Derby Hopeful Happy Jack Breezes Mile at Keeneland

In a work that also served as a final evaluation ahead of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), grade 1-placed Happy Jack  made the grade April 30 at Keeneland.

Trainer Doug O'Neill said Happy Jack is all set for the May 7 Kentucky Derby after he watched the son of Oxbow   breeze a mile in 1:39 3/5. Rafael Bejarano, who is scheduled to ride Happy Jack in the Derby, was on board for Saturday's work at about 7:30 a.m. ET at the Lexington track. 

"We just wanted to make sure we're coming into this race with the horse going the right way," O'Neill said. "He's got the potential, but he hasn't put up the numbers we need to see to be a huge player in the race. So, we just wanted to make sure we ask him firmly here; that was the idea, to make sure that he was fit and ready. To me, he answered that question and he's ready."

Starting at the finish line, Happy Jack and Bejarano eased into the work. Coming out of the first turn, Happy Jack flashed a long stride that he maintained throughout the rest of the move. He completed seven furlongs in 1:27 and the final furlong in :12 3/5.

A two-time Derby-winning trainer with I'll Have Another  in 2012 and Nyquist   in 2016, O'Neill took a page from the latter in preparing for the Derby at Keeneland.

"We've had some good fortune doing this before with Nyquist; we had our final preparation here," O'Neill said Saturday. "It's just so quiet here and the track is safe. It's got a good cushion, so it's a little bit demanding, which we think they get a little bit better exercise out of it. So yeah, we're just very happy with the way it went this morning."

The mile move Saturday is the lone official workout since Happy Jack finished third in the April 9 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) at Santa Anita Park. That effort punched Happy Jack's Derby ticket as he's the 20th horse on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard. O'Neill said Happy Jack did have a good two-minute lick at Santa Anita about a week before Saturday's move—just before he was shipped to Kentucky.

A homebred for Calumet Farm, Happy Jack won his maiden debut going six furlongs at Santa Anita in January. He then competed at two turns in his next three starts, placing fifth in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3), third in the San Felipe Stakes (G2), and third in the Santa Anita Derby. O'Neill sees potential for the son of a Preakness Stakes (G1) winner to improve going longer.

A year ago O'Neill sent out Hot Rod Charlie , also a son of Oxbow, to earn placings in the Derby and the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).

"He has a little bit of Hot Rod Charlie in him just in that he's a stayer," O'Neill said. "I don't know that 'Jack' has that huge turn of foot; he's more like riding a bike. You get position with him and keep pedaling and he'll keep going. That's how 'Charlie' is."

That description matched the work on display Saturday as Happy Jack steadily gobbled up ground with his long stride. Since Bejarano will be riding Happy Jack for the first time in the Derby, O'Neill liked that he was able to be aboard for Saturday's move.

"He's a positive, super successful jockey," O'Neill said of Bejarano, who will be making his 12th Derby start. "It amazes me that he hasn't already won a Derby; so we'd love to be a part of that much-deserved victory for him."

Calumet, of course, has won the Derby eight times and will be looking for its first win since 1968. Happy Jack would be the seventh Derby starter with Brad Kelley at the helm, a stretch that began with Oxbow's sixth-place finish in 2013.

O'Neill is well aware that Happy Jack's accomplishments to date are behind most of the other Derby hopefuls, but he's optimistic.

"'Jack' has a lot of ability," O'Neill said. "Maybe it's just a case that the light bulb hasn't completely gone on. Maybe it will next Saturday."

Also Saturday at Keeneland, Fantasy Stakes (G3) winner Yuugiri  breezed four furlongs in :49 1/5 as the daughter of Preakness winner Shackleford  prepares for a start in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, the homebred for Sekie and Tsunebumi Yoshihara posted splits of :12 4/5, 25 2/5, and 37 2/5; with a gallop out of 1:01 4/5.