By My Standards Wraps Up Major KY Derby Preparations
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Photo: Rick Samuels
By My Standards works April 28 at Churchill Downs
Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) winner By My Standards completed his major work for the May 4 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) with a half-mile move in :48 2/5 April 28 at Churchill Downs.
With jockey Gabriel Saez in the irons, the son of Goldencents worked through eighth-mile clips of :12 2/5, :24, and :36 2/5 before galloping out to five furlongs in 1:00 3/5, six furlongs in 1:12 4/5, and seven furlongs in 1:26 3/5, according to Churchill clocker John Nichols.
"Well, that couldn't have gone any better," trainer Bret Calhoun said. "It's just a blessing how well he's doing entering the Derby. He's doing everything we've asked him to do and just moves so effortlessly around the racetrack. He went in :48 and two this morning, but when Gabe got back to the barn, he said he could've went around there again. It was like nothing to them."
Owned by Chester Thomas' Allied Racing Stable, By My Standards upset the Louisiana Derby at odds of 22-1 off a maiden win. Although it took him four starts to find the winner's circle, he has never finished worse than third in five attempts.
"He's a very, very smart horse," Calhoun said. "We were surprised it took him quite so long to break through. He got beat in a maiden race at the Fair Grounds earlier in the winter, and I was very disappointed. I thought, 'Well, maybe he's not the kind of horse we thought he was going to be.' Three or four weeks later, he came back and broke his maiden, and it was almost like the light came on. He became a completely different horse. … He's figured out what his job's about and loves it. His works went from really good to spectacular, and that's why we led him over there in the Louisiana Derby with some confidence."
By My Standards will be the first Kentucky Derby starter for Calhoun, a Texas native who began his training career in 1993.
"That's the pinnacle," he said. "It's the world's greatest race, and to be able to be competitive in it and maybe get lucky and win it, that would mean everything."