Thursday’s Trackside Derby Report

LOUISVILLE, KY – Despite heavy overnight rain leaving the Churchill Downs main track a sloppy mess, there was still plenty to take in during Thursday's GI Kentucky Derby/Oaks training session, including an appearance by the horse that has the big bulls-eye on his back.

Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}), Soup and Sandwich (Into Mischief) and Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) drew a nice crowd of admirers by the Lukas gap as the track was being sealed beneath ominous skies and humid conditions just a tick before 7:30 a.m.

With his tail tied, Medina Spirit (Protonico) was among the first to enter and had a nice bounce to his step jogging by the wrong way over the saturated surface.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse stood on the track to watch his duo of the stunning gray Soup and Sandwich and Helium (Ironicus) jog. You certainly know who the crew at TDN will be rooting for Saturday.

Casse exchanged pleasantries by the gap with team Medina Spirit–Bob Baffert and John Velazquez–as his pair made their way back to the barn.

Likely Derby second-choice Rock Your World continues to give off good vibes. With his high-knee action, you can see why the unbeaten GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner began his career on grass. Shades of Barbaro and Big Brown? That's where my money is heading.

Even with a pair of blinkers on, Hot Rod Charlie still gave the cameras and media lined up on the backstretch a glance passing by alongside his famous stable pony Lava Man. Hot Rod Charlie may arguably be reaching out the best over the surface during his gallops from all of the Derby horses this week. Ignore at your own risk.

The unbeaten morning-line favorite and champion 2-year-old Essential Quality (Tapit) doesn't exactly wow you during his training, but the last time we checked, it only counts in the afternoons.

His Brad Cox-trained stablemate and fellow 'Rising Star' Mandaloun (Into Mischief), however, has become a bit of a buzz horse despite a puzzling last-out sixth in the GII Louisiana Derby. That's how good he's looked in the flesh.

Both of the Cox runners went to the gate, and interestingly enough, Essential Quality's white-and-blue Godolphin branded blinkers were removed after his schooling session. He went on to gallop for about 1 5/8 miles afterward without the shades.

Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow)'s antics on the backstretch and paddock schooling sessions have been well-documented on Twitter this week–getting loose during bath time will do that–but he's had his eyes on the prize while training for what it's worth. Interesting longshot to consider.

Back at the barns, meanwhile, the easy-to-root-for native of Kentucky trainer Greg Foley chatted with Jeff Lifson and a group of West Point partners. The stretch-running O Besos (Orb) jogged a mile a bit earlier around 6:15 a.m.

King Fury (Curlin) seemed to be enjoying himself once again over the off going–he certainly did so last out in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. His handler smiled for a quick photo and asked the flashy, blaze-faced chestnut to pose as he was getting cleaned up outside of Ken McPeek's headquarters.

Have to love seeing that heavyweight champ Tyson Fury will be in his corner and did in fact take McPeek up on his Twitter invite to attend the Derby.

“It's always something I've been interested in, the biggest horse race in the world,” Fury told ESPN. “I've always wanted to go to the Kentucky Derby, never had the opportunity to do so. This is the opportunity to do so.”

With his ears up, Essential Quality's class and great mind were on display, never turning a hair before a group of media assembled for his bath.

With more heavy rain looming, his blue-and-white Godolphin cooler was on again shortly and it was back to his stall as training hours began to wind down.

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King Fury To Meet His Namesake, World Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury, On Derby Saturday

A couple of heavyweights are going to meet for the first time Saturday at trainer Kenny McPeek's barn at Churchill Downs.

World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury took up McPeek's offer to be in the corner for Fern Circle Stables, Three Chimneys Farm and Magdalena Racing's King Fury, who spars with the heavyweight of 3-year-old colts, undefeated Essential Quality, in Kentucky Derby 147. Fury, who is training in Las Vegas, will fly in early Saturday to watch the horse, a 20-1 shot with Brian Hernandez Jr. riding, that was named in his honor.

This deal came together a lot faster than most boxing matches, starting with a social media exchange Tuesday and finalized Wednesday.

“Tyson Fury is coming, along with (boxing promoter) Bob Arum,” said McPeek, “Along with some others from Top Rank Boxing. I had tagged (Fury) on Twitter, and his agent called me yesterday and asked, 'Are you serious?' And I told him yeah, c'mon, it'll be fun. So he's flying in Saturday. He's going do some Muhammad Ali stuff, too, while he's here.”

McPeek said Fury was not aware that the colt was named for him.

“I named the horse … I enjoyed the fight when he went into the fight with (Deontay) Wilder (in February 2020). When you're naming stallions, you want to name them something strong, and I thought it was ideal, and of course he's a good horse.”

Plans call for Fury to meet King Fury at the barn, and for the fighter to walk over before the race to the paddock in his entourage.

“He likes horse racing,” McPeek said. “He's from Manchester, England, and evidently he's been to the races over there, and likes the races. I don't think he's done anything in American racing. But how many times do you get to have the heavyweight champ come over?”

“It's always something I've been interested in, the biggest horse race in the world,” Fury told ESPN. “I've always wanted to go to the Kentucky Derby, never had the opportunity to do so. This is the opportunity to do so.”

Arum, who's now 89, is a promoter and for a time was part of the Main Bout company operated by Ali, the late Louisville native who is considered the greatest boxing champion of all time. Ali is buried in Louisville's Cave Hill Cemetery, and the Muhammad Ali Center in downtown Louisville is a museum and activities center that recognizes his life.

“I like having fun. We all take it so seriously, everybody so uptight, this is as relaxed as I've ever been coming into an Oaks or a Derby,” said McPeek, who told Fury on Twitter to contact him by direct message, which started the ball rolling for a VIP visit by the boxer. “We've got two horses who are training good, and the rest is up to a higher power.”

On the track Thursday morning, King Fury repeated the usual routine called for by McPeek. During the period reserved for Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses, the winner of the Lexington (GIII) at Keeneland was sent for a maintenance 1 ½-mile gallop with exercise rider Lalo Jose Quiroz aboard on the sealed racing surface.

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‘Derby-Type Horse’ King Fury, Son Of Grade 1 Winner Taris, Captures Street Sense Stakes

King Fury, named after superstar boxer Tyson Fury, collared odds-on 4-5 favorite Super Stock inside the final furlong and grinded his way to a half-length victory in Sunday's eighth running of the $98,000 Street Sense Overnight Stakes on opening day of Churchill Downs' 24-day Fall Meet.

“This is a Kentucky Derby-type horse,” winning trainer Kenny McPeek said. “We may look at the (Nov. 6) Breeders' Cup Juvenile but more than likely just wait for the (Nov. 28) Kentucky Jockey Club. The future is very bright for a horse like this.”

Brian Hernandez Jr. rode the well-bred 2-year-old colt for McPeek and owners Fern Circle Stables (Paul Fireman) and Three Chimneys Farm LLC (Goncalo Torrealba). The son of 2007-08 Horse of the Year Curlin ran 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:44.30.

Purchased for $950,000 at Fasig-Tipton's 2019 Saratoga Sale, King Fury is the first foal out of six-time stakes winner and 2016 Humana Distaff (Grade I) hero Taris.

Breaking from post No. 4 in the field of six juveniles, King Fury rated just behind Franz Josef and Super Stock as the leader rattled off comfortable early quarter-mile clips of :24.60, :49.51 and 1:14.34. King Fury circled three-wide around the final turn as Super Stock took over leaving the final turn. The chestnut colt with a big white blaze found his best running in deep stretch and held off Super Stock as the two battled on determinedly to the wire. A half-length separated the top two at the finish and it was another 3 ¾ lengths back to third-place finisher Oncoming Train.

King Fury, who earned $59,835 for the win and improved his record to 3-2-0-0—$116,979, paid $7.40, $3.40 and $3 as the 5-2 second betting choice. Super Stock, ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., returned $2.80 and $2.40. Oncoming Train, with Rafael Bejarano up, paid $3.

Arabian Prince finished fourth and was followed by Franz Josef and Crime Spree. Eucharist was scratched.

King Fury, bred in Kentucky by Heider Family Stables, broke his maiden by 2 ¾ lengths in his career debut on Sept. 3 at Churchill Downs, but subsequently finished eighth one month later after racing four-wide throughout in the $400,000 Breeders' Futurity (GI) at Keeneland.

“His last race at Keeneland was pretty puzzling because we thought he'd run a lot better than he did,” McPeek said. “I think the track ended up being pretty forward that day and his trip didn't really help things.”

Should McPeek bypass the Breeders' Cup Juvenile which comes 12 days after the Street Sense, King Fury could vie for favoritism in the $200,000 Kentucky Jockey Club (GII), a 1 1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds at Churchill Downs on Saturday, Nov. 28. The Kentucky Jockey Club is part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” point series that will determine the field of 20 horses that will compete in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 1.

The Street Sense is named in honor of 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense who became the first horse to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI) as a 2-year-old and the Run for the Roses at age 3. He also was the first Champion Two-Year-Old Colt to win the Kentucky Derby since Spectacular Bid who won the Kentucky Derby in 1979.

Each of Sunday's races was for 2-year-olds, and Sunday marked the first time spectators watched live racing at Churchill Downs since Dec. 1, 2019, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. A limited attendance of 1,534 was on-hand with proper social distancing as Churchill Downs followed the COVID-19 health and safety protocols for Venues and Events as mandated by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Racing continues every Wednesday-Sunday at 1 p.m. ET through Sunday, Nov. 29.

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