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Closing Day at Del Mar Japan Cup & Cattleya P. Elizabeth & Coronation Desi Arnaz Stakes Kennedy Road Stakes |
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 Derma Sotogake, Continuar, and Mandarin Hero waited in the mile chute during the renovation break on Thursday morning. |
Thursday (now billed as "Thurby") morning at Churchill Downs was busy during the exclusive Oaks/Derby session, as Kentucky Derby and Oaks horses put in final preparations for their big days, with several horses losing their riders and running loose, setting off the siren to suspend training. Conditions were chilly for Derby week with a fast main track, clear skies, and temperatures in the upper 40's during training hours, with minimal wind, climbing to the 60's as training ended. Video for this morning's work can be viewed here on YouTube. Videos of individual horses in timed works can be found here.
Update: Practical Move scratched on Thursday afternoon due to an elevated temperature letting in Cyclone Mischief from the also-eligibles. Later on Thursday, all Saffie Joseph Jr. horses were scratched at Churchill Downs for safety reasons, including Lord Miles in the Derby, allowing Mandarin Hero in the race. Thursday evening Continuar scratched by his trainer after he observed him today, so now King Russell is in as well. Friday morning, Skinner was also scratched due to an elevated temperature.
Angel of Empire galloped 1 1/2 miles with stablemates Jace's Road and Verifying, and later schooled in the paddock. Trainer Brad Cox said, “I’m great. It’s cool, it’s great. Since we got all of our works in and our gate schooling in, I’m just ready for race day to get here.”
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Continuar walked from the Quarantine Barn to the front of the grandstand and then went to the mile chute where he warmed up during the first harrow break of the morning. When the track reopened for training at 7:30, Continuar cantered a mile with trainer Yoshito Yahagi looking on.
Continuar (JPN) will be scratched from this year’s Kentucky Derby, according to trainer Yoshito Yahagi. “After evaluating the colt upon my arrival, I feel that he has not been able to reach the peak fitness required to take on a race as tough as the Kentucky Derby,” Yahagi said. “Considering the future of the horse and the fact that we cannot show the horse’s true ability in his current state, we have decided to scratch Continuar from the Kentucky Derby.” This lets in the last AE, King Russell.
Derma Sotogake walked from the Quarantine Barn to the front of the grandstand and then went to the mile chute where he warmed up during the first harrow break of the morning. When the track reopened at 7:30, the UAE Derby (G2) winner galloped 1 1/4 miles as trainer Hidetaka Otonashi and jockey Christophe Lemaire looked on.
Disarm galloped Thursday at 7:30 a.m. for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.
Forte galloped 1 3/8 miles under exercise rider Hector Ramos in company with stablemates Kingsbarns and Tapit Trice. Trainer Todd Pletcher said “All is good so far,” when asked about his Derby hopefuls. He’s scheduled them for a visit to the paddock with the horses for today’s Race six and indicated his runners would be ready to train again Friday in the special 7:45 to 8 a.m. training session for Derby and Oaks runners.
Hit Show galloped at 5:15AM and then later came out to school in the paddock. Trainer Brad Cox said, “I’m great. It’s cool, it’s great. Since we got all of our works in and our gate schooling in, I’m just ready for race day to get here.”
Jace's Road galloped 1 1/2 miles with stablemates Angel of Empire and Verifying , and later schooled in the paddock. Trainer Brad Cox said, “I’m great. It’s cool, it’s great. Since we got all of our works in and our gate schooling in, I’m just ready for race day to get here.”
Kingsbarns galloped 1 3/8 miles under exercise rider Elder Flores in company with stablemates Forte and Tapit Trice. Trainer Todd Pletcher said “All is good so far,” when asked about his Derby hopefuls. He’s scheduled them for a visit to the paddock with the horses for today’s Race six and indicated his runners would be ready to train again Friday in the special 7:45 to 8 a.m. training session for Derby and Oaks runners.
Lord Miles galloped 1 1/2 miles Thursday morning.
Later on Thursday afternoon, all Saffie Joseph Jr. horses were scratched from all races at Churchill Downs, including Lord Miles in the Derby, for safety reasons. This allows Mandarin Hero in the race.
Mage galloped 1 1/2 miles with regular exercise rider J.J. Delgado. “Today he was schooling at the gate, and he looked really, really good on the track,” said trainer Gustavo Delgado. “There wasn’t any problem when the horse (Verifying) got loose. Today he’s probably going to the paddock, too. The talent he’s showing is very great.”
Practical Move galloped under exercise rider Baltazar Contreras for 1 3/8 and schooled in the starting gate as well. “Yes, I’m happy with where my horses are,” trainer Tim Yakteen said. “Everything is going well.”
Later in the afternoon, Practical Move was scratched from the Derby due to an elevated temperature.
Raise Cain galloped 1 1/2 miles under Rene Morales for trainer Ben Colebrook. “This morning was as good as he ever trained,” Colebrook said. “His ears were pricked.” Raise Cain will represent the first Derby starter for the 45-year-old Colebrook, who went out on his own in 2012. “The first Derby I saw in person was Thunder Gulch in 1995,” Colebrook said. “The first Derby I really remember was Alysheba (in 1987). He was my favorite horse.”
Rocket Can galloped 1 3/8 miles with regular exercise rider Guelser Cardona. “We got held up a bit, but it turned out OK,” said Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, referring to Verifying dumping his exercise rider and taking off.
Sun Thunder galloped 1 mile under exercise rider Martin Vargas. When asked about his instructions to Hernandez in the Derby, trainer Ken McPeek stated, “I’m just watching along. I’ll let Brian decide what to do.”
Tapit Trice galloped 1 3/8 miles under exercise rider Amelia Green in company with stablemates Forte and Kingsbarns. Green said, “Well, I’m lucky to be working in a good barn with good horses. All our horses are working well, including mine. But I don’t think you’re going to find anyone here this week with a Derby horse that wouldn’t tell you their horse is training well. If one of the horses from our barn were to win, I’d be delighted. We’re a team here and we root for each other and want the others to do well. But probably – deep in my heart – there’s a place that would feel very warm if my horse was to win the Derby. That would be special.”
Two Phil's visited the track earlier than usual on Thursday, galloping his standard 1 and 1/4 miles at 6 a.m. under exercise rider Gonzalo Gonzales. The chestnut colt schooled in the paddock ahead of Race three later in the day. One of the two eponymous Phils, Phil Sagan arrived in Louisville on Wednesday and joined son Anthony on the backside Thursday morning.
Verifying does the walk of shame back after dumping his rider. He galloped 1 1/2 miles with stablemates Angel of Empire and Jace's Road, before dumping the exercise rider and had to be caught by outriders Greg Blasi and Lee Lockwood. About an hour later, Cox reported Verifying was “fine.” Later in the day he schooled in the paddock.
Cyclone Mischief is the first also-eligible. He galloped 1 3/8 miles under exercise rider Faustino Herrate. “He went out to school in the gate, and will stand in the paddock today,” trainer Dale Romans said.
He draws in the race after the scratch of Practical Move on Thursday afternoon and less than an hour later was schooling in the paddock in his Derby saddlecloth.
Mandarin Hero is the second also-eligible for the Derby. He galloped 2 miles under exercise rider Yuji Horita.
Later on Thursday afternoon, he drew in the race after all Saffie Joseph Jr. horses were scratched from all races at Churchill Downs, including Lord Miles in the Derby, for safety reasons.
King Russell is the third also-eligible. He galloped 1 1/2 miles at 7:30AM. This was when the first loose horse alarm went off and the rider is pulling him up and looking around for the loose horse.
Thursday evening, Continuar's trainer said he will be scratched as he didn't like the way he looked which lets King Russell in the race now.
Affirmative Lady had an eventful 1 1/2 mile gallop under Kevin Lundie. “She had an interrupted mile and a half,” trainer Graham Motion said. “She had to pull up because of the loose horse. It’s ironic, really, with the special training time and there is supposed to be no drama. I’d like to see Johnny (Velazquez) save some ground going into the first turn. He has done it so many times, I will leave it up to him.”
Defining Purpose galloped 1 3/8 miles under Shelby Spalding. “My filly was off the track before it happened, so she got in her full gallop,” trainer Ken McPeek said of the incident with Verifying dumping his exercise rider and running off. She’ll walk the shedrow early Friday, before the Oaks later in the day.
Dorth Vader had a routine 1 1/2 mile gallop at 7:30 a.m. Thursday.
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Gambling Girl galloped 1 3/8 miles under Carlos Quevado.
Flying Connection galloped 1 1/2 miles under Oscar Rojero. “She had to pull up (because of the loose horse), but a couple minutes later I saw her around the seven-eighths pole and see was going strong,” trainer Todd Fincher said. "I’d like to see her break a length and front and have a clean trip. Then we will see how she stacks up.”
Mimi Kakushi jogged a mile alongside a pony and then galloped a mile under Xavier Ziani. Trainer Salem bin Ghadayer said Mimi Kakushi could go to the track in the morning or be hand-walked in the Quarantine Barn. Mimi Kakushi will represent bin Ghadayer’s first starter in the United States and the trainer is optimistic about his filly. “She has improved every race and I think she has a good chance,” bin Ghadayer said of the UAE Oaks (G3) winner. “It is a very open race, but we came here to win and not to turn around and go back home.”
Pretty Mischievous galloped 1 1/2 miles. “She’s had a great week, really she’s doing super,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “She’s got a lot of class. It’s been a good couple of days so far, which feels good heading into a big weekend.”
Wet Paint galloped 1 1/2 miles in company with Derby stablemates Angel of Empire, Jace's Road, and Verifying. “They’re really good,” trainer Brad Cox said. “They just had regular gallops. They all schooled yesterday and were great. They’ll just walk tomorrow.”
Taxed is the first also-eligible.
Julia Shining is the second also-eligible. She galloped 1 3/8 miles under Humberto Zamora.
All the Kentucky Derby and Oaks saddle cloths hanging at Todd Pletcher's barn after the morning gallops.
Thursday has been styled as Thurby for a few years now and this year they set a new attendance record with 54,848 - up 14.6% from last year. The first stakes of the day was the Kentucky Juvenile Stakes won by heavy favorite Woualmosthadme, trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione. The final time for the five furlong race was 57.49.
The feature stakes of the day was the Opening Verse Stakes won by favorite Annapolis, trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. The final time for the one mile on the turf was 1:35.73.
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