Un Ojo gets green light to run in Kentucky Derby
Un Ojo is bound for the Kentucky Derby after a Saturday morning work that satisfied his trainer, Ricky Courville. The drill came at the horse’s Copper Crowne training center base near Lafayette, La.
Un Ojo worked five furlongs in 1:03.15 on a fast track, Courville said. The horse went by himself. Un Ojo is the one-eyed winner of the Grade 2, $1 million Rebel at Oaklawn; the 50 points he earned in the February race secured his spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby.
Saturday's drill was Un Ojo’s first since he was bounced off the rail twice in the Arkansas Derby on April 2. He finished eighth in that race. The incident led to staples being placed in a shoulder that sustained a “little, superficial cut,” Courville said. The staples, which can promote quicker healing, were removed last week and Courville said he wanted to assess the horse in a work before shipping to Churchill Downs.
“He’s moving good right now,” Courville said Saturday. “He worked really good. He galloped out really good and cooled out well. He’s bouncing around the barn.”
Courville said plans are to ship Un Ojo to Churchill on Tuesday. He said Don’t Wait Up, who runs Saturday night in the $60,000 Lafayette at Evangeline Downs, could join Un Ojo. Don’t Wait Up could target the Pat Day Mile at Churchill with a strong race Saturday, Courville said.
Ramon Vazquez has been riding Un Ojo at Oaklawn and has the mount in the Kentucky Derby, Courville said.