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Tampa Bay Derby Gotham Day Saudi Cup Day Sovereign Award Finalists Withers, Toboggan, Ruthless |
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 Uncle Sigh (outide) and Commanding Curve gallop on Wednesday morning. |
Wednesday morning was cool and very overcast at Churchill Downs, after more rain overnight. This morning the track was on the wet side of good to muddy, but most of the Derby horses were out anyway along with quite a few of the Oaks fillies during the special private workout session at 8:30 after the break. Unfortunately California Chrome came out at 7am so I didn't get to see him. Below are photos for 15 Derby horses and 10 Oaks fillies from this morning on the track plus 1 more Derby horse schooling in the paddock this afteroon. Full barn notes for today are available here.
 Danza galloped widest and strongest of the Pletcher foursome. He had regular exercise rider Ezequiel Perez at the controls. The four colts each went about a mile and three-eighths – give or take – around the big oval on an overcast morning. | |
 Hoppertunity jogged Wednesday morning and schooled in the paddock this afternoon. It was his first day back on the track after working a half-mile in :48 during a rain storm Monday morning. | |
 Intense Holiday was handled by Isabelle Bourez during his gallop with the other Pletcher colts. The four colts each went about a mile and three-eighths – give or take – around the big oval on an overcast morning. | |
 Samraat had an eventful visit to the track Wednesday morning where he galloped 1 3/8 miles under exercise rider Rodney Paine. “He was very sharp,” trainer Rick Violette said. “He had a horse doing a two-minute lick coming at him when he turned corner coming on the racetrack and almost lost his rider. It was all of four seconds, but ...” Violette said his colt reared, ducked and tried to get away from the pony during that brief but frightening event. He then went on for gallop around the track for Paine. “He moved great, was very sharp, handled the racetrack and was happy to be here,” Violette said. “No changes neccessary. | |
 Vinceremos was handled by Humberto Zamora during his gallop with the other Pletcher colts. The four colts each went about a mile and three-eighths – give or take – around the big oval on an overcast morning. | |
 We Miss Artie was handled by Nick Bush during his gallop with the other Pletcher colts. The four colts each went about a mile and three-eighths – give or take – around the big oval on an overcast morning. | |
 Candy Boy galloped during the Derby/Oaks training period at 8:30 following the renovation break at Churchill Downs Wednesday morning. Exercise rider Jelani Grant was aboard for a solid bit of exercise that covered a mile and three-eighths. They also did a session of standing in the gate. | |
 Chitu galloped about 1 1/2 miles. “Every day he looks better and better and I really like the way he went around there. He needed a nice, stiff work, that’s why I wanted to run him in the Derby Trail, but I did get that stiff work out of him. He looks good. He’s going to run his race.” Baffert said. | |
 Commanding Curve galloped Wednesday morning under exercise rider Emerson Chavez, and Stewart said he was planning to school him in the paddock in the afternoon. | |
 Dance With Fate galloped 1 1/4 miles after the Wednesday morning renovation break with Issac Muniz aboard. “He got a little aggressive at the quarter pole when another Derby horse (Ride On Curlin) came by and stayed with him,” trainer Peter Eurton said. | |
 Medal Count galloped 1 1/2 miles under exercise rider Faustino Aguilar during the Oaks and Derby training session. | |
 Ride On Curlin galloped under exercise rider Bryan Beccia. Trainer Billy Gowan said, said."He's got the perfect mind for this because that's something you can't train in them. They've either got it or they don't. He's had it from Day One. He's a smart horse. If he does how I think he's going to do – everything right – we'll be all right.'' | |
 Uncle Sigh went out for a breeze under exercise rider Benito Alvarado. Trainer Gary Contessa said, It was a mini breeze. I backed him up at the quarter pole, galloped him around. I broke him off at the half. He went 14 seconds from the half to the three-eighths. Then he picked it up to almost 12 and 4, so he went 26 and change for the quarter. Then – I was on the walkie with the rider – I said, ‘Don’t move.’ Then he went 13, 13 home, so he went 52-and-3.” | |
 Wicked Strong galloped 1 5/8 miles. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens said, “He’s as good as I could hope. I still don’t know how he is going to be on Derby Day, but I’m happy with how he is so far. Nothing else has bothered him. There’s a lot activity and that hasn’t bothered him at all.” | |
 Wildcat Red galloped 1 1/2 miles under exercise rider Juan Belmonte. Trainer Jose Garoffalo said, “I’m not nervous. I’m very optimistic. I’m a little bit surprised that I’m not nervous, but I’m a pretty calm person. I have experience in big races. In Venezuela, trainers are very used to being in contact with the media – TV, radio, the press is always at the track. We’re pretty much used to that. And I’ve been involved in the big races there.” | |
| Kentucky Oaks Fillies
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 Empress of Midway galloped 1 1/2 miles under exercise rider Humberto Gomez. Jack Sisterson, assistant to trainer Doug O'Neill said, “She has not missed a beat since she has been here. She has adapted well, just like she was home." | |
 Fashion Plate jogged once around the wrong way and then galloped 1 mile under exercise rider Paul Eddery. Trainer Simon Callaghan said, “She really transformed when she got on the dirt and she was more mature. In her first start at Del Mar (on Polytrack) she got bumped around but she was third in her next race." | |
 Got Lucky galloped 1 1/4 miles under exercise rider Amy Mulen. Trainer Todd Pletcher said, "Got Lucky is going to drop back and make a run, so post (12) isn’t that important." | |
 Kiss Moon galloped 1 1/4 miles under Otto Thorwarth. trainer David Vance said, “She’s a big filly and we just took our time with her. We thought she would be better going two turns and on grass in the long run. With her (half) sister (Kiss Mine, stakes placed on turf), everything is a bonus now on the main track.” | |
 My Miss Sophia galloped 1 3/8 miles under exercise rider Humberto Zamora. Trainer Todd Pletcher said, "My Miss Sophia has enough speed that she’ll be able to find a good position." | |
 Rosalind galloped 1 1/2 miles under exercise rider Danny Ramsey. Trainer Ken McPeek said, “We pulled the plug on (planned gate schooling). She just gets balky. After she pulls up from the gallop she wants to come home. We want to take her to the gate but she wants to go the other way. She’s done it a few races in a row and I’m not sure why she does it. We haven’t quite figured it out but as long as she’s doing everything else right.” | |
 Sugar Shock galloped 1 1/2 miles uner Seth VanDyke. Trainer Doug Anderson said, “We let her stretch her legs a little through the stretch. There have been no bumps at all. She hasn’t missed an oat or any training.” | |
 Thank You Marylou galloped 1 mile under Joel Barrientos. Trainer Mike Maker said, "It looks like there's plenty of speed in there, not looking at it closely. I just think she'll be maintaining a stalking position." | |
 Unbridled Forever galloped under Pedro Velez in the morning and then schooled in the paddock in the afternoon. Trainer Dallas Stewart said, "She's got a really good mind. She's nice that way. She's real easy to ride, looks to be a rateable, kind filly. She can go either way – press the pace, lay back. It doesn't matter." | |
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