geroux and did it easily enough, being nudged along to finish and gallop out into the turn.

:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 from Jay Privman and Mike Watchmaker

OCEANWAVE’s Oaks status might be in doubt after a visually unappealing five-furlong drill during which she tried to drift badly the length of the stretch. She had little in the tank at the wire after a 26-and-change final quarter.