Kentucky Derby News For April 24, 2015

Friday was a busier than expected morning with several works, primarily from the Todd Pletcher barn, moved up to Friday due to concerns over the weather forecast this weekend.

The quartet of Itsaknockout, Materiality, Madefromlucky, and Stanford all worked on Friday morning. Itsaknockout and Materiality worked in company with the latter on the inside. The duo completed four furlongs in :48 with splits of :12, :23.60, and :35,60. They galloped out five furlongs in 1:01 and six furlongs in 1:14.60

Madefromlucky and Stanford also breezed four furlongs in company with one another. Stanford was on the inside and the two did not cross the wire together. Madefromlucky completed the four furlongs in :48.40 with internal splits of :12.40 and :24.40. Madefromlucky galloped out in 1:01 for five furlongs and 1:13.80 for six furlongs.

“He had trouble getting a hold of the track on the turns for whatever reason,” John Velazquez said of Madefromlucky. “I wouldn’t say it was a bad workout, but the other horse worked better.”

Stanford went :12.40 and :24:20 for the internal splits while galloping out five furlongs in 1:01.60 and six furlongs in 1:15.

“Stanford breezed really well today and I thought his gallop out was particularly good,” Pletcher said.

Also working at Churchill was Far Right, who went four furlongs in :49. He had splits of :12.40, :24.20, and galloped out five furlongs in 1:03.

Danzig Moon worked as well, going four furlongs in :48.80 while working in company with Bollente. He had internal fractions of :12.80, :25, :37, and galloped out five furlongs in 1:01.80. Bollente went the four furlongs in :49.

Bolo worked five furlongs at Santa Anita on Friday, going the distance in :59.60. “A minute—that’s what I wanted,” trainer Carla Gaines said. “The other horse started kinda slowly and I didn’t want (rider Rafael Bejarano) to grab him, but he settled down.”

Frammento, currently the next horse in line for the Kentucky Derby, worked four furlongs in :48 at Keeneland.

American Pharoah galloped a mile and a half with a scheduled workout on Sunday morning while Bold Conquest galloped the same distance.

International Star galloped a mile and a quarter. He is scheduled to work on Saturday, but that may not happen if the weather is poor. Keen Ice galloped a mile and a half with a scheduled work on Saturday morning.

Ocho Ocho Ocho flew in from California is now stabled at Churchill Downs. He will gallop on Saturday morning. Tencendur galloped one mile and three eighths and is scheduled to work on Saturday morning as well.

War Story simply jogged on Friday morning, two days after his 1:02 five furlong work at Churchill Downs.

Outside of Kentucky, there are several notable works scheduled for Saturday morning. The first is El Kabeir who will work at Belmont Park and then ship to Churchill Downs on Sunday. El Kabeir galloped one mile and three eighths at Belmont on Friday morning.

In addition, Carpe Diem is scheduled to work at Keeneland. At Arlington Park, Mubtaahij is scheduled to work while the California duo of Dortmund and Firing Line are also on the workout docket.

The other works on Saturday morning will be Frosted and Upstart down at Palm Meadows in Florida. The Daily Racing Form‘s David Grening reported that trainer Kiaran McLaughlin moved the workout back from Friday morning to Saturday morning due to the amount of moisture in the track.

Madefromlucky Out Of the Derby, Keen Ice In

In light of Madefromlucky’s lackluster workout on Friday morning, Todd Pletcher and the connections of the horse decided to bypass the Kentucky Derby and point towards the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont on May 9. The hope is that Madefromlucky will be ready to go in the Belmont Park on June 6.

With Madefromlucky not entering the Kentucky Derby, that puts Keen Ice in field. Keen Ice is a winner of one race in 7 career starts. He has made 5 consecutive starts in Graded Stakes competition.

Keen Ice most recently ran fourth in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby and was third in the Grade 2 Risen Star prior to that race.

Kentucky Oaks News

There were also plenty of Kentucky Oaks contenders working as well on Friday morning.

Angela Renee worked four furlongs in company with Curalina while completing the distance in :48.80. The internal splits for those two were :12.40, :24.40 with five furlongs in 1:00.20 and six furlongs galloped out in 1:14.20. The Daily Racing Form‘s Mike Welsch had a slightly different clocking, but was impressed with this duo.

Another Todd Pletcher worker that went out was Eskenformoney who went in company with Roberta Turner. The duo went a half mile in :48.40 with internal splits of :11.60, :23.60, :36, and a five furlong gallop out in 1:01.60.

Then there was Forever Unbridled who worked five furlongs in 1:01. Her splits for the workout were :12.20, :24, :36.20, and :48.40 with a final gallop out of 1:15.80 for six furlongs.

Then there were three more horses during the special Oaks/Derby training session.

Sarah Sis went five furlongs in 1:02.60 with internal splits of :12.40, :24.80, and :37. She galloped out six furlongs in 1:16.80.

Oceanwave worked five furlongs in company with Purse Strings. She completed the five furlongs in 1:02 with internal splits of :12.40, :24.20, :36, and :48.60 while galloping out six furlongs in 1:18.20. Mike Welsch has postulated that she may not be entered in the Oaks off this work.

Condo Commando worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 with internal fractions of :25, :36.40, and :48.60 with a six furlong gallop out in 1:13 flat. Mike Welsch was impressed the most by Condo Commando of these three fillies during the special training session.

At Santa Anita, Stellar Wind breezed six furlongs in 1:12.80 for trainer John Sadler. She did so in company with Scooter Bird. She will leave California on Sunday morning and arrive in Kentucky later that day.

Birdatthewire galloped a mile and a half with a scheduled work on Saturday morning. The duo of Luminance and Maybellene also galloped a mile and a half.

I’m A Chatterbox and Lovely Maria both galloped a mile and a half for trainer Larry Jones at Keeneland on Friday morning. They were vanned over to Churchill in the afternoon. Both will be working on Sunday morning.

Include Betty galloped early on Friday morning as did Shook Up. Meanwhile, Puca galloped a mile and three eighths. Puca is expected to work on Saturday or Sunday, depending on the weather.

Other Stakes Probable Workouts

Todd Pletcher sent out four other horses, with a couple that are expected to appear next weekend. Competitive Edge worked four furlongs in :48.20 with a quarter of a mile in :23.60 and a five furlong gallop out in 1:01.60.

Prontonico and Stopchargingmaria worked as a pair going four furlongs in :49.00. They galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.60.

Sandiva also worked out going four furlongs in :49.20. She galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.20 and six furlongs in 1:15.60.

Other workers included Noble Bird and Coastline who went four furlongs together in :48.40. Sweet Whiskey worked four furlongs in :48, Pain and Misery went four furlongs in :50, and Promise Me Silver went four furlongs in :48.80 with a gallop out in 1:02.80 for five furlongs.

Gold Medal Dancer went five furlongs in 1:01.40 while the pair of Conquest Typhoon and World Approval went four furlongs in :49.