Tag: Continuar (Jpn)

Continuar Out Of Derby, King Russell In As Last AE

Lion Horse Race Co. Ltd.'s Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong) will reportedly be scratched from this year's GI Kentucky Derby, according to trainer Yoshito Yahagi.

“After evaluating the colt upon my arrival, I feel that he has not been able to reach the peak fitness required to take on a race as tough as the Kentucky Derby,” Yahagi said. “Considering the future of the horse and the fact that we cannot show the horse's true ability in his current state, we have decided to scratch Continuar from the Kentucky Derby. I am very sorry that I cannot participate in the world's number one horse racing festival, however I sincerely hope to return to the Derby in the future. I want to thank everyone who has supported Continuar and Yahagi Stable on this journey.”

Continuar qualified for the Kentucky Derby through the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby point series where he received an invitation to compete in the first leg of the Triple Crown. With this defection, Brereton Jones and Naber Racing's King Russell (Creative Cause), trained by Ron Moquett, will draw into the field and break from the outside post 20. The program number 23 will remain the same. King Russell will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano.

“You can't help but feel for the ones that scratch,” Moquett said by phone, when asked about the news that his horse had drawn in. “This is an opportunity for the team, our owners and we have been here all week preparing just like King Russell was already entered. We know he is special horse and like Babe Ruth calling his shot, I predicted that he would finish in the top three in the Arkansas Derby and that he would be in the [Kentucky] Derby. Here we are. After the training, pointing him here, galloping, schooling, we are going to see if he can get the mile and a quarter. I've been here before with Far Right in 2015 and that following year with Whitmore, and now it is time to get down to business because we are wanting to do more.”

Scratch time for Kentucky Derby 149 is Friday at 9 a.m. ET.

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Derma Sotogake Drills; Thursday Oaks Schedule Quickens

Three GI Kentucky Derby hopefuls, as well as a GI Kentucky Oaks potential entrant, worked Wednesday morning over a fast surface at Churchill Downs, the track said in a release on Wednesday.

Hiroyuki Asanuma's G2 UAE Derby winner Derma Sotogake (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits) drilled five furlongs in 1:01.40 and was partnered with Lion Race Horse Co. Ltd.'s Continuar (Jpn) (Drefong), who worked a half-mile in :50.

Shortly after those breezes during the 7:30-7:45 training window for Derby and Oaks horses, R.T. Racing Stable and Cypress Creek Equine's Sun Thunder (Into Mischief) worked a half-mile on his own in :48.60 with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard.

“He pretty much just clipped 12s the whole way around,” Hernandez said. “They added blinkers to him this morning, and that seems to make him want to go forward, and kind of get into things a little earlier than he did before the blinkers. He finished in 48 and 3 [-fifths], with a good gallop out.”

Richard Bahde's Taxed (Collected), the runner-up in the GIII Fantasy S. and No. 15 on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard, worked a half-mile in :47.60 under jockey Rafael Bejarano.

Derma Sotogake and Continuar's Work

The pair of Japanese workmates drilled continuing through five furlongs, with Continuar completing a half-mile.

Breaking off at the half-mile pole, Continuar was 3 lengths in front under Kazunari Yoshida. By the head of the stretch, Derma Sotogake had drawn even under Masatoshi Segawa and was clear at the wire.

Fractions for Derma Sotogake were :25.80, :37.20, :48.60 and 1:01.40. Continuar was clocked in :13.40, :26.40, :50 and out five furlongs in 1:04.40.

Both horses will walk in the Quarantine Barn on Thursday.

Kate Hunter, the Japan Racing Association representative for the Kentucky Derby, said that both riders were happy with the works with Segawa pleased with the response in the stretch from Derma Sotogake.

Yoshito Yahagi, trainer of Continuar, is scheduled to arrive in Louisville on Monday with Hidetaka Otonashi, trainer of Derma Sotogake, due in the following day.

Thursday Schedule

One Derby work is scheduled for Thursday morning and that is Wild On Ice (Tapizar). Jockey Ken Tohill is flying to Louisville this afternoon and will be aboard for the work for trainer Joel Marr.

The Kentucky Oaks work schedule Thursday is much heavier with nine breezes slated.

Trainer Brad Cox is expected to work his trio of Wet Paint (Blame), Botanical (Medaglia d'Oro) and The Alys Look (Connect). Trainer Todd Pletcher has his duo of Gambling Girl (Dialed In) and Julia Shining (Curlin) scheduled to breeze along with Southlawn (Pioneerof the Nile) for Norm Casse, Flying Connection (Nyquist) for Todd Fincher, Wonder Wheel (Into Mischief) for Mark Casse and possibly Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) for Brendan Walsh.

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