Eight horses with Kentucky Derby (G1) aspirations took to the track on Sunday
BELLAMY ROAD (Concerto), sensational winner of the Wood Memorial (G1), led
“With Bellamy Road, I thought Maxine did a great job,” Zito said afterward.
Bellamy Road could go favored in the Derby off his 17 1/2-length win in the
High Fly and Noble Causeway were the one-two finishers, respectively, in the
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“I thought he went extremely well,” Zito said. “I think the main thing with
him was, whoever that horse was (that dropped in at the eighth pole) may be a
blessing, because that last eighth, he really got himself going when he saw that
horse.
“On Noble Causeway, I thought he worked very well. I used a horse with him
named Capac. He’s not Ghostzapper (Awesome Again), so what happened was Capac
obviously could not keep up with Noble Causeway. We needed a little zip in him,
because in the Derby, as we always say, these guys play for real and you’ve got
to get to a spot sometimes and Gary (Stevens) is going to have to get to a spot, so
that worked really well. We know he will go a mile and a quarter. We know he is
royally bred. He went well.”
Zito will be going for his third Derby on Saturday and likes his chances.
“If we don’t get number three now, then I will have to have Secretariat
himself,” he added. “No question. I can’t ask the Man upstairs to give me a
better shot at this.”
His other two Derby contenders, SUN KING (Charismatic) and ANDROMEDA’S HERO
(Fusaichi Pegasus), each went to the track for a gallop on Sunday. The former
went 1 1/2 miles at Churchill, while Andromeda’s Hero, who doesn’t have a rider
confirmed for the Derby yet, galloped at Keeneland.
Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out two of his three Derby entrants in their final
“He’s getting physically stronger and more mature mentally all the time,”
Bandini made his career debut a month earlier than his sire, going in
“In the paddock, he kicked his jockey (Jamie Spencer) in the chest, so we had
Bandini captured his next start in January at Gulfstream Park, taking a
FLOWER ALLEY (Distorted Humor) had a bit more luck in his career bow for
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“I wanted him to keep his focus,” Pletcher said of his charge. “This morning,
in fact, he was a little too focused when he started his work, but after about a
hundred yards he settled down and kept right up with Ashado.”
Flower Alley will keep the blinkers for the Derby and have jockey Jorge
Multiple stakes hero GOING WILD (Golden Missile) put in his final major work
“He was full of himself this morning,” Lukas said. “He was tough to pull up.
Going Wild made his sophomore debut in the San Miguel S. in January, scoring
SPANISH CHESTNUT (Horse Chestnut [SAf]) breezed five furlongs in 1:00 2/5 at
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“The owners are very happy to have two horses in the race,” Biancone said.
“The Derby is very different from other stakes races. A lot of things can
happen. From what I have seen, 10 horses lose the race in the paddock, five lose
the race on the way to the track, and the other five stay the distance. The more
horses you have in this race, the better.”
GIACOMO (Holy Bull) will be seeking only his second career victory in the
Derby after breaking his maiden in October by 10 lengths. Since then, the John
Shirreffs-trained gray has finished second in the Hollywood Futurity (G1) and San Felipe S. (G2)
as well as third in the Sham. On Sunday, Giacomo worked six furlongs
on the fast track at Hollywood Park in a bullet 1:11 4/5 and made his final prep
for the Derby a close fourth in the Santa Anita
Derby (G1).
With exercise rider Sabina Seibel in the irons, the sophomore worked in
company with Bullistic (Holy Bull), breaking about a length behind but finishing
about 1 1/2 lengths in front at the wire.
“They went off a little keen, but then settled and went steady the rest of the
way. It was exactly what I wanted,” said Shirreffs, who is expected in
Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday, one day before his charge is due to arrive.
Mike Smith, who has been aboard for all of Giacomo’s starts, will retain the
mount for the Derby.
In other Kentucky Derby news:
Multiple Grade 1 winner AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet) made his usual two
trips to the track on Sunday, making a first appearance on Churchill Downs’ dirt
at 6:05 a.m. to jog two miles. He returned after the renovation break and
also visited the paddock and gate.
“The second time out, he went to the paddock for two or three minutes, then
jogged to the half-mile pole, galloped a mile, went to the gate, jogged to the
half-mile pole and then galloped another mile,” trainer Tim Ritchey said. “He is
the kind of horse that enjoys being out. We started jogging two miles and then
jogging another two miles (after the break) to get him used to it and he just
thrived.”
A loose horse on the track caused Ritchey to take Afleet Alex off at the
clocker’s stand by the five-eighths gap instead of the six-furlong gap.
BUZZARDS BAY (Marco Bay), who surprised at 30-1 in the Santa Anita Derby to
Grade 3 winner CLOSING ARGUMENT (Successful Appeal), third in the Blue Grass
“He handled it great and looked good out there,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin
DON’T GET MAD (Stephen Got Even), a seven-length winner of Saturday’s Derby
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“He’ll walk for the next few days,” Ellis said. “He’s had his prep for the
Derby, that’s for sure. I think the Lasix dulled him in California. We took him
off Lasix yesterday and he warmed up with a lot more energy before the Trial. We
scoped him (about 30 minutes) after the Trial and he didn’t bleed.”
Greeley’s Galaxy also galloped on Sunday, going 1 1/2 miles, and has to be
supplemented to the Derby at $200,000. He’s scheduled to have his final prep for
the Derby on Wednesday going five furlongs.
Three other Derby contenders — GREATER GOOD (Intidab), HIGH LIMIT (Maria’s
Mon) and SORT IT OUT (Out of Place) — all galloped 1 1/2 miles on Sunday. Rebel
S. (G3) hero Greater Good went before the renovation break for trainer Bob
Holthus, who will be starting a Derby runner for the fourth time. High
Limit suffered his first career defeat when second in the Blue Grass and is set
to make his final major work before the Derby a half-mile breeze on Wednesday.
Trainer Bob Baffert said Sort it Out will breeze Monday morning after the
renovation break.
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner WILKO (Awesome Again) left Hollywood Park
Sunday morning for a flight to Louisville and was expected to arrive at
Churchill Downs in the late afternoon.