Multiple Grade 1 winner FIRST SAMURAI (Giant’s Causeway), the winner via
disqualification of the Fountain of Youth S. (G2), worked seven furlongs in 1:25
1/5 over a good track at Churchill Downs on Monday. The three-year-old is
expected to make his next start in the $750,000 Blue Grass S. (G1) on April 15
at Keeneland. The workout was the only one at the distance over a track soaked
overnight by strong storms that moved through the Louisville, Kentucky, area.
First Samurai was timed in fractions of :12 2/5, :24 2/5, :36 1/5, :48 1/5,
1:00 1/5 and 1:12 3/5 under retired jockey Donna Barton Brothers. The chestnut
colt galloped out a mile in 1:40.
“It’s a little hard to judge over a ‘wet-fast’ racetrack, but I thought he
worked all right,” trainer Frank Brothers said. “It’ll be six weeks between
his races, so he needed a pretty good work. He’ll probably come back with a half or
five-eighths — probably five-eighths — next week. He’s breezed right along,
but I just thought he needed a little tightener.”
As a juvenile, First Samurai won his first four starts, including the Hopeful
S. (G1) and Champagne S. (G1). He suffered his first defeat when running a
troubled third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).
In his sophomore debut, First Samurai finished second to Keyed Entry (Honour
and Glory) in the Hutcheson S. (G2) over a sloppy track. The nine-furlong
Fountain of Youth S. (G2) on March 4 at Gulfstream Park was his first start
around two turns.
First Samurai has earned $892,575 from a record of 7-5-1-1.