Six-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert indicated via text that Hozier, sixth in the Arkansas Derby (G1) in his most recent start, is under consideration for Kentucky Derby 147.
Owned by the partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm and Robert Masterson, Hozier is No. 21 on the Road to the Kentucky Leaderboard.
Hozier galloped a little bit more than a mile with Joel Osorio up over a sloppy track a little before 9:30 on a morning in which the news of the day was … wait for it … Snow!
Overnight Louisville picked up an April 21 record 1.8 inches of snow that left the Matt Winn Turf Course covered in a blanket of white inside the sloppy main track.
BOURBONIC, DYNAMIC ONE, KNOWN AGENDA, SAINTHOOD – Trainer Todd Pletcher sent his quartet of Derby 147 hopefuls out for 1 ¼-mile gallops Wednesday morning.
“We cut back a little bit today and sent them straight off (as opposed to backtracking to the front of the grandstand),” Pletcher said, “And got them back safe and sound.”
First to go out for Pletcher at 7:30 was Florida Derby (G1) winner Known Agenda with Hector Ramos aboard and Wood Memorial (G2) runner-up Dynamic One with Carlos Perez Quevedo aboard.
At 7:50, Wood Memorial winner Bourbonic was on the track with Ramos aboard along with Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) runner-up Sainthood with Amelia Green aboard.
Pletcher is leaning toward working all four on Friday.
“There is potential for rain all day Saturday and I would prefer Friday to pushing back to Monday,” Pletcher said.
Pletcher, who won the Derby in 2010 with Super Saver and 2017 with Always Dreaming, has riders lined up for all but Sainthood.
“We will wait until after the final breezes and monitor who is available,” Pletcher said.
HELIUM, SOUP AND SANDWICH – Live Oak Plantation's Soup and Sandwich, along with D J Stable's Helium, jogged two miles over the sloppy surface Wednesday at Churchill Downs.
Helium, ridden by Paolo Levi and Soup and Sandwich, with Gilbert Hernandez in the saddle, were both accompanied by stable pony Jack with Isabella Leslie aboard.
Both horses are likely to gallop Thursday, according to trainer Mark Casse's assistant David Carroll.
HIGHLY MOTIVATED – Klaravich Stables' Highly Motivated galloped a mile and a half under Peter Roman during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Derby and Kentucky Oaks horses.
Trainer Chad Brown plans to work the Blue Grass Stakes (G2) runner-up Saturday, a breeze that could be moved up a day because of weather.
HOZIER – Hozier, No. 21 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, galloped a little more than a mile before 9:30 under exercise rider Joel Osorio.
KEEPMEINMIND – Keepmeinmind had a spirited 1 ½-mile gallop over the sloppy track with Enrique Benitez aboard at 5:45.
Standing at No. 23 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard, Keepmeinmind is scheduled to work Friday or Saturday for trainer Robertino Diodoro.
KING FURY – Lexington Stakes (G3) winner King Fury galloped 1 ½ miles under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. at 7:30.
Trained by Kenny McPeek, King Fury stands at No. 22 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with a work scheduled for Saturday.
MIDNIGHT BOURBON, SUPER STOCK – Winchell Thoroughbreds' multiple graded stakes-placed colt Midnight Bourbon jogged one mile at 5:30 a.m. with Wilson Fabian aboard alongside Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.
Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen's upset Arkansas Derby (G1) hero Super Stock galloped about 1 3/8 miles with Juan Vargas aboard at 6:30 a.m. Super Stock is scheduled to work Saturday while Midnight Bourbon is slated to work Monday.
O BESOS – Barrett Bernard, Tagg Team Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds' O Besos was tentatively scheduled to work Wednesday morning but trainer Greg Foley opted to move the work to Thursday because of track conditions.
The Orb colt jogged one mile under rider Margarito Fierro.
“Horses like this give me the motivation to keep going in life,” said Fierro, who's worked for Foley for nearly 20 years. “He's still a baby but what I've loved about his galloping is he does it with class. He gets on the track with the pony, checks out his surroundings and when he's ready to start his gallop he's all business.”
O Besos will work at 5:15 a.m., according to Foley.
STARRININMYDREAMS – Stewart Racing and WinStar Farm's third-place Lexington Stakes (G3) finisher Starrininmydreams galloped about 1 ½ miles at 6:30 a.m. under exercise rider Emerson Chavez.
“We're still waiting to see what shakes down,” trainer Dallas Stewart said. “He looks unbelievable out there training but you never know what can happen with the horses in front of us. We'll be ready.”
Starrininmydreams sits No. 24 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.
SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY DERBY – Likely starters in the 147th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade 1) for 3-year-olds at 1 1/4 miles on Saturday, May 1 in order of preference (with possible jockey and trainer): Essential Quality (Luis Saez, Brad Cox); Hot Rod Charlie (Flavien Prat, Doug O'Neill); Super Stock (Ricardo Santana Jr., Steve Asmussen); Like the King (Drayden Van Dyke, Wesley Ward); Known Agenda (Irad Ortiz, Todd Pletcher); Rock Your World (Joel Rosario, John Sadler); Bourbonic (Kendrick Carmouche, Todd Pletcher); Medina Spirit (John Velazquez, Bob Baffert); Midnight Bourbon (Mike Smith, Steve Asmussen); Mandaloun (Florent Geroux, Brad Cox); Caddo River (TBA, Brad Cox); Highly Motivated (Javier Castellano, Chad Brown); Helium (Julien Leparoux, Mark Casse); Soup and Sandwich (Tyler Gaffalione, Mark Casse); Dynamic One (Jose Ortiz, Todd Pletcher); Sainthood (TBA, Todd Pletcher); Hidden Stash (Rafael Bejarano, Vicki Oliver); O Besos (Marcelino Pedroza, Greg Foley); Get Her Number (TBA, Peter Miller).
Possible starters within the Top 20 on the preference list: Dream Shake (TBA, Peter Eurton).
Next up in order of preference: Hozier (TBA, Bob Baffert); King Fury (Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek); Keepmeinmind (David Cohen, Robertino Diodoro); Starrininmydreams (TBA, Dallas Stewart).
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