Tapiture braves elements in final Kentucky Derby work

LOUISVILLE, Ky - Braving a morning deluge, with claps of thunder and flashes of lightning adding to the scene, Tapiture worked a half-mile in 50.16 seconds on Monday morning at Churchill Downs in his final drill for Saturday's Kentucky Derby.

It was raining when the track opened for training at 5:45 a.m., and then there was a brief respite, but shortly after Tapiture came on the track with a pony around 6:15, the rain began to intensify. After walking clockwise with a pony that was ridden by trainer Steve Asmussen, Tapiture turned around, jogged around the clubhouse turn, then eased into his drill down the backside.

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He was kept well off the rail on the sloppy track by his rider and went in fractions of 12.18 seconds for the opening furlong and 24.61 for the opening half, according to Daily Racing Form's Mike Welsch, who had Tapiture going out five furlongs in 1:05.61.

Only 15 minutes after the work, the lightning intensified to the point where the track was closed for training.

Tapiture was fourth most recently in the Arkansas Derby. Earlier this year, he won the Southwest Stakes and was second in the Rebel.

The only other Derby horse scheduled to work here this morning was Hoppertunity, who was not scheduled to work until after the mid-morning renovation break at 8:30.

California Chrome, the Kentucky Derby favorite, is scheduled to fly here today from California.