Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Authentic continued his preparations for the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes (G1) with a swift five-furlong work in :59 1/5 Sept. 19 at Churchill Downs.
Other horses of note that recorded published works Saturday included Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Shedaresthedevil (four furlongs in :49), Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) winner Art Collector (five furlongs in :59 2/5), multiple graded stakes winner Thousand Words (five furlongs in 1:02 2/5), and Kentucky Oaks runner-up Swiss Skydiver (four furlongs in :48).
Owned by Spendthrift Farm, MyRaceHorse Stable, Madaket Stable, and Starlight Racing, Authentic worked at 9 a.m. with jockey Martin Garcia aboard, about 1 1/2 hours after fellow Bob Baffert trainee Thousand Words breezed. Authentic cruised through splits of :23 4/5 and :35 2/5. The speedy Into Mischief colt continued galloping out, in hand, around the far turn with a six-furlong time of 1:12 1/5 and completed his move with a seven-furlong gallop out in 1:25 1/5.
Thousand Words, who was scratched from the Kentucky Derby as a precaution after flipping in the paddock, worked an easy five furlongs at 7:30 a.m. with jockey Florent Geroux in the saddle. The son of Pioneerof the Nile broke off from the five-furlong pole with an easy opening eighth mile in :13 2/5, but continued to accelerate through fractions of :25 4/5, :38, and :50 3/5. Geroux shook the reins at Thousand Words as he crossed the wire and the duo galloped out to six furlongs in 1:14 3/5 and completed seven furlongs in 1:2 4/5.
"Authentic is a big, strong horse and is handling things very well after the Derby," trainer Bob Baffert said. "I think both horses worked really well this morning. They'll work once more (Sept. 26) before shipping to Pimlico."
Video
Authentic's work was the fastest of 38 horses at the distance on Saturday morning. The second-fastest move came from likely Preakness second choice Art Collector, who worked at 7:30 a.m. with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. in the saddle. The duo clipped through opening fractions of :12 1/5, :24 1/5, and :36 before they galloped out to five furlongs in 1:11 3/5.
"He's in a great spot right now with his fitness," trainer Tommy Drury said. "We wanted a bit more of a serious work today and he went well within himself. He'll have a maintenance work next weekend before we ship to Baltimore."
One of the horses on the bubble for running in the Preakness is Swiss Skydiver, who worked with jockey Tyler Gaffalione aboard. Trainer Kenny McPeek reported the decision to run in the Preakness will come at a later date.
Shedaresthedevil is likely to remain in Kentucky rather than join the aforementioned quartet in Baltimore. With exercise rider Edvin Vargas aboard, Shedaresthedevil easily worked through an opening quarter-mile fraction of :25 1/5 before galloping out five-eighths in 1:02. Trainer Brad Cox worked several of his other stable stars on Saturday including 2018 champion and Kentucky Oaks winner Monomoy Girl who cruised a half-mile in :49 3/5 outside of stablemate Royal Prince.
"It was a really fun morning," said Cox, who has been going back and forth all week from Louisville to the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. "A lot of the horses we worked today it was their first work back from Derby week but they've all exited their races in good shape and we're just getting them back going again."
Shedaresthedevil and Monomoy Girl have both been nominated for the $400,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) Oct. 4 at Keeneland. The race will serve as a prep for the $2 million Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 7 at Keeneland.
