Tsunebumi and Sekie Yoshihara's Yuugiri worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 in company with Great Escape on a fast main track at Keeneland Sunday morning as she continued preparations for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 6 at Churchill Downs.
With jockey Flavien Prat pinch-hitting for Florent Geroux, who rode at Oaklawn Park Saturday afternoon, Fantasy Stakes (G3) winner Yuugiri broke off at the half-mile pole and recorded fractions of :24.20 and :48.40 in the move that occurred at 7:40 a.m. (ET) after the first track maintenance break.
“She did it very easy,” said Prat, who will ride undefeated UAE Oaks (G3) winner Shahama in the Kentucky Oaks. “I was very happy with the work.”
The work was the second since the Fantasy for Yuugiri, who breezed a half-mile in :50 at Keeneland April 16.
Trainer Rodolphe Brisset's wife, Brooke, oversaw the work for her husband, who was traveling back from Oaklawn.
“We got what we wanted this morning,” Brooke said, adding that Yuugiri would work again here next Sunday morning, have a walk day on Monday and ship to Churchill Downs for the Oaks. At Churchill last fall, Yuugiri made her first three career starts with a victory and two runner-up finishes in stakes.
Jeff Drown's Toyota Blue Grass (G1) winner Zandon left Keeneland Sunday morning for the short van ride to Churchill Downs and a start in the $3 million Kentucky Derby (G1) May 7.
Zandon worked a half-mile in :48.60 at Keeneland Saturday morning.
Trainer Chad Brown said the colt would have his final Derby work Saturday.
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