149th Kentucky Derby: Jace's Road Is In; Wonder Wheel In Oaks

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s likely Kentucky Derby favorite FORTE (Violence) recorded his first published workout at Churchill Downs on April 21 when he breezed five furlongs in 1:02 outside stablemate Bright Future.

The latest news for the Derby field is that Grade 1 winner BLAZING SEVENS will not run and instead point to the Preakness, according to trainer Chad Borwn. That allows JACE’S ROAD (Quality Road – Out Post, by Silver Deputy), third in the Louisiana Derby (G2) behind KINGSBARNS, to draw in. Jace’s Road is one of four colts in the Derby 20 trained by Brad Cox.

Along with Forte’s five-furlong move, other Kentucky Derby contenders to record workouts were Angel of Empire (six furlongs, 1:13.40); Hit Show (five furlongs, 1:01); Tapit Trice (four furlongs, :48.60) and Verifying (five furlongs, 1:01).

Scroll to continue with content

Florida Derby (GI) winner Forte was ridden in his workout by jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. and started about a half-length behind Bright Future. The duo easily completed an opening quarter-mile fraction of :26.20. The duo began to pick up their momentum around the far turn through a three-furlong split of :38.60. Forte galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.40 and completed seven furlongs in 1:27.

“It was a normal work from him, which is exactly what you want to see,” Ortiz said. “I let him start going at the five-furlong pole and just get into stride. Going into the turn he stayed with the other horse. When I tipped him out in the stretch he responded well and galloped out nicely. His mind has changed a lot this year from last year. I’m happy with that. He’s growing physically but has a great mind.”

Just prior to Forte’s move, Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable’s Blue Grass (G1) winner Tapit Trice recorded his half-mile move with regular exercise rider Amelia Green in the saddle. Tapit Trice, working with Ontario bred Equivoque, completed an opening eighth-mile in :12.80 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.

“These workouts become super, super important,” Pletcher said. “They keep you up at night.

“Tapit Trice started out with a nice, steady breeze. He was on the bridle throughout He seemed to get over the track very comfortably.

“If you look at Forte’s progression numbers wise, he’s made that progression forward in each start. Same thing with Tapit Trice. What I’m encouraged by with both of them is how they handled the mile-and-an-eighth and how they handled their final prep. It gives you confidence stretching out in the Derby. Forte is a very straightforward horse to train. He’s pushbutton. When Irad asked him to sit just off of his workmate this morning he did just that. When you press ‘go’, he quickly accelerated to put a head in front of his workmate.”

Trainer Brad Cox’s foursome of Angel of Empire, Hit Show, Jace’s Road and Verifying all worked at 7:30 a.m. ET. Angel of Empire was paired outside Jace’s Road and the duo completed eighth-mile fractions of :12.20, :23.80, :35.60 and 1:00.40. They galloped out seven furlongs in 1:26.40. Jockey Flavien Prat was aboard Albaugh Family Stable’s Angel of Empire while Florent Geroux was in the boot on West Point Thoroughbreds and Albaugh Family Stable’s Jace’s Road.

In Cox’s next set, Gary and Mary West’s Hit Show, ridden by exercise rider Edvin Vargas, worked inside Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith and Michael B. Tabor’s Verifying, who had jockey Tyler Gaffalione aboard. Hit Show and Verifying began their move at the 4 ½-furlong marker through splits of :12.60, :24.40 and :48.60.

“Angel of Empire is the type of horse we’ve been confident all along that can handle the mile-and-a-quarter distance in the Derby,” Cox said. “He excelled going the longer distance in the Arkansas Derby and moves like the type of horse that will like a route of ground.

“Hit Show just missed in the Wood Memorial. It was a pretty tough beat that day but he showed us that as the distances get longer he can handle the route of ground as well.

Japanese colt Derma Sotogake working over the Churchill Downs dirt last week; Churchill Downs Photo

“Verifying, like Hit Show, was a tough beat about an hour before in the Blue Grass. Going back in his career, I don’t think he was quite ready when we ran him in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He started to mature over the winter and I’m still a little confused on his effort in the Rebel. He was in contention, then dropped back and then rallied in the stretch. He put things together in the Blue Grass and has a lot of tactical speed that should play to his advantage in the Derby.”

The special 15-minute training window for Kentucky Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks contenders will begin Saturday at 7:30 a.m. ET.

Kentucky Derby contenders will wear a yellow saddle towel while Oaks contenders will sport a pink saddle towel.

The first morning of the Kentucky Derby Morning Works show is Monday.

Blue Grass Stakes (G1) third-place finisher Blazing Sevens worked a half-mile in :48.80 at Keeneland. The Chad Brown trainee is scheduled to arrive in his Barn 25 at Churchill Downs on Monday.

Rebel (G2) winner Confidence Game continues to train at Churchill Downs but his next work is still to be determined.

Meanwhile, Eclipse Award Champion 2-year-old filly of 2022, WONDER WHEEL, trained by Mark Casse, has drawn into the top 14 for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) which is the day before the Derby on May 5. The Into Mischief filly comes off a disappointing outing in the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland when sixth behind DEFINING PURPOSE.

KENTUCKY DERBY POINTS

Rank – Horse – Trainer – Points – Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings

1 Forte, Todd Pletcher 190 $2,359,730
2 Practical Move, Tim Yakteen 160 $822,000
3 Angel of Empire, Brad Cox 154 $1,026,375
4 Tapit Trice, Todd Pletcher 150 $783,500
5 Two Phil’s, Larry Rivelli 123 $643,850
6 Lord Miles, Saffie Joseph Jr. 105 $427,100
7 Derma Sotogake, Hidetaka Otonashi 100 $1,112,319
8 Kingsbarns, Todd Pletcher 100 $600,000
9 Raise Cain, Ben Colebrook 64 $232,500
10 Rocket Can, Bill Mott 60 $284,025
11 Hit Show, Brad Cox 60 $277,500
12 Confidence Game, Keith Desormeaux 57 $610,480
13 Verifying, Brad Cox 54 $369,750
14 Sun Thunder, Kenny McPeek 54 $181,500
15 Wild On Ice, Joel Marr 50 $366,400
16 Mage, Gustavo Delgado 50 $205,200
17 Disarm, Steve Asmussen 46 $237,500
18 Reincarnate, Tim Yakteen 45 $263,250
19 Continuar, Yoshito Yahagi Invite $289,954
20 Jace’s Road, Brad Cox 45 $200,350

KENTUCKY OAKS POINTS

Points Horse Earnings Road to Ky Oaks Races Won

170 Wet Paint, $652,600 Martha Washington, Honeybee, Fantasy
110 Affirmative Lady, $212,350 Gulfstream Park Oaks
107 Defining Purpose, $488,593 Ashland
103 Pretty Mischievous, $359,350 Untapable, Rachel Alexandra
100 Southlawn, $242,464 Fair Grounds Oaks
100 Promiseher America, $137,500 Gazelle
70 And Tell Me Nolies, $420,000 Chandelier
70 Botanical, $268,560 Cincinnati Trophy, Bourbonette Oaks
70 Dorth Vader, $214,405 Davona Dale
61 Gambling Girl, $133,200
54 The Alys Look, $151,000 Silverbulletday
50 Flying Connection, $275,900 Sunland Park Oaks
50 Mimi Kakushi, $180,186
48 Wonder Wheel, $1,501,265 Alcibiades, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies