Quartet of Bluegrass Contenders Drill at Keeneland

A quartet of April 9 Toyota Bluegrass Stakes (G1) contenders, including El Camino Derby victor Blackadder , turned in works over a fast Keeneland main track Sunday morning.

Trainer Mark Casse was represented by the first two Toyota Blue Grass workers of the morning with Volcanic  covering the half-mile in :51.40 when the track opened at 5:30 a.m. and Golden Glider  following an hour later, clocking :49.40 for the same distance. Jockey Declan Carroll was aboard for both works.

"I was very pleased with both of them," said David Carroll, assistant to Casse. "They both got here Friday from Ocala and galloped yesterday. I just wanted to let them get a feel for the track."

Both colts have returned to Keeneland, where they trained here last spring before making their racing debuts.

Breeze Easy's Volcanic, victorious over recent Curlin Florida Derby (G1) runner-up Charge It  in his Jan. 8 Gulfstream Park maiden score, was registering his fifth work since a third-place finish in the Feb. 12 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs.

The son of Violence   will be ridden by Adam Beschizza in the Bluegrass.

Conrad Farms' Golden Glider had his second work since finishing fourth in the March 12 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2). Clockers caught the Ghostzapper   colt in fractions of :12.40, :25, :49.40, with a gallop out time of 1:02.40 for five-eighths and 1:16.60 for three-quarters. Ricardo Santana Jr. has the Toyota Blue Grass mount, according to Carroll.

Next at 7:30 a.m. after the first renovation break was Three Diamonds Farm's Grantham , who worked a half-mile in company with an unraced 3-year-old in :48.60 for trainer Mike Maker.

"I thought he worked well," Maker said of Grantham, who arrived here a couple of days ago from Gulfstream Park.

Runner-up to Classic Causeway  in the Tampa Bay Derby, Grantham will be ridden in the Toyota Blue Grass by Tyler Gaffalione, Maker said.

Following the second renovation break at 9 a.m., El Camino Real Derby winner Blackadder worked 5 furlongs in company with the 5-year-old allowance winner Cibolian  in 1:02.80 with Adam Beschizza aboard for trainer Rodolphe Brisset.

The work was the second at Keeneland for Blackadder after being transferred to the Brisset barn in March following the KHRC ruling that trainer Bob Baffert will serve a 90-day suspension. In addition to Blackadder, Baffert 3-year-olds Messier, Doppelganger, and McLaren Vale were also moved to another barn.

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"(Blackadder) did what we wanted, and hopefully it sets him up for Saturday," said Brisset's wife, Brooke, who supervised the work.

Racing manager at SF Racing, Tom Ryan, said the upcoming race will be an evaluation of the colts ability to run at the upper levels.

"(Blackadder had a) nice work this morning, he went off steady and finished up the right way," Ryan said. "Saturday will be a major class test for him but there's only one way to figure out if he fits. He's in capable hands with Rodolphe and Florent (Geroux)." 

Brisset is scheduled to return to Lexington Sunday afternoon following the victory by Yuugiri  in Saturday's Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park.

All four of the Bluegrass contenders will be seeking points to earn a coveted starting slot in the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) field the first Saturday in May. The Bluegrass Stakes will offer Road to the Derby points on a 100-40-20-10 scale. As of April 3, Grantham is the only one of the quartet to breeze Sunday included in the 20-horse field as he is tied with Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) third-place finisher Rich Strike  in the 20th position with 21 total points.