Vegso Racing Stables' Lord Miles returned to the Gulfstream Park worktab Friday morning, breezing a half-mile in 47.05 seconds in preparation for a scheduled start in the May 5 Kentucky Derby (G1).
The 3-year-old son of Curlin, who worked in company with stablemate Apocalypso over a freshly renovated surface shortly after 9 a.m., produced the second-fastest clocking of 33 workouts recorded at the distance in his first breeze since pulling off a 59-1 upset in the Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct April 8.
“It was a good easy work but probably a tad faster than ideal, but he did it well within himself and he was moving well – that's the important thing,” said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., whose Derby-bound colt was ridden Friday morning by exercise rider Andrew Thomas.
“He came out of the Wood well. He shipped back and he's held his weight. His weight and his energy seem to be in good order,” he added.
Lord Miles is scheduled to complete his serious preparation for the Derby at Gulfstream.
“He'll come back, all being well, and work next Friday. He'll go five furlongs and we'll ship Saturday or Sunday to Churchill Downs,” Joseph said.
Lord Miles sits sixth on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard based on qualifying points thanks to his victory in the Wood, in which he shook off bumping shortly after the start to grab an outside stalking position before getting the better of favored Hit Show by a nose following a heated stretch run.
“He won the Wood, but his race in the Wood isn't going to be good enough to win the Derby. He's going to have to improve again. But as we've learned, you've got to get there to for a chance to win. They're young horses who can improve. If he can make a leap forward again, he'll be right there. We want to think the distance is within his parameter.”
Lord Miles debuted impressively while closing from off the pace in a six-furlong maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Nov. 19 and drawing away to a 5 ¾ victory. He came back to finish third in the one-turn mile Mucho Macho Man Jan. 1 with a late surge to miss second by a neck. The Kentucky-bred colt disappointed with a sixth-place finish in the Feb. 4 Holy Bull (G3) at 1 1/16 miles that was compromised by an awkward start. He encountered bumping at the start of the March 11 Tampa Bay Derby (G3) before finishing fifth.
“The biggest drawback with him has been his inconsistency. Sometimes he comes off the bridle and gives himself too much to do,” Joseph said. “Hopefully, his race in the Wood will help him mentally and give him some confidence.”
The post ‘He’s Going To Have To Improve Again’: Wood Memorial Upsetter Lord Miles Breezes At Gulfstream appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
