Frank Fletcher Racing Operations' Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes winner Rocket Can continued his serious training towards the Kentucky Derby with a bullet half-mile move in :46.60 Thursday at Churchill Downs under exercise rider Guelser Cardona.
Rocket Can's move was the fastest of 34 horses at the distance Thursday morning. The striking gray son of Into Mischief worked at 7:30 a.m. on the outside of allowance winner Lady Arsinoe. Rocket Can began his move one length back of his Bill Mott-trained stablemate and finished even at the wire. Rocket Can galloped out five furlongs in :59.20 and completed six furlongs in 1:12.60.
Rocket Can finished second to Forte in the Fountain of Youth (G2) following his win in the Holy Bull and, most recently, finished fourth as the beaten favorite in the Arkansas Derby (G1).
DERBY ARRIVALS – As of Thursday, there were 10 Kentucky Derby contenders on the grounds at Churchill Downs: Angel of Empire (Barn 22), Confidence Game (24), Continuar (JPN) (Q1), Derma Sotogake (JPN) (Q1), Hit Show (22), Jace's Road (22), Rocket Can (19), Sun Thunder (6), Verifying (22) and Wild On Ice (43).
The next horses scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs are Todd Pletcher's trio of contenders: Forte (Monday), Kingsbarns (Monday) and Tapit Trice (Sunday). They will all be stabled in Pletcher's Barn 39.
Trainer Larry Rivelli reported Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner Two Phil's would remain stabled at Hawthorne and ship to Churchill Downs on May 1.
There also were several Derby hopefuls on the outside of the top 20 that arrived at Churchill Downs: No. 22 Cyclone Mischief (Barn 4), No. 25 King Russell (10) and No. 26 Disarm (38). The latter races Saturday in Keeneland's G3 Stonestreet Lexington and could pick up enough qualifying points to make the starting field.
UPCOMING WORKS – Three Kentucky Derby contenders are tentatively scheduled to work Saturday at Churchill Downs: Angel of Empire (5:30 a.m.), Confidence Game (7:30 a.m.) and Jace's Road (5:30 a.m.).
Wild On Ice would be on target to work either Saturday or Sunday. The Sunland Derby (G3) winner trains daily around 6:30 a.m. Those horse's official times and splits will be shared on Twitter via @HorseRacingKK.
JAPANESE HORSES RAMPING UP – Japan's duo of Kentucky Derby contenders – Derma Sotogake (JPN) and Continuar (JPN) – arrived at Churchill Downs around 5 a.m. Saturday and have already been getting acquainted with Churchill Downs.
Both horses have trained daily at either 7:40 a.m. or 9 a.m. and begin their time on the track by jogging in the one-mile chute accompanied by veteran horseman Mike Crowder on his lead pony.
Derma Sotogake is ridden daily by Masatoshi Segawa while Continuar has Kazunari Yoshida in the irons.
Both horses are scheduled to increase their training regiments next week, according to Kate Hunter, the Kentucky Derby representative for the Japan Racing Association. Not only have Segawa and Yoshida been getting acquainted to Churchill Downs, the duo began sightseeing the Louisville area including eating lunch at the famous Wagner's Pharmacy and visiting the Kentucky Derby Museum.
Derma Sotogake and Continuar are stabled in the Quarantine Barn 1 at the Kentucky Import Center at Churchill Downs.
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