NBC Sports presents the 147th Kentucky Derby this Saturday, May 1 at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC live from Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Road to the Triple Crown begins this week, highlighted by NBC's live five-hour Kentucky Derby Day telecast this Saturday, May 1 at 2:30 p.m. ET. NBC Sports kicks off more than 13 hours of Kentucky Derby Week action this Friday, April 30 with live coverage of the Kentucky Oaks beginning at Noon ET on NBCSN. Saturday's live Derby coverage begins with Kentucky Derby Prep at Noon ET on NBCSN. In total, NBC Sports will televise 17 live races.
This weekend's Derby marks the 20th anniversary of NBC Sports' first Kentucky Derby coverage in 2001, which was won by Monarchos. NBC Sports reporters Donna Brothers and Kenny Rice have covered the Kentucky Derby every year for NBC since 2001. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of analyst Jerry Bailey's Kentucky Derby win on Grindstone in 1996.
The 2021 Kentucky Derby features likely favorite Essential Quality, who was named 2020's Champion two-year-old male and is undefeated in his career, and this year's Louisiana Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie. With a win in this year's Kentucky Derby, Bob Baffert – who trains Medina Spirit in Saturday's field – would earn his seventh career Derby victory, breaking a tie with Ben Jones for the most ever by a trainer.
COMMENTATORS: NBC Sports Group's coverage of the Kentucky Derby features host Mike Tirico, who is hosting Derby coverage for the fifth time; analysts Jerry Bailey, the Hall of Fame jockey and two-time Kentucky Derby winner, and Randy Moss; handicapper/reporter Eddie Olczyk; host/reporter Ahmed Fareed; reporters Britney Eurton, Donna Brothers, Kenny Rice, and Laffit Pincay III; and race caller Larry Collmus.
The coordinating producer of NBC's horse racing coverage is Rob Hyland, who has been a part of the network's horse racing coverage since 2001. The Kentucky Derby is directed by Drew Esocoff. The coverage on NBCSN is produced by Billy Matthews and directed by Kaare Numme. Executive producer and president, production, NBC Sports and NBCSN is Sam Flood.
Highlights of Kentucky Derby coverage Saturday on NBC include:
Five live races in the NBC Kentucky Derby show (nine live races in Saturday's full coverage)
Mike Tirico's championship discussion with Bill Belichick, six-time Super Bowl winner as New England Patriots head coach, and Bob Baffert, six-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer
Tirico's one-on-one discussion with Baffert, who is aiming to become the winningest trainer in Kentucky Derby history
Feature on the family of trainer Steve Asmussen, who trains Super Stock and Midnight Bourbon in this year's Derby field. Keith Asmussen, Steve's father, co-owns Super Stock
Jac Collinsworth tells the story of Kentucky Derby qualifier Hot Rod Charlie and his connections, highlighting five Brown University football teammates who made the initial $110,000 investment in the horse
Tim Layden essays, including one on Canonero II, who had one of the biggest Derby upsets 50 years ago, rallying from 18th place to win the 1971 Kentucky Derby by 3¾ lengths
Tom Hammond's retrospective as NBC Sports marks the 20th anniversary of its first Kentucky Derby coverage
For the first time, a live drone and two live jockey cam systems will be utilized in Derby coverage (among 50 total cameras)
NBC Sports' backstretch bat cam returns for the first time since 2019, offering a perspective from 15-18 feet above the track and traveling up to 80 mph
A camera focused on race caller Larry Collmus
NBC Sports EDGE's Matt Bernier to provide betting-focused articles and video previews throughout the week
NBC Sports EDGE's new sports betting-focused podcast, 'Bet the Edge,' hosted by Sara Perlman, launched today and will have daily Kentucky Derby segments throughout the week. Click here to listen to the debut episode as Eddie Olczyk joins the show to discuss handicapping Saturday's Kentucky Derby
NBC SPORTS GROUP TRIPLE CROWN COVERAGE (All Times ET):
Owner Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale is planning to bet at least $2 million to win on Essential Quality (Tapit) in Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby as a hedge to cover the costs of a furniture promotion underway at his Gallery Furniture stores. It is believed that McIngvale's bet will be the largest ever placed on the Derby or any U.S. horse race.
McIngvale has already launched the “Kentucky Derby Fave Wins, You Win” promotion. Anyone buying a mattress that costs $3,000 or more will receive a 100% refund if the favorite wins the race. Costumers will also have the option of receiving a store credit of 150% of the price paid for the mattress. McIngvale won't know until Saturday exactly how many mattresses his stores will have sold in relation to the promotion but says it will likely be around “a couple thousand.”
Once he has determined how many mattresses have been sold, McIngvale will bet enough on Essential Quality to cover the losses incurred by the promotion. He says he will bet at least $2 million and could bet as much as $4 million.
“The favorite has won the Derby six out of the last seven times and if that happens this year the people who bought the mattresses will get 100% of their money back,” he said. “We have gotten a lot of response so far and expect a lot more response over the next five days.”
It is expected that Essential Quality will go off at about 5-2. At that price, a $2-million win bet will return a profit of
$5 million, which will pay for an awful lot of mattresses.
“In this day and age of Amazon, we bricks and mortar guys have to do something to be different, something to stand out,” he said.
In 2019, the last time the race was run on the first Saturday in May, there was $41.8 million in the win pool. A $2-million bet would account for about 5% of the pool, more than enough to lower the odds on Essential Quality. The race favorite that year, Improbable (City Zip), had $6.9 million wagered on him to win. He went off at 4-1.
“I'm going to wire the money into Churchill, probably on Thursday,” McIngvale said. “When it gets closer to the race I will figure out how many mattresses we have sold, add up the total, and then I'll figure out how much to bet on the favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. It's going to be great for the other people too because it will make the other 19 horses a better value than they would be if I hadn't made a big bet.
“I'm better off if the horse wins, by a 10-1 margin because people will tell all their friends about this and the word of mouth publicity if he wins will be off the charts. The good thing about horse racing is you can bet as much as you want to because it is pari-mutuel wagering and the Derby is a race with huge handle.”
McIngvale is confident Essential Quality can get the job done.
“He's won all his races, was the champion 2-year-old and is by Tapit, the best sire in the country,” McIngvale said. “So you have to like the horse. There's nothing not to like about him.”
McIngvale is used to making huge wagers, many of which he ties in with store promotions. He made a huge, losing bet on the Houston Astros to win the 2019 World Series. Earlier this year, he successfully bet $3.5 million on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to cover the spread in the Super Bowl. Does he still get nervous when betting that much?
“I'm more nervous watching one of my horses run in a $10,000 claimer,” he said. “I don't get nervous doing this. To me, it's fun and exciting and it's exciting for the customers.”
Godolphin's Essential Quality (Tapit) headlined a quintet of hopefuls that put in their final major works at Churchill Downs Saturday morning ahead of next weekend's Run for the Roses. Also working on an overcast morning were Juddmonte Farms' Mandaloun (Into Michief), Klaravich Stables' Highly Motivated (Into Mischief), Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen's Super Stock (Dialed In) and Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury (Curlin).
Heading the Brad Cox Derby team, last season's juvenile champ worked five furlongs in 1:00.40. With exercise rider Edvin Vargas aboard, the likely Derby favorite worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 outside of fellow Godolphin-owned Spa City. The duo began their work at the half-mile pole through splits of :12.80, :24.80 and :48.20. The recent GII Toyota Blue Grass S. winner completed a six-furlong gallop out in 1:14.60, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.
“We keep radios on all of our riders, so that way, we can stay in contact throughout the work,” Cox said. “Galloping out around the turn, I got on the radio to Edvin and told him not to let him go too strongly. Spa City is a horse we used as a workmate for Essential Quality the last three or four works. He's a good matchup for him because he's a good work horse.”
Shortly after Essential Quality completed his work, Mandaloun, with Florent Geroux in the saddle, worked five furlongs in 1:00 outside of recent Keeneland allowance winner Joe Frazier. The GII Risen Star S. scorer started about six lengths behind his stablemate and completed swift opening fractions of :23.20, :35.60 and :47.60. Mandaloun galloped out strongly around the first turn through a six-furlong time of 1:12.60 and completed seven furlongs in 1:27.20.
“Going into the pole, Joe Frazier was a little bit strong and I didn't want to ask Mandaloun to catch up to him too much,” Geroux said. “I didn't want to get him in the bit too early, so we started six or seven lengths behind but going around the turn and he really picked up the pace. He has a big stride to him and was full of himself getting over this track.”
King Fury put in his final workout for the Kentucky Derby, with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard during the period reserved for training horses pointed to the Derby and Oaks. King Fury worked a solo five furlongs in 1:00.20. He reeled off splits of :12.80, :25.20, :36.80, and :48.40. Hernandez Jr. guided him out to 1:12.80 for six furlongs and 1:26.60 for seven furlongs.
“Everything was good,” Hernandez Jr. said. “He did it with his ears up and he seems like he's a happy horse. He's got a little confidence in himself coming out of the Lexington. He's coming into the Derby with some confidence.”
The GIII Lexington S. winner moved up to No. 20 on the points leaderboard following the defections of Hozier (Pioneerof the Nile) and Dream Shake (Twirling Candy).
“We weren't fretting about it too much,” said trainer Ken McPeek. “It was all up to a higher power, if we didn't get in, then [the plan] was to go on to the [May 15] GI Preakness S. [at Pimlico]. Those things are out of our control. What other people do with their horses, it's not something we spend a lot of energy on. We would have worked him the same today, if he was going to Baltimore or if he was staying here.”
Trained by Chad Brown, Highly Motivated went five furlongs in 1:00.40 under exercise rider Peter Roman immediately after the break. Runner up to Essential Quality in Keeneland's Apr. 3 GII Toyota Blue Grass S. and eagerly pulled away from stablemate Southern District, while galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.20 and seven furlongs in 1:28.40.
“I thought he breezed really well and it went exactly how I wanted,” Brown said. “I wasn't afraid to give him a good solid breeze and he did it and he did it well, with some in reserve too. He got over the track well, which I really wanted to see. He had been galloping well over it, but really, when you get to see a breeze, you can see more, obviously.”
Also among yesterday Churchill workers, Super Stock, who hit the track at 5:32 a.m., went five furlongs in 1:01.20. The Steve Asmussen trainee worked in company with 4-year-old stablemate Max Player, galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.60, and seven furlongs in 1:28.
“He went perfect and he gave us exactly what we were looking for,” Asmussen said. “I think that the horse's confidence level is at an all-time high, he goes really well over this racetrack, and I couldn't feel any better about him going into the Derby.”
At Keeneland, Like the King worked five furlongs in 1:01. The move was the ninth fastest of 28 at the distance. Working in company with the 4-year-old Artie's Princess, the 2020 Sovereign Award winner as Canada's champion female sprinter, Like the King started two lengths in back and edged clear at the wire, galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.40 with Julio Garcia aboard.
“He was nice and smooth down the lane,” said Wesley Ward. “He had that filly measured, as he did last week. He looked a lot smoother this week than last week. Last week, he was kind of on the bridle. [Today] he was a lot more fluid.”
He added, “He's a very difficult horse to gallop. He had a really, really strong last part of his gallop [Friday] when a couple of workers came inside of him. So, I wasn't looking to go :59 or anything today.”
Ward indicated the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks winner will jog Sunday morning and gallop Monday and Tuesday before vanning to Churchill after training.
At Santa Anita, Hronis Racing and David Talla's Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) worked five furlongs in :59.20. The unbeaten GI Santa Anita Derby winner went together with winner Best Chance and outfinished him by a couple of lengths, according to trainer, John Sadler
“He breezed very well,” said Sadler, who is seeking is first win in the Run for the Roses. “He looked good, nice and smooth. It was kind of a repeat of last week. We didn't want to do too much because he's right where he wants to be already. We're happy.”
'Rocks' is expected to ship to Kentucky Sunday and will jog Monday after arriving at Churchill Downs. He will gallop Tuesday and Wednesday, “but the schedule could be tinkered with slightly depending on the weather,” Sadler said.
Working before Santa Anita's first race Saturday, Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing and Strauss Bros Racing's Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) went six furlongs 1:13.68 under Flavien Prat, who will accompany him next Saturday at Churchill Downs.
Accompanied by stablemate Chasing Fame, Hot Rod Charlie started one length behind his work partner at the five furlong pole, from where he tracked his company to the top of the lane, assumed command and worked past the wire to the seven furlong pole through splits of 24.46, 48.94 and 1:00.90.
“I loved the way he went,” said Prat, who was also aboard for a six furlong work in 1:14.20 at Santa Anita Apr. 17. “He went really easy and he went a solid three quarters, with a good gallop out. I loved his energy and the way he went by his stablemate.”
Santa Anita Timer Dane Nelson had the GII Louisiana Derby winner galloping out seven furlongs in 1:27.43.
“I love the fresh track and not having to worry about traffic,” said trainer Doug O'Neill, who won the Kentucky Derby in 2012 with I'll Have Another and in 2016 with Nyquist. “I'm real happy with the way he breezed. We're all set, looking forward to getting him to Churchill and finding out what our post position will be on Tuesday.”
Hot Rod Charlie will be flown to Louisville early Sunday morning and will gallop and/or jog throughout the week over the Churchill Downs main track.
Also posting his final Derby tightener, Gary Barber's Get Her Number (Dialed In) worked five furlongs in 1:02 at San Luis Rey Training Center with Peter Miller on-hand for the work.
“He went out in 1:14 and it was a nice move,” Miller said via text from the facility, which is about 30 miles northeast of Del Mar racetrack.
Miller indicated a final decision would be made Saturday regarding the colt's participation in Saturday's Classic.
Godolphin's likely Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite Essential Quality worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 early Saturday morning at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., to headline a quintet of hopefuls for the 147th Run for the Roses that put in their final works for the 1 ¼-mile classic.
Also working on a cloudy but pleasant morning beneath the Twin Spires were Juddmonte Farms' Mandaloun (five furlongs in 1:00), Klaravich Stables' Highly Motivated (five furlongs in 1:00.80, Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen's Super Stock (five furlongs in 1:01.20) and Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury (five furlongs in 1:00.20).
At Santa Anita, Hronis Racing and David Talla's Rock Your World worked five furlongs in :59.20. Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing and Strauss Bros Racing's Hot Rod Charlie was scheduled to work before Santa Anita's first race Saturday at approximately 3 p.m. (Eastern).
At San Luis Rey, Gary Barber's Get Her Number worked five furlongs in 1:02. Miller said later that Get Her Number was being withdrawn from Derby consideration.
At Keeneland, M Racing Group's Like the King worked five furlongs in 1:01.
BOURBONIC, DYNAMIC ONE, KNOWN AGENDA, SAINTHOOD – “We got done what we wanted to get done (yesterday) and they're all fine this morning. They're just going to walk the shedrow today and tomorrow – depending on the weather – they'll go back to the track in some fashion.”
That was the report from Barn 42 and trainer Todd Pletcher Saturday morning following the Friday drills by his four Kentucky Derby 147 candidates at Churchill Downs.
His quartet had turned in their final Derby exercises a day earlier than planned when weather reports indicated an all-day rain storm for the Louisville area Saturday, a prediction that was revised Saturday to put the likely start of the storm closer to noon time. A pair of the runners – Known Agenda and Sainthood – had worked five furlongs in company in 1:01; another colt – Dynamic One – had covered four furlongs in :47.80 (also in company), while the final colt – Bourbonic – did his half-mile business in :49.60.
Pletcher, who to this point has started a record 55 horses in the Run for the Roses, was asked if he saw a horse in the current Derby lineup that he might be afraid of.
“It looks like a fairly wide-open year,” he said. “I don't see anybody I'm really afraid of. But on the other hand, I don't see anybody I'd leave out.”
BROOKLYN STRONG – Owner Mark Schwartz notified Churchill Downs racing officials that Parx-based Brooklyn Strong is now under consideration to run in the Kentucky Derby should there be any further defections between now and entry time Tuesday at 11 a.m. (all times Eastern).
Brooklyn Strong sits at No. 21 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 10 points, following the defection of Get Her Number on Saturday afternoon.
CADDO RIVER, ESSENTIAL QUALITY, MANDALOUN – It was a busy morning at trainer Brad Cox's Barn 22 where the Louisville-native trainer worked Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality and graded stakes winner Mandaloun for the final time prior to the “Run for the Roses.”
Essential Quality, with exercise rider Edvin Vargas aboard, worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 outside of fellow Godolphin-owned Spa City. The duo began their work at the half-mile pole through splits of :12.80, :24.80 and :48.20. Essential Quality completed a six-furlong gallop out in 1:14.60, according to Churchill Downs clockerJohn Nichols.
(All videos courtesy of Kentucky HBPA and Jennie Rees)
“We keep radios on all of our riders so that way we can stay in contact throughout the work,” Cox said. “Galloping out around the turn, I got on the radio to Edvin and told him not to let him go too strongly. Spa City is a horse we used as a workmate for Essential Quality the last three or four works. He's a good matchup for him because he's a good work horse.”
Shortly after Essential Quality completed his work, Juddmonte Farm's Mandaloun, with Florent Geroux in the saddle, worked five furlongs in 1:00 outside of recent Keeneland allowance winner Joe Frazier. Mandaloun started about six lengths behind his stablemate and completed swift opening fractions of :23.20, :35.60 and :47.60. Mandaloun galloped out strongly around the first turn through a six-furlong time of 1:12.60 and completed seven furlongs in 1:27.20.
“Going into the pole, Joe Frazier was a little bit strong and I didn't want to ask Mandaloun to catch up to him too much,” Geroux said. “I didn't want to get him in the bit too early so we started six or seven lengths behind but going around the turn he really picked up the pace. He has a big stride to him and was full of himself getting over this track.”
Cox's third Kentucky Derby contender Caddo River had a scheduled walk day following his five-furlong move in 1:00.60 Friday morning.
Saturday was the last major work day for the Cox barn prior to the start of Kentucky Derby Week.
“Glad that's over,” Cox said with a sigh of relief. “Now, let's hope the Racing Gods have a little luck they pass down to us.”
The Racing Gods won't be the only thing Cox will be relying on to help him in the Derby. Cox first started going to Churchill Downs at a young age with his father,Jerry. In 2016, his father passed away at 74 years old.
“I'm sure he'll be looking down on us on Derby Day,” Cox said. “I'm sure he'd be very proud of our entire family. He would always ask me how our horses were doing and be very interested in every aspect of the barn. I'm sure he'd be very proud of his grandsons (Blake and Bryson) who work with me now at the barn and have become great horsemen in their own right. I'm sure (Cox's youngest son) Brodie, will follow in their footsteps as well.”
GET HER NUMBER – Gary Barber's Get Her Number went five furlongs in 1:02 Saturday morning at San Luis Rey Training Center with trainer Peter Miller looking on.
“He went out in 1:14 and it was a nice move,” Miller said via text from the facility, which is about 30 miles northeast of Del Mar racetrack. Miller trains all his horses at the site and ships to Southern California racetracks from there to do most of his running.
Initially, the trainer had indicated that he'd have a decision on starting the Grade 1-winning son of Dialed In in this year's Kentucky Derby after the work, but instead indicated that he'd need more time to come to that decision. Later in the day, Miller said Get Her Number would not go. That puts Keepmeinmind into the field and Brooklyn Strong at No. 21.
HELIUM, SOUP AND SANDWICH – D J Stable's Helium and Live Oak Plantation's homebred Soup and Sandwich both came out of their final Derby works Friday in fine order and had a very light Saturday morning, according to trainer Mark Casse's assistant David Carroll.
“We were very happy with both of them in their works,” Carroll said. “They had a walk day today and a light jog up the road to make sure everything is OK and they'll go back to the track tomorrow to gallop. They'll school in the paddock Tuesday, and possibly once more, depending on their behavior. We got the works behind us, with the weather and all, so we'll just hope for some luck at the draw (Tuesday) and go from there.”
HIDDEN STASH – BBN Racing's Hidden Stash jogged Saturday morning at Keeneland and stood in the starting gate a day after working five furlongs in 1:00.60 for trainer Vicki Oliver.
“He jogged to the gate and stood, then jogged back home,” Oliver said.
Fourth in the Blue Grass (G2) in his most recent start, Hidden Stash is scheduled to walk Sunday and gallop Monday and Tuesday before vanning to Churchill Downs after training Tuesday morning.
HIGHLY MOTIVATED – Klaravich Stables' Highly Motivated completed his last major work for the Derby for trainer Chad Brown, going five furlongs in 1:00.40 under exercise rider Peter Roman during the 7:30-7:45 allotted training time for Derby and Oaks horses. The son of Into Mischief, second to champion and Derby favorite Essential Quality in Keeneland's April 3 Blue Grass (G2), hit the track immediately after the break and eagerly pulled away from stablemate Southern District, while galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.20 and seven furlongs in 1:28.40.
“I thought he breezed really well and it went exactly how I wanted,” Brown said. “I wasn't afraid to give him a good solid breeze and he did it and he did it well, with some in reserve too. He got over the track well, which I really wanted to see. He had been galloping well over it, but really, when you get to see a breeze, you can see more, obviously.”
HOT ROD CHARLIE – Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing and Strauss Bros Racing's Hot Rod Charlie was scheduled to work before Santa Anita's first race Saturday at approximately 3 p.m. (Eastern).
He's scheduled to fly to Louisville Sunday, according to trainer Doug O'Neill.
KEEPMEINMIND – Spendthrift Farm, Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith's Keepmeinmind walked the shedrow at trainer Robertino Diodoro's barn a day after working a half-mile in :46.20.
According to Diodoro assistant Sean Williams, Keepmeinmind is scheduled to jog two miles Sunday. Keepmeinmind moved into the No. 20 position, putting him in the Kentucky Derby field, after trainer Peter Miller said Get Her Number would not go.
KING FURY – Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury put in his final workout for the Kentucky Derby, with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard during the period reserved for training horses pointed to the Derby and Oaks.
Under the watchful eye of trainer Kenny McPeek, King Fury worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 without a workmate, with splits of :12.80, :25.20, :36.80, and :48.40. Hernandez guided him out to 1:12.80 for six furlongs and 1:26.60 for seven furlongs.
“Everything was good,” Hernandez said. “He did it with his ears up and he seems like he's a happy horse. He's got a little confidence in himself coming out of the Lexington. He's coming into the Derby with some confidence.”
The colt, winner of the Lexington at Keeneland in his most recent start, was on the Derby bubble. However, he moved up to No. 20 on the points leaderboard on Friday, following the defections of Hozier and Dream Shake.
“We weren't fretting about it too much,” McPeek said of the possibility that King Fury might miss the Derby and head instead to the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico. “It was all up to a higher power, if we didn't get in, then it was to go on to the Preakness. Those things are out of our control. What other people do with their horses, it's not something we spend a lot of energy on. We would have worked him the same today, if he was going to Baltimore or if he was staying here.”
King Fury was a $950,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton sale in August 2019, and McPeek said that the colt just might provide him with “the biggest shot that I've ever had” at winning the Derby.
“He's a steady horse, and he knows what to do,” McPeek said. “He grinds away and does it quickly. Two weeks and a day ago, I had no notion that we'd be thinking about him running in the Derby. But he ran such a powerful race in the Lexington, that he really deserves a chance. And he's 2-for-3 here at Churchill, two really good first starts, so we know that he really likes the ground.”
“We were always really high on him,” Hernandez said. “For him to finally show the talent we knew he always had in the Lexington, it was really nice.
“We're fortunate that now we've gotten in the back door for the Derby with our 20 points,” Hernandez added. “Now we just have to give him a good, clean trip and let him show his stuff.”
LIKE THE KING – M Racing Group's Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner Like the King wrapped up his major work for Kentucky Derby 147 by working five furlongs in 1:01 over a fast track Saturday morning at Keeneland. The move was the ninth fastest of 28 at the distance.
Working in company with the 4-year-old Artie's Princess, the 2020 Sovereign Award winner as Canada's champion female sprinter, Like the King started two lengths in back and edged clear at the wire, galloping out six furlongs in 1:15.40 with Julio Garcia aboard.
Wesley Ward, who put the finishing touches on the Keeneland Spring Meet training title with four victories on Friday's closing-day card, plans to have Like the King jog Sunday morning and then gallop Monday and Tuesday morning before vanning to Churchill Downs after training Tuesday.
“He was nice and smooth down the lane,” said Ward, who now has 1,996 career victories. “He had that filly measured, as he did last week. He looked a lot smoother this week than last week. Last week he was kind of on the bridle. Today he was a lot more fluid.
“He's a very difficult horse to gallop. He had a really, really strong last part of his gallop yesterday when a couple of workers came inside of him. So I wasn't looking to go :59 or anything today.”
MEDINA SPIRIT – Zedan Racing Stables' Medina Spirit made his initial trip over the main track at Churchill Downs Saturday morning, jogging a mile alongside a pony.
Runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) in his most recent start, Medina Spirit arrived at Churchill Downs on Friday afternoon coming a day after working six furlongs at Santa Anita in 1:12.20.
Trainer Bob Baffert is scheduled to arrive in Louisville Sunday night and be trackside Monday morning.
MIDNIGHT BOURBON, SUPER STOCK – Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon galloped over the track once again around 6:05 Saturday morning as he builds to his final Derby work, which is scheduled to come Monday morning for trainer Steve Asmussen.
Meanwhile, Erv Woolsey's and Keith Asmussen's Super Stock, fresh off an upset win in the April 10 Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park, signaled his readiness for the Derby earlier in the morning, going five furlongs in 1:01.20 in what was his final work for Asmussen. The son of Dialed In worked in company with 4-year-old stablemate Max Player and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.60, and seven furlongs in 1:28. Super Stock has eight career starts, making him the most experienced member of the prospective Derby field, but looked like a fresh horse when he hit the track at 5:32.
“He went perfect and he gave us exactly what we were looking for,” Asmussen said. “I think that the horse's confidence level is at an all-time high, he goes really well over this racetrack, and I couldn't feel any better about him going into the Derby.”
O BESOS – Bernard Racing, Tagg Team Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Terry L. Stephens' O Besos had a light one-mile jog early Saturday morning with exercise rider Margarito Fierro in the saddle for trainer Greg Foley.
“He was feeling pretty good this morning,” Foley said. “That was always good to see after a work. We just have to keep him happy until Saturday.”
ROCK YOUR WORLD – Hronis Racing and David Talla's Rock Your World worked in company at 6:30 a.m. (Pacific) at Santa Anita Saturday morning and registered a :59.20 drill on a fast racing strip.
The unbeaten Santa Anita Derby winner went together with winner Best Chance and outfinished him by a couple of lengths, according to “Rock's” trainer, John Sadler
“It was just what we were after,” the conditioner said by phone from his Southern California headquarters. “He went very well, was well within himself throughout and galloped out strongly.”
The Candy Ride colt, three for three lifetime and one of the favorites for Kentucky Derby 147 on May 1, will board a plane Sunday and ship to Louisville. His conditioner also will ship Sunday, though on a different aircraft. They'll operate out of Barn 43 on the Churchill Downs' backside starting Monday morning.
STARRININMYDREAMS – Stewart Racing and WinStar Farm's third-place Lexington Stakes (G3) finisher Starrininmydreams walked trainer Dallas Stewart's Barn 34 shedrow following his five-furlong move in 1:00.40 Friday. He's currently No. 23 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby preference list.
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 Jr., 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); King Fury(Brian Hernandez Jr., Kenny McPeek);
Next up in order of preference: Keepmeinmind (David Cohen, Robertino Diodoro); Brooklyn Strong (TBA, Daniel Velazquez); Starrininmydreams (TBA, Dallas Stewart).
