GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks workers were out in full force Friday morning at Churchill Downs. Breezers included:
- The Todd Pletcher-trained quartet of Known Agenda (Curlin) and Sainthood (Mshawish), who were clocked in 1:01.00 (17/50) together under the Twin Spires; Dynamic One (Union Rags) who covered a half in :47.80 (1/108) alongside GSP Prime Factor (Quality Road); and GII Wood Memorial S. upsetter Bourbonic (Bernardini), who went in :49.60 (71/108). “Known Agenda is not the most aggressive work horse,” Pletcher noted. “He is not an Always Dreaming (the 2017 Derby winner) that will work in :59. He has had two good works here (1:00.40 last Friday) and I liked the way Sainthood worked with him.” Of Dynamic One, Pletcher said, “He finished full of energy with his ears pricked.” Bourbonic worked solo. “He has been pretty aggressive in his gallops so we worked him by himself today,” Pletcher explained. “It was a good steady work with a strong gallop out… It was a very good morning with excellent breezes going the way we hoped they would. That was the final piece of major work and now they will have routine gallops with some gate and paddock schooling.” Click for more from Pletcher via the Kentucky HPBA.
- Smarty Jones S. winner Caddo River (Hard Spun), who figures to be part of the early pace, went in 1:00.60 (10/50) for Brad Cox. “He's a really solid horse and we saw that with a good [second-place] effort in the [GI] Arkansas Derby. He has a lot of speed as we've seen in his previous races,” said Cox, whose two other Derby hopefuls, unbeaten expected favorite Essential Quality (Tapit) and “wise guy” horse Mandaloun (Into Mischief), will breeze Saturday. Click for more via KY HPBA.
- The Mark Casse-trained pair of GII Lambholm South Holy Bull S. winner Helium (Ironicus) and GI Curlin Florida Derby runner-up Soup and Sandwich (Into Mischief) were clocked in :49.80 (75/108) and :50.00 (78/108), respectively. “Very happy with both of them,” Casse's assistant David Carroll said. “I thought Helium's work was good; he's a very smooth-moving horse. He's the better work horse of the two and he went absolutely beautiful; in hand the whole way, just waiting for Julien [Leparoux] to ask him. He just stretched his legs but that's all we were looking for… Soup and Sandwich was a little rank going to the pole, but he's a horse that likes to train. We only jogged him two miles the other day so he was a little fresh. He was anxious to get going but once he broke off he was very smooth the whole way, switched leads, galloped out nicely, and came home great; you couldn't ask for anything better… These were the works we wanted for the final pieces of works. Both horses are in great shape, so hopefully we have a good week and we have a good draw.” Click for Leparoux's take on Helium's work via KY HPBA.
- Tampa Bay Derby runner-up Hidden Stash (Constitution) worked in 1:00.60 (6/26) at Keeneland. “We decided to work this morning and beat the rain that is forecast and he worked great,” trainer Vicki Oliver said. “He is going to jog and stand in the gate tomorrow and walk Sunday. He will gallop Monday and Tuesday and ship to Churchill after he trains Tuesday morning.”
- Cox trainees 'TDN Rising Star' Travel Column (Frosted) and Coach (Commissioner) each worked with separate company for the Oaks, but were both credited with five furlongs in 1:00.40 (5/50). “With it being both of their last works, we weren't looking for anything major,” said Cox, last year's Oaks-winning conditioner. “They both like the surface here at Churchill and got over it well. They're two quality fillies that I think will run a top effort in the Oaks.”
- GI Central Bank Ashland S. heroine and 'Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin) worked in :48.40 (21/108) for Pletcher under Hall of Famer John Velazquez. “She's a star,” said Pletcher. “Johnny said she handled the track well.”
- Robertino Diodoro's Oaks representative Ava's Grace (Laoban), second in the GIII Fantasy S., went in :49.20 (51/108); while Derby bubble horse Keepmeinmind (Laoban) worked in a snappy :46.20 (1/108). “I am very happy with both of them,” said Diodoro. “He worked really good today and he loves the track here, too.”
- Klaravich Stables' unbeaten GII Gazelle S. heroine Search Results (Flatter) breezed alongside GISW stablemate Dunbar Road (Quality Road), who's pointing for the GI La Troienne S. on the Oaks undercard. They went in 1:02.60 (44/50). “I gave her an easy work by design,” Brown said. “She's coming back in four weeks so she's very, very fit. I liked the way she went and she really seemed to get over the ground. I just wanted to get her used to the track a bit and she came back bouncing around when we untacked her. I wanted to bring her in there sound and happy and I think we're well on our way to doing that.”
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