Normally, the preamble to the United States Constitution probably wouldn't resonate with French-born Rodolphe Brisset. But, the first three words clearly do in 2022.
Brisset is the trainer of unbeaten We the People, who is scheduled to make his highly anticipated stakes debut in the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) Saturday at Oaklawn. A cleverly named son of multiple Grade 1 winner Constitution, We the People has won his two career starts at the meeting – both around two turns – by a combined 10 ¾ lengths.
But in order to form a more perfect union, Brisset has needed patience. We the People was scheduled to debut last fall at Keeneland before suffering a minor setback and can be a handful for the trainer to gallop in the morning.
“Literally, he was going to breeze on Sunday and the race was on Saturday,” Brisset said. “We walked into the stall and found a little something. It was nothing bad, but enough where we couldn't take any risk. It was literally five days before the race.”
Brisset said We the People spent October at WinStar Farm – the Kentucky-based powerhouse co-owns the colt – and began jogging and galloping again in November before shipping late last year to Oaklawn.
“I think he had one work at WinStar,” Brisset said. “It was very frustrating because of all the work we did. He's not an easy horse to train. All the work we did in July, August, September, we hadn't gotten him to relax, got him to learn how to breeze.”
Brisset said We the People has had an uneventful winter in Arkansas, adding he didn't miss significant training time because of harsh weather. We the People, using stalk-and-pounce tactics, broke his maiden by 5 ¾ lengths at 1 mile Feb. 12 and cleared his first allowance condition by five lengths at 1 1/16 miles March 12.
We the People completed major preparations for the Arkansas Derby with a sharp half-mile work (:47.80) in company March 26. We the People breezed with stablemate and regular workout partner Kuchar, who is scheduled to run in the $150,000 Oaklawn Stakes for 3-year-olds April 23.
Brisset is normally aboard We the People for his gallops and works and tries to train him when traffic is minimal because he can be aggressive. We the People, Brisset said, always works in company.
“We have worked him on his own at the beginning, last year, and he was pretty keen,” Brisset said. “He's very effortless. Like he does time very easily, so he has a tendency to trick you and we just do that so he won't go too fast. We've have taught him how to break off behind another horse and stay behind. That's what we've been doing for over six months and he's been working pretty good. Likely, we will try at one point to get with a pony and kind of go easy to a pole with a pony. Just let him break off from the pony and then see how he does. He's not a very easy horse to ride.”
The Arkansas Derby will offer 170 points (100-40-20-10, respectively) to the top four finishers toward starting eligibility for the Kentucky Derby. We the People likely will need a top two finish Saturday to secure a spot in the field, which is limited to 20 starters.
We the People is the 7-2 third choice on the morning line for the Arkansas Derby.
The post Arkansas Derby: ‘Not An Easy Horse To Train,’ We The People Has Matured Ahead Of Stakes Debut appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
