King Guillermo, Two Others Breeze for Kentucky Derby

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King Guillermo, Two Others Breeze for Kentucky Derby
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Photo: Coady Photography
King Guillermo works Aug. 22 under Miguel Mena at Churchill Downs

Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) hopefuls King Guillermo, Caracaro, and Storm the Court posted swift five-furlong works Aug. 22 at Churchill Downs, Saratoga Race Course, and Del Mar.

King Guillermo's workout came on the first day of Churchill Downs' exclusive training period for contenders preparing for the Sept. 5 race and the Sept. 4 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), and he relished the spotlight. Over a drying-out track rated by clockers as fast, he covered five-eighths in a bullet :58 1/5.

Trained by Juan Carlos Avila and owned by Victoria's Ranch, the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner rolled through splits of :11 2/5, :23, :34 4/5 and :46 3/5 with a strong six-furlong gallop out in 1:10 4/5 under jockey Miguel Mena. Florida-based rider Samy Camacho will ride in the Derby. 


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"You can sometimes get a little bit worried when horses work that fast, but he did it so effortlessly," Mena said. "He has an unbelievable stride and is pretty tough in the bridle. When I broke off from the pony, he really wanted to go. He continued out really well around the turn and onto the backside." 

The main track was listed as muddy to start training Saturday but was upgraded following the 7 a.m. renovation break.

Raymond Daniels and Wayne Scherr's former $100,000 claim Necker Island also was on the track during the exclusive training window. The chestnut colt galloped about 1 1/2 miles under Hillary Hartman, the wife of his trainer Chris Hartman.

Necker Island - Churchill Downs - 08-22-20
Photo: Coady Photography
Necker Island works Aug. 22 at Churchill Downs

At Saratoga, Caracaro breezed five furlongs in 1:01.02 over a sloppy track for trainer Gustavo Delgado, working the first quarter-mile in :25 3/5 under exercise rider J.J. Delgado. He finished second in the Runhappy Travers Stakes (G1) in his most recent start for owners Global Thoroughbred and Top Racing.

"We wanted something easy. In his first work after the Travers, we just want to see where we're at," said Delgado's son and assistant Gustavo Delgado Jr. "Ideally, we'll have Javier (Castellano) aboard next Saturday. We'll see during the week how he comes back from this work and where his energy level is at, but so far, he's doing well."

Delgado Jr. said Caracaro is familiar with breezing over a wet track, having worked twice over a "wet fast" track in June at his home base of Gulfstream Park West. 

"He kind of likes it. He does well over it," Delgado Jr. said. 

Wet conditions in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., over the second half of morning training resulted in Derby favorite Tiz the Law's scheduled breeze being postponed.

Storm the Court was clocked in :59 for five furlongs at Del Mar Saturday. Last year's champion 2-year-old male is owned by David Bernsen, Exline-Border Racing, Dan Hudock and Susanna Wilson and is trained by Peter Eurton.

"It was a bit fast, the rider didn't realize they were going as fast as they were, but that's better than the alternative," Eurton said of the breeze.

The son of Court Vision , most recently second in the Aug. 9 La Jolla Handicap (G3T) at Del Mar in his turf debut, will have one more work at the seaside track next week before he is confirmed for his upcoming start. If he goes in the Derby, Julien Leparoux is lined up to ride.

The next expected Churchill Downs workout for a Kentucky Derby hopeful is scheduled to be Enforceable at 5:15 a.m. Aug. 22.

Shipping Plans Solidified

Other Derby horses already at Churchill Downs include Attachment Rate, Major Fed, Max Player and Winning Impression. The bulk of the field is expected to arrive before the end of the month. According to Steve Hargrave, senior director of the stable area, Art Collector will van from Skylight Training Center to Churchill Downs Aug. 23 or 24; Rushie will fly from San Diego Aug. 25; Caracaro and Ny Traffic will fly from New York Aug. 30; Sole Volante will van from Florida Aug. 30; and Authentic, Honor A. P., Storm the Court, and Thousand Words will fly from San Diego Aug. 31, the same day Tiz the Law and Dr Post will arrive via a flight from New York. 

Details on the arrivals of Finnick the Fierce and Shirl's Speight have not been finalized, according to Churchill Downs publicity.

On the Oaks front, Alabama Stakes (G1) winner Swiss Skydiver is expected to arrive at Churchill Downs Tuesday via plane from New York. The expected Oaks favorite, Gamine, is scheduled to arrive with the other Baffert trainees Aug. 31.

Gamine breezed five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 at Del Mar, while another Oaks possibility, Shedaresthedevil, went six furlongs in 1:11 3/5 at Churchill.

Kentucky Derby Field Rundown

According to Churchill Downs publicity, the possible field, in order of preference, for the 146th running of Derby (with jockey if known): Tiz the Law (Manny Franco), Authentic (John Velazquez), Art Collector (Brian Hernandez Jr.), Honor A.P. (Mike Smith), Ny Traffic (Paco Lopez), King Guillermo (Samy Camacho), Thousand Words (Florent Geroux), Dr Post (TBA); Max Player (Ricardo Santana Jr.), Caracaro (Javier Castellano), Enforceable (Adam Beschizza), Rushie (TBA), Major Fed (James Graham), Storm the Court (Leparoux), Attachment Rate (Joe Talamo), Sole Volante (Luca Panici), Finnick the Fierce (Martin Garcia), Winning Impression (Joe Rocco Jr.), Necker Island (Miguel Mena), and Shirl's Speight (Corey Lanerie). 

Kentucky Oaks Field Rundown 

Per Churchill Downs publicity, the possible field, in order of preference, for the 146th running of the Oaks (with jockey): Swiss Skydiver (Brian Hernandez Jr.), Speech (TBA), Bonny South (TBA), Shedaresthedevil (Florent Geroux), Venetian Harbor (TBA), Tonalist's Shape (TBA), Project Whiskey (TBA), Donna Veloce (TBA), Gamine (John Velazquez), Hopeful Growth (TBA), Tempers Rising (Leparoux), and Dream Marie (TBA).