Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector, who looms as one of the favorites for next Saturday's 146th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI), worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 Friday morning over a fast track to headline a Churchill Downs worktab that featured five Kentucky Derby hopefuls and four Kentucky Oaks prospects.
Also working toward the Derby were Winning Impression (5 furlongs in :59.20), Major Fed (5 furlongs in :59), Necker Island (4 furlongs in :48.40) and Rushie (5 furlongs in 1:01.60).
Working toward the Oaks were Speech (4 furlongs in :47.60), Shedaresthedevil (5 furlongs in 1:01.40), Bonny South (4 furlongs in :48.20) and Tempers Rising (4 furlongs in :47).
There were also Derby hopefuls working at Saratoga and Palm Meadows Friday morning.
At Saratoga, Ny Traffic covered five furlongs in :59.45; Dr Post (4 furlongs in :49.60) and Money Moves (5 furlongs in 1:00.14). At Palm Meadows, Sole Volante worked five furlongs on firm turf in :57.80.
Also at Saratoga Global Thoroughbred and Top Racing's $1 million Travers Stakes (GI) runner-up Caracaro was removed from Kentucky Derby contention with a soft tissue injury, according to trainer Gustavo Delgado.
On the Oaks front, four other fillies worked from coast to coast.
Donna Veloce worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 at Del Mar; Dream Marie worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 at Gulfstream Park West; Hopeful Growth worked five furlongs in 1:01.80 at Monmouth; and, Project Whiskey worked a half-mile in :47.82 at Parx.
ART COLLECTOR – Bruce Lunsford's Art Collector put in his final work prior to next Saturday's Kentucky Derby with a five-furlong move in 1:00.80 with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. in the saddle.
“He really loves this track here at Churchill,” trainer Tommy Drury said. “He galloped pretty strong yesterday on his first day back at Churchill and turned in a really strong work today. The difficult part is out of the way and now we just need to keep him happy and healthy until Saturday.”
Owned by Louisville native Lunsford, Art Collector brings many local ties together for the first Saturday in September.
“It's really an honor being local to Kentucky, training for a local owner and running in the biggest horse race in the world,” Drury said.
ATTACHMENT RATE – Jim Bakke and Gerald Isbister's $200,000 Ellis Park Derby runner-up Attachment Rate galloped 1 ½ miles under exercise rider Faustino Herrarte at 7:30 a.m. Friday.
Attachment Rate is scheduled to work on Sunday. Trainer Dale Romans is due back in Louisville Saturday from Saratoga.
AUTHENTIC – Spendthrift Farm LLC, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stables LLC and Starlight Racing's $1 million Haskell (GI) winner Authentic is scheduled to arrive Monday at Churchill Downs.
CARACARO – Global Thoroughbred and Top Racing's $1 million Travers Stakes (GI) runner-up Caracaro has been removed from Kentucky Derby contention with a soft tissue injury, according to trainer Gustavo Delgado.
DR POST – St. Elias Stable's Haskell third-place finisher Dr Post worked a half-mile in :49.60 Friday at Saratoga. His plans for the Derby remain in question.
ENFORCEABLE – John Oxley's Enforceable galloped a mile and a half under exercise rider Paolo Perez at 5:40 Friday morning at Churchill Downs.
The Mark Casse trainee is scheduled to work at 5:15 Saturday morning, weather permitting, with Derby rider Adam Beschizza scheduled to be aboard.
FINNICK THE FIERCE – Trainer and co-owner Rey Hernandez said Finnick the Fierce returned to the track Friday at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington. He will ship to Churchill Downs on Monday.
FIRST LINE – Noda Brothers' Saratoga maiden special weight winner First Line no longer remains under consideration for the Derby according to vice president of racing Ben Huffman.
HONOR A. P. – C R K Stable's $100,000 Shared Belief runner-up Honor A. P. is scheduled to work Saturday at 12:45 p.m. PDT at Del Mar and slated to arrive at Churchill Downs Monday.
KING GUILLERMO – Victoria's Ranch's King Guillermo galloped 1 ½ miles Friday at 7:30 a.m. with exercise rider Edgar Medina in the saddle. He is scheduled to breeze Saturday or Sunday at 7:30 a.m. pending inclement weather.
Owner Victor Martinez is due in Louisville Saturday.
MAJOR FED – Lloyd Madison Farm's $300,000 Indiana Derby (GIII) runner-up Major Fed cruised five furlongs in :59 at 5:15 a.m. with jockey James Graham in the saddle.
Trained by Greg Foley, Major Fed began his work at the half-mile pole and clipped through early fractions of :12.20, :23.80 and :47. He continued around the turn and completed a six-furlong gallop out in 1:12.
“I wanted to put a good work in him this morning and focus on making sure he finished through the wire,” Foley said. “He was moving pretty good around there. James tapped him on the shoulder once and he lowered his body to continue galloping out well. The big relief was how easy he seemed to do it because back at the barn he really wasn't tired.
“We're sort of taking in this entire Derby experience. Being from Kentucky and Churchill being our home track, this is the race every owner, trainer and jockey dreams of winning. This is why we put in the hard work. I always thought about making that walkover for the Derby and it's sure going to be special for me, our family, our owners and everyone in our barn.”
Major Fed will have a walk day Saturday and could return to the track for a light jog Sunday.
MAX PLAYER – George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbred's $1 million Travers Stakes (GI) third-place finisher Max Player galloped 1 ½ miles at 6 a.m. with exercise rider Juan Vargas in the saddle.
Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. will have the call in the Derby.
MONEY MOVES – Robert LaPenta and Bortolazzo Stable's two-time winner Money Moves still remains under Derby consideration according to assistant racing secretary and stakes coordinator Dan Bork.
Money Moves worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 Friday at Saratoga for trainer Todd Pletcher. He is nominated to the $500,000 Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU (GII).
NECKER ISLAND – Raymond Daniels and Wayne Scherr's Necker Island worked a half-mile in company in :48.40 under jockey Miguel Mena during the 7:30 training window for Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses.
Working with Kurilov, Necker Island posted fractions of :12.60, :25 and :36.60 before galloping out strong to the half-mile pole.
“I thought it was a great work and it was the first time Miguel had been on him,” trainer Chris Hartman said. “He finished well and other than the little hiccup at the start with the '25' it was exactly what I wanted to see.”
It was the first work for Necker Island since finishing third behind Art Collector in the Ellis Park Derby.
Hartman said Necker Island would walk the shedrow the next two days and then return to the track Monday with a likely visit to the starting gate.
“I may stand him at the gate every day,” said Hartman, who claimed Necker Island for $100,000 in June. “We'll play it by ear and see how he participates. That's one of the things about training horses, learning to work with them.”
NY TRAFFIC – John Fanelli, Cash is King and Paul Braverman's Ny Traffic worked five furlongs in :59.45 at Saratoga under David Cohen for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
“He went in company and sat a few lengths off his target,” Joseph said via text. “He went on by readily and worked well.”
Ny Traffic is scheduled to ship to Churchill Downs on Monday.
RUSHIE – Jim and Donna Daniell's Rushie worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 under exercise rider Osman Cedeno for trainer Michael McCarthy.
Working on his own at 9 o'clock, Rushie produced fractions of :12.80 and :24.80 in the work that was the 26th fastest of 36 at the distance.
“He worked (five furlongs) in :59 last week at Del Mar and today looked like a good leg stretcher with a solid gallop out,” McCarthy said. “He got over the track well and was well within himself.”
Rushie, who would have to be supplemented to the Derby, also is under consideration for the $500,000 Pat Day Mile Presented by LG&E and KU on Derby Day.
“I'm not sure (about which race),” McCarthy said. “The money doesn't have to be in until Tuesday morning so we will watch things the next 24 to 48 hours and get the Daniells and go from there.
“This is the kind of year to take a shot. You have two very good horses in Tiz the Law and Art Collector and then there is Authentic and Honor A. P. and then everybody else is in the same boat. I think he will get a good setup in both races … there is a lot to think about.”
SHIRL'S SPEIGHT – Charles Fipke's $100,000 Marine Stakes winner Shirl's Speight is scheduled to work at Woodbine Sunday and ship to Churchill Downs Monday, according to trainer Roger Attfield
SOLE VOLANTE – Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Andie Biancone's Soul Volante worked a half-mile on firm turf in :57.80 Friday morning at Palm Meadows.
“He breezed really well and cooled out perfect,” trainer Patrick Biancone said via text. “He will ship to Churchill Downs tomorrow.”
STORM THE COURT – David A Bernsen LLC, Exline-Border Racing LLC, Dan Hudock and Susanna Wilson's 2-year-old champion Storm the Court is slated to arrive at Churchill Downs Sunday on a flight from San Diego to Louisville. He is scheduled to work Saturday at Del Mar.
Julien Leparoux has the call in the Derby.
THOUSAND WORDS – Albaugh Family Stables and Spendthrift Farm's Shared Belief Stakes hero Thousand Words is scheduled to arrive Monday with stablemate Authentic to trainer Bob Baffert's Barn 33 at Churchill Downs.
Florent Geroux has the call in the Derby.
TIZ THE LAW – Sackatoga Stable's Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law is scheduled to breeze Saturday or Sunday at Saratoga before his Monday arrival at Churchill Downs.
WINNING IMPRESSION – West Point Thoroughbreds' and Pearl Racing's graded stakes placed Winning Impression worked five furlongs in :59.20 Friday morning at 6 o'clock under exercise rider Emerson Chavez.
“I thought he really cruised around there well,” trainer Dallas Stewart said. “We're ready to go. You got to be in it to win it.”
Winning Impression rocketed through early fractions of :11.80, :23.40, :34.60 and 47 and completed a six-furlong gallop out in 1:12.60. Joe Rocco Jr. has the call in the Derby.
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