Crown Pride, Taiba Get Final Derby Sharpeners

Shadai Farm's homebred Crown Pride  went through his final tune-up May 4 for the May 7 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs, working four furlongs in :46 3/5 under jockey Christophe Lemaire, while Zedan Racing Stables' Taiba  put in a three-furlong blowout under Joel Rosario. 

Where Crown Pride was concerned, the morning work held during the training time reserved for Derby and Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) contenders was Lemaire's first time aboard the son of Reach the Crown , who last out won the UAE Derby Sponsored by Mubadala (G2) at Meydan.

They galloped out five furlongs in 1:00.

"I'm very happy with the horse, very happy with the way he moved, and his attitude. He really has gotten used to the environment. He did a five-furlong piece of work, improving the pace gradually. He made a good move down the stretch," said Lemaire, who will be making his first start in the Kentucky Derby. He has ridden at Churchill Downs, however, during the 2010 and 2011 Breeders' Cup World Championships. He was third in the Emirates Airline Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) with Behkabad  in 2010 and fourth in the same event with Sarafina  in 2011.

"Riding in the Kentucky Derby is a fabulous chance," he said. "European and Asian jockeys don't have a lot of chances, so as a horse racing lover, riding in this race is magic; a dream, actually. Even with my experience in many countries, riding in the Kentucky Derby was one of my wishes. My first was to win the Arc de Triomphe (G1). My second was to at least ride in the Kentucky Derby. Can you imagine if we win?"

Crown Pride has had five works at Churchill Downs since April 16, when he went six furlongs in 1:18 3/5. Three days later he worked four furlongs in :49 4/5. Trainer Koichi Shintani followed a similar pattern in terms of spacing with an April 24 four-furlong work in :49 1/5 and three days later a stiffer four-furlong sharpener in :46 2/5. On Wednesday morning, he worked four furlongs in :46 3/5 before galloping out.

Though Lemaire has not been in the saddle for any of Crown Pride's previous starts, he has studied how the horse performed in Japan and Dubai and believes he is ready for the Derby.

"In Dubai, it was noisy with concert music and people shouting. The atmosphere was very different than in Japan and he reacted well. I think even on Derby Day, which is a special day, he will be able to settle down and keep his energy," he said. "The connections did not travel here to finish last. The Japanese horses are very competitive all around the world. The recent victories have given them a lot of confidence and as the jockey I have confidence as well."

Taiba Tunes Up

Trainer Tim Yakteen sent Taiba through a blowout Wednesday under Rosario, who guided the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner through an easy three furlongs in :38 2/5. Rosario has the call on Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Epicenter  in the Kentucky Derby, while Mike Smith will be aboard Taiba. 

"Taiba, he worked three-eighths this morning, just a nice, easy three-eighths, very similar to what we did prior to the Santa Anita Derby," Yakteen said. "We had blinkers on him just to help keep him focused, he doesn't need them in the afternoon but it's something we've used in the morning if you see some of his other workouts.

"I was looking at trying to replicate what we have done and the weather permitted, the track was in good shape, (I) walked out on it early. Really happy with the way that everything has unfolded. Joel was kind enough to be my pilot this morning, and all systems are go."