King Guillermo Zips Five Furlongs Toward Kentucky Derby

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King Guillermo Zips Five Furlongs Toward Kentucky Derby
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Photo: Coady Photography
King Guillermo completes a breeze in :59 2/5 under jockey Miguel Mena Aug. 15 at Churchill Downs

The workouts in preparation for the $3 million Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) ramped up Aug. 15 as Victoria's Ranch's King Guillermo posted a bullet five-furlong move at Churchill Downs in :59 2/5, the fastest of 46 horses at the distance.

The Uncle Mo  colt, trained by Juan Carlos Avila and owned by former Major League Baseball All-Star Victor Martinez, worked at 7:30 a.m. ET through splits of :24 2/5, :36 4/5, and :48 prior to galloping out six furlongs in 1:12. Jockey Miguel Mena was aboard for Saturday's drill, though Samy Camacho is slated to ride him in the Sept. 5 Derby.

The workout did not necessarily go as scripted with several horses completing their works in front of the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner. As he neared the wire, Mena had to navigate King Guillermo through a trio of slowing horses and directed the colt from the rail to the far outside and continued galloping out around the clubhouse turn. 

"He was working really fast at the wire, and he wanted to continue going around the turn," Mena said. "He went super easy over the ground, and it was fun breezing him. He's a naturally fast horse."

Avila's Churchill Downs staff watched from the backstretch and were excited about the breeze.

"He really likes it in Kentucky," Avila's exercise rider, Edgar Medina, said. "Since we got here, he keeps doing better and better. Who knows what the future can hold for him."

The Florida-based Avila is scheduled to return to Churchill Downs next week. He oversaw the colt's initial training upon his arrival in Kentucky late last month before heading back to Florida.

Trainer Brad Cox breezed his Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) hopeful Shedaresthedevil five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 in tandem with 5-year-old Monomoy Girl, the 2018 Oaks winner and champion 3-year-old filly of that year.

With Indiana Oaks (G3) and Honeybee Stakes (G3) winner Shedaresthedevil finishing a half-length behind on the inside, the duo worked through fractions of :23 4/5 and :47 3/5. Monomoy Girl is a likely entrant to the $500,000 La Troienne Stakes Presented by United Card Events by Chase (G1) on the Oaks undercard Sept 4. 

"Both of these horses worked really well this morning," Cox said. "I thought it was a great workout pairing, and Shedaresthedevil did well against 'Monomoy.'"

Cox flooded the Saturday work tab with graded stakes winners Arklow,  Mr. Misunderstood, Break Even, Factor This, Juliet Foxtrot, and Warrior's Charge also turning in breezes. 

Also Saturday, George Hall and SportBLX Thoroughbreds' Withers Stakes (G3) winner Max Player made his second appearance at Churchill Downs for a routine gallop under the care of new trainer Steve Asmussen. The Honor Code  colt, previously trained by Linda Rice in the Northeast, was transferred following the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) and shipped to Asmussen's Churchill string soon thereafter. Asmussen's local assistant, former trainer Ronny Werner, is helping to oversee his training.

Another Churchill-based colt prepping for the Derby, John Oxley's Lecomte Stakes (G3) winner Enforceable, is scheduled to work from the starting gate Monday at 7:30 a.m., according to David Carroll, an assistant to trainer Mark Casse.

Other Derby prospects already at Churchill Downs include Attachment Rate, Major Fed, Winning Impression, and Necker Island, all of whom are likely to record works beneath the Twin Spires in the coming weeks. Art Collector is also expected to come to Churchill Downs in advance of the Derby after vanning over from Skylight Training Center in Oldham County.  

According to Churchill Downs publicity, Derby favorite Tiz the Law is set to arrive in Louisville from New York on Aug. 31, and flights bringing California invaders to Churchill are scheduled Aug. 25 and Sept. 1.

C R K Stable's Kentucky Derby prospect Honor A. P. worked five furlongs at 12:45 p.m. PT Saturday at Del Mar, covering the distance in :59 2/5 under Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith.

Honor A. P. - Del Mar, August 15, 2020
Photo: Benoit Photo
Honor A. P. is ridden by Mike Smith in an afternoon demonstration work at Del Mar

The Honor Code ridgling clipped off fractions of :23 4/5, :36, and :47 2/5 on a fast track. Trainer John Shirreffs watched the move from the frontside and afterwards huddled with Smith, his Derby rider and the only jockey Honor A. P. has partnered with for races.

Del Mar clocker Toby Turrell, who timed the move, followed the horse through six furlongs in 1:11 2/5, seven eighths in 1:23 4/5, and a mile time of 1:40.

"It was a terrific move," Turrell said. "You could have just as easily given him a six-furlong time and his gallop out was outstanding. His seven-furlong time is the best gallop out we've seen here this summer."

Honor A. P. won the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) and last out finished second in the Shared Belief Stakes.

Churchill Downs will begin its exclusive training period for Derby and Oaks horses Aug. 22 with a short session from 7:30-7:45 a.m.