CHIEF WALLABEE, third in the Florida Derby (G1), has drawn into the field for the May 2 Kentucky Derby (G1) with the withdrawal of Ottinho.
The decision gives Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott a chance to win the Run for the Roses for a second year in a row.
Sovereignty gave Mott his second Derby win – his first was with Country House in 2021 via disqualification of Medina Spirit. It also sets up a rare father-son Derby matchup as Mott’s son Riley Mott has his first two Derby starters in Wood Memorial (G2) winner Albus and Virginia Derby winner Incredibolt.
Ottinho, who was 15th on the Derby leaderboard with 56 points, will be pointed to the Preakness Stakes (G1), the second leg of the Triple Crown, or the Peter Pan Stakes (G3). The Peter Pan, a prep for the Belmont Stakes (G1), is May 9; the Preakness is May 16.
Now on the bubble at No. 21 for the Derby on the leaderboard is Chip Honcho, second in the Risen Star Stakes (G2) and fifth in the Louisiana Derby (G2). The colt is trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.
With two weeks remaining until the first Saturday in May, trainer Brad Cox’s Barn 22 was active Friday morning at Churchill Downs where his trio of contenders recorded their penultimate works for the Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I).
At 5:15 a.m. (all times Eastern), Wathnan Racing’s Florida Derby winner COMMANDMENT breezed five furlongs in :59.60 outside stablemate Direct Strike, followed by Spendthrift Farm’s Blue Grass Stakes (GI) winner FURTHER ADO with a half-mile in :48.60 and St. Elias Stable and Starlight Racing’s Jeff Ruby Steaks (GIII) winner FULLEFFORT, who worked five furlongs in :59.20. outside stablemate Chasten.
“It was a really good morning for all three horses,” Cox said. “Commandment is a steady workhorse and does anything you ask of him. He always seems to clip off 12-second furlongs without being asked. Further Ado looked great coming out of the Blue Grass. He had a solid half-mile with a really good gallop out on his own. Fulleffort seems to be progressing well on the dirt and had a good move with a nice horse in Chasten. He’s moved well over this racetrack since we got him back here.”
Commandment, with jockey Luis Saez aboard, started one length behind Direct Strike and posted eighth-mile splits of :12.40, :23.80, :35.60 and :47.40. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.20 and seven furlongs in 1:26.20, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.
Further Ado, ridden by regular exercise rider Jonathan Santiago, covered an opening quarter-mile in :23.80 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01, six furlongs in 1:13.80 and seven furlongs in 1:26.80, according to Nichols.
Fulleffort, with regular exercise rider Edvin Vargas aboard, worked eighth-mile splits of :12.20, :24.20, :35.60 and :47.20. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:11.60, seven furlongs in 1:25.40 and one mile in 1:40.20, according to Nichols.
“The track was quick so the times might’ve been a little faster than we originally planned,” Cox said. “However, every horse worked well over it and galloped out well. You can’t really ask more than that with two weeks to go.”
Other local activity Friday morning included Amerman Racing’s Stark Contrast, who breezed five furlongs in :59.80 with Flavien Prat aboard. The Michael McCarthy trainee is likely to bypass the Derby in favor of the $1 million American Turf (GI) but a final decision hasn’t been made.
Also on the work tab was NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods’filly Paradise, who worked an easy half-mile in :49. The Cox trainee qualified for the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) with a victory in the Busher Stakes and a third-place finish in the Gazelle (GIII). Cox indicated that if she does not run in the Oaks, she could target the $700,000 Eight Belles presented by Sysco (GII).
On Saturday, April 18, Pin Oak Stud’s ALBUS and Chester Broman Sr.’s RIGHT TO PARTY, the top two finishers from last month’s Wood Memorial (Grade II) at Aqueduct, recorded their penultimate workouts Saturday at Churchill Downs in advance of the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) on Saturday, May 2.
Albus, who defeated Right to Party by 1 ¼ lengths in the Wood Memorial for trainer Riley Mott, breezed four furlongs in :49 Saturday at 5:15 a.m. (all times Eastern) alongside stablemate Theoretical. The duo completed an opening quarter-mile in :24.40 and galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.20, according to Churchill Downs clocker Adam Wallace.
“He worked in :49 for a half-mile and did it really easily on his own,” Mott said. “That’s the move you’re looking for in the first work back from a race.”
Mott added that Pin Oak Stud’s Virginia Derby winner Incredibolt completed his major Kentucky Derby preparation in South Florida at Palm Meadows prior to arriving at Churchill Downs early Monday morning.
“From what I saw on video, he worked :49 and change and did it very well on his own,” Mott said. “He’s a good workhorse and pretty straightforward. We’re looking forward to getting him up here to our division at Churchill Downs.”
The colt will have his final work for the Derby next weekend at Churchill Downs.
Nearly two hours later, during Churchill Downs’ exclusive 15-minute training session for Kentucky Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks contenders at 7:15 a.m., Right to Party worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 outside Very Connected under retired jockey Robby Albarado. The colt posted eighth-mile fractions of :12.40, :24, :36 and :48.40 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.20, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols.
“He was clipping along in :12s,” trainer Kenny McPeek said. “I didn’t want to do anything too crazy with him, but if you can clip along in :12s in the Derby, you can win the race.”
Kentucky Derby Morning Works Show Underway
The Kentucky Derby Morning Works Show presented by TwinSpires.com is back and offers fans an exclusive look at the final preparations of Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks contenders.
Airing daily from 6:45-7:45 a.m. (all times Eastern), the one-hour program is streamed live on the Kentucky Derby Facebook Page, YouTube and X accounts. The show highlights the 15-minute exclusive training window from 7:15-7:30 a.m. for horses preparing for the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) and the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).
KENTUCKY DERBY UPDATED LEADERBOARD – APRIL 19
1. Commandment – 150, Wathnan Racing (Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani), Brad Cox $943,020
2. Further Ado – 135, Spendthrift Farm LLC (Eric P. Gustavson), Brad Cox $1,068,095
3. Renegade – 125, Robert & Lawana L. Low & Repole Stable (Mike Repole), Todd Pletcher $1,002,500
4. So Happy – 115, Norman Stables LLC (Robbie Norman) & Saints or Sinners (Hans & Ana Maron), Mark Glatt $444,000
5. Fulleffort – 110, St. Elias Stable (Vincent Viola) & Starlight Racing (Jack Wolf et al), Brad Cox $507,900
6. The Puma – 106, OGMA Investments LLC (Gustavo Delgado), JR Ranch (Ramiro Restrepo et al) & High Step Racing LLC (Randy Guy, Joe Noble, Kevin Avera, Jim Ferreira & Todd Perry), Gustavo Delgado $428,000
7. Silent Tactic – 100, John C. Oxley, Mark Casse $1,020,130
8. Emerging Market – 100, Klaravich Stables Inc. (Seth Klarman), Chad Brown $600,000
9. Albus – 100, Pin Oak Stud (Dana Bernhard), Riley Mott $400,000
10. Potente – 100, Speedway Stables LLC (Peter Fluor & K.C. Weiner), Bob Baffert $220,000
11. Pavlovian – 70, Reddam Racing LLC (J. Paul Reddam), Doug O’Neill $527,000
12. $-Right to Party – 65, Chester Broman Sr., Kenny McPeek $176,000
13. Incredibolt – 60, Pin Oak Stud LLC (Dana Bernhard), Riley Mott $424,570
14. Golden Tempo – 60 Phipps Stable (Daisy Phipps Pulito) & St. Elias Stable (Vincent Viola), Cherie DeVaux $300,000
15. Stark Contrast – 50, Amerman Racing LLC (Mr. & Mrs. John Amerman), Michael McCarthy $439,900
16. Iron Honor – 50, St. Elias Stable (Vincent Viola), William H. Lawrence & Glassman Racing (Cathi Glassman), Chad Brown $182,500
17. Chief Wallabee – 50, Michael & Katherine G. Ball, Bill Mott $175,800
18. Danon Bourbon, Japan RTKD Danox Co. Ltd., Manabu Ikezoe $222,762
19. Wonder Dean (JPN), Euro/ Mideast RTKD Yoshinari Yamamoto, Daisuke Takayanagi $725,172
20. Six Speed, Euro/ Mideast RTKD Brunetti Dugan Stables, Black Type Thoroughbreds (Jake Ballis), Steve Adkisson, Swinbank Stables (Reagan Swinbank), Bhupat Seemar $314,366
21. Chip Honcho – 49 Leland Ackerley Racing LLC (Lee Ackerley), James Sherwood, Jode Shupe & John Cilia, Steve Asmussen $190,000
22. Intrepido – 38 Dutch Girl Holdings LLC (Michele Arthur) & Irving Ventures LLC (Ruben Isla), Jeff Mullins $290,00
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