McCraken Finishes Strong in Five-Furlong Move

Trainer Ian Wilkes was asked April 24 if what he saw from his charge McCraken, who had just worked over the Churchill Downs strip, reminded him of a certain old protege prior to their classic triumph 10 years ago.

To his credit, Wilkes wouldn't bite on the temptation to invoke the name of 2007 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Street Sense   in regards to Janis Whitham's homebred. Instead, he is banking on the son of Ghostzapper   eliciting a more proper comparison come May 6.

Whether McCraken becomes the latest Derby winner to come out of Churchill's barn 26 remains to be seen, but the bay colt put in five-furlong drill in 1:00 3/5 Monday that was nearly as buzz worthy as Street Sense's famed final move before his triumph on the first Saturday in May. 

Working in company with stablemate McCormick in his second timed outing since running third in the April 8 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2), McCraken left both Wilkes and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. beaming as he broke off about six lengths back, then went about uncorking a turn of foot that was similiar to what Street Sense delivered under the guidance of Wilkes' old boss, Hall of Fame trainer Carl Nafzger.

McCraken rattled off splits of :12, :24 3/5, and :36 2/5, but the most visually stunning portion of his move came at the finish. The multiple graded stakes winner dusted his stablemate with a monster gallop out in 1:13 and 1:26 flat, continuing down the back stretch like a horse who is done playing catch-up in terms of fitness.

"We've still got another work yet," Wilkes quipped when asked if McCraken's work compared to Street Sense's final pre-Kentucky Derby five-furlong drill in :59. "But you want to see that gallop out. He went 1:00 3/5 and then he still galloped out strong. If he didn't gallop out good then wow, I'm behind. I think it tells you a lot about the work.

"You can work in :59, work in 1:00 and then not gallop out good and they've only just done what they wanted. It just shows you he had a little more left there. He doesn't get tired, this horse."

Getting McCraken's fitness on point has been the main goal for Wilkes given the colt has only had two starts since winning the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill last Nov. 26. After capturing the Feb. 11 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) in his seasonal bow, the Blue Grass represented McCraken's first loss in five career starts.

Hernandez equated that outing to his mount getting "punched in the mouth" after having things go pretty easy in his prior starts. It's a lesson he believes the colt needed to learn, and one Hernandez said he can already feel paying dividends.

"All of his races prior to the Blue Grass, he always kind of just did what he wanted and beat up on horses," Hernandez said. "It's like a high school football player who beats up on everyone and is really, really good but when he steps up into college, the competition gets deeper. 

"I think that's what happened with McCraken that day. When he got beat, it kind of woke him up. Last week his work was great but...today it showed that he can sit back there and, even though the work mate kind of spurted away from him turning for home, he was able to go by him anytime he wanted to. When it was time for him to go on, he picked it up and showed what a smart horse he is."

Wilkes is planning one more move for McCraken prior to the Kentucky Derby, but stressed he would monitor the colt before deciding just how much he will ask for in that final preparation.

"I want to watch him and get a feel for what he's telling me, whether I just need to go an easy half or go five-eighths," Wilkes said. "I don't want to mark 'This is what I'm doing' ahead of time. I want to let him tell me what I need to do."

Trainer Steve Asmussen had a quartet of Derby contenders and hopefuls on the Churchill worktab Monday, led by Sunland Derby (G3) winner Hence putting in a five-furlong move in 1:00 in company with Local Hero.

Hence stayed on relatively even terms with his stablemate throughout, clocking splits of :12 1/5, :23 4/5, :35 3/5, and :47 4/5 with a gallop out in 1:13 and 1:26 3/5.

"Obviously it's very exciting, Hence and Local Hero put in great works this morning," Asmussen said. "Local Hero is on the outside looking in (as far as Derby points) but I'm very comfortable with both horses here at Churchill. I think the time they spent here last year shows. They came in here with business on their minds and have put in some very good works."

Doug Bredar, agent for jockey Florent Geroux, later confirmed his rider would have the mount on Hence for the Kentucky Derby.

Asmussen also sent Lookin At Lee —currently 21st on the points list— out for a half-mile move in :51 1/5 while Untrapped went five furlongs in 1:01 3/5. Lookin At Lee was most recently third in the April 15 Arkansas Derby (G1) while Untrapped was sixth.

"Untrapped...we took the blinkers off of him. I thought he was too aggressive and pulled up into a fast pace in the Arkansas Derby," said Asmussen. "His breeze today was beautiful."