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Dream Shake, Hozier Out; King Fury Moves Into Kentucky Derby Field

The connections of both Dream Shake and Hozier have taken their colts out of consideration for the 2021 Kentucky Derby, allowing the Ken McPeek-trained King Fury to move into the 20th spot on the leaderboard.

Dream Shake, third last out in the Santa Anita Derby for trainer Peter Eurton, will head to the Pat Day Mile, while the Bob Baffert-trained Hozier, sixth in the Arkansas Derby, was first confirmed out of the Run for the Roses by Blood-Horse's Byron King. The latter colt worked six furlongs in 1:16.00 Friday morning at Churchill Downs, slowest of three at the distance.

King Fury, a son of Curlin, won the G3 Lexington Stakes last out under jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. The chestnut colt was making his first start of 2021 in that race, following a win in the Street Sense Overnight Stakes as a 2-year-old.

On the bubble now is Keepmeinmind for trainer Robertino Diodoro, at 21st on the leaderboard.

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);
Keepmeinmind (David Cohen, Robertino Diodoro);
Starrininmydreams (TBA, Dallas Stewart)

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Churchill: 17 Oaks, Derby Hopefuls Log Final Breezes

On a cool Kentucky morning, a total of 17 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks horses put in their final timed workouts before next weekend's editions of the $3 million Derby and $1.25 million Oaks.

The fastest move of the morning was a half-mile drill in :46.20 by Keepmeinmind, with Dynamic One, one of four Derby workers for Todd Pletcher, having the second-fastest clocking of the 108 at the distance in :47.80.

Other Derby workers for Pletcher were Bourbonic (half-mile in :49.60) and Known Agenda and Sainthood (five furlongs together in 1:01.

Other Derby workers were Caddo River (five furlongs in 1:00.60), Helium (half-mile in :49.80), Soup and Sandwich (half-mile in :50), Hozier (six furlongs in 1:16) and Starrininmydreams (five furlongs in 1:00.20).

Headlining the Kentucky Oaks workers were the Brad Cox-trained duo of Travel Column and Coach, both of whom covered five furlongs in 1:00.40.

Other Oaks workers were Search Results (five furlongs in 1:02.60), Malathaat (half-mile in :48.40), Will's Secret (half-mile in :48.20), Ava's Grace (half-mile in :49.20) and Competitive Speed (five furlongs in 1:02.40).

Working at 5:30 at Keeneland was Hidden Stash, who covered five furlongs in 1:00.60.

Scheduled to work at Churchill Downs Saturday morning for the Derby are Essential Quality, Mandaloun, Highly Motivated, Super Stock and King Fury. Scheduled to work for the Oaks are Crazy Beautiful and Millefeuille.

Other works involving Kentucky Derby hopefuls are scheduled on three fronts Saturday. Slated to work at Santa Anita are Rock Your World and Hot Rod Charlie; at San Luis Rey will be Get Her Number, and, at Keeneland, Like the King.

Maracuja is scheduled for her final Oaks work at Belmont Park.

BOURBONIC, DYNAMIC ONE, KNOWN AGENDA, SAINTHOOD – Trainer Todd Pletcher, seeking his third Kentucky Derby victory, put the final touches on his quartet of Derby 147 hopefuls with works Friday morning.

At 7:30, Pletcher worked St. Elias Stable's Known Agenda and WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s Sainthood in company through five furlongs in 1:01 while Repole Stable, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable's Dynamic One worked a half-mile in :47.80 in company with the graded stakes-placed Prime Factor.

Florida Derby (G1) winner Known Agenda, with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, worked inside of Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) runner-up Sainthood and Amelia Green through fractions of :12.60, :24.40, :36.20 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.20 and seven-eighths in 1:27.20. The five-eighths time was the 17th fastest of 50 at the distance.

“Known Agenda is not the most aggressive work horse,” Pletcher said. “He is not an Always Dreaming (the 2017 Kentucky Derby winner) that will work in :59. He has had two good works here (1:00.40 last Friday) and I liked the way Sainthood worked with him.”

Dynamic One, with jockey Jose Ortiz in the boot, posted fractions of :24.40 and :36.20 en route to a :47.80 half-mile that was the second fastest of 108 at the distance. He galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.60 and six furlongs in 1:13.20.

“He finished full of energy with his ears pricked,” Pletcher said.

The final Pletcher runner to work was Calumet Farm's Bourbonic who covered a half-mile on his own in :49.60 under exercise rider Hector Ramos.

Fractions on the work were :12.80, :24.40 and out five furlongs in 1:02.40. The work was the 71st fastest of 108 at the distance.

“He has been pretty aggressive in his gallops so we worked him by himself today,” Pletcher said. “It was a good steady work with a strong gallop out.

“It was a very good morning with excellent breezes going the way we hoped they would. That was the final piece of major work and now they will have routine gallops with some gate and paddock schooling.”

CADDO RIVER, ESSENTIAL QUALITY, MANDALOUN – Shortleaf Stable's Caddo River completed his major preparation prior to the Kentucky Derby with a five-furlong drill in 1:00.60.

With Florent Geroux in the saddle, Caddo River worked in company with Warrant. Caddo River started two lengths behind his stablemate and clipped through fractions of :12.20, :23.80 and :47.60. Caddo River galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.

“He's a really solid horse and we saw that with a good effort in the Arkansas Derby,” trainer Brad Cox said. “He has a lot of speed as we've seen in his previous races.”

Cox's other two Derby contenders, Mandaloun and likely favorite Essential Quality, are scheduled to work at 5:15 a.m. Saturday.

Geroux will work Mandaloun, who he will ride in the Derby, while Essential Quality's regular exercise rider Edvin Vargas will likely be up for the work. Luis Saez has the call for the Derby.

DREAM SHAKE – Exline-Border Racing, SAF Racing and Richard Hausman's Dream Shake will bypass the Kentucky Derby in favor of the $500,000 Pat Day Mile presented by LG&E and KU (G2), per trainer Peter Eurton.

GET HER NUMBER – Gary Barber's Get Her Number is scheduled to work for trainer Peter Miller at San Luis Rey Saturday morning.

HELIUM, SOUP AND SANDWICH – D J Stable's Helium and Live Oak Plantation's homebred Soup and Sandwich completed their final Derby preparations Friday morning for trainer Mark Casse. Helium, a son of Ironicus, hit the track at 5:25 under Julien Leparoux and went four furlongs in company with fellow 3-year-old Laker Mamba in :49.80, while galloping out five furlongs in 1:03. Soup and Sandwich, under jockey Tyler Gaffalione, was on the track at 7:30 during the designated 15-minute training period for Derby and Oaks horses and worked four furlongs in company with 4-year-old graded stakes winner Peace Achieved in :50, while galloping out 5 furlongs in 1:03.60.

“Very happy with both of them,” Casse's assistant David Carroll said. “I thought Helium's work was good; he's a very smooth-moving horse. He's the better work horse of the two and he went absolutely beautiful; in hand the whole way, just waiting for Julien to ask him. He just stretched his legs but that's all we were looking for.

“Soup and Sandwich was a little rank going to the pole but he's a horse that likes to train. We only jogged him two miles the other day so he was a little fresh. He was anxious to get going but once he broke off he was very smooth the whole way, switched leads, galloped out nicely, and came home great; you couldn't ask for anything better.

“These were the works we wanted for the final pieces of works. Both horses are in great shape so hopefully we have a good week and we have a good draw.”

HIDDEN STASH – BBN Racing's Hidden Stash worked five furlongs in company in 1:00.60 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80 over a fast track shortly after the track opened at Keeneland Friday morning.

“We decided to work this morning and beat the rain that is forecast and he worked great,” trainer Vicki Oliver said.

With exercise rider Darragh Sweeney aboard, Hidden Stash started three lengths in back of Esperer (FR), a 3-year-old maiden, and finished four lengths in front.

“He is going to jog and stand in the gate tomorrow and walk Sunday,” said Oliver, who was aboard Hidden Stash's workmate. “He will gallop Monday and Tuesday and ship to Churchill after he trains Tuesday morning.”

HIGHLY MOTIVATED – Klaravich Stables' Highly Motivated came out onto the track under Peter Roman at 6:07 and galloped about 1 ½ miles. The son of Into Mischief was second, beaten a neck, by champion Essentially Quality in the Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland in what was his two-turn debut for trainer Chad Brown.

“I'm probably going to work him five-eighths tomorrow,” Brown said. “He's a horse that carries a lot of conditioning on him. He's a big, strong heavy guy that can handle a pretty solid work tomorrow. I was proud of him in the Blue Grass and I think it's a race he can build off of.”

HOT ROD CHARLIE – Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing and Strauss Bros Racing's Hot Rod Charlie is scheduled to work Saturday morning at Santa Anita and ship to Churchill Downs on Sunday for trainer Doug O'Neill.

HOZIER, MEDINA SPIRIT – Rebel Stakes (G2) runner-up Hozier worked six furlongs in 1:16 under jockey Rafael Bejarano.

Working on his own after 9 o'clock, the Bob Baffert trainee produced fractions of :12.80, :25.20, :37.80, 1:03.20 and galloped out seven furlongs in 1:29.

Stablemate Medina Spirit, owned by Zedan Racing Stables, worked six furlongs in 1:12.20 Thursday morning at Santa Anita and arrived at Churchill Downs Friday afternoon.

LIKE THE KING – M Racing Group's Like the King is scheduled to work at Keeneland at 7:30 Saturday morning for trainer Wesley Ward.

KEEPMEINMIND – Spendthrift Farm, Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith's Keepmeinmind blitzed a half-mile in :46.20, the fastest of 108 at the distance over a fast track Friday morning at Churchill Downs.

With jockey David Cohen aboard, Keepmeinmind posted fractions of :22.80, :34.40 and galloped out five furlongs in :59.20 while working in company with Shasta Star.

“I am very happy with both of them,” said trainer Robertino Diodoro whose Ava's Grace worked for the Kentucky Oaks just prior to Keepmeinmind's breeze. “He worked really good today and he loves the track here, too.”

While Diodoro was watching the work from the backstretch, connections at Spendthrift were watching the work on Twitter.

“I just got a text from them, 'very sharp',” Diodoro said.

Keepmeinmind, winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) here last fall, is No. 22 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard and would need two defections to make the field of 20.

“It is a tough spot,” Diodoro said. “If we don't get in, we will train here for the Preakness.”

KING FURY – Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimneys Farm's King Fury galloped 1 ½ miles with exercise rider Lalo Jose Quiroz during the time reserved for Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses, trainer Kenny McPeek said.

“He fully galloped, we shortened (Kentucky Oaks probable Crazy Beautiful's) gallop a little.”

The colt, winner of the Lexington at Keeneland in his most recent start, is expected to complete his final workout on Saturday. The possibility of rain in the weather forecast for Saturday doesn't concern McPeek.

“Rain shouldn't bother him,” McPeek said. “They (King Fury and Crazy Beautiful) both like the mud, so I think they'll be fine. We can push it back to Sunday, if we need to. Now we just need to get in.”

King Fury is at No. 21 on the Derby points leaderboard, and will need a shakeup of the top 20 to make the field when drawn Tuesday.

MIDNIGHT BOURBON, SUPER STOCK – Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon and Erv Woolsey's and Keith Asmussen's Super Stock had another leisurely morning for trainer Steve Asmussen, with the former looking visually impressive while galloping 1 ¼ miles, while the latter went 1 3/8 miles. Midnight Bourbon will have his final Derby work Monday, while Super Stock figures to beat any potential rain with an early move Saturday.

O BESOS – Bernard Racing, Tagg Team Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Terry L. Stephens' O Besos walked trainer Greg Foley's Barn 11 shedrow Friday morning

He's expected to go back to the track early Saturday.

ROCK YOUR WORLD – Hronis Racing and David Talla's Rock Your World is scheduled to work Saturday morning at Santa Anita for trainer John Sadler and ship to Churchill Downs on Sunday.

STARRININMYDREAMS – Stewart Racing and WinStar Farm's third-place Lexington Stakes (G3) finisher Starrininmydreams worked a swift five furlongs in 1:00.40 through splits of :12.60, :24.80 with a six-furlong gallop out in 1:14.20.

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 I) 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).

Possible starters within the Top 20 on the preference list: Hozier (TBA, Bob Baffert).

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

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Derby Notes: Improving O Besos Shows Strong Gallop Out In Final Breeze

Bernard Racing LLC, Tagg Team Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Terry L. Stephens' O Besos was the lone Derby contender to breeze Thursday at Churchill Downs where he cruised a half-mile in :48.

With jockey Marcelino Pedroza in the saddle, O Besos began his work at the three-furlong pole and worked through early fractions of :12 and :36.20. Pedroza shook the reins at the Orb colt at the wire where he picked up his tempo through a five-furlong gallop out of 1:00 and continued six furlongs in 1:12.60.

O Besos will have a scheduled walk day Friday when at least 16 Derby and Oaks contenders are scheduled to have their final works. They are: Ava's Grace (Oaks), Bourbonic (Derby), Coach (Oaks), Competitive Speed (Oaks), Dynamic One (Derby), Helium (Derby), Highly Motivated (Derby), Keepmeinmind (Derby), Known Agenda (Derby), Malathaat (Oaks), Sainthood (Derby), Search Results (Oaks), Soup and Sandwich (Derby), Starrininmydreams (Derby), Travel Column (Oaks), Will's Secret (Oaks).

The National Weather Service is calling for a 90 percent change of precipitation Saturday morning in Louisville and Lexington. At Keeneland, Derby contenders Hidden Stash and Like the King could move their works to Friday, according to their respective trainers.

At Santa Anita, Zedan Racing Stable's Medina Sprit worked six furlongs in 1:12.20 and is slated to arrive at Churchill Downs Friday at 1 p.m.

BOURBONIC, DYNAMIC ONE, KNOWN AGENDA, SAINTHOOD – Friday will be the work day for trainer Todd Pletcher's Kentucky Derby quartet.

“The forecast keeps changing, but it is looking dicey for Saturday,” Pletcher said after his runners galloped 1 3/8 miles over a fast track Thursday morning. “Twenty-four hours won't make a difference.”

Pletcher plans to work three of the Derby horses at 7:30: St. Elias Stable's Known Agenda with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, Repole Stable, Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable's Dynamic One with jockey Jose Ortiz aboard, and WinStar Farm and CHC Inc.'s Sainthood with exercise rider Amelia Green aboard.

Calumet Farm's Bourbonic likely would work at 9 o'clock with exercise rider Hector Ramos aboard.

Ramos was aboard Known Agenda this morning at 7:30 and 20 minutes later on Bourbonic while Green partnered Sainthood at 7:30 and Carlos Perez Quevedo was on Dynamic One at 7:30.

HELIUM, SOUP AND SANDWICH – D J Stable's Helium and Live Oak Plantation's homebred Soup and Sandwich stretched their legs Thursday morning on the eve of their planned final Derby preparations. Helium, with Paolo Levi aboard, and Soup and Sandwich, with Gilbert Hernandez, both galloped 1 ½ miles for trainer Mark Casse.

“They'll both breeze tomorrow; Helium will go around 5:25 and Soup and Sandwich will go at 7:30,” Casse's assistant David Carroll said. “They'll just go an easy half-mile. They both had their major works last week and came out of it extremely well. Tomorrow will just be a maintenance move. Normally we'd go Saturday but with the forecast we'll back it up a day and play it on the safe side.”

Helium, who is undefeated in three starts, and Soup and Sandwich, who is 2-for-3, are both lightly raced and full of potential, though that's where the similarities end.

“They are two different types of horses to train,” Carroll said. “Helium is a really beautiful mover and gets over the ground and trains into the bridle while Soup and Sandwich has his own way of going, but when he breezes, he's all business.”

HIGHLY MOTIVATED – Klaravich Stables' Highly Motivated came out onto the track under Peter Roman shortly after 7:30 and galloped then walked to the starting gate during the 15-minutre training window for Derby and Kentucky Oaks horses.

Trainer Chad Brown was pleased with what he saw and will keep an eye on the weather for the Blue Grass (G2) runner-up's final work.

“It went fine and it was good to get that out of the way,” Brown said. “I'm just trying to figure out now when I'm going to try and breeze. I'm going to watch the weather; I'd prefer to work him Saturday morning before the rain comes. I was speaking to the track superintendent and looking for a little guidance on that.”

HOZIER – Rebel Stakes (G2) runner-up Hozier galloped a mile and a half at 9:15 under exercise rider Joel Osorio for trainer Bob Baffert.

Hozier is No. 21 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

KEEPMEINMIND – Spendthrift Farm, Cypress Creek and Arnold Bennewith's Keepmeinmind galloped a mile and a half a little before 6 o'clock with Walter Davila aboard for trainer Robertino Diodoro.

Winner of the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) here last fall, Keepmeinmind is scheduled to work shortly before 6 o'clock Friday morning.

“David Cohen is flying in tonight to work Ava's Grace (for the Oaks) and Keepmeinmind and then fly back to ride that afternoon at Oaklawn Park,” said Sean Williams, assistant to Diodoro. “We put Walter on him this morning to get a feel for him in case something happens and David doesn't get in.”

Keepmeinmind is No. 23 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard

KING FURY – Fern Circle Stables and Three Chimney's Farm's King Fury galloped 1 ½ miles during the reserved time for Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses. The winner of the Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland in his most recent start is expected to have his final workout on Saturday, according to Greg Geier, assistant to trainer Kenny McPeek. He's at No. 21 on the Derby points leaderboard and needs a defection to make the field of 20.

MIDNIGHT BOURBON, SUPER STOCK – Winchell Thoroughbreds' Midnight Bourbon and Erv Woolsey's and Keith Asmussen's Super Stock each had an easy Thursday morning as they readied for their final Derby works in the coming days for trainer Steve Asmussen.

“Midnight Bourbon stood in the starting gate and galloped a mile and Super Stock backed up to the wire and galloped a mile and a quarter,” Asmussen's longtime assistant Scott Blasi said.

Blasi indicated that Super Stock will work Saturday, followed by Midnight Bourbon on Monday

O BESOS –Bernard Racing, Tagg Team Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Terry L. Stephens' O Besos worked a half-mile in :48 early Thursday morning at Churchill Downs.

“We're really pleased with how the overall work went and how strong he galloped out,” trainer Greg Foley said. “Our horse has shown improvement in every start so far. We think leading up to the Derby he's going to keep showing that improvement and run a big effort. He'll be ready to make a run at the field at the top of the stretch.

“We had some distance questions when we ran in the Louisiana Derby but he was the only horse in the field that day who was making up any ground.”

O Besos will have a scheduled walk day Friday.

STARRININMYDREAMS – Stewart Racing and WinStar Farm's third-place Lexington Stakes (G3) finisher Starrininmydreams is scheduled to work early Friday morning, according to trainer Dallas Stewart.

SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY DERBY – Likely starters in the 147th running of the $3 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) 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); 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).

Possible starters within the Top 20 on the preference list: Dream Shake (TBA, Peter Eurton).

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

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Hello Hot Rod Chasing Preakness Berth In Saturday’s Federico Tesio

It will be more than just a homecoming when stakes winner Hello Hot Rod returns to Maryland for only his second start of the year in Saturday's $125,000 Federico Tesio at Pimlico Race Course.

The Maryland-bred son of Mosler comes in off three consecutive victories, but has gone unraced since Jan. 31. He will be making his debut in the colors of owner George Sharp, who purchased Hello Hot Rod for $335,000 at auction in February from previous co-owner and trainer Brittany Russell. Among his rivals will be former stablemate Maythehorsebwithu. And, there is a Triple Crown berth on the line.

“We know he gets along well there,” trainer Shawn Davis said. “He's had several thoughts and hopes but the way he's trained and the way he's worked up to it, this is the first time I thought he'd been ready for any race since we've had him. I think he'll be coming in there pretty tough.”

The 40th running of the 1 1/8-mile Federico Tesio serves to headline a Spring Stakes Spectacular program of six stakes worth $650,000 in purses. For the sixth straight year, it will serve as a 'Win and In' qualifier for Triple Crown-nominated 3-year-olds to the 146th Preakness Stakes (G1) May 15 at Pimlico.

Named for the noted Italian breeder, owner and trainer whose homebreds Nearco and Ribot dominate Thoroughbred bloodlines around the world, the Tesio debuted at Pimlico in 1981 and stayed every year but two through 2015. Laurel Park hosted the Tesio in 1987 and 1989 and each year since 2016.

Hello Hot Rod, a younger half-brother to multiple stakes-winning filly Hello Beautiful out of the mare Hello Now, made each of his first three starts at Laurel. He lost his debut in a waiver maiden claimer last October by a neck before back-to-back wins in maiden and allowance company – the latter going a mile – by a combined 6 ½ lengths.

Nine days following a victory in the seven-furlong Jimmy Winkfield at Aqueduct, Hello Hot Rod was sold at Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky February mixed sale for more than 30 times the $10,000 that Russell and Dark Horse Farm paid for him as a yearling.

Various circumstances kept Hello Hot Rod from returning to the races until now, but he has a string of six steady works since March 9 in Kentucky at both Keeneland and The Thoroughbred Center, where his most recent drill of four furlongs in 47.60 seconds came April 17, fifth-fastest of 49 horses.

“He's trained really well. Because of the ice storms and sale and different things we had some setbacks with him, but nothing serious,” Davis said. “The horse, his last couple works he's done really well in them and he'll be ready for the Tesio.”

Hello Hot Rod was already Triple Crown-nominated when he was purchased, and Davis said the Preakness bid did play a part both in the sale and choosing the Tesio, which will be his first attempt around two turns.

“That does factor in. We'll just have to see how he does and how he comes out of the race and everything,” Davis said. “What I liked about the horse since we got him is when you look at his form and everything, he'd never been trained really hard and he looked like he had quite a bit of ability. At this point to us as we've been working with him, he seems like he's got a lot of class. We know that he's done well so far and we're hoping that he's got the class he needs to go forward.”

Feargal Lynch is named to ride Hello Hot Rod from Post 5 in a field of eight.

Michael Dubb and Bethlehem Stables' Maythehorsebwithu was among nine Triple Crown nominees at the late March 29 deadline. He will be making his ninth start, fourth straight in stakes and fifth overall in the Tesio. He has progressively gone from 5 ½ furlongs in his Delaware Park debut last summer to 1 1/16 miles in the March 13 Private Terms at Laurel, his two-turn debut, where ran second by a half-length to Shackled Love.

“There's a little bit more of a run to the first turn over here, so you just hope that he gets a good spot and settles into that first turn and can just get comfortable,” Russell said. “Hopefully he just keeps running like he has.”

A dominant front-running winner of the one-mile Miracle Wood by four lengths Feb. 20 at Laurel, Maythehorsebwithu has been second in his other two stakes attempts including a neck loss to multiple stakes winner Kenny Had a Notion in Laurel's seven-furlong Spectacular Bid Jan. 16.

Maythehorsebwithu had an easy five-furlong breeze in 1:01.80 Sunday at Pimlico, where he has joined Russell's on-track string. Her husband, jockey Sheldon Russell, gets the return call from far outside Post 8.

“He had an easy day [Monday] because he worked on Sunday and he came out [Tuesday] morning and had his back all up and he was playing around and had lots of energy. It's just exciting to see him kind of touting himself like that again,” Russell said. “He doesn't really seem like he cares that he's at Pimlico and all that. He's been a lot of fun thus far, so you hope that he just keeps stepping forward.”

This year's early Triple Crown nominations opened Jan. 11 at a cost of $600, due by Jan. 23. The second and final deadline in late March came at a cost of $6,000.

“We felt this horse would be more of a sprinter type and the longer we've had him and the more we've got to know him and race him, we've been just delighted with the results,” Russell said. “I love our horse. I feel good about the position we're in regardless, so I'm just excited to have our guy to walk over.”

Also a late Triple Crown nomination was Phillip Ward's Tiz Mandate, whose lone victory came in his unveiling last Nov. 22 at Laurel, a six-furlong maiden special weight sprint he won by a neck. He ran fifth in a strong edition of the Heft Stakes Dec. 26 that included No Cents, Kenny Had a Notion and Singlino to cap his juvenile year.

Tiz Mandate opened 2021 running fourth in the Spectacular Bid, beaten 3 ¼ lengths, then rallied to be second behind Maythehorsebwithu in the Miracle Wood. In both starts, the Strong Mandate ridgling got away slowly, something trainer Damon Dilodovico hopes to remedy with the addition of blinkers for the Tesio.

“We're hopeful that will help him out getting away from the gate,” he said. “He was primed for a big effort last time. Obviously your heart just sinks when you spot decent horses as many lengths as he spotted them. But I think it was just all about his focus. It was non-existent that day. We're hoping that the blinkers will have him more focused.”

Jevian Toledo will be up for the third straight race on Tiz Mandate, who has yet to try two turns, breaking from Post 2. They breezed a half-mile together in 50.60 seconds April 19 at Pimlico with Laurel's main track currently closed to workers during evaluation and renovation.

“He just does not seem to get tired. He just keeps looking for more. Once you start running against some of these horses, maybe that'll change,” Dilodovico said. “The way he's coming into this race is not the fairest way to bring him into it, but we still have confidence in him. So, we'll see what happens.”

ZWP Stable, Inc. and Non Stop Stable's Shackled Love is entered for a shot in the Tesio. The gelded son of Preakness winner Shackleford had a maiden win and two seconds among his first five starts before stepping up to stakes company in the Private Terms. He pressed pacesetting even-money favorite Maythehorsebwithu from the gate, took a narrow lead in mid-stretch and dug in to the wire for a 21-1 upset.

“It's amazing how things sometimes work out,” trainer Gary Capuano said. “We stuck him in and looked at the race. His numbers fit with the race and he's been improving, so it was worth taking a shot. He had a good post position, the whole thing. It looked like he could be competitive in there if he ran his race.”

Apprentice Charlie Marquez climbs back aboard from Post 7.

Completing the field are Excellorator, Zertz and Royal Number, respectively third, fifth and sixth in the Private Terms; and The Reds, exiting a fifth in the one-mile Gotham (G3) March 5 at Aqueduct for New York-based trainer John Kimmel.

The post Hello Hot Rod Chasing Preakness Berth In Saturday’s Federico Tesio appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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