Raise Cain Smoothly Breezes Toward Kentucky Derby

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Raise Cain Smoothly Breezes Toward Kentucky Derby
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Photo: Rick Samuels
Raise Cain grazes following work at Keeneland

Keeping an eye on his workmate, Gotham Stakes (G3) winner Raise Cain  smoothly ran through the Keeneland stretch April 27 to wrap up his final breeze ahead of the Kentucky Derby (G1) May 6 at Churchill Downs.

Raise Cain completed the half-mile breeze in :49 on a fast track and galloped out another furlong for five-eighths in 1:02 4/5. With seven starts under his belt ahead of this year's Kentucky Derby, the connections of Raise Cain have not asked much of the son of Violence   in the mornings. 

Raise Cain will go into the Derby off two works since finishing fifth in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) April 8 at Keeneland. He breezed five furlongs in a leisurely 1:03 2/5 April 20 at the Lexington track.

"Neither work was real strenuous for him," said trainer Ben Colebrook. "He's had enough races that these works are just maintenance—just trying to keep the fitness that we have. We're trying to have him healthy and happy on Derby day. So we're happy to get through it."

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The connections have not yet named a jockey for Raise Cain and Colebrook was not ready to commit Thursday morning. Gerardo Corrales, who was aboard for Raise Cain's first three career starts in Kentucky, was up for Thursday's work. Colebrook said Corrales is in the mix at this point. 

In the Blue Grass Joel Rosario piloted Andrew and Rania Warren's Raise Cain but Rosario has committed to Disarm  for the Derby. Other jockeys for Raise Cain in his seven starts have included Jose Lezcano and Luan Machado.

In Thursday's work, Raise Cain stalked outside of unraced maiden Merrily Rush  (also owned by the Warrens) before smoothly shifting gears to move ahead in the stretch. Raise Cain's time was 13th-fastest of 51 at the distance Thursday at Keeneland. (Merrily Rush was credited with four furlongs in :50).

Colebrook said staying at Keeneland after the Blue Grass allowed the cool Raise Cain to stay in his comfort zone.

"He's such a level-headed horse that I just felt it was better to keep him here where he's got a bunch of grass for grazing a couple hours a day. He can be in his own style," Colebrook said. "If he was nervous or he needed to get acclimated more to Churchill Downs, we would have shipped there but he'll have plenty of time over there. 

"We'll go over there Monday last-minute. There will be time to school in the paddock, stand in the gate, all that kind of stuff. I didn't feel like he was a horse that needed to be there for a long time to acclimate. He trained (at Churchill) as a 2-year-old. We could have breezed on the track, but it might not necessarily be the same as it's going to be on race day over there anyway.

"So we just wanted to keep him home. He does great here."

Also completing his final work for the Derby away from Churchill Thursday was Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) winner Two Phil's . The son of Hard Spun   breezed five furlongs in :59 on a fast track at Hawthorne Race Course, earning the bullet from 30 horses who breezed at the distance there.

Trained by Larry Rivelli for owners Patricia's Hope and Phillip Sagan, Two Phil's has largely been based at Hawthorne since March. Thursday's move was his third at Hawthorne since the March 25 Jeff Ruby at Turfway Park and it marked his second straight bullet move.