Blue Grass, Ashland Hopefuls Work at Keeneland

A handful of hopefuls under consideration for the 95th running of the $1 million Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) April 6 hit the work tab March 30 at Keeneland. David Carroll, assistant to trainer Mark Casse, sent out four 3-year-olds, and all four ticked off four-furlong drills.

First was Tracy Farmer's Sir Winston. Fifth in the March 9 Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) in his most recent start, the son of Awesome Again  covered the half-mile in :49 while working in company with Alltheway to Cairo, a 3-year-old maiden. Fractions for Sir Winston were :12 4/5 and :24 2/5, with a gallop out to five furlongs in 1:03 1/5.

"I had him here last fall," said Carroll, who handles the trainer's Keeneland string and managed his Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots string this winter. "He just got here two days ago and looks well."

Next up was a new arrival in the barn, Hoffa's Union. A 15 1/2-length winner at Laurel Park in his lone start Feb. 28 for trainer Gary Capuano, Hoffa's Union worked a half-mile in :48 3/5 in company with My Sixth Sense, a 3-year-old maiden winner. Fractions on the work were :12.3/5, :24 1/5, and out to five furlongs in 1:01 3/5.

A private purchase, Hoffa's Union is also nominated to Keeneland's April 13 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes (G3).

John Oxley's Dream Maker, a beaten favorite at Keeneland in the Oct. 6 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1), worked a best-of-48 half-mile in :46 out of the gate under Jack Gilligan. Fractions for Dream Maker were :11 4/5, :23, :34 2/5, and out to five furlongs in :58 3/5.

"He's got a lot of talent, but his work in the mornings doesn't translate to the afternoon," Carroll said of the son of Tapit . "We broke him out of the gate today to sharpen him up."

Completing the quartet was Gary Barber's Our Braintrust, a Maryland-bred son of Freud  who worked a half-mile in :48 in company with 4-year-old maiden winner Battle of Memphis. Fractions were :24 2/5, :48, and out to five furlongs in 1:00 4/5.

Also working Saturday morning for the Casse barn was Conrad Farms' champion female sprinter Shamrock Rose.

Working in company with 3-year-old maiden winner Weabie, Shamrock Rose covered a half-mile in :48 in preparation for a start in the April 6 Madison Stakes (G1). She galloped out to five furlongs in 1:00 1/5.

"She looks great, and we got her back here where she did so well last fall," Carroll said.

Shamrock Rose parlayed a victory in Keeneland's April 20 Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) with a triumph in the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs to earn an Eclipse Award. In her season debut, she finished third in the March 16 Azeri Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park going 1 1/16 miles.

"She is back to sprinting here, and down there she got beat by two grade 1 fillies (Midnight Bisou and Elate)," Carroll said.

Also on the Blue Grass work slate was Reddam Racing's Parsimony, who worked six furlongs in 1:15 under rider Joe Steiner. Parsimony, a maiden by Dominus , was eighth behind Omaha Beach in the second division of the March 16 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn.

Barber's two-time graded stakes winner War of Will jogged on the main track after the renovation break as he resumed training following a ninth-place finish as the odds-on favorite in the March 23 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds.

"He got here Wednesday and had a full evaluation Thursday with X-rays and ultrasound," said Carroll. "He got the go-ahead to train. We will jog him for a few days and ease him back into it."  

With victories in the Lecomte Stakes (G3) and Risen Star Stakes presented by Lamarque Ford (G2) at Fair Grounds, War of Will accumulated 60 qualifying points toward the May 4 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1).

Two probable starters for the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) April 6 also worked over a fast track. Anderson Stables' Suncoast Stakes runner-up Lady Kate worked five furlongs in :59 3/5 in company for trainer Eddie Kenneally with a gallop out to six furlongs in 1:13. The move was the fastest of 24 at the distance.

Reddam Racing's Bizwhacks, third in the March 9 Honeybee Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park in her most recent start for trainer Doug O'Neill, worked six furlongs in 1:13 under Steiner, with the last quarter-mile going in :24 1/5.