Busy Saturday for Kentucky Derby Contenders
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Carpe Diem breezed on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course in preparation for the Kentucky Derby on May 2. (Coady Photography)
Most of the 2015 Kentucky Derby contenders have completed their final workouts in preparation for the first jewel of the Triple Crown after a morning of activity on the Triple Crown trail.
Saturday was a busy day of preparation with 10 of 20 horses currently in the field for the race turning in timed workouts. Final workouts from unbeaten Santa Anita Derby winner Dortmund and Toyota Blue Grass Stakes victor Carpe Diem highlighted Saturday morning’s activity.
Dortmund completed six furlongs (three-quarters of a mile) in 1:13.60 handily (with encouragement) under regular rider Martin Garcia while working in company with a stablemate. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was pleased with the workout from Dortmund, who along with stablemate American Pharoah should be one of the top two betting choices.
“Went well,” Baffert said. “He cruised today.”
DORTMUND WORKOUT VIDEO
Courtesy of TVG's YouTube channel
American Pharoah is scheduled for his final workout on Sunday at Churchill Downs.
He galloped 1 ½ miles on Saturday for exercise rider Jorge Alvarez at 5:45 a.m. ET rather than waiting for the time reserved for Derby and Oaks horses at 8:30 and, potentially, rain.
“The track was perfect. The weather was good,” Barnes said. “I’d rather just get him out on a good racetrack and be done with it.”
AMERICAN PHAROAH AT CHURCHILL
Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
Carpe Diem was ridden by Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who has the mount for the Kentucky Derby, for his final serious prep for the run for the roses. He breezed four furlongs (a half-mile) in :48.60 on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course and is scheduled to be shipped from Lexington to Louisville on Monday.
“Johnny was very happy with it,” Carpe Diem's trainer, Todd Pletcher, said upon return to his Churchill barn. “And I saw what I wanted to see. He’s really doing well. He likes Keeneland; likes the track and the routine we have him in over there. That’s a big part of why we’ve kept him there. We were concerned about the weather and their track handles the rain and drains so well. There’s some comfort in that.”
Louisiana Derby winner International Star, who swept the major Kentucky Derby prep races at Fair Grounds, breezed four furlongs in :50.80 on Churchill Downs’ Trackside Louisville Training Track.
“We were out trying to beat the rain,” trainer Mike Maker said of the 6 a.m. move. “It was a simple maintenance work and everything went well. He was well within himself. He’s fit by now. We’re not going to do anything in the last seven days that might put him ‘over the top.’ We’re ready to go.”
Wood Memorial Stakes winner Frosted and Florida Derby runner-up Upstart completed their final serious preparations for the Kentucky Derby at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida.
Frosted breezed five furlongs (five-eighths of a mile) in 1:01.10 for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and owner Godolphin Racing.
Upstart breezed five furlongs in :59.95, the fastest of nine timed workouts at the distance, for trainer Rick Violette.
“It was a typical Upstart work,” Violette said. “It looked like he was going :50 and change and it was :47 or :48. He galloped out great; didn’t want to pull up. He could have gone faster or slower. He’s pretty much push-button.”
United Arab Emirates Derby winner Mubtaahij worked a half-mile on Saturday morning at Arlington Park in :49.70, with a final three furlongs in :35.30.
MUBTAAHIJ WORKING AT ARLINGTON
Four Footed Fotos
Sunland Derby victor Firing Line completed an easy five furlongs in 1:02.20 at Santa Anita Park under Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens; Gotham Stakes winner El Kabeir turned in a swift half-mile drill in :46.81 at Belmont Park; Wood Memorial Stakes runner-up Tencendur drilled five furlongs in 1:00 at Churchill; and Keen Ice, who moved into the final spot in the field this weekend with the defection of Madefromlucky, covered five furlongs in 1:01.80 at Churchill Downs.
CURRENT ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY STANDINGS
Trainer Simon Callaghan, who conditions Firing Line for Arnold Zetcher said the workout was exactly what he had hoped for from his Derby contender.
“Just what we wanted for him,” Callaghan said by phone from his Santa Anita barn. “He’s shipping tomorrow – he’ll be on a plane at 1 a.m. – and we didn’t want to do too much with him. Gary liked the move very much. We just stretched his legs a little bit. He’s very fit; very ready to do what he has to do.”
KENTUCKY DERBY WORKOUT TABLE
Derby Hopeful
Date Most Recent Workout
Distance
Time
Track
Rank
American Pharoah
4/5/2015
6f
1:11.60
Santa Anita
1/25
Bolo
4/24/2015
5f
:59.60
Santa Anita
4/51
Carpe Diem
4/25/2015
4f
:48.60
Keeneland
2/63
Danzig Moon
4/24/2015
4f
:48.80
Churchill Downs
31/78
Dortmund
4/25/2015
6f
1:13.60
Santa Anita
19/33
El Kabeir
4/25/2015
4f
:46.81
Belmont Park
3/55
Far Right
4/24/2015
4f
:49.00
Churchill Downs
38/78
Firing Line
4/25/2015
5f
1:02.20
Santa Anita
51/59
Frosted
4/25/2015
5f
1:01.10
Palm Meadows Training Center
2/9
International Star
4/25/2015
4f
:50.80
Churchill Training
10/11
Itsaknockout
4/24/2015
4f
:48.00
Churchill Downs
7/78
Keen Ice
4/25/2015
5f
1:01.60
Churchill Downs
15/67
Materiality
4/24/2015
4f
:48.00
Churchill Downs
7/78
Mr. Z
4/22/2015
5f
1:01.00
Churchill Downs
4/20
Mubtaahij
4/25/2015
4f
:49.70
Arlington Park
N/A
Ocho Ocho Ocho
4/22/2015
6f
1:13.60
Santa Anita
9/10
Stanford
4/24/2015
4f
:48.40
Churchill Downs
19/78
Tencendur
4/25/2015
5f
1:00.00
Churchill Downs
1/67
Upstart
4/25/2015
5f
:59.95
Palm Meadows Training Center
1/9
War Story
4/22/2015
5f
1:02.00
Churchill Downs
7/20
Bubble Hopefuls
Date Most Recent Workout
Distance
Time
Track
Rank
Frammento
4/24/2015
4f
:48.00
Keeneland
4/57
Bold Conquest
4/20/2015
5f
1:02.80
Churchill Downs
6/9
Metaboss
4/17/2015
5f
1:01.80
Keeneland
11/22
Firespike
4/21/2015
5f
1:01.40
Churchill Training
2/6
Toasting Master
4/18/2015
5f
1:00.20
Churchill Downs
9/60