On the first day of Churchill Downs' exclusive training period for contenders preparing for the $3-million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade 1) and $1.25 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), Victoria's Ranch's King Guillermo posted a flashy five-furlong move Saturday in :58.20 – the fastest of 40 horses at the distance.
Trained by Juan Avila, King Guillermo was one of two Kentucky Derby contenders on the track from 7:30-7:45 a.m. (all times Eastern). The $600,000 Arkansas Derby (G1) runner-up rolled through splits of :11.40, :23, :34.80 and :46.60 with a strong six-furlong gallop out in 1:10.80 under jockey Miguel Mena. Florida-based rider Samy Camacho will ride on the first Saturday in September.
“You can sometimes get a little bit worried when horses work that fast but he did it so effortlessly,” Mena said. “He has an unbelievable stride and is pretty tough in the bridle. When I broke off from the pony, he really wanted to go. He continued out really well around the turn and onto the backside.”
The main track was listed as “muddy” to start training on Saturday but was upgraded to “good” following the 7 a.m. renovation break. Saturday also was the first morning of updated training hours which were adjusted 15 minutes earlier to 5:15-10 a.m.
Raymond Daniels and Wayne Scherr's former $100,000 claim Necker Island also was on the track during the exclusive training window. The chestnut colt galloped about 1 1/2 miles under Hillary Hartman, the wife of his trainer Chris Hartman.
The next expected local workout for the Kentucky Derby will be Enforceable at 5:15 a.m. on Sunday. Sackatoga Stable's Kentucky Derby favorite Tiz the Law had his scheduled Saturday work delayed until Sunday due to inclement weather at Saratoga in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.. … Trainer Tommy Drury reported Friday following Blue Grass Stakes (G2) winner Art Collector's half-mile move in :49.10 at Skylight that the colt would likely ship from his Goshen, Ky. base to Louisville early next week
Other Derby contenders based at Churchill Downs are Attachment Rate, Major Fed, Max Player and Winning Impression.
ARRIVAL INFORMATION – Several Kentucky Derby contenders have yet to converge on Churchill Downs but are scheduled to arrive in the upcoming week. The following is the latest arrival information, according to senior director of the stable area Steve Hargrave:
- Monday or Tuesday via van from Skylight Training Center to Churchill Downs: Art Collector(trainer Tommy Drury)
- Tuesday via flight from San Diego to Louisville: Rushie (Michael McCarthy)
- Aug. 30 via flight from New York to Louisville: Caracaro (Gustavo Delgado) and Ny Traffic (Saffie Joseph)
- Aug. 30 via van from Florida to Louisville: Sole Volante (Patrick Biancone)
- Aug. 31 via flight from San Diego to Louisville: Authentic (Bob Baffert), Honor A. P. (John Shirreffs), Storm the Court (Peter Eurton); and Thousand Words (Baffert)
- Aug. 31 via flight from New York: Dr Post (Todd Pletcher) and Tiz the Law (Barclay Tagg)
Details on the arrivals of Finnick the Fierce (Rey Hernandez) and Shirl's Speight (Roger Attfield) have not been finalized. On the Longines Kentucky Oaks front, $600,000 Alabama (GI) winner Swiss Skydiver is expected to arrive at Churchill Downs on Tuesday via plane from New York. Swiss Skydiver's main rival in the Oaks, multiple Grade I winner Gamine, is scheduled to arrive with the other Baffert trainees on Sunday, Aug. 31.
KENTUCKY DERBY FIELD RUNDOWN: The possible field, in order of preference, for the 146th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) (with jockey): Tiz the Law (Manny Franco); Authentic (John Velazquez); Art Collector (Brian Hernandez Jr.); Honor A.P. (Mike Smith); Ny Traffic (Paco Lopez); King Guillermo (Samy Camacho); Thousand Words (Florent Geroux); Dr Post (TBA); Max Player (Ricardo Santana Jr.); Caracaro (Javier Castellano); Enforceable (Adam Beschizza); Rushie (TBA); Major Fed (James Graham); Storm the Court (Julien Leparoux); Attachment Rate (Joe Talamo); Sole Volante (Luca Panici); Finnick the Fierce (Martin Garcia); Winning Impression (Joe Rocco Jr.); Necker Island (Miguel Mena); and Shirl's Speight (Corey Lanerie).
KENTUCKY DERBY, OAKS WORKOUTS TO BE STREAMED LIVE MONDAY – Churchill Downs Racetrack will provide live online streaming of Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks contenders' workouts when the exclusive 7:30-7:45 a.m. (all times Eastern) training window starting on Monday.
The live stream presented by TwinSpires.com will be available at multiple sources including on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/kentuckyderby; on Twitter via @KentuckyDerby and www.twitter.com/kentuckyderby; on YouTube atwww.youtube.com/kentuckyderby; and www.kentuckyderby.com/workouts
The live video will include graphics to identify each horse and commentary from an array of industry experts including: Churchill Downs Host and Racing Analyst Joe Kristufek along with TwinSpires.com Racing Experts Scott Shapiro, Ed DeRosa, Brandon Stauble and Chantal Sutherland.
The post Kentucky Derby Notes: King Guillermo’s Fast Work, Tiz The Law’s One-Day Delay, Arrival Plans appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
