Frank Fletcher Racing Operation's Rocket Can completed his penultimate workout prior to the $3-million Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 6 when he cruised five furlongs in 1:01 Sunday morning at Churchill Downs.
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott was aboard his trusty pony while watching Rocket Can break off six lengths behind stablemate Game Warden. Rocket Can completed early splits of :12.20 and :36.60 with regular exercise rider Guelser Cardona in the saddle. He finished even with his stablemate at the wire and galloped out several lengths in front through six furlongs in 1:14.20.
“It was a nice steady work,” Mott said of the Into Mischief colt, who was bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds. “He worked fast last week and I was just looking for a good, steady work this week. He galloped out well and stayed within himself.”
Rocket Can, the winner of the Holy Bull (G3) Feb. 24 and runner-up in the Fountain of Youth (G3) March 4, will enter the Derby following a fourth-place finish in the Arkansas Derby (G1) April 1.
“It maybe was a little bit of a wide trip in the Arkansas Derby,” Mott said. “The one thing that race told me is he still has more to give in the tank. I don't think he's quite learned to give it his all. That's what you get this time of year with 3-year-olds, but they can improve quickly. He's got a lot of route pedigree on his bottom side being by Tapit. We added blinkers in today's work and will for the race. Hopefully, that will help him go past horses when he runs up beside them.”
Less than one minute before Rocket Can began his work, Albaugh Family Stable and Castleton Lyons' Florida Derby (GI) third-place finisher Cyclone Mischief completed five furlongs in 1:01 with exercise rider Tammy Fox in the saddle. Cyclone Mischief needs three defections to make the Derby field.
“I hope we can get him in the Derby,” trainer Dale Romans said. “I thought he worked great this morning.”
Cyclone Mischief completed splits of :12.20, :24.20, and :36.20. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:14, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.
While it was a busy morning for Rocket Can and Cyclone Mischief, Kentucky Derby favorite Forte had an easy morning in Barn 39 where he walked the shedrow. This is the first time trainer Todd Pletcher has been stabled in Barn 39 where 1988 Kentucky Derby winner Winning Colors was stabled.
As of Sunday morning there are 13 Kentucky Derby contenders within the Top 20 field that are stabled at Churchill Downs: Angel of Empire (Barn 22), Confidence Game (24), Continuar (JPN) (Q1), Derma Sotogake (JPN) (Q1), Disarm (38), Forte (39), Hit Show (22), Kingsbarns (39), Rocket Can (19), Sun Thunder (6), Tapit Trice (39), Verifying (22), and Wild On Ice (43).
The next arrivals are scheduled to be Blazing Sevens, who will van from Keeneland on Monday afternoon and Mage, who will van from Gulfstream Park on Sunday afternoon and arrive Monday.
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