Tag: john nichols

Essential Quality Sharp In Belmont Stakes Breeze At Churchill Downs

Godolphin's Essential Quality, the Kentucky Derby (Grade 1) favorite and likely top betting choice for the June 7 Belmont Stakes (G1), breezed a sharp five furlongs in :59.80 Saturday morning at Churchill Downs, the fifth fastest of 40 horses at the distance at the Louisville, Ky., track.

Trained by Brad Cox, Essential Quality was the 5-2 favorite in the May 1 Kentucky Derby and crossed the wire fourth behind Medina Spirit, Mandaloun and Hot Rod Charlie.

The Tapit colt worked Saturday in company with 5-year-old graded stakes winner Night Ops through early fractions of :24.20 and :47.60, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

There were 169 horses that donned the Saturday work tab at Churchill Downs including Juddmonte's Mandaloun who cruised an easy half-mile in :48.20. His next start is still to be determined, according to Cox.

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Midnight Bourbon Posts Swift Five-Furlong Breeze, Gives Connections A Scare When Briefly Loose In Barn Area

On a brisk Monday morning in Louisville, Winchell Thorougbreds' multiple graded stakes-placed colt Midnight Bourbon continued his serious preparation for the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) with a swift five furlong move in :59.80, the fastest of 13 horses at the distance.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Midnight Bourbon worked in company with recent Turfway Park maiden winner Bajan Rum through fractions of :12.40, :24, :35.60. The TwinSpires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) runner-up galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.80 and completed seven furlongs in 1:26, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

Midnight Bourbon then managed to give his connections a bit of a scare when he got away from his hotwalker near the barn area, and enjoyed a brief jaunt around the bathing area between barns. He was quickly apprehended by another hotwalker, and appeared to escape unharmed. The incident was captured on camera by WHAS11's Kent Spencer.


Tuesday will be the first day on the track for Blue Grass (G2) runner-up Highly Motivated, who arrived at trainer Chad Brown's Barn 25 at 8 a.m. (all times Eastern) from Keeneland. Brown is scheduled to be at Churchill Downs Tuesday.

BOURBONIC, DYNAMIC ONE, KNOWN AGENDA, SAINTHOOD – Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher sent his four hopefuls for the Run for the Roses out for 1 3/8-mile gallops Monday morning.

Pletcher utilized the 7:30-7:45 training window for Derby and Kentucky Oaks candidates to send out St. Elias Stable's Known Agenda with Hector Ramos aboard, Repole Stable, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable's Dynamic One with Carlos Perez Quevedo aboard and WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s Sainthood with Amelia Green aboard.

Calumet Farm's Bourbonic galloped after 9 o'clock with Ramos aboard.

Pletcher said Monday morning that no rider has been confirmed for Sainthood, who comes into Derby 147 off a runner-up finish in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway Park March 27.

CADDO RIVER, ESSENTIAL QUALITY, MANDALOUN – Godolphin's Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality and Juddmonte Farm's Mandaloun jogged at 6:20 a.m. Monday at Churchill Downs for trainer Brad Cox while stablemate Caddo River galloped at 5:15 a.m.

“(Essential Quality and Mandaloun) both came out of their Saturday works in good shape,” trainer Brad Cox said. “We're gearing up. It's getting exciting around the barn and we're ready for the Derby.”

Shortleaf Stable's Arkansas Derby (G1) runner-up Caddo River plans to run in the Kentucky Derby remain tentative.

HELIUM, SOUP AND SANDWICH – D J Stable's Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner Helium along with Live Oak Plantation's Florida Derby (G1) Soup and Sandwich had a scheduled walk day at trainer Mark Casse's Barn 36 at Churchill Downs.

“We had an easy day around the barn today,” Casse's assistant David Carroll said.

Both horses are scheduled to work this weekend.

HIGHLY MOTIVATED – Klaravich Stables' homebred Highly Motivated, runner-up in the Blue Grass Stakes (G2) in his most recent start April 3, arrived at Churchill Downs at 8 o'clock Monday morning from Keeneland.

The Chad Brown trainee had worked a half-mile in :47.20 Sunday morning that was the best of 27 at the distance.

KEEPMEINMIND – Spendthrift Farm, Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith's Keepmeinmind jogged two miles early Monday morning under exercise rider Enrique Benitez for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) here last fall, Keepmeinmind had worked five furlongs in 1:00.60 under Benitez at Keeneland on Saturday and arrived at Churchill Downs on Sunday.

He currently sits No. 22 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

KING FURY – Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury galloped 1 ½ miles at 5:30 under exercise rider Danny Ramsey for trainer Kenny McPeek.

He needs one defection to make the field of 20 for the first Saturday in May.

MIDNIGHT BOURBON, SUPER STOCK – Winchell Thoroughbreds' multiple graded stakes placed-colt Midnight Bourbon worked five furlongs in :59.80 in company with stablemate Bajan Rum (five furlongs, 1:00.80).

“We're obviously very excited about who Midnight Bourbon is,” Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said. “Physically, he's an absolutely beautiful horse. Going over the track now, he's as good as he's ever been. He's always had a big frame, now there's just more of him in the right spots.”

Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen's upset Arkansas Derby (G1) hero Super Stock had a scheduled walk day.

O BESOS – Barrett Bernard, Tagg Team Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds' Louisiana Derby (G2) third-place finisher O Besos jogged about one mile under Margarito Fierro at 6:30 a.m. Monday at Churchill Downs.

O Besos is scheduled to work Wednesday.

STARRININMYDREAMS – Stewart Racing and WinStar Farm's third-place Lexington Stakes (G3) finisher Starrininmydreams galloped about 1 ½ miles at 6:30 a.m. under exercise rider Emerson Chavez.

Starrininmydreams sits No. 23 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

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, 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); 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);

Possible starters within the Top 20 on the preference list: Caddo River (TBA, Brad Cox); Dream Shake (TBA, Peter Eurton)

Next up in order of preference: King Fury (Brian Hernandez Jr.); Keepmeinmind (David Cohen, Robertino Diodoro); Starrininmydreams (TBA, Dallas Stewart).

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Mandaloun, Helium Breeze At Churchill Downs; Pletcher Squad Due To Arrive Sunday

With three weeks remaining until the first Saturday in May, the preparation for the 147th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade 1) continued to heat up at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., where Juddmonte Farm's Mandaloun cruised five furlongs in :58.80 and D J Stable's Helium clipped five-eighths of a mile in :59.20 over a fast track Saturday morning.

Mandaloun, the winner of the $400,000 risen Star at Fair Grounds, worked alongside Grade 2 winner Bonny South through opening fractions of :23.40 and :46.60 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:11.40 and seven furlongs in 1:25.60, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

“I thought they both worked great,” trainer Brad Cox said. “They both worked fast but looked like they were doing it really easy.”

Following Mandaloun's work at 5:30 a.m. (all times Eastern), Cox darted to the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport to catch his flight to Hot Springs, Ark., where he will saddle Caddo River in Saturday's $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1).

Two hours later at 7:30 a.m., $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner Helium worked alongside of stablemate Ghost of the Mambo through fractions of :11.80, :23.20 and :35.40 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:12. Jockey Julien Leparoux was aboard Helium while Declan Carroll rode the workmate.

“Everything went as smoothly as we could've drew it up,” trainer Mark Casse's local assistant David Carroll said. “He came in from Florida on Wednesday and has been doing very well since.”

Helium arrived with stablemate and fellow Kentucky Derby runner Soup and Sandwich, who is scheduled to breeze Sunday morning, according to Carroll. Owned by Live Oak Plantation, Soup and Sandwich – runner-up last out in the Florida Derby (G2) – galloped about 1 ½ miles at 5:30 a.m. Saturday.

Godolphin's early Kentucky Derby favorite Essential Quality galloped at 6:30 a.m. Saturday. He's scheduled to work two times prior to the Derby.

Other Derby contenders that trained Saturday morning at Churchill Downs were Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon, who galloped at 5:50 a.m. and Bernard Racing, Tagg Team Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds' O Besos, who galloped at 5:30 a.m.

UPCOMING ARRIVALS – Several contenders from trainer Todd Pletcher's squad are scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Sunday including Derby contenders Known Agenda (Florida Derby winner) and Sainthood along with Oaks runner Malathaat, according to senior director of the stable area Steve Hargrave.

Sainthood and Malathaat are both scheduled to van approximately 75 miles from Keeneland to Churchill Downs at 11 a.m. Sunday. Known Agenda is slated to arrive later in the afternoon from South Florida. Pletcher's New York-based runners Bourbonic and Dynamic One are tentatively scheduled to arrive Monday.

Pletcher will be stabled in Barn 42 at Churchill Downs.

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Cox-Trained ‘Future Stars’ Log Final Workouts Ahead Of Breeders’ Cup

With one week remaining until “Future Stars Friday” at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, trainer Brad Cox's 2-year-old trio of Abarta (Juvenile Turf), Aunt Pearl (Juvenile Fillies Turf) and Essential Quality (Juvenile) logged their final works on Friday morning at Churchill Downs.

Godolphin's undefeated $400,000 Breeders' Futurity (Grade I) winner Essential Quality was the first of the Cox workers at 9 a.m. (all times Eastern). With Florent Geroux aboard, Essential Quality worked five furlongs in 1:01 outside of Flurry Racing's multiple graded stakes winner Mr. Misunderstood. The duo clipped through early fractions of :12.2 and :24.1, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.

Moments later, Donegal Racing and Newton Anner Stud Farm's $200,000 Bourbon (GII) runner-up Abarta worked a half-mile in :47.60 outside of Juddmonte Farm's stakes winner Set Piece (GB). Abarta breezed through splits of :11.60, :23.80 and :35 with a five-furlong gallop out of 1:00.40.

Geroux returned to the track about 10 minutes later aboard Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Peter Deutsch, Michael Kisber and The Elkstone Group's $150,000 Jessamine Stakes (GII) winner Aunt Pearl (IRE) and worked a half-mile in :48.60 outside unraced 2-year-old filly Palm Cottage. Aunt Pearl started two lengths behind her workmate and worked through fractions of :24.80 and :36.80.

“We have some really nice 2-year-olds in our barn this year,” Cox said. “A lot of them have already shown early promise. Essential Quality is growing up well. He's continuing to learn and I'm very pleased with how he's progressing. He has a ton of raw talent which he's shown in both of his starts. We added blinkers to him over the summer to help him focus a little bit more and they've really helped. We have experience around two turns and we have experience at Keeneland, which is always helpful. It's 1 1/16 miles, so it's a short stretch. You need to be in position when you turn for home.

“Abarta had a really nice late kick in the Bourbon to run second. He didn't have the best of trips but really showed some adversity that afternoon. I think it's good he has already run well over that course.

“Aunt Pearl acted like she could really run at the start. She and Essential Quality were two of them that really jumped out to us early in their training and showed they have some ability. The good ones kind of do that – they'll let you know there is a lot of talent there. Given the pedigree we were optimistic she'd be able to carry her speed around two turns. We thought about taking her to Saratoga over the summer but when Churchill's condition book came out I thought it might be better to keep her at home. It's turned out really well so far.”

Also on the Friday work tab was trainer Dale Romans trio of juvenile contenders: Girl Daddy (four furlongs, :48.20), Sittin On Go (four furlongs, :47.40) and Smiley Sobotka (four furlongs, :47.60). Trainer Mark Casse also worked Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (GI) contender Spanish Loveaffair four furlongs in :48.60.

More than two inches of rain fell in the Louisville area on Thursday and it caused several trainers to alter their training for their Breeders' Cup contenders. There are 27 Breeders' Cup contenders scheduled to work Saturday at Churchill Downs (with race): Arklow (Turf), Art Collector (Dirt Mile); Beau Recall (Mile), Bell's the One (Filly & Mare Sprint), By My Standards (Classic), Casa Creed (Mile), Crazy Beautiful (Juvenile Fillies), Factor This (Mile), Global Campaign (Classic), Got Stormy (Turf Sprint), Harvey's Lil Goil (Filly & Mare Turf), Hog Creek Hustle (Sprint), Knicks Go (Dirt Mile), Lady Kate (Distaff), Manny Wah (Sprint), Monomoy Girl (Distaff), Mr Freeeze (Dirt Mile), Mr Money (Dirt Mile), Owendale (Dirt Mile), Sally's Curlin (Filly & Mare Sprint), Sconsin (Filly & Mare Sprint), Silver Dust (Dirt Mile), Simply Ravishing (Juvenile Fillies), Swiss Skydiver (Distaff/Classic), Title Ready (Classic), Tom's d'Etat (Classic), War of Will (Dirt Mile).

In total, there are 43 Breeders' Cup contenders based at Churchill Downs and Trackside Louisville. That is the most of any location pre-entered into this year's event. Next is Keeneland with 39 contenders followed by 38 international runners, 25 from Belmont Park and 21 based at Santa Anita.

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