Category: Horse Racing News

Derby Winner Authentic ‘Very Smooth’ In Final Work Before Preakness Stakes

Spendthrift Farm, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stable and Starlight Racing's Kentucky Derby (Grade I) winner Authentic finalized his major preparation for Saturday's $1 million Preakness Stakes (GI) with a half-mile move in :47.60 Monday morning at Churchill Downs.

With jockey Martin Garcia aboard, Authentic worked at 7:30 a.m. (all times Eastern) through splits of :12.20, :24 and :36. Authentic continued to gallop out around the turn and clocked five furlongs in 1:00. He completed his work with a six-furlong gallop out time of 1:13.40.

“He's such an amazing horse,” Garcia said following the work. “He worked awesome. I've worked a lot of nice horses for trainer Bob Baffert in California and this horse is just as special. He's doing amazing for the Preakness.”

Baffert was on hand in Louisville to watch Authentic's final move along with staff members from Spendthrift Farm.

“It looked like he went in :50,” Spendthrift Farm's sales manager Mark Toothaker said. “He is very smooth.”

Authentic is scheduled to fly from Louisville to Baltimore on Tuesday along with a host of other local Preakness contenders. Among the other Preakness contenders based at Churchill Downs is George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds' Max Player. The Kentucky Derby fifth-place runner worked an easy half-mile in :49.80 Monday for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

The post position draw for the Preakness is Monday at 12 p.m.

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After Just One Year In U.S., Trainer Jose D’Angelo Readying Jesus’ Team For Preakness

Grupo Seven C Stable's Jesus' Team arrived at Pimlico Sunday afternoon, becoming the first contender for Saturday's Preakness Stakes (G1) to step foot on the historic grounds known as Old Hilltop.

The son of Tapiture, who most recently finished third in the Sept. 5 Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga, arrived by van from Monmouth Park.

“He enjoyed the trip. He has in the last three months many trips. Now, it is easy for him,” said trainer Jose D'Angelo, who drove the truck towing the van carrying his stable star.

Jesus' Team took the lead in upper stretch in the 1 1/8-mile Jim Dandy before coming up 1 ½ lengths short of victorious Mystic Guide. The Kentucky-bred colt previously finished second behind Preakness contender Pneumatic in the Pegasus at Monmouth and fourth behind Kentucky Derby winner and likely Preakness favorite Authentic in the Haskell (G1) at Monmouth.

D'Angelo, a former leading trainer in Venezuela now based in South Florida, is looking forward to participating in his first U.S. Triple Crown event.

“It's very exciting. I'm very nervous, too,” D'Angelo said. “I have only one-year training in USA. It's the best race of my life. It's a great chance to show the abilities of the horse. I think we're going to have a great race in the Preakness.

D'Angelo said Jesus' Team is scheduled to jog over the Pimlico track Tuesday morning and gallop every other morning up to race day.

The post After Just One Year In U.S., Trainer Jose D’Angelo Readying Jesus’ Team For Preakness appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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