Asmussen Trio Turn in Final Pre-Derby Moves

It has become routine for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen to send his charges out for an "easy" half-mile move in their final piece of work before a race. 

Two of his three contenders for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) stuck to that script at Churchill Downs May 1. Sunland Derby (G3) winner Hence, meanwhile, could only do so much to rein in his high-energy self.

Before sending Hence to the track during the 8:30 a.m. training slot Monday, Asmussen warned that the son of Street Boss   would likely clock in at a decidedly swifter rate than stablemates Lookin At Lee and Untrapped. The chestnut colt did not make a liar out of his conditioner, cruising through four-furlongs in :48 4/5 in his last major breeze before the first Saturday in May.

After first visiting the paddock, Hence emerged on the track and broke off smoothly down the backstretch. A deceptively quick mover, the Calumet Farm homebred was under his own power through splits of :12 1/5, :24 2/5, and :36 3/5, galloping out five furlongs in 1:01 4/5 and six furlongs in 1:16 2/5 with very little urging.

"Hence is just fast," Asmussen said. "As you could tell, it barely looks like he's moving and his times are impressive. We just feel extremely fortunate to be in this position with these 3-year-olds with how well they're doing.

"Everybody watching him train will tell you he's the real deal. We're very much hoping that continues."

Hence took four tries to break his maiden, finally finding the winner's circle going 1 1/16 miles at Oaklawn Park Jan. 16. His outing in the Feb. 20 Southwest Stakes (G3) saw the copper-colored colt come up empty en route to a seventh-place finish. Not only did he rebound in a big way with  3 3/4-length Sunland Derby triumph March 26, he has been wildly flattered since by the performances of those he defeated that day.

Irap, fourth in the Sunland Derby, came back to win the April 8 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) while Sunland runner-up Conquest Mo Money returned to finish second to champion Classic Empire in the April 15 Arkansas Derby (G1).

"He's gotten plenty of coverage (since the Sunland Derby) because of how well the horses have run out of it," Asmussen said. "I think with an extremely talented horse like him, the difference is probably the spacing in the races and how well he responded to a little more time between them."

Earlier Monday morning, Asmussen sent Arkansas Derby third Lookin At Lee and Risen Star Stakes (G2) runner-up Untrapped through their final paces with each turning in steady maintenance moves. Untrapped—most recently sixth in the Arkansas Derby—covered four furlongs in :50 2/5 with splits of :12 3/5, :25 1/5, and :37 3/5, and then galloped out to five furlongs in 1:03 4/5. Lookin At Lee went the same distance in near identical fashion, clocking in :50 1/5 with splits of :12 4/5, :25 2/5, and :37 4/5 with a gallop out in 1:03 3/5.

"I love how they're doing. Both Untrapped and Lookin At Lee have plenty in them. I like how they're traveling right now," Asmussen said.

Lookin At Lee has been repeatedly knocking on the door at the graded level, running second in last year's Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) and fourth in the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) prior to opening his season with a third-place outing in the Southwest Stakes. Asmussen admits the son of Lookin At Lucky   "would have to run the race of his life" to be successful in the first leg of the Triple Crown, but he also believes his charge has the advantage of being more battle-tested than most of his classmates.

"With (Lookin At Lee) we need the distance to make the difference for him. Looking at the field, there are some extremely talented horses, but I feel he is one of the few that is tested under circumstance," Asmussen said.

"You know how he's going to react to most everything that is going to happen, and you have a lot of confidence that he's going to keep coming. I don't think the circumstances of the day, the size of the field, or anything will throw him off his game."