Ete Indien, Sole Volante Return to Work Tab

Sole Volante and Ete Indien returned to the work tab May 6 at Palm Meadows Training Center for trainer Patrick Biancone. 

The Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) hopefuls had not breezed since March, but with racing slowly opening across the country, Biancone decided it was time to get back to business. The 3-year-olds worked four furlongs on dirt in :50 3/5. 

"Everything was good," Biancone said. "I gave them a lot of time off to just be galloping during April because we had nothing planned for them. We were just waiting to see what is going to happen. We still don't know. We are waiting for racing to reopen so that I can make a plan for them so they can be targeted."

Before the COVID-19 pandemic slowly ground racing to a halt, Ete Indien made his first steps on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. The Summer Front  colt earned his first qualifying points Feb. 1 at Gulfstream Park with a runner-up finish in the Holy Bull Stakes (G3). He followed with a win in the Feb. 29 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream. His last points race was March 28 when he finished third in the Curlin Florida Derby (G1).

With 74 points, the speedy Ete Indien is sixth on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard.

Sole Volante also kicked off his sophomore season with an underlying intent to target the Derby, which was postponed until Sept. 5. He earned his first points when he won the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs over favorite Independence Hall. In a bid to add more qualifying points, the son of Karakontie  returned to Tampa one month later in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2). After turning in a late run from the back of the field, the gelding finished second to upset winner King Guillermo. 

Sole Volante's 30 qualifying points rank 17th on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. 

Also working Wednesday for Biancone was Diamond Oops. The 5-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky  was clocked in :51 4/5 for a half-mile on the dirt. 

Diamond Oops has made only one start in 2020, finishing fourth in the Jan. 25 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1) at Gulfstream. He earned two graded stakes wins for Biancone in 2019, the Smile Sprint Stakes (G3) and Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3), both at Gulfstream. He also placed in two grade 1s.

As states slowly ease social distancing restrictions and racetracks begin to open for training, Biancone hopes he will be able to create a more definitive race schedule for his horses in the coming month. For now, his horses will remain at his stable at Palm Meadows. 

"My guess is that by mid-June, there should be some races happening so they can get back to work," Biancone said. "But I don't really have any details because we just don't know. We had no racing on the books because there was no book. We just have to be patient."