On Easter Sunday morning, a number of Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1) contenders were having a walk day as they put in workouts at Churchill Downs and other tracks on April 19.
Derby favourite JOURNALISM (Curlin) had a workout at Santa Anita, :47 for four furlongs, and will be in Kentucky on Tuesday. The video of Journalism’s workout is below.
Here are Saturday’s horse-by-horse Derby notes:
ADMIRE DAYTONA (JPN) – Junko Kondo’s UAE Derby (GII) winner Admire Daytona (JPN) continued light training Saturday at Churchill Downs.
With exercise rider Yoshimitsu Miyashita aboard, the son of Drefong warmed up for about 15 minutes in the one-mile chute before galloping about 1 ½ miles.
Admire Daytona is scheduled to have a walk day on Sunday and could breeze on Tuesday depending on the weather.
AMERICAN PROMISE – BC Stables’ American Promise is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs from Oaklawn on Sunday. The Virginia Derby winner breezed seven furlongs in 1:25.20 from the gate Friday morning.
BURNHAM SQUARE – Whitham Thoroughbreds’ Blue Grass Stakes winner Burnham Square ramped up his preparation for the “Run for the Roses” with a half-mile breeze in :49.40 under jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.
Trained by Ian Wilkes, Burnham Square clipped through fractions of :24.40 and :37 and galloped out five furlongs in a composed 1:02.
“It was just a maintenance work this morning since he just ran 11 days ago,” Wilkes said. “If I don’t do something with him, he’ll get too upset.”
Burnham Square jumped on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a victory in the Holy Bull (GIII) over eventual Florida Derby (GI) winner Tappan Street.
“I know I needed to run him more because he was making too many mistakes, and I thought I needed to educate him more so he doesn’t make those mistakes in the Derby,” Wilkes said. “He’s got to move forward again from the Blue Grass because the water gets deeper again. He’s a lighter-framed horse. I can’t be afraid to train him because he needs it to get ready for the Derby.”
Hernandez has the mount for the Kentucky Derby.
CHUNK OF GOLD – Louisiana Derby runner-up Chunk of Gold continued his preparation for the Kentucky Derby at Turfway Park by working a half-mile in :50 under jockey Jareth Loveberry.
Chunk of Gold began his move with an opening quarter-mile in :25.20 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.
“It was exactly what we had planned,” West said. “We wanted to go a little slow early and finish up well. Jareth never asked him, and he had a really strong gallop out. Chunk really wanted to do more, but we’ll save that for 14 days from now.”
Chunk of Gold will have one additional work on Friday at Turfway before vanning to Churchill Downs that afternoon.
CITIZEN BULL / RODRIGUEZ – Trainer Bob Baffert’s Kentucky Derby duo of Citizen Bull and Rodriguez are on track to arrive at Churchill Downs on Thursday.
Baffert confirmed Madaket Road, who was originally aiming for the Derby, will be re-routed to the $600,000 Pat Day Mile presented by SAP (GII) on Derby Day.
COAL BATTLE – Norman Stables’ Coal Battle is scheduled to work five furlongs on Tuesday, according to trainer Lonnie Briley.
Briley is scheduled to be back on-site at Churchill Downs on Sunday.
EAST AVENUE – Godolphin’s Blue Grass runner-up East Avenue returned to the work tab Saturday with a half-mile breeze in :47.60 inside Raquel.
The duo worked fractions of :11.60 and :23.20 with East Avenue drawing away from his stablemate in the gallop-out of 1:00.60 for five furlongs and completing six furlongs in 1:14.
Jockey Edgar Morales worked East Avenue while trainer Brendan Walsh’s exercise rider Stephen Dolan was aboard Raquel. Morales has been familiar with East Avenue having worked him in the past at Fair Grounds.
Jockey Manny Franco was named to ride East Avenue in the Derby.
FINAL GAMBIT / TAPPAN STREET – Trainer Brad Cox returned to Churchill Downs on Saturday morning where he watched Juddmonte’s Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII) winner Final Gambit work five furlongs in 1:00.80.
With exercise rider Edvin Vargas aboard, Final Gambit breezed outside stablemate Coffee Talk with an opening quarter-mile of :24.40 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.40.
“He’s really handled the dirt well here,” Cox said. “I thought it was a strong move today. He’s done everything well since we got him back here.”
Jockey Luan Machado has the call in the Derby.
Meanwhile, Florida Derby (GI) winner Tappan Street was scheduled to leave Payson Park on Saturday at 11 a.m. after breezing five furlongs in 1:01.40 on Friday.
FLYING MOHAWK – Flying Mohawk, owned by Two Eight Racing, Berry Family Racing and Kaleta Racing, breezed five furlongs in 1:00 inside stablemate Honor Marie.
Flying Mohawk, with exercise rider Maurilio Garcia in the saddle, began his move with eighth-mile splits of :12, :23.40 and :35. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.40 and completed seven furlongs in 1:27.60.
Joe Ramos has the mount in the Derby.
GRANDE – Repole Stable’s Grande arrived at Keeneland from Belmont Park early Friday. Trainer Todd Pletcher said he is scheduled to work next Friday.
JOURNALISM – Likely Kentucky Derby favorite Journalism breezed a half-mile in :47 inside stablemate Feel the Magic on Saturday morning at Santa Anita.
The son of Curlin is scheduled to arrive at Churchill Downs on Tuesday.
LUXOR CAFE – Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby invitee Luxor Cafe, owned by Koichi Nishikawa, is scheduled to arrive Wednesday.
The colt will fly from Japan to Chicago, complete a minimum 42-hour USDA quarantine, and then van to Churchill Downs.
OWEN ALMIGHTY – Tampa Bay Derby (GIII) winner Owen Almighty galloped about 1 ½ miles Saturday morning. He was re-added to the Derby field late last week.
PUBLISHER / TIZTASTIC – Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen’s duo of Publisher and Tiztastic completed their penultimate work for the Derby with a five-furlong move in :59.60.
Publisher, with exercise rider Carlos Rosas aboard, and Tiztastic, with jockey Joel Rosario in the saddle, began their move with an eighth-mile clocking of :12.80. Publisher briefly took advantage over his stablemate, working a quarter-mile in :24.20 and three-eighths in :36. Tiztastic’s splits were :24.40 and :36.40. The duo galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.80.
SANDMAN – Arkansas Derby (GI) winner Sandman galloped about 1 ½ miles Saturday under Froylan Garcia for trainer Mark Casse, with his co-owner, social media sensation, Grifin Johnson watching on the backstretch.
Casse said the colt could have one more breeze prior to the Derby.
SOVEREIGNTY – Godolphin’s Fountain of Youth (GII) winner Sovereignty had his first work back at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning, breezing five furlongs in 1:00.60 outside of stablemate Playa Del Mar.
Under the watchful eye of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, Sovereignty worked through eighth-mile fractions of :13, :25.20 and :37.20. At the eighth pole, Playa Del Mar completed his move, with Sovereignty drawing clear to the wire. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.80. Exercise rider Guesler Cardona was aboard for the work.
“There’s a lot of luck involved in winning the Kentucky Derby. You obviously have to have the right horse for the race, but you need to have some racing luck go your way,” Mott said. “The goal is to have him the best he can be for the first Saturday in May.”
Jockey Junior Alvarado has the mount in the Derby.
THE FIELD as of April 19
KENTUCKY DERBY POINTS and more
Rank/Horse/Pts – Owner(s) – Trainer – Non-restricted earnings – Last 3 Beyer Speed Figures from DRF
1. Burnham Square 130 – Whitham Thoroughbreds LLC (Janis R. Whitham) – Ian Wilkes $927,425 96-91-90
2. Sandman 129 – D. J. Stable LLC (Leonard C. Green), St. Elias Stable (Vincent Viola), West Point Thoroughbreds (Terry Finley) & CJ Stables (Charles Sonson) – Mark Casse $1,117,99 99-89-92
3. Journalism 122.5 – Bridlewood Farm (Joan & Leslie Malone), Don Alberto Stable (Liliana Solari Falabella & sons Andrea & Carlos Heller), Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (Aron Wellman), Elayne Stables 5 LLC & Robert V. LaPenta – Michael McCarthy $600,000 102-108-87
4. Rodriguez 121.25 – SF Racing LLC (Gavin Murphy), Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf), Madaket Stables LLC (Sol Kumin), Stonestreet Stables LLC (Barbara Banke), Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables (Matt Dorman), Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC (W. Gregg Slager) & Catherine Donovan – Bob Baffert $476,000 101-90-91
5. Tiztastic 119 – Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (Ron Winchell), Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor & Derrick Smith – Steve Asmussen $1,395,800 95-81-89
6. Tappan Street 110 – WinStar Farm LLC (Kenny Troutt), CHC Inc. (Kit Ng) & Cold Press Racing – Brad Cox $619,400 94-87-84
7. Sovereignty 110 – Godolphin LLC (Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum et al) – Bill Mott $548,800 92-95-87
8. Final Gambit 100 – Juddmonte (Fahad bin Khalid) – Brad Cox $446,400 90-63-65
9. Coal Battle 95 – Norman Stables LLC (Robbie Norman) – Lonnie Briley $1,169,500 88-91-84
10. Chunk of Gold 75 – Terry L. Stephens – Ethan West $324,400 92-92-74
11. Citizen Bull 71.25 – SF Racing LLC (Gavin Murphy), Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf), Madaket Stables LLC (Sol Kumin), Stonestreet Stables LLC (Barbara Banke), Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables (Matt Dorman), Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC (W. Gregg Slager) & Catherine Donovan – Bob Baffert $1,436,000 87-98-96
12. Owen Almighty 65 – Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing LLC (Travis Boersma) – Brian Lynch $430,935 90-93-83
13. East Avenue 60 – Godolphin LLC (Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum et al) – Brendan Walsh $612,500 96-74-75
14. Publisher 60 – Gus King & Estate of Brereton C. Jones – Steve Asmussen $355,000 95-86-81
15. American Promise 55 – BC Stables LLC (John Bellinger & Brian Coelho) – Wayne Lukas $335,000 95-88-82
16 . Luxor Café Japan RTKD – Koichi Nishikawa – Noriyuki Hori $323,003 won 4 of 6
17. $-Admire Daytona (JPN) – Euro/ Mideast RTKD Junko Kondo – Yukihiro Kato $599,044 won UAE Derby
18. Flying Mohawk 50 – Two Eight Racing (Jayson Werth), Berry Family Racing LLC (Jeff Berry) & Kaleta Racing (Shawn Kaleta) – Whit Beckman $156,800 84-82-79
19. Grande 50 – Repole Stable (Mike Repole) – Todd Pletcher $140,000 97-87-83
20. Built 45 – Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners (Aron Wellman) – Wayne Catalano $180,000 84-92-77
21. Neoequos 40 – C2 Racing Stable LLC (Clint & Mark Cornett), Ian Parsard, Shining Stables LLC & Stefania Farms LLC – Saffie Joseph Jr. $153,250
22. Render Judgment 39 – Baccari Racing Stable LLC (Chris Barccari), Dream Walkin Farms Inc. (Tonni Covel et al), MJM Racing (Michael J. Makin) & Rocket Ship Racing (Brook T. Smith) – Kenny McPeek $163,172 90-83-79
23. Baeza 37.5 – C R K Stable LLC (Lee & Susan Searing) & Grandview Estate – John Shirreffs $100,000
$ – supplemented to Triple Crown, earned spot from UAE Derby
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