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Lookin at Lucky, Conveyance work for Baffert Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert wasted no time in getting some serious work at Churchill Downs for LOOKIN AT LUCKY (Smart Strike) and CONVEYANCE (Indian Charlie), his duo of contenders for the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 1. The colts arrived at the historic track from Southern California late Tuesday afternoon, galloped on Wednesday and surprised onlookers with workouts on Thursday. Champion two-year-old Lookin at Lucky, winner of the Rebel S. (G2) in his seasonal bow and a troubled third in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) last time, was first out of the barn and was the first horse to hit the track following the mid-session break for track maintenance. He breezed an easy five furlongs under exercise rider Dana Barnes in 1:01 1/5. After Lookin At Lucky returned to the shedrow, Barnes climbed into the saddle aboard Conveyance and guided the Southwest (G3) winner and Sunland Derby (G3) runner-up through five furlongs in 1:00 3/5. Lookin at Lucky covered the distance in fractional times of :12 3/5, :25 1/5, ::37 2/5 and :49 3/5 over the fast track. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:14 3/5. Conveyance turned in fractional times of :13 3/5, :37 2/5 and :49 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:13 3/5. "I just wanted to get over the track and see where they stand -- just get a little easy five-eighths into both of them," Baffert said. "It seemed like they went over it nice." Baffert said each of his Derby contenders would have two additional works over the one-mile dirt surface before the "Run for the Roses." "I just want to see how they handle it when they work," the three-time Derby-winning conditioner said. "They're coming from synthetic, so I just want to get them that extra stroll through there to get used to it because, you know, it's different. It's totally different from what they're used to. I think we'll sharpen them up for the next work." Baffert said there he would make an equipment change for Lookin at Lucky in the Kentucky Derby, removing the blinkers the colt has worn in his last two starts. "You learn more from your losses than your wins, so I'm taking the blinkers off him," Baffert said. "He doesn't need blinkers. The thought was he needed a target, because he'd make the lead. But he's going to have plenty of targets in the Derby with all those horses in there. I think it'll settle him a little bit. He was getting a little antsy at Oaklawn with me (in the Rebel) with the blinkers on going to the gate, and he's usually a pretty cool customer. So he doesn't need 'em." Lookin at Lucky's effort was a solo work that Baffert said was "the first time Lucky's ever worked by himself." Baffert said he plans to let the speedy Conveyance take full advantage of his best weapon -- natural speed – in the Kentucky Derby. The trainer second-guessed himself on the strategy employed in his runner-up finish to Endorsement (Distorted Humor) in the Sunland Derby. "He's a good horse," Baffert said. "I liked the way he went today. He's fast. We're going to let him run. Last time we kind of grabbed him and took a hold of him a little bit. He's a free-running horse and I guess we need to let him get out there and go do his thing." Baffert said both horses would work again around the middle of next week, and he'll watch to see how the anticipated 20-horse field for the Derby shakes out. "Eskendereya (Giant's Causeway), he looks like a complete standout right now," Baffert said. "But the California horses seem to be holding their form pretty well when they leave town, so that's a big plus. But we still have three weeks to go and a lot can happen. You're not safe until you put that saddle on." JACKSON BEND (Hear No Evil) , runner-up to Kentucky Derby favorite Eskendereya in both the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Wood Memorial (G1), displayed a fondness for the traditional dirt at Churchill Downs as the Nick Zito trainee worked a fast four furlongs Thursday in :47 2/5. The work under exercise rider Carlos Correa ranked third among 30 at the distance. The diminutive bay worked in company with stablemate Thomas Got Even (Stephen Got Even) and covered the half-mile in fractions of :11 3/5, :23 3/5 and :35 2/5, galloping out five furlongs in 1:01 1/5. Thomas Got Even recorded an identical time. "I love it,” said Zito of Jackson Bend's first work since his arrival at Churchill Downs. "If he could actually do that next week, maybe Thursday or Friday, I'd be happy. Obviously he's not a big horse and, more importantly, he's just as good as can be and we're happy about all that." Jackson Bend, who presently needs one defection to move into the 20th spot on the graded earnings list with $230,000, has never run worse than second in nine career races, including five victories. "He's an amazing horse," Zito said. "I guess when they say 'Good things come in small packages,' I guess they know what they mean. He's that kind of horse -- he's just a tryer. He always tries, day and night, and he doesn't give up. And that's the kind of horse you need. He's consistent -- and consistent makes you good. If somebody makes a mistake and he runs his normal race, we're in good shape." Zito's other Derby hopeful, Florida Derby (G1) winner ICE BOX (Pulpit), galloped Thursday morning and is scheduled to breeze on Friday just after the break for track maintenance. Zito said the physical makeup of the chestnut colt reminds him of his 1991 Kentucky Derby winner Strike the Gold, the first of two Derby winners for the native New Yorker. "These horses have kept their fitness -- they've run all winter," the Hall of Fame trainer said. "Ice Box has had three mile-and-an-eighth races in a row, including the Florida Derby. So, I've just got to be careful. You can't under-train them, but you certainly can't over-train them." In other Kentucky Derby news: * Following an eventful and disappointing run in the Arkansas Derby (G1), NOBLE'S PROMISE (Cuvee) arrived at Churchill Downs Thursday morning from trainer Ken McPeek's Magdelena Farm. The Grade 1-winning colt jogged a mile and galloped a mile in his first trip over the historic one-mile oval, and McPeek said he remains "on the fence" for the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby. After opening his three-year-old season with a close second to Lookin at Lucky in the Rebel, Noble's Promise finished fifth as the favorite in the $1 million Arkansas Derby, enduring a rough start in which the colt sustained cuts on each of his front legs. Following the race, he was found to be suffering from a lung infection. "We've just got some problems to solve," McPeek said. "It's never a straight line. It's never easy. We need to get a good week in him. "I plan on working (Noble's Promise) on the 20th or the 21st," McPeek added. "It's going to depend on how he scopes out of that and how he's acting. We've got some blood work to check and things like that." * Santa Anita Derby runner-up SETSUKO (Pleasantly Perfect), runner-up in the Sham S. (G3) two back, logged five-eighths in 1:02 4/5 on the Pro-Ride at Santa Anita on Thursday. Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, the improving colt is being readied for a Derby bid but will need some help making the field. He's presently tied for 24th on the graded earnings list with $180,000. * Two Derby hopefuls from New York are expected at Churchill Downs Friday morning following overnight van rides. Gotham (G3) hero and Wood Memorial third-placer AWESOME ACT (Awesome Again) is set to arrive at 7 a.m. (EDT) for trainer Jeremy Noseda. Bay Shore (G2) winner EIGHTYFIVEINAFIFTY (Forest Camp) will arrive Friday for a run in next Saturday's $200,000 The Cliff's Edge Derby Trial (G3) at a mile and, if all goes well, a possible run in the Derby the following week. * Robert B. Lewis (G2) winner CARACORTADO (Cat Dreams) is scheduled to arrive from California on Monday to contest The Cliff's Edge Derby Trial and, if all goes as planned, could run back in the Derby a week later. * On Tuesday, Derby favorite Eskendereya and the other Todd Pletcher-trained contenders, along with trainer Rick Dutrow's Derby hopeful HOMEBOYKRIS (Roman Ruler), will head for Churchill Downs on a Florida-to-Kentucky flight.
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