On a cloudy Sunday morning at Churchill Downs, the picture for Kentucky Derby 152 began to possibly clear a bit as six entrants put in their final breezes over a fast track.
First up during the 7:15-7:30 (all times Eastern) training period for Derby, Kentucky Oaks and prior Kentucky Derby winners, was Speedway Stables' Potente for trainer Bob Baffert.
Working with the 3-year-old maiden Embry Show and with Martin Garcia aboard, Potente worked five furlongs in :57.80, the fastest of 23 at the distance for the morning.
Next up was Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures Intrepido for trainer Jeff Mullins. With Hector I. Berrios aboard and working on his own, Intrepido blitzed a half-mile in :45 for the fastest work of 71 at the distance.
Pin Oak Stud's Incredibolt was next for trainer Riley Mott. With jockey Jaime Torres up and working outside of Wan Dale, an unraced 3-year-old, Incredibolt covered a half-mile in :47 for the second fastest time of the morning at the distance.
Reddam Racing's Pavlovian followed with a 1:03.40 five-furlong move out of the gate in company with the 3-year-old maiden Mr American Pie for trainer Doug O'Neill. Jockey Edwin Maldonado was aboard.
Mike and Kay Kay Ball's Chief Wallabee worked a half-mile in :49.20 in company with the 3-year-old maiden winner Steel. Junior Alvarado was aboard for trainer Bill Mott.
The final one of the six workers was the other half of the Pin Oak Stud-Riley Mott duo in Albus. With Antonio Garcia up and working with Theoretical, a 3-year-old maiden filly, Albus worked a half-mile in :49.
Also working for O'Neill was Reddam Racing's Robusta, who is the third Derby also-eligible. Robusta worked five furlongs out of the gate in 1:03.60.
Baffert also worked his two Kentucky Oaks hopefuls.
First up at 5:30 was his wife Jill's Bottle of Rouge who worked a half-mile in :48.80 with Martin Garcia aboard in company with the Grade III stakes-winning filly Forced Entry. Following the move, Baffert noted the filly didn't scope cleanly and would scratch from the Oaks.
With the defection of Bottle of Rouge, Go Go Grey Stable's Lovely Grey could move into the field should her connections decide to run. She is also cross-entered in the $600,000 Edgewood (GII) on turf.
Also on the Oaks work tab was Baffert's other hopeful, Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman's Explora, who came out at 9 with Martin Garcia up and worked five furlongs in :58.80 in company with the 3-year-old maiden Winston Ave.
Military Pike Racing Stables' Resist, who is the second also-eligible for the Oaks, worked a half-mile in :47.40 for trainer Tommy Drury Jr. during the 7:15-7:30 training window.
KENTUCKY DERBY UPDATE
ALBUS/INCREDIBOLT -- Pin Oak Stud's Albus and Incredibolt turned in their final pre-Kentucky Derby works with half-mile breezes during the 7:15-7:30 training window for Derby and Kentucky Oaks hopefuls.
Albus, winner of the Wood Memorial (GII) in his most recent start, worked inside of the 3-year-old maiden filly Theoretical. With Antonio Garcia up, Albus was clocked in :49 for the half-mile with a :24.80 opening quarter and a five-eighths gallop out in 1:01.80.
Incredibolt, winner of the Virginia Derby in his most recent start, worked outside of the unraced 3-year-old Wan Dale. With jockey Jaime Torres up, Incredibolt covered his half in :47 with opening fractions of :12.60 and :24 and galloping out five-eighths in :59 and three-quarters in 1:13.80. The half-mile was the second fastest of 71 at the distance
"They both looked happy and had their ears pricked," trainer Riley Mott said. "They traveled well. Finished strong and galloped out well. They are two different horses and this was a typical work for them.
"Incredibolt is like a race car; he has a lot of gears," Mott continued adding, "Albus is more of a grinder type and not that flashy."
Torres has been aboard Incredibolt in all five of his starts and been a fan all along.
"From the first time I breezed him I said that was my Derby horse," Torres said. "His work was very good and all you would want to see (before the Derby)."
CHIEF WALLABEE -- Mike and Kay Kay Ball's Chief Wallabee completed his major preparation for Kentucky Derby 152 by working a half-mile in :49.20 in company under jockey Junior Alvarado.
Working outside of Steel, a maiden winner who most recently was ninth in the Wood Memorial (GIII), Chief Wallabee produced splits of :13.20, :25.40, :49.20 and out five-eighths in 1:01.80 and six furlongs in 1:15.20.
"We did what we wanted to do and if it doesn't work out, then that's on me," said trainer Bill Mott, who will be trying for a consecutive Derby victory to bookend with Sovereignty from last year.
"Last year, I felt good about Sovereignty. Chief Wallabee has lots of class and ability and he is good and smooth. I'm not making any predictions. We'll have to wait and see."
COMMANDMENT/FULLEFFORT/FURTHER ADO -- Trainer Brad Cox's Kentucky Derby trio of Wathnan Racing's Commandment, Spendthrift Farm's Further Ado and St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing's Fulleffort had a walk day Sunday at Barn 22 following their final published works Saturday morning.
Commandment worked five furlongs in 1:01.40, Further Ado breezed five furlongs in 1:00 and Fulleffort worked five furlongs in :59.
Commandment drew post 6 for Kentucky Derby 152, while Further Ado and Fulleffort landed on the outside in posts 18 and 20, respectively.
"Commandment has shown he can handle traffic and run inside or outside of horses," Cox said. "From there, he should have a chance to save some ground into the first turn."
"Further Ado should be able to work out a good stalking trip from there and settle into the race," Cox said. "With Fulleffort, hopefully he can work his way over a bit down the lane, save some ground and make that late run we've seen from him."
DANON BOURBON -- Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby invitee Danon Bourbon galloped about one mile Sunday morning under assistant trainer Satoshi Oshita and drew post 7 for Kentucky Derby 152.
"I thought it was just about perfect," Oshita said of the draw. "There should be pace around us, so I think he'll be able to go with them. And it's a lucky number," he added with a laugh. "After that, I'm sure (Atsuya) Nishimura will think it through and ride the race accordingly."
EMERGING MARKET -- Klaravich Stable's Emerging Market jogged during the special training session for Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders between 7:15 and 7:30 a.m.
Speaking about Emerging Market and Longines Kentucky Oaks entrant Always a Runner, trainer Chad Brown said, "They both came out of their works in good shape. They just jogged today and will go back to galloping a mile and a half tomorrow."
GOLDEN TEMPO -- Phipps Stable and St Elias Stable's Golden Tempo drew post No. 19 for the Kentucky Derby and will give trainer Cherie DeVaux her first starter in the Run for the Roses.
"I'm just trying to keep things in perspective and not think too much for it being my first time in the race," DeVaux said after watching Golden Tempo jog early Sunday morning.
INTREPIDO -- The bay colt by the Into Mischief sire Maximus Mischief who is owned by the partnership of Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures teamed up with his regular rider -- Hector I. Berrios -- for an especially quick drill Sunday morning at Churchill Downs during the special Derby/Oaks "only" session between 7:15 and 7:30.
Berrios had come in from California for the exercise and he and his mount clipped off a nifty half mile in :45, fastest of 71 at the distance on the clockers' tab. His splits included :11.60 and :22.60, with "out" times of :57 and 1:10.20.
"He'll just walk tomorrow," said stable overseer and chief exercise rider Alejandro Galindo back at Barn 41. "Then we'll jog up to the race."
Intrepido's trainer, Jeff Mullins, is expected to land in Louisville on Thursday. The California veteran has been recovering from an unfortunatel incident that went down two days before the Santa Anita Derby (GI) at the Los Angeles area track. Mullins was on horseback when another Thoroughbred came up alongside him and delivered a nasty "cow kick" that broke the conditioner's leg. Reports are that he had been getting around using crutches, but recently shifted to using a walking boot.
LITMUS TEST/POTENTE -- The pair of Derby colts out of trainer Bob Baffert's barn headed out to the racetrack Sunday morning during the special training period for Oaks/Derby runners between 7:15 and 7:30.
Litmus Test, owned by the extensive partnership headed by SF Racing and Starlight Racing, had execise rider Humberto Gomez on board and they turned in a good jog around the big oval that the rider said was accomplished "with good energy."
Potente, who races for Speedway Stables and went about his business with workmate Embry Show -- a maiden -- alongside, drilled sharply under rider Martin Garcia, zipping five furlongs in :57.80 on the fast oval. The Into Mischief offspring had splits of :11.60, :23.40, :34.80 and :46.60 en route to his final time, then galloped out six furlongs in 1:10.40.
"Oh, he's a good one," said Garcia. "Real nice horse."
Baffert took it all in from the grandstand where he maintains radio contact with his riders.
Litmus Test will start from Post 4 in the Derby with Garcia in the tack. Potente, who'll be handled by top California rider Juan Hernandez, will come out of Post 14.
PAVLOVIAN -- The roan/gray colt turned in his final bit of serious exercise Sunday morning at Churchill Downs in advance of next Saturday's 152nd edition of the Kentucky Derby. The son of Pavel, owned and bred by Californian J. Paul Reddam, had a pair of his Golden State pals involved in the drill with regular rider Edwin Maldonado in the saddle and trainer Doug O'Neill observing from the track's grandstand.
Pavlovian began his drill from the gate in the chute and broke smartly for Maldonado, who is known as a top gate rider. They put in splits of :25.80, :38 and :50.80 on the way to a final clocking of 1:03.40. Clockers caught him going "out" in 1:16.80.
"I thought he worked great," said Maldonado. "He was perfect out of the gate. That's a good work for him."
O'Neill, a double Derby winner already (I'll Have Another in 2012 and Nyquist in 2016), gave the move a big thumbs up. The conditioner indicated he'll stay in Kentucky for the balance of the week leading up to the big one.
Maldonado, a 25-year veteran in the saddle who'll be making his first start in the Kentucky Derby, was asked what his strategy might be regarding the famous mile and a quarter.
"I just want to be in that first flight; the first five or so horses," the rider said. "If I can get him up there to start and make it through that first turn OK, then we can figure out positioning and tactics from there."
RENEGADE -- The Kentucky Derby 152 morning line favorite -- Robert and Lawana Low and Repole Stable's Renegade -- went trackside Sunday morning during the special 7:15 to 7:30 training period at Churchill Downs for Derby and Oaks runners.
The well-made colt by super sire Into Mischief had exercise rider Nora McCormack in the boot and they proceeded to gallop once aound the big oval, looking all the while like a professional racehorse. Trainer Todd Pletcher picked up most of the action from the trackside and appeared happy with his charge's exercise.
Renegade will break from the rail next Saturday with regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard.
RIGHT TO PARTY -- Chester Broman Sr.'s Right to Party walked the shedrow Sunday morning following his Saturday breeze at Churchill Downs.
SILENT TACTIC -- John Oxley's Silent Tactic jogged in the mile chute and then galloped a mile and a half under Dass Garcia after coming on the track at 7:15 for trainer Mark Casse.
Winner of the Southwest (GIII) and runner-up in the Rebel (GII) and Arkansas Derby (GI), Silent Tactic is a 20-1 morning-line proposition who will exit post 13 under Cristian Torres.
"That is a perfect spot for him," Casse said of Silent Tactic who never has been worse than second in six career starts.
SIX SPEED -- UAE Derby (GII) runner-up Six Speed galloped Sunday morning for trainer Bhupat Seemar and is scheduled to record his final Kentucky Derby work Monday.
Jockey Declan Cannon, who's been aboard the colt for the past several days, said he arrived at Churchill Downs with a reputation for being full of energy, but has handled his training well.
"He came in with a reputation that I'd have my hands full, but he's been full of energy in a good way," Cannon said. "He's fit and ready to go, we just need to keep a lid on him. I'm looking forward to his breeze tomorrow."
Brian Hernandez Jr., who won the 2024 Kentucky Derby aboard Mystik Dan, has the mount for Kentucky Derby 152 from post 17.
"Brian should handle him just fine," Cannon said. "He's a quiet rider with quiet hands. He'll try to get him to relax as much as he can."
SO HAPPY -- Norman Stables and Saints or Sinners' So Happy jogged one mile during the special training session for Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders between 7:15 and 7:30 a.m.
THE PUMA -- OGMA Investments, JR Ranch, High Step Racing, TCC Stables and Bruce Zoldan's The Puma galloped Sunday morning for trainer Gustavo Delgado.
"He's a cool dude. He's pretty easy to handle," assistant trainer/co-owner Gustavo Delgado Jr. said.. "More importantly he seems to like it here."
Delgado noted the horse could work an easy half-mile on Monday or Tuesday.
The Puma drew post 9 in the Derby with Javier Castellano named to ride.
WONDER DEAN (JPN) -- Yoshinari Yamamoto's Wonder Dean (JPN) had a scheduled walk day Sunday following his six-furlong work Friday and is scheduled to resume training Monday during the 7:15 a.m. Kentucky Derby and Oaks exclusive training window.
THE $5 MILLION KENTUCY DERBY PRESENTED BY WOODFORD RESERVE (GI) -- Here's the field for Kentucky Derby 152 in post position order (with jockey, trainer and morning-line odds): Renegade (Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher, 4-1); Albus (Manny Franco, Riley Mott, 30-1); Intrepido (Hector Berrios, Jeff Mullins, 50-1); Litmus Test (Martin Garcia, Bob Baffert, 30-1); Right to Party (Chris Elliott, Kenny McPeek, 30-1); Commandment (Luis Saez, Brad Cox, 6-1); Danon Bourbon (Atsuya Nishimura, Manabu Ikezoe, 20-1); So Happy (Mike Smith, Mark Glatt, 15-1); The Puma (Javier Castellano, Gustavo Delgado, 10-1); Wonder Dean (JPN) (Ryusei Sakai, Daisuke Takayanagi, 30-1); Incredibolt (Jaime Torres, Riley Mott, 20-1); Chief Wallabee (Junior Alvarado, Bill Mott, 8-1); Silent Tactic (Cristian Torres, Mark Casse, 20-1); Potente (Juan Hernandez, Bob Baffert, 20-1); Emerging Market (Flavien Prat, Chad Brown, 15-1); Pavlovian (Edwin Maldonado, Doug O'Neill, 30-1); Six Speed (Brian Hernandez Jr., Bhupat Seemar, 50-1); Further Ado (John Velazquez, Brad Cox, 6-1); Golden Tempo (Jose Ortiz, Cherie DeVaux, 30-1); Fulleffort (Tyler Gaffalione, Brad Cox, 20-1). Also Eligibles: Great White (Alex Achard, John Ennis, 50-1); Ocelli (Joe Ramos, Whit Beckman, 50-1); Robusta (Emisael Jaramillo, Doug O'Neill, 50-1); Corona de Oro (Brian Hernandez Jr., Dallas Stewart, 50-1).
KENTUCKY OAKS UPDATE
ALWAYS A RUNNER -- Gazelle Stakes (GIII) winner Always a Runner jogged Sunday morning at Churchill Downs for trainer Chad Brown.
BELLA BALLERINA -- Godolphin's Bella Ballerina galloped Sunday morning under Erin Campbell for trainer Brendan Walsh. She drew post 10 for the Oaks.
"I'm really excited about her for the Oaks," jockey Tyler Gaffalione said. "She's been training great and is coming into the race in great shape. I hope we can repeat what we did on her sister (2023 Kentucky Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous).
BOTTLE OF ROUGE/EXPLORA -- Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert got a taste of the sweet -- and a taste of the sour -- that can be Thoroughbred racing Sunday morning.
His day started well at 5:30 a.m. when his Kentucky Oaks filly Bottle of Rouge -- owned by his wife Jill -- went through a good workout in :48.80 with rider Martin Garcia up. The move was meant to be her last major one prior to Friday's 152nd edition of the Run for the Lillies, where she was to be handled by Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith.
But, alas, "Rouge" did not come out of her drill in good order. Back at Barn 33 she started to cough and a veterinarian was called in to "scope" her. Unfortunately, she didn't pass that test. The trainer then did what he had to do and alerted Churchill officials that he was withdrawing his daughter of Vino Rosso from the race.
Further along in the morning, Baffert again had Garcia signed on to one of his charges -- this time it was Pegram, Watson and Weitman's top filly Explora -- and the pair went trackside just after 9 a.m. for what became a nifty five-panel move in :58.80 alongside maiden Winston Ave. And there was no coughing back at the barn afterwards.
"I don't think they can beat her," said an enthusiastic Garcia as he rode her back to the Baffet headquarters. "You know what, she reminds me of a filly named Plum Pretty (aboard whom he won the 2011 Kentucky Oaks). She was a good one and so is this one."
Explora, who drew Post 1 and will have the saddle services of champion rider Flavien Prat, will be making her eighth-career start. In her first seven, she finished either first or second and become a millionaire ($1,053,000) in the process.
BROOKLYN BLONDE/MEANING -- Trainer Michael McCarthy's Oaks duo of Brindlewood Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbreds' Meaning and Sun-Kissed Stable and Bobby Flay's Brooklyn Blonde got some exercise in Sunday morning prior to their planned outing in the Friday's Grade I Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.
"Brooklyn" was out of Barn 27 early, hitting the track at 5:30 for a jog of one mile. Then during the 7:15 to 7:30 special Derby/Oaks training window, Meaning galloped a mile as her conditioner looked on.
"We're all good," McCarthy noted. "No complaints from me."
The trainer has signed on top California rider Juan Hernandez to handle Meaning in the $1.5 million headliner, while he's got another California reinsman -- Kazushi Kimura -- to be the man for Brooklyn Blonde.
COUNTING STARS/SEARCH PARTY -- West Point Thoroughbreds' Counting Stars and Tracy Farmer's Search Party jogged in the mile chute and then galloped a mile and a half during the 7:15-7:30 Derby/Oaks training period.
Counting Stars, the 5 ½-length winner of the Fantasy (GII) in her most recent start, was partnered by Froylan Garcia while Search Party, the Fantasy runner-up, had Elver Vargas aboard.
Search Party and Counting Stars will start the Oaks next to each other in stalls 3 and 4, respectively.
"They both drew well," said Mark Casse, who will leg up Francisco Arrieta on Counting Stars (8-1 on the morning line) and Cristian Torres on Search Party (30-1).
DAZZLING DAME -- Respect the Valleys, Medallion Racing and Madaket Stables' Dazzling Dame jogged a mile and galloped a mile under exercise rider Emma Wolfe during the 7:15-7:30 training period for Derby and Oaks horses.
Trained by Brittany Russell, Dazzling Dame will exit post 7 as a 30-1 morning line proposition under two-time Oaks winner Luis Saez.
MY MISS MO -- Averill Racing, Mathis Stable and Tristan de Meric's My Miss Mo jogged one lap over the Churchill Downs surface for the first time Sunday morning after arriving from Gulfstream Park on Saturday.
PASHMINA -- Red White and Blue Racing's Pashmina had a walk day for trainer Rob Atras after working a half-mile in :49.60 Saturday morning.
"Easy day for her," said Jesse Sauter, who was aboard for the breeze. "She came out of the work good."
Atras said part of Pashmina's training this week would include another trip to the paddock and possibly a visit to the starting gate.
Listed at 30-1 on the Oaks morning line, Pashmina will exit post 13 under Ramon Vazquez.
PERCY'S BAR -- Hat Creek Racing's Percy's Bar jogged two miles under exercise rider Rene Morales for trainer Ben Colebrook.
Winner of the Ashland (GI) in her most recent start, Percy's Bar arrived at Churchill Downs Saturday morning and got settled into Barn 42, Stall 14 ... the same spot occupied by Seattle Slew in 1977.
Percy's Bar, the co-second choice at 6-1 on the Kentucky Oaks morning line, will exit post 11 under Luan Machado.
PROM QUEEN -- Gary and Mary West's Prom Queen drew post 10 for Friday's Longines Kentucky Oaks and was installed as an 8-1 morning-line proposition for trainer Brad Cox.
"I think it's a solid post for her," Cox said. "She's right there in the middle of the gate, which gives her options heading into the first turn. She's tactical enough to put herself wherever she needs to be, so I was happy with it."
ZANY -- The daughter of Triple Crown champion American Pharoah went to the racetrack at 6 a.m. Sunday morning with exercise rider Nora McCormack in the tack and trainer Todd Pletcher following in trace from their Barn 39 headquarters.
The chestnut lassie, owned by Mike Repole's Repole Stable, looked a picture and McCormack sat high in the saddle. How long, the exercise rider was asked, had she worked for champion trainer Pletcher? "Too long," she said with a smile. Then, by way of explanation, she offered: "I don't like to count the years."
Pletcher had her take the 4-1 Oaks morning line favorite on to the big strip and gallop once around -- "five to the five," as it was explained.
On Friday, Zany will be handled by her regular rider, Irad Ortiz Jr.
The $5 MILLION LONGINES KENTUCKY OAKS -- Here's the field for the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) in post position order, with jockey, trainer and morning-line odds: Explora (Flavien Prat, Bob Baffert, 6-1); Zany (Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher, 4-1); Search Party (Cristian Torres, Mark Casse, 30-1); Counting Stars (Francisco Arrieta, Mark Casse, 8-1); Meaning (Juan Hernandez, Michael McCarthy, 5-1); My Miss Mo (Micah Husbands, Saffie Joseph Jr., 20-1); Dazzling Dame (Luis Saez, Brittany Russell, 30-1); Bottle of Rouge (Mike Smith, Bob Baffert, 20-1); Always a Runner (Jose Ortiz, Chad Brown, 10-1); Prom Queen (Javier Castellano, Brad Cox, 8-1); Percy's Bar (Luan Machado, Ben Colebrook, 6-1); Bella Ballerina (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh, 10-1); Pashmina (Ramon Vazquez, Rob Atras, 30-1); Brooklyn Blonde (Kazushi Kimura, Michael McCarthy, 30-1); Lovely Grey (Dylan Davis, 30-1). Also Eligibles: Nycon (Jaime Torres, 50-1); Resist (Brian Hernandez Jr., 50-1).
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