LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Street Sense may have stamped himself the favorite for the 2007 Kentucky Derby by turning in another eye-catching work on Tuesday morning.
With regular rider Calvin Borel aboard, Street Sense worked five furlongs in 1:00.68 seconds, according to Daily Racing Form, coming home his final quarter-mile in 22.82 seconds. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.04 over a fast track.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With Keeneland and the Polytrack finally in the rear-view mirror, Churchill Downs had the look and feel of the Kentucky Derby for the first time Monday morning with eight potential starters getting in their final major preps, including the undefeated Curlin, who may vie for favoritism Saturday with Street Sense.
The temperature remained unseasonably warm and the track was on the fast side for a series of works that showed the many different ways trainers choose to prepare their horses for the Kentucky Derby.
Work of the day
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - If a horse in this year's Kentucky Derby on Saturday can exceed Barbaro's 6 1/2-length victory margin from last year's Derby, he will trigger a $1 million bonus, Churchill Downs and the Derby's presenting sponsor, Yum! Brands, announced Monday.
According to David C. Novak, chairman and chief executive officer of Yum!, the bonus would be split equally among the horse's winning owner, trainer, and jockey, as well as the Barbaro Memorial Fund, which is administered by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association charities.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - It wasn't too many years ago when nearly half the field for the Kentucky Derby would get in their final major work for the race within about a 10-minute span after the renovation break at Churchill Downs on the Sunday before the main event. But those days are long gone.
Nearly half the field for this year's Kentucky Derby did work on Sunday. But those works took place from coast to coast at four different racetracks, beginning early that morning at Keeneland and ending several hours later at Hollywood Park.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Tesio Stakes winner Xchanger, who had been announced as an unlikely Kentucky Derby participant by trainer Mark Shuman late last week, is now considered a probable starter, co-owner Domenico Zannino said Monday.
A final decision on Xchanger's Derby status is not expected until Tuesday, he said. Discussions are under way for the colt to be sold, either in full or in partnership, with Zannino saying the prospects of a sale are "80 percent." He would not identify the potential buyer.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. Curlin, the unbeaten winner of the Arkansas Derby, worked four furlongs on Monday morning at Churchill Downs in preparation for Saturday's 133rd Kentucky Derby.
Five other 3-year-olds expected to run in the Derby also breezed.
Curlin was timed by Daily Racing Form in 48.46 seconds. His Steve Asmussen-trained stablemate Zanjero was timed by DRF in 48.34 seconds for a half-mile.
Hard Spun, the Lane's End winner, turned in a sizzling five-furlong drill in 57.53 seconds for trainer Larry Jones.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Nine prospective starters for Saturday's Kentucky Derby worked at three different venues on Sunday morning, including trainer Todd Pletchers top three prospects at Keeneland and Nobiz Like Shobiz at Belmont Park.
At Keeneland, Any Given Saturday worked an easy five furlongs in 1:01.25 seconds, Circular Quay went five-eighths in 1:00.25, and Scat Daddy the same distance in 59.56 over the Polytrack surface. All three horses were ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Southwest Stakes winner Teuflesberg worked five furlongs Sunday morning at Churchill Downs for what his connections hope will be a start in Saturdays Kentucky Derby.
With trainer and co-owner Jamie Sanders in the irons, Teuflesberg started slowly and finished well. Churchill Downs clockers timed him covering five furlongs in 1:00.80 after splits of 24.80 seconds, 36.80, and 48.60. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.80.
